noirish Los Angeles - Page 1538

CityBoyDoug · #**30741** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 2:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

LOL, that's a very fanciful representation of Vibiana, about whom nothing is known apart from from a brief inscription on her tomb, which only said she was "innocent and pure" ("martyr", I think, was a bit of a guess). But, truth be told, many of the ancestral "portraits" in grand English homes are totally made up too. People do like a visual.

What? Are you saying that's not Saint Vibiana? Well, there goes my faith.

MichaelRyerson · #**30742** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 11:19 AM**

e-r and HossC (and maybe GW) posted about Mosher Tire Service back in late May. I believe e-r's eBay image sported a large watermark. Shorpy's got a nice high-res copy of it up today. And yes, that's the Hotel Dix next door.

Mosher Tire Service, 1534 N. Cahuenga, 1942

http://www.shorpy.com/node/20066?size=_original#caption

HossC · #**30743** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 1:50 PM**

Here's today's installment of Julius Shulman's Bank of America pictures. This one is "Job 1434: Bank of America (Los Angeles, Calif.),1953", with the bank located at 8946 South Sepulveda Boulevard.

A close-up shows the USS Portsmouth over the door. It also shows the address, which makes tracking down the location a little easier

.

This is the view looking north. On the left is the Bobby Thacher School of Dance, while there's all-night bowling across the street. The bowling alley was part of the Paradise Theatre complex which I'll cover below.

Sadly, little/nothing is left of these buildings just north of the bank. I like the "Mile High" ice cream sign on the right.

All from Getty Research Institute

The application to erect the bank is dated 05/16/1949.

The new roof sign (pictured in the Shulman image, above) was added in 1952. Page 2 of the application (not shown here) gives its size as 21'6" x 9'0".

Both from Online Building Records System

I believe that this is the original building, and it's still a Bank of America, although I couldn't find the building permit to remove all the visually appealing aspects of its design!

GSV

The left (west) side of Sepulveda has been completely redeveloped, but traces of the Paradise Theatre remain on the right.

GSV

Here's a better view of the Paradise Building at 9100 S Sepulveda Boulevard.

GSV

According to William Gabel at cinematreasures.org:

The Paradise Theatre in Westchester was located a few blocks south of the Fox Loyola Theatre. It opened on August 23, 1950 and as well as the theatre, there was a bowling alley and cocktail lounge attached.

The streamline Moderne style facade has a curved expanse which also has a tower feature, that held the theatre name. Inside the lobby, there was a planted garden and a wall display featuring an illustrated ‘Wall of Fame’ of Academy Award winners since 1927. Inside the auditorium, seating was provided all on a single level. The plain decorative style was relieved by three bare brick recesses on the splay-walls on each side of the proscenium, which contained potted plants. The Paradise Theatre was operated as a second run movie theatre.

The last chain to operate the Paradise Theatre was Pacific Theatres, and it later ran as an independent for a short time before being gutted and turned into an office building.

The site also has some interior and exterior pictures of the Paradise Theatre - they can be found here.

There are a couple more pictures of the Paradise Theatre in post #13248 by Flyingwedge. Thanks to tovangar2 for the link.

tovangar2 · #**30744** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 3:23 PM**

Thank you. I'm really enjoying your Bank of America series. Many branches have introduced me to neighborhoods I had overlooked before.

I think this is the first branch we've seen with both the Old English typeface and the ship logo :-)

Unfortunately that's a really grim remodel. It was once so crisp and dignified, with the tall windows marching around the corner curve.

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Have we seen this image of the LA County Courthouse under construction before? Forgive me if we have, Google Image Search sometimes fails me.

This view is from the intersection of Temple and Broadway/Fort:

lapl

rbpjr · #**30745** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 9:51 PM**

Shorpy's got a nice high-res copy of it up today. And yes, that's the Hotel Dix next door.

Any ideas on what the ghost sign says on the side of the Dix Hotel...."(something) Dix Hotel"

HossC · #**30746** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 10:06 PM**

I meant to post this clipping a couple of days ago when I posted the Ventura Boulevard Bank of America pictures. On the same page of the April 24, 1952 edition of The Van Nuys News where I found the chiropractor's advert was this one for Kay's Children's Shop at 6261 Van Nuys Boulevard.

www.newspapers.com

The name Kay's Children's Shop was familiar from another recent Bank of America post about the branch on Van Nuys Boulevard. In the picture below, also from 1952, a new store at a different address was being advertised. I wonder if this was a new branch or a relocation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

The third picture is looking south. The flags/banners across the street are advertising the grand opening of Kay's Children's Store at 8434 Van Nuys Boulevard.

ethereal_reality · #**30747** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 10:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

Trailer camp, Temple and Alvarado, 1937 (3)

Photograph caption dated October 18, 1937 reads, "Former vaudeville artists who have found new glamour in trailer life, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vardon, seated, operators of the trailer camp, are shown outside their traveling home with Mary Wilson. Vardon says the life is an "exciting change from the usual routine.'" I see the Vardons are posing with their 'Zim-Air'. And a beautiful coach it is! First Class all the way. (I'm bummed that the Examiner art department painted out the Foster & Kleiser billboard in the background)

LAPL

http://flickrhivemind.net/blackmagic...04/13233179575

I couldn't find a Whiteside Avenue, but here's 4041 Whiteside Street in East Los Angeles.

gsv

'Wilshire Blvd. at Citrus' must have been the location of the dealership.

Here's another ad I recently found.

http://mydesertmagazine.com/files/19...38-January.pdf

CityBoyDoug · #**30748** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

http://flickrhivemind.net/blackmagic...04/13233179575

I couldn't find a Whiteside Avenue, but here's 4041 Whiteside Street in East Los Angeles.

gsv

'Wilshire Blvd. at Citrus' must have been the location of the dealership.

Here's another ad I recently found.

http://mydesertmagazine.com/files/19...38-January.pdf

Perfect for Burning Man Festival!

HossC · #**30749** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbpjr

Shorpy's got a nice high-res copy of it up today. And yes, that's the Hotel Dix next door.

Any ideas on what the ghost sign says on the side of the Dix Hotel...."(something) Dix Hotel"

I think there are probably a couple of names in the ghost sign, but one of them is some variant of Riead Hotel, a name which appeared in the City Directories until around 1934 (the Shorpy picture is dated 1942). The inset below is from the 1927 CD, when the Riead Hotel was also listed as Harry Riead furnished rooms.

Shorpy/LAPL

ethereal_reality · #**30750** Posted **Sep 2, 2015, 11:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

701 E 3rd Street was built in 1924 as a warehouse for the Neptune Meter Company to the designs of architect Walter Jesse Saunders:

Last week, when I was snooping around the Neptune Building, I noticed this brick building attached to it's north side.

gsv

Up close, there is impressive brick-work, as well as diamonds between the window with initials in them.....J.A.R.

detail / gsv

In this view, looking from the north, the building is a 'flatiron' shape.

gsv

Here's a closer look at the impressive front entrance.

detail

The three streets involved are E. 2nd Street, Alameda Street and Traction Avenue. (see below)

google_aerial

I find it hard to believe that we haven't seen this building on NLA; but I don't recall discussing the 'diamonds' with the J.A.R. initials.

____

0ne last thing:

Here's the brick building and the Neptune building together.

google_earth

A closer look at the roof of the Neptune building reveals an intricate skylight.
I've tried to locate interior photographs of the Neptune but haven't had any luck.

skylight detail

I would really like to see this skylight from the inside. I'm hoping the glass isn't tarred over.
(I heard that the Little Tokyo Branch Library used to be located in the building)
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ethereal_reality · #**30751** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 12:20 AM**

Andrew Nicollet at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

'Earthquake' set (1974).
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ethereal_reality · #**30752** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 12:33 AM**

Three in a crown.

eBay

"Pasadena Flower Show, Horticulture Assoc. October 1932.
Peggy Lou Neary, Esther Lambert, Wanda Shepardson."
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tovangar2 · #**30753** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 1:41 AM**

216 Alameda, now the very trendy Angel City Brewery, was built in 1924 as the John A. Roebling's Sons Company of California wireworks warehouse. (However, Esotouric gives 1913 as the build date. I haven't sorted that out yet.)

Hudson and Munsell were the architects.

The company (famous bridge builders) name is on the beer garden side (back) of the building, facing Traction Ave:

la weekly <--- info about the mural at the link.

I cannot make out what it says over the front door:

google maps photos

GW took us here before as did Horthos

There are masses of pix and articles re the Angel City Brewery building online. It's one of the stalwarts of the Arts District.

Esotouric has a good article on the custom Batchelder tile inside the building. Don't miss it
(Much as I love the tile, it's the spun-wire, bridge-cable stair railing that knocked me out. Many more photos at Esotouric's flickr page)

CityBoyDoug · #**30754** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 1:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Andrew Nicollet at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

'Earthquake' set (1974).
__

Great photo ER. Thanks for posting. Here's the magnificent 3 min. movie trailer...fun, fun fun.

https://youtu.be/w_BwX2fEUTo

ethereal_reality · #**30755** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 2:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

216 Alameda, now the very trendy Angel City Brewery, was built in 1924 as the John A. Roebling's Sons Company of California wireworks warehouse.
Elsewhere, 1913 is given as the build date, so maybe 1924 was just an addition (?)

Hudson and Munsell were the architects.

J.A.R. = John A. Roebling. Thanks so much tovanger2!

Using your link,
I was thrilled to see the various "J.A.R." references in the interior of the building.

esotouric

http://esotouric.com/wireworks/

esotouric

http://esotouric.com/wireworks/

Be sure to visit Esotouric's website to see the 'bridge-cable'-spun-wire staircase. (that t2 mentioned)
http://esotouric.com/wireworks/

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ethereal_reality · #**30756** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 2:55 AM**

A feast of cold-cuts. 1960s postcard. (it's like a work of art.

)

eBay

Langer's is still in business at the southeast corner of MacArthur Park (formerly Westlake)

gsv
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ethereal_reality · #**30757** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 3:17 AM**

NOIR from atop Los Angeles City Hall, 1958. (so many dark spaces) -I love that.

1958 / eBay

1958 / ebay

1958 / eBay

1958 / eBay

such a simpler time. -no banal skyscrapers yet.

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tovangar2 · #**30758** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 3:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I was thrilled to see the various "J.A.R." references in the interior of the building.

http://esotouric.com/wireworks/
__

There's an expanded photo set of lobby views at Esotouic's flicker page:

And here's J.A.R. himself, John Augustus Roebling (1806-1869), in case you were wondering:

wiki

See the Roebling Museum site for info on the family and the company

ethereal_reality · #**30759** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 3:28 AM**

A daylight slide (big fins on that car)

1960s (?)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cars-Cadilla...item2ee56f8099

What's attached to the top of the streetlight? -an antenna of some sort?
__

Flyingwedge · #**30760** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 4:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

NOIR from atop Los Angeles City Hall, 1958. (so many dark spaces) -I love that.

1958 / eBay

such a simpler time. -no banal skyscrapers yet.

__

Thanks for these, er! It's great to see the old buildings at night in color. I especially like that last photo, with all the red neon signs and a couple blue ones.