noirish Los Angeles - Page 2499

odinthor · #**49961** Posted **Dec 18, 2018, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

[…] the three dormant plants make me think this photograph might have been taken in the winter.

1. and 2. look like sagebrush [odinthor?]. (another couple of months and a strong gust of wind might send them tumbling down Grand Ave.)

Number 3. looks like it might be yucca.

[…]

[still blushing from the shameless palm trees in CBD's post]

Yes, e_r, I concur: Winter. These numbered plants very much caught my eye. The yucca or maybe aloe looks as if it has been run over a few times. The other two . . . have a weedy look . . . but by their placement seem to have been intentionally sited there . . . rather oddly for parkway planting, especially in those days . . . I think I see some flower-heads on them and am wondering if they're somewhat stunted and subsequently dead wild Fennel, Fœniculum vulgare, a non-native and most obnoxious plant in my humble estimation, growing in tree basins in which the (dead) street trees have been taken out . . . and while they (the Fennels) were alive, someone thought they were pretty enough to leave there (well, they do have, when alive, pretty feathery foliage and nice yellow flowers).

GaylordWilshire · #**49962** Posted **Dec 18, 2018, 8:42 PM**

Looks like 3643 S Grand lasted until demo'ed in 1975...
but it has a little juvenile noir attached to it--early gang activity in South LA--"The boys were organized in real dime novel style...."

Maybe the kid on the balcony is little Ernie Kurrie-- a.k.a. Steel Arm, or the Regulator, or Lightning Harry, or the Sure Shot, or Daredevil Dick. Or the King of the Road, or Little Swiftfoot or the Silent Messenger....

LA Herald Sept 24, 1908

GaylordWilshire · #**49963** Posted **Dec 18, 2018, 8:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I AM GW!

They look like cartoon acorns.

What were balloons made out of back then? Whatever the material was..it made for some really cool lookin' balloons.

Acorns? Well, now I see that...but, well, I guess I have a dirty mind and was thinking along the lines of, let's say, Dagmars on the bumpers of '50s cars...i.e., something to entice the dads into buying Shell gas ... no no no I guess not.

Anyway, here is a clipping from The Homestead Blog...a little enticement to check out that blog but especially the '20s noir of the photog...

ethereal_reality · #**49964** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 2:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Acorns? Well, now I see that...but, well, I guess I have a dirty mind and was thinking along the lines of, let's say, Dagmars on the bumpers of '50s cars.

I've never seen nipples that BIG....so I said acorns.

ethereal_reality · #**49965** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 4:20 AM**

File this post under: Extremely Noirish

Jules Dassin's Brute Force (1947)

cheatbook

See the mysterious woman on the calendar.

Here's the original painting by John Decker.

unknown

"Decker enjoyed visiting Los Angeles morgues and painting pictures of female cadavers."

It's all explained here....and it's quite fascinating!

HERITAGE AUCTIONS

for search purposes: Brute Force...1947...John Decker....Producer Mark Hellinger...morgue....cadaver....curse.

ethereal_reality · #**49966** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 4:35 AM**

Mark Hellinger's name [the owner of the painting] is featured prominently on many of the Brute Force posters and lobby cards.

All from IMDB

nealberke · #**49967** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 5:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I AM GW!

They look like cartoon acorns.

What were balloons made out of back then? Whatever the material was..it made for some really cool lookin' balloons.

According to a MENTAL FLOSS article by Monica Granados, toy balloons in the early 20th century were made of rubber but apparently not latex rubber. Latex balloons were invented in 1931. Here's the link to the article. http://mentalfloss.com/article/12875...mal-intestines

Handsome Stranger · #**49968** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 8:16 AM**

Wow...what an amazing noirish tale about artist John Decker. Great post, ER!

"Take it easy, lady!"

CityBoyDoug · #**49969** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 2:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Mark Hellinger's name [the owner of the painting] is featured prominently on many of the Brute Force posters and lobby cards.

All from IMDB[/CENTER]

I would say that this movie is much too low on the moral ambiguity scale to be ''noirish".

Congratulations ER, absolute bottom may finally have been found.

Snix · #**49970** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 8:55 PM**

The "Belmont" neon sign is from the Belmont theater at 126 S. Vermont Ave. It would not be visible from Wilshire and Catalina.

Photo from Cinema Treasures
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1422/photos/15835

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

mystery gas station.

"Opening of Santa Claus display at station, Shell Oil Co., Southern California, 1930." (but it says 1929 on one of the giant books in the display)

USC DIGITAL ARCHIVES

If you look closely, along the left edge, you can see the name of the owners of the station.

DETAIL: Van Fleet & Durkee #176

I also spotted *pats self on back*

a clue in the far distance.

Drum roll please.

DETAIL

USC didn't list Van Fleet, Durkee or Belmont...but they did list a ton of other details.

also

It looks like someone from Paramount designed the fantastic Christmas backdrop. (it's not really a backdrop...but you know what I mean)

I'm curious...what does [ilg] mean? (it's used numerous times in the 2nd paragraph)
___

To see the other two photographs of the Christmas decorations go HERE.

GaylordWilshire · #**49971** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 9:22 PM**

In this case I think the Belmont sign was indeed visible from Wilshire & Catalina, given the raised position of the camera, and its distorting lens. The Du Barry Apartments were/are at 458 S Catalina--even though it was due north of the Shell station, it appears here to be to the northeast of the station. And the Belmont sign was huge.

HossC · #**49972** Posted **Dec 19, 2018, 9:44 PM**

You beat me to it, GW.

We've seen camera lenses foreshorten distances before - I especially remember how close the Hollywood sign seems in some old pictures, even though it's virtually invisible from GSV.

Google Maps

GaylordWilshire · #**49973** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 1:01 PM**

Van Fleet-Durkee bought up a lot of gas stations in LA and all over California--I saw figure of 700 stations mentioned in one article...

LAT June 25, 1929

Someone innocent seems came up with this logo...which may or may not have had something to do with Van Fleet–Durkee being renamed Shell Service Inc. in 1931....

LAT

CityBoyDoug · #**49974** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Van Fleet-Durkee bought up a lot of gas stations in LA and all over California--I saw figure of 700 stations mentioned in one article...

LAT June 25, 1929

Someone innocent seems came up with this logo...which may or may not have had something to do with Van Fleet–Durkee being renamed Shell Service Inc. in 1931....

LAT

Dry gas is a very helpful fuel additive that is used to remove water from gasoline and prevent water-contaminated gasoline from freezing. While the solution itself is actually called dry gas, there is one brand of this fluid named Drygas

ethereal_reality · #**49975** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 2:53 PM**

I don't believe we have seen this particular Van Fleet-Durkee station.

"Van Fleet and Durkee station, West 7th Street and South Park View Street, Los Angeles, CA, 1929."

USC digital archive

As you can see..it's station No. 137.

The area looks down-right pastoral.

ethereal_reality · #**49976** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 3:02 PM**

And here's a mystery location.

"Elks caravan information cars at Shell station, Southern California, 1931"

USC digital archive

I wondered why this image showed up in my Van Fleet-Durkee search... then I noticed the V & D System triangular logo on the towncar [at right].

Does anyone recognize the apartment building in the background?

__________

also too

Van Fleet and Durkee hired the photographer. [Joe]

USC digital archive

See...I told ya it was Joe.

ethereal_reality · #**49977** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 3:11 PM**

I just realized there was a second photograph taken that day [at the mystery Shell station].

USC digital archive

Clearly the positions of the cars have been switched.
_______________________________________

We got us a mystery reflection too.

detail

.

HossC · #**49978** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 3:52 PM**

Van Fleet-Durkee/Shell Station No 176 is the same one that was in the Christmas scene at 3325 Wilshire Boulevard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Someone innocent seems came up with this logo...which may or may not have had something to do with Van Fleet–Durkee being renamed Shell Service Inc. in 1931....

LAT

Well, if they'd made the logo spell out VFD it could get confused with the Volunteer Fire Department. At least this way there's no confusion or ambiguity

.

HossC · #**49979** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 3:58 PM**

I decided to redecorate Tally's to celebrate reaching 2500 pages (that's 50,000 posts by the bottom of this page!). Well done to everyone for keeping it fresh and interesting.

Original image from LAPL

ethereal_reality · #**49980** Posted **Dec 20, 2018, 4:49 PM**

Well done Hoss!

giphy