In this 1937 photo, we’re looking north on Westwood Blvd past Wilshire Blvd toward Westwood Village. These days, of course, it’s Wilshire is crowded with office towers and apartment buildings but back then—as we can see from this photo—there was a big-sky wide-openess to Los Angeles. And if you look closely, you can see a semaphore traffic light at the intersection. But the traffic is so light that it barely seems necessary.
Mr. Turnbull, This was my old “stomping grounds” in the mid ’70s to early ’90’s. Acres of free parking, with 5-7 bar/restaurants with good live music and no cover charges! The tail end of the paradise it once was –
Living in an original 1930’s Spanish style house on Veteran Ave. at Santa Monica Blvd., my next door neighbor was the widow of an LA Times Sports Makeup Artist; a field I never knew existed.
As she was the original occupant of the house (and neighborhood) when new, in the late ’30s, she informed me that one of the first drive-in movie theaters was the “Hi-Low” (not sure of spelling) at Wilshire and Westwood Blvds.
The extreme right of the above photo shows a black sign arrow marked “Drive Inn”. Could this have been the entrance to this long gone drive in? Would love to see a pic, or know anything about this place. Googled it, with no results…
Great admirer of both this website and your obvious passion for old LA –
Hey Matt,
“Sports Makeup Artist” – that was a thing? Who knew??!? Is it still a thing?
Good spotting with that “Drive Inn” sign. I don’t remember seeing it before but now it’s got me curious!
Haven’t a clue if “Sports Make Up” is still a profession; let alone LA Times Sports Make-Up. Never heard of such a thing before, or since, my neighbor mentioned it.
Could be (entirely) wrong, but believe photo’s first intersection is Wilshire Blvd. Only the “Village” (on Westwood just north of Wilshire) had wide medians originally planted with grass and Palm trees.
The Drive Inn sign is the exact location pointed out to me (south east corner of Westwood at Wilshire) where the Drive-In was supposedly located…
Having seen close to 100 photos of the original Village, this was the first, and only, one seen with this tantalizing clue that the Hi-Low might have existed. Many thanks!
Something else never seen, the Harold Lloyd Ranch; where the LDS Mormon Temple is now. Another original neighborhood neighbor burned the ranch house down in, what must have been, a wild ’30s UCLA frat party.