From the looks of it, the Hollywoodland sign is approaching completion, which would date this photo at 1923. So I’m guessing the fact that two girls are standing in the bucket of a steam shovel on the side of a steep hill means we’re probably witnessing a publicity stunt for the Hollywoodland development. I’m also pretty sure that one of those girls is looking at the other and muttering out of the side of her mouth, “Good lord, the things we girls have to do to make a buck in this crazy burg.”

Mary Mallory says: “It was shot by the Mack Sennett studio, as the road was being constructed up to the summit, where he intended to build a house. He paid virtually nothing, because he gave them lots of free publicity like this.“