This bird’s-eye view of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is from March 1953 and reminds us how much open space still surrounded it. There were parking lots to the east and west, as well as the one behind the Hollywood Hotel near the top right corner. Toff’s diner on the Orchis Ave hasn’t appeared yet, which gives the appearance of more space. Even Hollywood Blvd is practically empty. Maybe this shot was taken early on a weekend morning? Four movies played Grauman’s in March of 1953, each of them only lasting a week. The only one I’ve heard of is “The Star” starring Bette Davis, so I like to think that’s what was playing when this photo was taken.
This satellite image from January 2020 shows us how much more crowded that stretch of Hollywood Blvd is these days.
Maybe its me, the old picture looks alive and active, the new pic looks spooky. no cars, no people, even the pool is empty from sun bathers or pool swimmers. may all the people where in the theater watching a old king kong movie.
Chris, I totally agree with you. Look at all of the crap built around the theatre. You can barely make it out. Looks like every other dirty city now days. Such a pity.
Sorry, Chris, but January isn’t necessarily an optimal time to be out at a swimming pool, even in Los Angeles. We also don’t know that the cars weren’t removed by some technology or when this was taken. You could get a shot like that at 5am. There’s commercials on TV now for cameras that will get rid of things in a picture you don’t want or like.
And, too, I will admit folks, that I have a pet peeve about people looking at old photos of cities (or footage on youtube) and always thinking the cities and life were better or it was cleaner. I guess you haven’t seen photos of how bad the smog was in L.A. in the 1950’s or the pictures of dirty oil wells all over the place. There’s a whole section of photos on a LIFE Magazine website called, Dirty Los Angeles. Etcetera.
Have you seen The Star, Martin? I love that movie. At the time this photo was taken she was up for Best Actress for this film. The Oscars that year were March 19, 1953, down the street at The Pantages.
Oh yes, I certainly have seen that movie. It’s full-throttle Bette Davis!
Crowded; you mean empty streets and parking lots. Doesn’t LA currently have something like 2.5 parking places per car? That’s not a good use of valuable land.
Yes the current “pic” is spooky because it’s not a photo, it’s a Google (or another mapper) attempt to portray 3D.
Yes, the ratio is something like that which is crazy, isn’t it?
And yes, that 3D image is from Google Earth.