I don’t know what was going on that day on Hollywood Blvd but it appears that someone had fallen down and couldn’t get up. I hope everything turned out okay for them, but I can’t help wondering what that patch of road is with the curving painted lines. It looks like it used to be a zone where people would wait for the streetcar, but judging from the 1964 Ford Thunderbird in the background, I’d say this photo is circa mid-1960s, by which time the streetcars had been gone for nearly a decade. This all played out at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Whitley Ave, where Hollywood’s Largest Toy Shop and a National Shirt Shops store were located next to the J.J. Newberry five-and-dime.

** UPDATE ** – Ronnie G on Facebook said that he found this photo elsewhere online that said the date was 1965.

Neil B. says: “I remember that Newbury’s very well, it was great to wander through. And there were many really fun shops along Hollywood Boulevard at that time. Including one small shop that sold thousands of 8 x 10 glossies, head shots and studio publicity photos of all the famous and not so famous going back to the silent screen era. Most of them cost about 10¢ each. Also slides and copies of golden age films in 16mm.

That center lane became the left turn lanes at some point. But at that time I remember they were used for two purposes, fire trucks and for the cars full of young people who were pulled over by the police on the weekends when hundreds and hundreds of young people would cruise up and down a certain section of Hollywood Boulevard as well as Sunset Boulevard.

On Hollywood Boulevard they would cruise between La Brea and Vine turning around and cruising back. Often well into the night especially if it was one of those hot summer nights with Santa Ana winds. On Sunset the autos would cruise between Doheny and Crescent Heights Blvd (past the missing Garden of Allah) The police liked to harass young people in those days. But when I think of it, compared to people of today young people were angels.

From Hollywood to Santa Monica life was mostly very peaceful. No mass shootings, gangs or violent drug dealers running amok. But of course there was a very strong police presence everywhere and most people were law abiding because they wanted a peaceful community. And to be honest aside from the occasional drunk there were no homeless people sleeping on the streets. Funny the perception of things and people at different times. Downtown was the place to avoid.”

This is how that building in the background looks today. Until most “now” photos I post, this one looks well maintained and rather spiffy! The image is from May 2022.