With its yellow streetcar and blue sky, this (I assume) Kodachrome photo really pops, doesn’t it? We’re looking north up Broadway from the corner of 8th Street in downtown LA. Behind the streetcar, we can see on the marquee of the Newsreel Theater the name “Pantelleria” which is an Italian island east of Tunisia. During WWII, it was a stepping stone for the Allied invasion of neighboring Sicily en route to the Italian mainland. The invasion of Pantelleria took place on June 11, 1943, so I’m guessing the theater was running a newsreel about it, which I’d say places this photo not long afterwards.
This is roughly the same view in February 2023.
I spent 2 summers on Pantelleria. You can still see the remnants of that bombing campaign.
In a bragging session we can now understand, having seen some in our lives due to a former president, Benito bragged that Italy “didn’t need air craft carriers because they had Pantelleria “. The bombing came shortly after.
It’s a cool place but a bit of a journey.
Thanks Gina. I wondered what it was like there. I assumed these days it was popular only with Italians who don’t want to go to the usual vacation haunts.
One of my coworkers years ago grew up on Pantilleria. He left for NYC in his late teens, but he used to talk about the island. He was a nice guy.
I recall a radio commercial ditty: “Coast Federal Savings 9th and Hill on the ground floor.” Was it 8th and Hill? And who was OK McKay?
It looks like the bottom of that McKay sign says “Jewelers.”
I remember that jingle and the rabbit! It WAS 9th and Hill. “Start your savings account at Coast. Coast Federal Savings!”
I also bought an old metal bank from Coast shaped like the building with the rabbit next to it on eBay.
The awning on the left appears to read Martin’s Restaurant at 757. Is there something you’re not telling us? Got time machines?
The corner ground floor is coming up as Mayflower Donuts with a Thrifty Drug store next door on the north side during the ongoing drive for the 7th war loan.