** UPDATE ** – It turns out this view is looking down 6th Street from Hill Street.

In this glorious color photo, we’re looking down Hill St from 6th St in downtown Los Angeles, which means Pershing Square was behind the photographer. That cinema on the left is the Paramount Theatre, which had opened on January 26, 1923 as Grauman’s Metropolitan (as in Sid Grauman, as in Chinese Theatre.) Playing the theater that day was “The Naked and the Dead.” It came out in the summer of 1958, so I’m pegging this shot to be circa late 1950s. I do love how See’s Candies had a primo location two doors down from the theater. I bet they did a great pre-show trade.