The two classic-era automobiles (an Oldsmobile on the left and a Buick on the right) we can see in this color photo (a postcard, is my guess) taken at the entrance to the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd are both from 1960, so I think we can assume this image is circa early 1960s. By then, the heyday of the Ambassador, and its drawcard venue, the world-famous Cocoanut Grove, nightclub was waning. But you’d never know it from this shot, with this beautifully glowing circular entrance. I’d imagine you could see it from all the way from Wilshire Blvd!
Michael F. said: “Both of those automobiles are white and brand new for 1960, it may have possibly been a show of what General Motors had to offer in elegant new designs.”
Tess Inman posted this photo on X with the following caption: “This was taken January 22, 2008. I talked my way back onto the Ambassador lot before the final demolition of what was left of the Cocoanut Grove.”
Love these color photos, Martin. Question; Do you have any vintage pictures of the Auto Shows in LA? It would be a blast to see some of the muscle cars from the 60s when they were brand new. The reason I bring this up is I catch a lot of old sitcoms, like GIDGET, and you see some cool 60s cars, like a Pontiac LeMans (remember) Bonnevilles etc. etc.
Here you go, Tom and Clarkus:
https://martinturnbull.com/2020/11/12/17th-annual-los-angeles-automobile-show-expo-hall-shrine-auditorium-los-angeles-february-1930-2/
https://martinturnbull.com/2021/02/16/angelenos-arrive-at-the-pan-pacific-auditorium-to-see-the-silver-jubilee-auto-show-beverly-blvd-los-angeles-october-1937-2/
https://martinturnbull.com/2023/11/29/fire-destroys-at-the-16th-annual-los-angeles-auto-show-at-the-corner-of-hill-st-and-washington-blvd-march-5-1929/
I second Mr. Chelsey’s request. If you go back a ways, the Auto Show was held in the Pan Pacific Auditorium which burnt to the ground in 1989. It would be interesting for your readers to see the interior since it is not what one would expect.
The entryway with the circular cover survives and is still in place at the RFK Community Schools. See:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Robert+F.+Kennedy+Community+Schools/@34.0604015,-118.2976598,64m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x80c2c77e7886ce17:0x21ed4ac128969fc3!8m2!3d34.0597621!4d-118.2973342!16s%2Fm%2F0crdtrh?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUwNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
https://lausdhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Robert-F.-Kennedy-Community-Schools.jpg
https://jmcontractors.com/project-photos/school-2/robert-kennedy-learning-center/