Author Archives: Martin Turnbull

Carpenter’s Sandwiches drive-in restaurant at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave, Los Angeles, circa late 1930s

Carpenter’s was a popular mini chain of drive-in restaurants around LA in the 1930s and 40s. Probably their best-known location was at the corner of Sunset and Vine. This one was at Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave. (The skyscraper in … Continue reading

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Looking west along Hollywood Blvd from east of Cahuenga Blvd, Hollywood, December 1938

After yesterday’s photo of the so-called “safety zone” which was really just a rectangle of painted asphalt, I’m now starting to see them everywhere. In this one, we’re looking west along Hollywood Blvd from east of Cahuenga Blvd. This one … Continue reading

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Looking north up Vermont Ave toward a streetcar turning west onto 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 1939

Photos like this give me the heebie-jeebies. We’re looking north up Vermont Ave toward a streetcar turning west onto 3rd Street. It was taken in 1939 when Los Angeles was spiderwebbed with streetcar tracks. But I fear for the safety … Continue reading

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Color photo of a 1959 Rambler station wagon parked out front of Dino’s Lodge restaurant, 8524 Sunset Blvd on the Sunset Strip, West Hollywood

On March 21, 1958, Dean Martin along with a business partner and freshly split from Jerry Lewis, opened Dino’s Lodge in the building where a failed restaurant called The Alpine Lodge used to operate. Serving Italian food, evidently (and somewhat … Continue reading

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Night shot looking east toward the Iris Theatre at 6508 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, circa late 1940s

This photo takes us back to a time when Hollywood Blvd offered nighttime strollers a smorgasbord of window shopping delight. We’re looking east along Hollywood Blvd toward the Iris theater at 6508. Just within the frame of this shot we … Continue reading

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“Algiers” starring Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr plays at the 4 Star Theatre, 5112 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 1938

United Artists went all out for the August 8, 1938 premiere of “Algiers” starring Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr at the 4 Star Theatre at 5112 Wilshire Blvd which they draped with all sorts of banners and flags, which I … Continue reading

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Pacific Electric Red Car runs along the beach north out of Redondo along the ‘Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey’ streetcar line, Los Angeles, circa 1960

Here is scenic streetcar ride I’d like to have taken when it was around. This Pacific Electric Red Car is rolling northward out of Redondo on the ‘Redondo Beach via Playa del Rey’ streetcar route that followed the coastline south … Continue reading

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Color photo looking past a 1949 Buick across Hollywood Blvd to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

Here’s an image that I don’t think has been posted online before. I glimpsed it while watching a reel on Instagram about a guy who discovered a box of old slides. I took a screenshot, enhanced the image and this … Continue reading

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Aerial photograph of the part of Marina Del Ray known as Silver Strand, Los Angeles, February 4, 1959

Until I came across this aerial photo of Marina Del Ray, I’d never heard of a development called Silver Strand, which is what we are looking at here. It’s only 10 blocks long and 2 blocks wide, and stretches from … Continue reading

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Looking west during peak hour along Wilshire Blvd from Serrano Ave toward the Pellissier Building and Warners Theatre, Los Angeles, 1931

Rarely have I seen a photo of LA peak hour traffic look so artistic. We’re looking west along Wilshire Blvd from west of Serrano Ave. That 12-story Art Deco building on the left is called the Pellissier Building, which also … Continue reading

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