Search Results for: ambassador

Out on the town with “Out with the Stars” exhibit

A couple of months ago, I went to a marvelous exhibit at the Hollywood Heritage museum called Meet The Stars: 100 Years of MGM Studios and the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was so fascinating that when the museum announced … Continue reading

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Moving the Brown Derby Wilshire sign

I have very little information on these two photos of the Brown Derby sign being moved, other than they came from an episode of “Full Custom Garage” called “Funky Junk.” The word “Wilshire” appears at the bottom, so I guess … Continue reading

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Looking east long Wilshire Blvd from Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, December 14, 1949

In this view, we’re looking east long Wilshire Blvd from Normandie Ave. It was taken on December 14, 1949 (note the Christmas wreath on the Wilshire Special streetlight on the right.) It reminds us how Wilshire Blvd wasn’t always a … Continue reading

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Looking east through the intersection of Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave, Los Angeles, April 20, 1926

And to complete my triptych of the intersection of Wilshire Blvd and Western Ave in the 1920s (here and here), we have this shot where the photographer climbed to the roof of the building on the northwest corner on April … Continue reading

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Matchbook collection from 15 vintage Los Angeles restaurants and bars

Here’s a quick pop quiz for you: Of the 15 LA restaurants represented here in Tara Gordon’s photo, which ones have you (a) heard of, or (b) not heard of, or (c) visited personally? I’ve heard of them all but … Continue reading

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Video clip of Brown Derby restaurant, 3377 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa 1940s

Photos are great and all, but there’s nothing quite like video clips to show us what a place looked and felt like in the real world—even this one that’s perhaps one second long. This is, of course, the original Brown … Continue reading

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Auburn-Cord automobile showroom, 3443 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa early 1930s

Auburn-Cord manufactured slick roadsters during the first few decades of the 20th century. What we’re seeing here is their L.A. showroom at 3443 Wilshire Blvd, circa early 1930s (if that Ford Model A in the foreground is anything to go … Continue reading

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The Zephyr Room at the Chapman Park Hotel on the northwest corner of Alexandria Ave and Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa 1947

Across Wilshire Blvd from the Ambassador Hotel and across Alexandria Ave from the original Brown Derby was the Chapman Park Hotel, which stood on the northwest corner from 1936 to late 1960s on a 5-acre site with a tower and … Continue reading

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Looking east along Wilshire Blvd from the Gaylord Apartments at Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, 1928

In this photo taken from the Gaylord Apartments (which are still around) on Kenmore Ave we’re looking east along Wilshire Blvd in 1928, when the Immanuel Presbyterian Church (also still around) was under construction. We can see the shape of … Continue reading

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Mona Lisa restaurant and insurance building, 3343 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 1930

And in the “They Sure Don’t Build ‘em Like This Anymore” category, we’ve got this richly detailed office building that stretched the block of Wilshire Blvd between Kenmore Ave and Catalina St. This photo is from 1930, when the main … Continue reading

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