Before the monstrous death-defying roller-coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain, there was the Thompson Switchback Gravity Railroad. Mr. Thompson built first one was built at Coney Island in 1884. This one was outside the luxurious-for-the-time Arcadia Hotel in Santa Monica and carried passengers 500 feet from a Southern Pacific station across a ravine to the hotel. This seems rather tame compared to what we’re used to nowadays but at the time it must have been quite the thrill ride!Honorary Mayor Will Rogers demonstrates a new street sweeper in front of the original Beverly Hills City Hall at North Crescent Drive and Burton Way, 1926
Hugely popular humorist and rope-twirler, Will Rogers was made honorary mayor of Beverly Hills in December 1926. “Honorary” meant there was really nothing significant for him to do. But still, when the city acquired a new Elgin Street Sweeper, who better to demonstrate it with a drive to the original Beverly Hills city hall at North Crescent Drive and Burton Way than the mayor? It looks like quite a contraption but ol’ Mayor Rogers was a practical fellow so I’m sure he mastered it without much effort.
The Fox Carthay Circle Theater prepares for its opening, Los Angeles, 1926
When I first saw this photo, I was struck by how bare the Carthay Circle Theatre looked. It was usually photographed in the middle of some big Hollywood movie premiere. But when I dug a little deeper, I realized it was taken as the theater prepared for its opening in 1926 back when it was more formally known as the Fox Carthay Circle Theatre. (The project was originally developed by Fox Studios.) Pretty soon, this theater would be a hive of activity every night until its decline set in during the 1960s and was finally demolished in 1969.
Interior of a lounge car aboard the City of Salina on the Union Pacific railway line, circa 1950s
I completely missed the golden years of rail travel by more than 30 years. But that doesn’t stop me from yearning to experience something that, in reality, may not have been all it’s cracked up to have been. But this circa 1950s photo of the lounge car aboard the City of Salina on the Union Pacific railway line sure makes me wish I’d been born much, much earlier.
A quiet Hollywood Blvd during the run of “Song O’ My Heart” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, April and May 1930
I don’t know if this photo was taken on a quiet Sunday morning or if this was what traffic along Hollywood Boulevard looked like in the spring of 1930 during the run of “Song O’ My Heart” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. But I do envy those motorists not having to deal with the unceasing craziness of traffic that pounds the boulevard nowadays.
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Tagged Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Hollywood Blvd, Streetcars
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Ornate front door to the Fox Movietone Studios, West Los Angeles, circa 1930s
On November 6, 1925, William Fox bought the rights to the Movietone sound system, which became Fox Movietone on the 99 acres of land he bought from the Janss Company located between Santa Monica and Pico Boulevards on January 6, 1924. This circa 1930s photo shows us one of the entrances. Note the beautiful light fixtures that border the ornate “MOVIETONE” crest above the door. Whenever I see things like that I can’t help but wonder what happened to it.
The good news is that it’s still there!
Vine Street Brown Derby restaurant, Hollywood, circa early 1940s
Judging from the 1940 Buick photo-bombing down in front, this candid shot of the Vine Street Brown Derby restaurant is from the early 1940s. The Bamboo Room and the Satyr Book Shop are still around. But now I’m wondering who occupied those rooms on the second floor? Were they offices? Or apartments? Imagine living upstairs from the Brown Derby – yes please!
Three men surveying the hills around the Hollywoodland sign, circa 1924
The Hollywoodland sign went up in late 1923, so I’m guessing this shot of the three men surveying the surrounding hills was taken in 1924. The sign looks fresh and the land completely undeveloped. If you look straight down from the “Y” you can see what looks to be that big white dot that I photo-blogged about a couple of weeks ago. It went up in late 1924 as part of Harry Chandler “White Spot of America” booster campaign, so this photo might be 1925. Either way, that’s a lot of land that won’t stay empty for long.
Advertisement for the Hollywoodland housing development in 1923:
20th Century-Fox premieres “In Old Chicago” at the 4 Star Theater, 5112 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 1938
Like all movie studios did with their A-list pictures starring their A-list talent, Twentieth Century-Fox pulled out all the stops for In Old Chicago starring Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and (according to the marquee) a cast of thousands. At the far left we can catch a glimpse of the huge sign they constructed. Egads! Those letters must have been ten feet tall. I can’t imagine anyone there that night came away wondering what movie they just saw…which of course was the whole point.
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Tagged 20th Century-Fox, Movie Premiere, Night photo, Theaters, Wilshire Blvd
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Hody’s Restaurant at the corner of Hollywood and Vine, Hollywood, 1965
I love finding a good color photo of Hollywood from yesteryear—they make the times long since past really come to life. In this one, we’re seeing That Famous Intersection—Hollywood and Vine —in 1966 when Hody’s occupied the northwest corner (1955 to 1969) and the upscale menswear store, Harris & Frank, were still next door.
This Hody’s menu was sent to me by James Schallock, who found it among his mother’s belongings:
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Tagged Color photo, Hollywood, Hollywood and Vine, Hollywood Blvd, Restaurants, Stores and Shopping
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