On May 15, 1915, Carl Laemmle opened Universal City, home to his newly built Universal Pictures, a studio so large that it became its own city. To publicize the event, Universal chartered this train from New York to Los Angeles. I don’t know if that banner stayed in place for the whole journey (which back then would have taken nearly a week) or just when the train pulled into a town. Either way, I hope those seven men (studio executives or just extras?) didn’t have to stand there the whole way.
** UPDATE ** : Charles Hepperle from San Bernardino Depot Book and Video said: “The photo was taken at the Santa Fe depot in San Bernardino, CA. The Santa Fe locomotive was built by Baldwin in 1913. The red borders in the large photos show the enlargements below that have the same depot building and trees. Below are my comparison photos.”
He also adds: “1915 seems plausible for the photo year. I’m sure that the banner was only used for photo ops along the way. The photo in San Bernardino shows the train being westbound so it was probably near the end of the promo tour. It was probably a chartered train using most or all Pullman cars. Most likely it would have traveled from New York to Chicago (if that was the route) on another railroad then changed to the Santa Fe in Chicago. The locomotive wouldn’t have traveled the entire way — it could have been used from Albuquerque, NM or Barstow, CA to Los Angeles, CA but this is only my speculation.”
In this genteel, almost pastoral photo, we’re looking northeast along Aldebaran Canal in Venice, California. Developer Abbot Kinney opened Venice in 1905; this image was taken six years later, in 1911. We can see that quite a few homes had been built during the interim, giving the area more of a community feel. The difference here, of course, is that the main mode of transport around the area was but little boats that could fit under those pedestrian bridges. In time, the canals of Venice would be filled in; these days Aldebaran Canal is now known as Market Street.
So many Angelenos turned out to see presidential hopeful Alf Landon that I wonder how many of these people actually saw the man who lost the most lopsided election in over 100 years. These people crowded the Olive Street sidewalk outside the Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA in the runup to the 1936 election in which Landon lost to Franklin D. Roosevelt by more than 10 million votes. But the people I really feel sorry for are the drivers behind the wheels of those cars caught in the middle of that mayhem. I hope they brought something to read because it’d be a while before they got home for dinner.
In 1938, 20th Century-Fox released “In Old Chicago” starring three of their biggest stars: Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche, so naturally they gave it a big, splashy premiere. For this one, they chose the Four Star Theatre at 5112 Wilshire Blvd. Though not as well remembered as the Grauman’s Chinese, Fox Westwood, or Carthay Circle, the Four Star launched many a movie. As we can see under the huge lit sign advertising the movie, they also set up bleachers for fans to watch their favorites stars arrive in that river of automobiles.
Here we have the staff (and maybe some customers?) standing in front of a restaurant that in 1931 had just opened on the southeast corner of Sunset Blvd and Vine St in Hollywood. The restaurant was called The Pig Stand, which is a name that I doubt would fly these days. But people did know what they were getting, as the sign says: “Barbecued Pig and Beef Sandwiches.” It represented direct competition with Carpenter’s which stood on the northeast corner until NBC Radio acquired the land and built their studios on that corner. Carpenter’s moved across the street to where The Pig Stand had been.
Sometime in mid-1939, this Thrifty Drug Store opened at 4th and Spring Streets in downtown LA with lots of bunting and streamers. There are several signs saying “LUNCH” so I’m guessing there was a lunch counter inside they were keen to promote. I can also see a poster for Snow White Chocolates featuring the Disney version, whose movie had come out a year and a half before, which shows its staying power. I particularly like that guy out front in the white hat and holding a carry bag. I wonder where he was going that day and if he stopped in at the Thrifty for lunch.
In this photo, we’re looking east along a surprisingly quiet Hollywood Blvd from McCadden Place. Past the Citizen’s National Trust & Savings Bank building, we can see the Pig’N Whistle Café, Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre with its towering curved sign. What I really like is seeing the ticket office for the Union Pacific Railroad, whose network blanketed the western half of the US. The movie playing at the Egyptian was MGM’s “The Great Caruso” which came out in May 1951.
From the looks of the frenzied energy of this blurry photo, the opening of a Mode O’ Day dress shop was a big deal. Mode O’ Day was a national chain of California-based franchised stores so I’m guessing when this one opened in 1935, people knew about it. Or maybe they knew about those $2.95 dresses advertised in the window. This store was in a building at the corner of S. Hill St and Washington Blvd which is a few blocks south of the south end of downtown Los Angeles, which back then was probably a more vibrant corner of LA than it is now. It certainly was on that day!
It’s hard to find a more Hollywood shot than this color one of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre lit up in all its neon glory. “The Fugitive Kind” starring Marlon Brando enjoyed a seven-week run at the Chinese in May and June of 1960. What we’re seeing here is the night United Artists held a preview before the official opening on May 6. And with that bright klieg light shining into the night sky, it wasn’t any secret sneak preview, either. I also like how the moon is peeking over the roof line of the theater.
This photo is a rare instance where can tell you no details. I don’t know where it was taken or when. Neither Google or the online LA City Directories (early versions of phone books) have heard of “Vernon T Mercer.” Nor did I find him in a few of the mid-1930s phone books when I searched under just “Mercer.” I also drew a blank on Google Images and TinEye. But that sign on the side of the van: “DeLuxe Horse Pullman” – I’m guessing this was a horsie version of the first-class Pullman train carriages which introduced George Pullman’s concept of the sleeping cars on long-haul trains in the 1860s and continued until December 31, 1968. I’m also guessing Mercer’s van was used for transporting high-class thoroughbreds to and from race tracks. If you have anything to contribute, I’m all ears!