Every time I see a vintage photo of a new LA freeway, it boggles my mind that any Southern California freeway could ever have been this empty. This shot was taken on September 13, 1957. The photographer was facing south on the Golden State Freeway (aka “the 5”) toward what is now the interchange with the Ventura Freeway (aka “the 134.”) With traffic so light, I guess anyone with a camera could just stop his car on the median strip and take a photo. In fact, he could have just walked across those lanes without risking his life!
Facing southwest on the Golden State Freeway near what is now the Ventura Freeway interchange, Los Angeles, September 13, 1957
Neon lights up the Mark C. Bloome gas station and tire store at 6210 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, 1943
I would imagine that by day, the Mark C. Bloome gas station and tire store on the southwest corner of Sunset Blvd and El Centro Ave in Hollywood would have been unremarkable. But come nightfall, with the lights switched on, it becomes an atmospheric setting for striking photograph, or perhaps even the opening scene for a film noir where murder is afoot in the 69-cent car wash.
Veronica G. sent me these “extra dividend” 5-cent coupons / tickets which could be redeemed “for accessories and premiums.”
There were several Mark C. Bloome locations around town. This listing is taken from the Los Angeles City Directory of 1941:
No more spooky neon shadows for that corner. This image is from June 2022.
Aerial shot of the Hal Roach Studios, 8822 Washington Blvd, Culver City, California, circa 1950s
Until I came across this aerial photo of the Hal Roach Studios at 8822 Washington Blvd in Culver City, I hadn’t even known it was there. Perhaps that’s because its neighbors—MGM and the Selznick studios—usually hogged the lion’s share of the attention. But from 1920, the Hal Roach studio produced shorts, movies, and television episodes until it fell into bankruptcy in 1959, and later demolished in 1963. That long administration building facing Washington Blvd is quite impressive, and reminds me of the Selznick admin building. I couldn’t find a date on this photo but I’m guessing it’s from the 1950s (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.)
That admin building was quite a striking color – at least in the 50s:
Here’s an aerial shot showing the Hal Roach studios in relation to its more famous neighbors:
Hal Roach Studios advertisement from The Radio Annual and Television Yearbook, 1955
There is now a plaque commemorating the site of the Hal Roach studios:
And it’s a good thing, too because this is how that site looked in July 2022:
Looking north up La Brea Ave from around Lexington Ave, Los Angeles, 1919
In a still from a 1919 silent short called “Waiting at the Church,” we’re treated to an early view of La Brea Ave looking north from (I’m guessing) around Lexington Ave. Now a major north/south thoroughfare, back then La Brea was mostly a few houses and some overgrown grass. The white building directly above the head of the motorcyclist on the right is the then-new Charlie Chaplin studios at 1416 N. La Brea (now the Jim Henson Studios) which were built in 1918. And halfway up the hill at around the center of the image we can see the Bernheimer estate, which went up in 1913 and is now the Yamashiro Japanese restaurant.
Roughly the same view in 2022.
Premiere of “The Gaucho” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, November 4, 1927
Here we have the second movie premiere held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. (The first was Cecil B. DeMille’s “King of Kings.”) It took place on November 4, 1927, and was for “The Gaucho,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, which helps to explain the huge crowds gathered out front. The movie had a 12-week run, which was fairly typical back then. But the lucky people who got to attend the premiere (and who plunked down $5.50 for the privilege) were treated to a 12-part prologue put together by Sid Grauman himself. All in all, it must have been a thrilling night.
Sid Grauman’s Prologue
“Argentine Nights”
Conceived and Staged by Sid Grauman
1. Opening-Argentine Pastimes.
2. La Jota Dance-Triana and Antoinette, and Ensemble.
3. Senorita Cordova, Castanet Dancer.
4. Acrobatic Fantasy, Leonard St. Leo.
5. Gaucho Chorus, “White Men’s Gold.”
6. Indian Rain Dance.
7. Gaucho Marimba Band.
8. Mariano Del Gado, Musical Gourd Player.
9. Samuel Pedraza, South American Tenor.
10. Harry White and Alice Manning, Comedy Dancers.
11. Borrah Minnevitch and Argentine Rascals.
12. Finale.
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Tagged Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Hollywood Blvd, Movie Premiere, Movie Stars, Night photo, Theaters
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Movie still taken from a scene shot on Glendower Ave, Los Feliz near Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, 1924
This image is a still taken from a 1924 silent short called “Lizzies of the Field.” This particular scene was captured somewhere on Glendower Ave which is the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, near Griffith Observatory. It offers us an elevated view of Hollywood off into the southwest distance. The building to the immediate right of the streetlight is the Taft building at Hollywood and Vine, and had only just opened the year before. Next to it is the Plaza Hotel at 1633 Vine St, which was under construction at the time, and didn’t open until October 15, 1925. In fact, from this image we can see that Hollywood already had a number of high-rises by the early 1920s. (Oh, and let’s not forget that cute rumble seat in back of that roadster!)
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 Derby at 3377 Wilshire Blvd, opposite the Ambassador Hotel in all its Technicolor glory. (And a shout out to that tall street lamp out front called the Wilshire Special, as they were designed specifically to light Wilshire Blvd.)
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Tagged Brown Derby restaurant, Color photo, Restaurants, Wilshire Blvd
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Looking west along Requena St (later Market St) toward North Main St, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1890
Most of the pre-1900 photos I’ve seen of downtown Los Angeles show a bustling metropolis, crowded with pedestrians, streets cars, horses, carts, and the odd dog. But this tranquil scene is quite different. We’re looking west along Requena St (later Market St) toward N. Main St, circa 1890. In this one narrow shot we can see the U.S. Hotel (left), Amestoy Block (right), and the tower of the newly built County Courthouse in the background. But my favorite part is the large sign that reads: “Los Angeles Tonsorial Parlor – Baths.” I wonder how much they charged for a bath and a haircut.
Looking north up Ivar Ave from around Selma Ave toward The Broadway Hollywood store and Plaza Hotel signs, Hollywood, circa mid 1930s
This mid-1930s photo from Life magazine shows us a slice of Hollywood that no longer exists. We’re looking north up Ivar Ave from around Selma Ave right in the heart of Hollywood. If it wasn’t for those hard-to-miss signs for the Broadway Hollywood department store and Plaza Hotel, that a row of houses could have been pretty much anywhere in Los Angeles. Those residences have been gone for decades. The store is now loft apartments and the hotel is now a retirement home, but at least they’re still there.
My thanks to David Ginsburg for his help in narrowing down the location of this photo.
This is roughly the same view in May 2022. Much of that block is now taken up with a development called Triangle Square, which offers affordable housing for LGBT+ seniors.
Looking west along Hollywood Blvd from Cherokee Ave, Hollywood, circa late 1960s
In this colorful, lively circa mid-1960s photo, we’re looking west along Hollywood Blvd from Cherokee Ave. The building on the corner housed the Don Martin School of Radio and TV and its neighbor was the New-View Theater, which had originally opened on May 2, 1940 as a newsreel theatre called the News-View and later renamed the Hollywood’s Newsreel Theatre. Then it became the New-View. Things took a new turn in 1974, when it became the Pussycat, where “Deep Throat” ran for 10 – yes, TEN, years. In the 80s it reinvented itself again becoming the Ritz. Then it became a church, then back to being a theater again when hologram shows were exhibited. That’s quite a history!
** UPDATE ** – It looks like the movie playing that day was The Sterile Cuckoo, which means this photo was probably taken late 1969 or early 1970.
This is that same view in July 2022, when the theater was empty, but the owners had rented out the electric marquee for advertising. Remarkably, though, the building to the east has been fully restored to its original Art Deco magnificence, and is a vast improvement on the 1960s shot.
Check out that grillwork!
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Tagged Color photo, Hollywood, Hollywood Blvd, Stores and Shopping, Theaters
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