Tag Archives: Los Angeles
Aerial shot of MGM’s Circus Maximus set for “Ben-Hur” at La Cienega and Venice Boulevards, Los Angeles, 1924
In 1924, after a disastrous shoot in Italy, MGM made the expensive decision to bring their mammoth production of “Ben-Hur” back to Los Angeles and start over. To film the spectacular Circus Maximus chariot race in which Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro) … Continue reading
Depression-era line of men in front of a billboard for MGM’s “The Champ”, Los Angeles, circa late 1931
This photo encapsulates an interesting dichotomy in L.A. during the Great Depression. Here we see a line of men (no women, so maybe they’re lining up for possible work) in Los Angeles in front of a billboard for “The Champ.” … Continue reading
Aerial shot of Echo Park and the downtown Los Angeles skyline, April 9, 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown
I usually post vintage photos of Los Angeles but I came across this one on Facebook and wanted to share it with you. And also have this one published for the record, lest we forget. With the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown … Continue reading
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Tagged Aerial photographs, Color photo, Downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Los Angeles
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Looking south down La Cienega Blvd at Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, 1935
In this photo, we’re looking south down La Cienega Blvd from Pico Blvd. What worries me is that there appear to be no lane lines painted on the road, which makes it look as though the prevailing law was “I’ll … Continue reading
Biltmore Hotel, from the corner of 5th and Olive Streets, downtown Los Angeles, 1943
This grand building is the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The photographer was standing on the corner of 5th and Olive in 1943, when the world was fighting WWII. This was a time when Los Angeles was flooded with … Continue reading
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Tagged Downtown Los Angeles, Hotels, Los Angeles, Pershing Square, Restaurants, WWII
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A man looks south east from from the top of Los Angeles City Hall, September 23, 1949
I tend to think of L.A.’s smog problem as being more of an 1950s thing but this photo shows that it was pervasive in the 1940s. This shot was taken on September 23, 1949 and shows a man standing on … Continue reading
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Tagged Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles City Hall
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The Largest Mailbox in the World, South Los Angeles, 1917
I’d love to know the reason behind someone building the largest mailbox in the world. Especially in 1917 Los Angeles, when there really weren’t very many people around, as we can see by the vast stretches of open land in … Continue reading
Decorated Christmas trees form a twinkling wonderland in front of the Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum, December 19, 1949
What a difference a couple of thousand little lights can make. These Christmas trees were set up in front of the Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum for the holiday season of 1949. This photo was taken at dusk on December 19, … Continue reading
A lone motorist parks his automobile on an unpaved Beverly Drive near Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, 1925
If there’s one fantasy that every Angeleno shares, it’s probably the ability to park whenever they want, wherever they like. I doubt this lone motorist realizes how lucky he’s got it. He’s parked his car on an unpaved Beverly Drive … Continue reading
Women getting off a double-decker bus, South Olive & West 7th Streets, downtown Los Angeles, 1937
When compared to London’s iconic double-decker buses, the ones that used to ferry Angelenos around the streets of L.A. seem tiny and rather quaint. But of course, an open-air second story would never work in Britain’s weather, would it? In … Continue reading