If you are cursed with the memory of having seen “Gangster Squad,” you may recall this ridiculous shot of Spring Street from City Hall. In last week’s mystery movie, “Illegal” (1955) we have the actual location, now occupied by Grand Park.
At the left, we have the California State Building, the Hall of Records and the Hall of Justice.
Fortunately, the California State Building is used as a court building in the film, so there are several shots of the exterior and interior.
The exterior of the California State Building.
And for transportation buffs, here’s streetcar No. 1375. Here’s a color image from 1947.
The camera pans up to show the top of the building.
Here’s the front of the building, with “State Building” clearly visible above the entrance.
The reverse angle shows 1st and Spring with the Nibbler on one corner (now the site of the Police Administration Building) and the Los Angeles Times Building.
The camera pans to show the entrance to the Globe Lobby (blocked by a streetcar). Note the barbershop sign.
… also a Western Union office …
The streetcar appears to be No. 3127.
And next to The Times, the Daily Journal and a bookstore.
Nina Foch, Hugh Marlow and Edward G. Robinson make their entrance.
And a reverse angle showing the entrance of the building.
And here are their stand-ins.
Next: The interiors of the California State Building.
In the last series of shots there is a ’49 Ford two door (Tudor) sedan parked at the curb. (A rare one if you can find it today.) The cast arrives in an early 50’s Lincoln. In films of that era there were many Ford automobiles used and I have always wondered if they were product placements that were a source of income for Hollywood studios.I recall that MGM was especially likely to use Ford products.I first became aware of cars in films when at the age of 10 or 11 I saw Pitfall (MGM) in which Dick Powell tooled around LA in a ’46 Ford convertible. My father had a good friend who had the same car. Seeing it in the film I knew immediately who the characters were.
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Thank you for putting this photo compilation together. What a treat!
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