Tag Archives: downtown L.A.

Downtown Los Angeles, 1950: ‘The Underworld Story’ Part 3

Posted on June 24, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s another sequence from “The Underworld Story” filmed in downtown Los Angeles. The camera is across Spring Street, opposite City Hall. Downtown L.A. in ‘Underworld Story’ Part 1 | Part 2

Posted in Architecture, City Hall, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, Location Sleuth | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Downtown Los Angeles, 1950: ‘The Underworld Story’ Part 2

Posted on June 19, 2019 by lmharnisch

Here’s another frame from the opening of “The Underworld Story,” last week’s mystery movie. This appears to be one of the Hill Street tunnels, which were demolished in 1955.

Posted in 1950, Architecture, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Downtown Los Angeles, 1950: ‘The Underworld Story’

Posted on June 18, 2019 by lmharnisch

“The Underworld Story,” last week’s mystery movie, had quite a few interesting shots of downtown Los Angeles from about 1950. Here’s one from the opening titles. It shows the Fashion League Building, which was at Hill and 2nd streets. Notice … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950, Architecture, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Black L.A. 1947: Racism on the Menu as Bullock’s Tea Room Refuses to Serve Blacks

Posted on May 22, 2018 by lmharnisch

The former Bullock’s downtown store at 7th and Hill Streets, via Google Street View. May 22, 1947: The campaign to integrate the tea room of Bullock’s downtown store apparently began with Edith Cotterell, who had an account at the department … Continue reading →

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Septerhed on Display at Starbucks

Posted on December 12, 2014 by lmharnisch

Nov. 25, 2014. Septerhed’s latest drawing at Starbucks. Since I encountered them more than a year ago, I have been a fan of Septerhed’s drawings, a recurring feature at the Starbucks at Spring and 6th streets in downtown Los Angeles.  … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014, Art & Artists, Downtown | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

L.A. Becomes New York: ‘Three on a Match’ (1932)

Posted on November 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

After I posted a photo of Ann Dvorak’s Duesenberg in the 1932 film “Three on a Match,” John Bengtson noted that the school scenes were filmed at Los Angeles High School on Fort Moore Hill. “Three on a Match” is, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932, Architecture, Downtown, Education, Film, Hollywood, Location Sleuth, New York | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

On Location in Downtown Los Angeles — 1930

Posted on November 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

“For the Defense” is one of the old Paramount films now controlled by Universal. As part of its pre-code marathon, TCM recently aired “For the Defense,” a 1930 Paramount film starring William Powell and Kay Francis.

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Weird Al Gets ‘Tacky’ in Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on July 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

Weird Al has a new video, “Tacky,” a satire on Pharrell’s “Happy.” The sign for the Los Angeles Theatre is clearly visible in the shots, pegging this as Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Theatre and the Palace … Continue reading →

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Imagining the Future

Posted on April 26, 2014 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a post I wrote in 2006. The subject came up today when I was having lunch with Ed Fuentes, so I thought I would repost it. Notice that in this plan, Union Station was to have been … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, City Hall, Downtown, LAPD, Pasadena, Streetcars | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Filming in Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on April 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

The film crews were back on New York Street, my nickname for South Spring around Fourth and Fifth in downtown Los Angeles. This time it’s standing in for San Vicente.

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Los Angeles, Hollywood’s Back Lot

Posted on February 13, 2014 by lmharnisch

I went to dinner last night at Grand Central Market and got these shots of a group filming a video. And since we’re all good Angelenos, we went “oh yeah, a film crew, a guy with a Stedicam”  and went … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadway, Downtown, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Rediscovering Los Angeles — The Hotel Bella Union/St. Charles Hotel

Posted on February 4, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 16, 1936: Times artist Charles Owens and columnist Timothy Turner visit the St. Charles Hotel at 314 N. Main, which was formerly the Bella Union Hotel. “This was one of the two best hotels in Los Angeles not so … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Architecture, Art & Artists, Broadway, Columnists, Downtown | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Rediscovering Los Angeles — The Baker Block’s Grand Staircase

Posted on January 14, 2014 by lmharnisch

March 2, 1936: Here’s a treasure — a drawing of the grand staircase in the Baker Block. I have seen pictures of the exterior before, but never anything of the interior. Columnist Timothy Turner writes that the staircase is worn … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Architecture, Art & Artists, Columnists, Downtown, Main Street, Nuestro Pueblo | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rediscovering Los Angeles — The Baker Block

Posted on January 7, 2014 by lmharnisch

Feb. 27, 1936: This week, Times artist Charles Owens and columnist Timothy Turner visit the Baker Block, one of the huge gingerbread buildings that flourished in downtown Los Angeles, like the Hall of Records. The Baker Block, at Main and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, Architecture, Art & Artists, Columnists, Downtown, Main Street, Nuestro Pueblo, Preservation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nothing Says ‘I Love You’ Like Hollywood Deaths and Scandals

Posted on December 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

I found this inscription last night at the Last Book Store in a copy of “Hollywood Death and Scandal Sites” by our old nonsense-slinging friend E.J. Fleming of “Wallace Beery beat Ted Healy to death in the parking lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books and Authors, Downtown | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mason Opera House

Posted on December 21, 2013 by lmharnisch

This program from the Mason Opera House for a 1920 performance of “The Mikado” has been listed on EBay, with bids starting at $5.50. The Mason was one of the leading theaters on Broadway. It was demolished in the 1950s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920, Architecture, Broadway, Downtown, Food and Drink, Found on EBay, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Spring Street — 1907

Posted on September 1, 2013 by lmharnisch

  If this image looking south on Spring Street on this 1907 postcard looks unfamiliar, there’s a reason. Most of the buildings are gone and Spring Street was straightened out to make way for City Hall. The postcard is listed … Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Architecture, Downtown, Found on EBay, Spring Street, Streetcars | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Thursdays @ The Globe

Posted on May 25, 2012 by lmharnisch

We had a nice turnout yesterday for the Thursdays at the Globe discussion of the downtown renaissance and vintage crime. Several guests were longtime Angelenos and shared their recollections of the city’s history, including the architecture, the streetcars and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Nightclubs, Preservation | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

March 16, 1908

Posted on March 16, 2008 by lmharnisch

Above, The Times examines life among the homeless in the railroad yards and encampments of Mojave. Note the particularly unfortunate use of an ethnic slur in the artwork by The Times’ cartoonist Edmund Waller "Ted" Gale … Click on the … Continue reading →

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