School Board Sells Downtown Property

Clare Briggs on the day after Halloween.

Nov. 14, 1919: Here’s one of the problems of research – a story about the sale of Mercantile Place, which is so well known that the reporter doesn’t say where it is.  June 12, 1904: Aha! It was between Broadway and Spring Street, and 5th and 6th streets. Sept. 3, 1906: The Board of Education closes the Broadway and Spring Street entrances to Mercantile Place.   Feb. 15. 1924: The remodeled Mercantile Place opens as the Mercantile Arcade Building—an indoor shopping center. View Larger Map   Voila! The Broadway Arcade via Google maps’ street view.

Mexico, U.S. Blame Each Other After Border Crackdown Fails

Lerdo’s Typical Grand Mexican Orchestra and “Eyes of Youth” at Tally’s Kinema at Grand and 7th and “Her Game” at Tally’s Broadway, 833 S. Broadway.

Nov. 10, 1919: A plan by American and Mexican authorities to deport 100 to 200 “undesirables” to the U.S. was repeatedly postponed because the "hopheads, thieves, gamblers and those who live from the earnings of others" could not be found. Finally, the Mexican police turned over 13 men who worked at the Owl, a gambling house closed by government edict. The men were freed through the efforts of “Booze” Byers, one of the Owl’s proprietors, and allowed to return to Mexico ... And although Wagner's operas provoke riots by World War I veterans in New York, patrons of a Parisian theater vote in favor of performing the German composer's music.

Paul V. Coates – Confidential File, Nov. 9, 1959

Trials and Tribulation of Doodles Weaver     It's an axiom thought up by Sir Isaac Newton and perpetuated by Hollywood:     What goes up must come down.     And its proof sat in front of my desk, in striped shirt and gaudy suit, a shade less subtle than mustard.     His professional, comical name was Doodles Weaver.     "People think I'm important," he was explaining to me.  "Everybody's heard of Doodles Weaver.  The American public really likes me."     With nervous vigor, he tamped the tip of his burned-out cigar in an ashtray on the edge of the desk.     Then he said, "But I can't get a job.  In this town, I can't."      Doodles Weaver gave his age as 44.     "Actually, I'm only 43.  I'll be 44 next May," he corrected.  "I tell people around Hollywood I'm 44 though," he added, smiling feebly.  "Maybe they'll give me some Walter Brennan parts."     Ten years ago, the name Doodles Weaver demanded, and got, $1,000 a week for entertaining the people in Vegas.     Last year, the figure scribbled next to the words "gross earnings" on the comedian's income tax return was $4,200.  This year it promised to be even less, he said.     It was a long, painful fall -- the kind where you bounce off ledges on the way down.     But it's nothing new to Hollywood.     There are hundreds in town -- names you know -- who'll tell you that they've read from the same script.  They'll tell you that when you're making it, you better hang onto it.     But they, like Doodles, testify with keen hindsight.     "I never invested a cent," Doodles told me.  "I never really thought I'd need to.  It was just last year that I finally got around to putting a down payment on a house.  Two thousand dollars.  All my savings."     It's a modest, two-bedroom place in Burbank.  There he lives with his wife, Rita, and year-old daughter, Janella.  They're expecting another child.     He still drives a Cadillac, but he's not exactly putting on a front with it.  The car's 10 years old; and he still owes $400 in payments.     As he talked about himself, I got the impression that Doodles was still in the state of shock.     "The agents.  No matter what agent I got, they all tell me the same thing.  'Everybody knows you, Doodles.  When something comes along, they'll call you.'     "I used to get tickets to the premieres, invitations to the big parties.  Now, nothing. 'Top Ratings . . . Going Great'     "Two years ago, I had a kid show," Doodles sighed.  "Top ratings.  Going great.  The kids love me.  But the station did some rescheduling and I was out.     "Now," he went on, "I pay the bills by doing dinners, banquets.  Chamber of Commerce.  They're people, like everybody else, and they love me.  I put them in the aisles."     Doodles Weaver stood up, lit his cigar, which again had died, and pointed at me.      "You tell me," he said.  "I've still got good stuff.  Real good stuff.  The people outside of show business still have faith in me.  But in the business, I'm lucky if I get one day's work a month."     Havana in hand, Doodles Weaver left.     He did call me, however, the next day.  "Did you hear the news, Paul?" he asked.     "No," I answered.     "I just been promised a new kids' show on TV and got a solid week of good work in a movie," he said.  "I told you things would change."     This, also, is Hollywood.

Architectural Rambling – Hollywood

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Nov. 9, 1919: Two large homes are being built in Hollywood. But don’t go looking for them. They are long gone.

Nuestro Pueblo

Aug. 5, 1938: Joe Seewerker and Charles Owens feature the Bethlehem Baths at Vignes and Ducommun, which closed in 1926. Note: The original run of Nuestro Pueblo concluded in 1939. I’m going back and picking up the entries that I missed the first time

Neighbors Seek to Block Home for Japanese Children

Resolved: That in the course of human events woman will have her rights. And she should be free. When she frees herself from the tyranny of dressmakers and of milliners, the tyranny of Mrs. Grundy and the "gab fest" then she can be free from the imaginary tyranny of men. When we are all free from from the tyranny of fear and superstition then Mrs. Woman will have her rights. But the pursuit of a thing is more interesting than the possession thereof. Will woman vote when she gets the chance? I think not, Irene. Wouldn't a big bargain sale put election day out of business, Maggie? Yes, Yes... For sale: 737 N. Olive, Burbank. View Larger Map View Larger Map

Nov. 2, 1919: Neighbors don’t want a home for Japanese children established at 1843 Redcliff St., but the city attorney says there’s no legal grounds to stop construction, which had already begun.

Grauman to Remodel Rialto Theater

Oct. 27, 1919: Sid Grauman has big plans for the Rialto theater on Broadway near 8th Street. Grauman will install a Wurlitzer organ and cover the theater’s seats in white satin. The first three films booked after the theater reopens are “Male and Female,” “Scarlet Days” and “Everywoman.”

Landmark Nightclub Modernized

Virginia Arness attempts suicide in Hawaii. The Biltmore Bowl is heavily modernized so that is virtually unrecognizable.

New and Old Chinatown, divided by Broadway. "I don't belong to the tong. I am an American. I belong to the Kiwanis Club."

Five copies a minute, only 2 1/2 cents each.

The Lions beat the Rams, 17-7.

The March King Comes to L.A.

The hall, later known as Philharmonic Auditorium, at 5th and Olive.   Oct. 26, 1909, a Times review.

Oct. 25, 1909: John Philip Sousa and his band arrive for a weeklong engagement in Los Angeles. The Sousa band was composed of first-rate players and their skill comes through even on early, primitive recordings. Notice the variety of the selections. Of course, there are Sousa’s marches, but he has also  programmed Rachmaninoff, Goldmark, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Smetana, Bizet and Chabrier. Sousa is also preparing for production of his new opera, “The Glassblowers.” And he's brought his family along.

Location Sleuth – 'Double Indemnity'

The Home Section featured the “Double Indemnity” house, now owned by Mae Brunken. I thought it would be interesting to compare the actual home with the way it was re-created as a set. The script describes it as " Spanish craperoo in style, as is the house throughout. A wrought-iron staircase curves down from the second floor. A fringed Mexican shawl hangs down over the landing. A large tapestry hangs on the wall. Downstairs, the dining room to one side, living room on the other side visible through a wide archway. All of this, architecture, furniture, decorations, etc., is genuine early Leo Carrillo period." Read more here>>> Photograph by Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Above, the actual interior of the “Double Indemnity” house. A screen grab from the film. Notice that in duplicating the home, art directors Hans Dreier and Hal Pereira added a window on the staircase.

Photograph by Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Above, the staircase in the “Double Indemnity” house. A screen grab showing the staircase in the set built for “Double Indemnity.” Notice that the delicacy of the original has been replaced with a heavier style of work. Also notice that the plaster is finished much more roughly than in the actual home, presumably so that the texture would be evident on film.