As the strippers in “Gypsy” wisely taught us: ya gotta have gimmick. By my rough estimation, there are about 130 used tires out from of this used tire store in Hollywood. The photo is from 1933, during the Depression, when people were keen to make a buck however they could.

Looking east on Hollywood Blvd toward Vine as a Red Car rolls west. “The Caine Mutiny” was playing at the Pantages so it was 1954. The NW cnr of Hollywood & Vine was a succession of different cafés. When this photo was taken, it was a Melody Lane with a Pig'n Whistle next door. (now photo Sept 2025)

1938 looking east along Wilshire from Catalina: Bullocks Wilshire, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Talmadge apartments. In the foreground is the sign for the Mona Lisa restaurant, 3343 Wilshire: “Franco-Italian restaurant and an ideal place to take a woman guest for luncheon." (Now photo August 2025)

This crisp photo takes us to the night of November 1, 1932, when Eddie Cantor’s “The Kid from Spain” got its razzle-dazzle premiere at the Wiltern Theatre on the SE corner of Wilshire and Western. Back then, the Wiltern was still owned by Warner Bros, who opened it in 1931. ("now" photo August 2025)

The bright light framing the silhouettes of these seven men is so perfectly timed that it could almost be a still from a movie. Seven men watch an atomic blast exploding in the Nevada desert from the safe distance of downtown Los Angeles at 5.10am on May 5, 1955.

Facing north up Beachwood Dr toward the Hollywood Hills. I wonder if people who lived on the left took the sign for granted and barely even saw it. The Hollywoodland sign went up late in 1923, and it looks pretty intact, so I’m going to guess this photo is mid-to-late 1920s. ("now" photo Oct 2025)

It must have been a slow day on Hollywood Blvd (or perhaps on a Sunday morning?) when this photo of Grauman’s Chinese was taken from across Hollywood Blvd during the run of "Morocco." But it gives us a clear view of the theater during its early days; it was 3 years old here. ("now" photo July 2022)

Here’s a 1950s shot if ever I’ve seen one: the parking lot of the Valley Plaza shopping mall, which was one of the first malls in the San Fernando Valley. (1951) According to my car expert, the newest vehicle in the image is a 1957 Plymouth, so let’s call this circa late 1950s.

In this serene image treats us to the night lights Los Angeles in 1908. (Population approximately 317,000) It reminds us that the city was still very much clustered around downtown LA. This shot was taken from the Mount Wilson Observatory, so we’re looking southwest.

This view of Venice, California was taken from the top of a rollercoaster. We can see (a) how sparsely populated Venice still was in 1918, and (b) how degraded the canals already were a dozen years after opening. In the foreground, we can see the main canal already filling in.

It doesn’t take much to make me happy: give me a vintage photo taken at night in Los Angeles, preferably with a neon sign and during Hollywood’s golden age. This beauty ticks all those boxes. We’re looking south down the eastern side of Vine St past the Brown Derby circa 1950s. (now photo June 2021)

In all the time I've lived in LA, I've never been to the Shrine Auditorium. So when the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles recently organized a series of walking tours of the place, I sighed up immediately. So can see my pics on my blog. tinyurl.com/8r8jfr2d

Here we have a 1938 view of Warner Bros from the top of the hillside overlooking Barham Blvd. In March, LA suffered through catastrophic rains that damaged the bridge crossing the LA River south of the studio. That’s why all those cars are parked along Barham.

A Pacific Electric Red Car rolls past the Rialto Theatre on Fair Oaks Ave. South Pasadena. The streetcar is so vividly red that I wonder if it was freshly painted. But as the photo was taken circa early 1950s, when the streetcar network was facing extinction, I’m guessing not. ("now" photo May 2024)

Elevated view of the Hollywood Hotel on the northwest corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave, circa 1920s. By this time, the center of Hollywood's social life was the Hollywood Hotel, especially on Thursdays, which, for some reason, became the big social night of the week. (now photo June 2024)

This is a rare photo of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre taken *before* the theater opened on May 18, 1927, with Cecil B. DeMille’s “King of Kings.” In this photo, it looks almost finished I wonder if those workers in front knew they were helping to build a soon-to-be legend. ("now" photo July 2022)

Night shot of the Wise department store on the NW corner of Pine & Broadway, Long Beach, CA, 1932. It opened on October 5, 1929, the same month the stock market crashed (what timing!) and closed in 1934. ("now" photo June 2024)

In this 1928 photo, we’re looking down Garfield Ave, Pasadena, where an automobile is stopped at railway crossbucks. To the immediate right is a steam locomotive pulling a passenger train. What amazes me is that the train tracks run right through a residential area.

Hanna-Barbera animation building at 3400 Cahuenga Blvd. If the name Hanna-Barbera doesn’t mean much to you, perhaps you’ll recognize the shows that came out of this building: The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, and the Flintstones. They were here from 1960 to 1998. ("now" photo Feb 2023)

Hey guys, this is just a heads-up that I'm taking some (very much needed) screen-free vacation time. Tomorrow, I'm flying out to "the old country" (aka Australia) and will be back mid-November.

Here we have a photo catching Hollywood on a bright and sunny day. We’re looking north toward the famed corner of Hollywood and Vine. It shot was taken in the early 1950s when you could park your car for a quarter and then have dinner at the Brown Derby restaurant. Yes, please. (now photo July 2024)

I’m not normally squeamish about these sorts of things, and I’m sure this bridge was perfectly safe, but this Pacific Electric Red Car looks awfully precarious crossing the Arroyo Seco bridge from west to east as it chugs toward South Pasadena and the Ostrich Farm. (circa 1920s)

For those of you who are enjoy my golden-age Hollywood novels, you might like to know that I have released the details of book 3 in my Hollywood's Greatest Year trilogy: SELZNICK'S CONFIDANT. You can read more about it over on my blog: tinyurl.com/2zt3rkja

Tournament of Roses Parade passes under the Hotel Green bridge across Raymond Ave, Pasadena on the Los Angeles Saturday Post for January 9, 1904. I imagine is was a publicity coup for the hotel and had a flow-on effect with people staying there and going to its restaurant. ("now" photo April 2019)

Looking north from the 17th St. stop along the Pacific Electric's Newport Beach streetcar line, Huntington Beach, CA, circa 1930s. No matter how many shots I come across of oil wells along the SoCal shoreline, the sight of those loud, ugly, smelly things never fails to amaze me. (now photo May 2025)

A nautical-themed rock’n’roll club sounds a tad odd, but that’s what the Sea Witch was when it opened its doors at 8516 Sunset Blvd in the mid-60s. With the Whiskey A Go Go opening in January 1964, the Sea Witch was an part of the Strip’s transition from nightclubs to rock. ("now" photo May 2024.)

A porter is takes a rather dapper passenger to a waiting Ford Fordor outside Pasadena station. I thought that for someone who’s been sitting on a train for days, he looks remarkably unwrinkled, but it turns out this was a promotional shot for the Fort Motor Company. (March 1936)

Isn’t it amazing the photos that surface from time to time? This remarkable photo was taken by someone in a car that happened to be passing the hat-shaped Brown Derby on Wilshire Blvd just as it was being demolished in September 1980.

Striking Red Car workers in front of the Pacific Electric building on Main St at Sixth St, #DTLA, August 1919. After they had won the right to an eight-hour workday, railway owner Henry E. Huntington, did not implement it, so the streetcar workers went on strike. ("now" photo May 2024)

Ford Lunch stood on the SE corner of Euclid and Holt in Ontario around 30 miles east of downtown LA and was a popular place to stop for lunch when motoring from LA to Palm Springs or Lake Arrowhead. This photo is from 1938; Ford Lunch remained a fixture until the late 1960s. (now photo Aug 2025)

Buddha on the MGM backlot, 1939. I like the juxtaposition of discarded cogs surrounding a Buddha. The background reminds us that while Garland, Rooney, Gable, Kelly, and Astaire were filming their timeless movies, a short distance away, those wells were pumping up black gold.

OOF! November 28, 1943 was not a great day to be riding a Pacific Electric Red Car. Car #1260 jumped the tracks at San Pedro St, south of 6th St #DTLA. None of its 22 passengers were harmed but I bet they all had a terrific story to tell over dinner that night. ("now" photo May 2025)

Pre-1900 photos aren’t rare, but rare enough that I’m thankful for every single one of them, mostly because it shows us a version of Los Angeles that no longer exists. In this wonderful shot taken during the summer of 1886, we’re looking south on Los Angeles St from Aliso. ("now" photo August 2022)

The Beverly Theatre at 206 N. Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills certainly stood out for its unique onion dome. When this photo was taken, the theater was hosting a preview “The Subterraneans” starring Leslie Caron and George Peppard, which was released in August 1960. ("now" photo May 2024)

This jaunty little fellow was known as the Laurel Canyon trackless trolley, an electric rubber-tired trolley introduced in 1910 to promote real estate development. It started at Sunset Blvd, then wobbled up Laurel Canyon Blvd to Lookout Mountain Ave. This photo was taken in 1914.

And from “The Wonder of Kodachrome” file comes this glorious photo looking across Westwood, Los Angeles, in 1959. From left to right we have the Janss Dome, the tower of the Fox Theatre and Ralph’s supermarket with its distinctive rotunda. ("now" photo 2025)

“The Poppy” observation parlor car of the Los Angeles and Pasadena Electric Railway Company, circa 1890s. It acquired that nickname because it crossed an area of the Mount Lowe Railway known as the “Poppyfields," a natural feature of the landscape north of Pasadena.

The Garden of Allah Hotel closed in 1959 after financier Bart Lytton bought it, tore it down, and in 1960 built a branch of his Lytton’s Savings and Loan. At least he built a distinctive landmark at the gateway to the Sunset Strip. I’m guessing this photo is circa early 1960s. ("now" March 2016)

Hollywood's reigning "it" couple of the 1920s, Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks filmed “Taming of the Screw” in 1929 (the 1st feature-length, sound adaptation of any Shakespeare work.) It ran at the United Artist Theatre, 929 S. Broadway #DLTA. This photo is circa Nov 1929. ("now" photo May 2024)

One of the most well-known homes in 1800s Los Angeles was the Crocker mansion. Built in 1886, it stood at the corner of 3rd and Olive Sts in downtown Los Angeles (or just “Los Angeles” as it was back then.) Sitting atop Bunker Hill meant its views were unparalleled.

Magnus Root Beer Drive-in restaurant, 766 Vine St, Hollywood, circa 1929. Why so many waitresses for such a small restaurant? Was root beer the only drink they served? This photo is circa 1929, when Magnus Root Beer operated a chain of restaurants around California. ("now" photo May 2024)

Here we have the Ocean Front Promenade near Market street, in Venice Beach, California, on what seems to be a busy winter day, circa 1911. There were all sorts of diversions: Hotel Oceanic, Cafe Pelican, Surf Bath House, Neptune Theatre, but esp those open-air electric trams. ("now" photo Aug 2022)

Marti’s department store opened in 1929 at 411 Pine Ave, corner of 4th St, Long Beach. The Depression killed it but what beautiful display windows! In fact, they’re not so much “display windows” as “display rooms” where customers could walk around the merch for a 360° view. ("now" photo Dec 2024.)

Mrs. Carl Christol poses next to her Studebaker coupe at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Center shopping mall, 3650 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. The center opened in 1947 which is when this photo was taken, so Mrs. Christol would have been shopping in a brand-spanking-new mall. What color is her car?

I am very happy to announce that the audiobook version of “Selznick’s Spotlight” (book 2 in the Hollywood’s Greatest Year trilogy) is now available. You can find it via Audible on Amazon. tinyurl.com/kcjca2np

This Sontag drug store stood on the SW corner of Sunset & Vine, Hollywood, kitty-corner from the NBC studios. This photo is from 1949, the same year NBC converted from radio to television. But the crowning glory is the billboard for Camel cigarettes which blew actual smoke.

The North Beach Bath House on Santa Monica beach does seem to have been popular with the locals. Given that this was taken in the late 1800s, they all would have been either fully dressed or wearing (probably uncomfortable wool) bathing suits that covered more than they exposed.

The North Beach Bath House on Santa Monica beach a block north of the pier (1894 - 1911) had a saltwater plunge, 300 dressing rooms, a ballroom, a rooftop observation deck, the Pavilion Restaurant, and a bowling alley. A one-stop beach destination! ("then" photo 1905, "now" photo August 2024)

This the living room and pool of the Lautner-designed Sheats-Goldstein House at 10104 Angelo View Dr, Beverly Hills (finished in 1963.) As we can see in this photo, the 4,500 sq feet home had lots of floor-to-ceiling windows to let in all that Southern California sunlight. ("now" photo: Wikipedia)

I recently viewed the "Hollywood in Miniature" model of 1930s Hollywood now owned by Hollywood Heritage. It's really worth seeing for yourself if you get the chance, but for those who can't, you can check out my blog to see a collection of my photos. wp.me/p5XK3w-8zo