In the previously posted image above, actor Bob Hutton and actress Arlene Dahl are enjoying carhop service at the Dolores Drive-In, 8801 Sunset Boulevard. In this recently acquired alternate shot, the Utter-McKinley Hollywood Mortuary located across the street (at 8814) from Dolores’ is in view.
You’ll be happy to know that they gave 24-Hour Service…and Free Parking! I wonder how Dolores felt about her neighbor? Not the most appetizing of businesses to have nearby.
According to the Hannibal website, Thomas O’Donnell of Hannibal, Missouri and his brother Robert opened the O’Donnell Mortuary on Sunset Boulevard in 1925 near the intersection of Sunset, Holloway Drive, and Horn Avenue in Los Angeles. The business made it big when they were chosen for the Los Angeles funeral of silent screen film star Rudolph Valentino, who had died in New York at the tender age of 31 on August 23, 1926. In 1935, the brothers sold the mortuary to the Utter-McKinley chain, but stayed on as staff. The J. H. Graham website says the building was converted into an office in 1959; a 1966 image from the 12 Sunsets website shows that the façade had changed and was the home of M’Lady Coiffures:
Want a great deal on your hair? Look no further than M’Lady, as seen in this October 1966 ad:
After that it became a variety of businesses, including The Gypsy Wagon, seen in this December 1977 ad:
The building was eventually torn down. Guess I’ll have to look elsewhere for a Persian wedding jacket. Darn.
See more Sunset Boulevard photos at my main website.
2 comments:
More great images of West Hollywood... plus mortuaries, salons and the dearth of Persian wedding jackets-!
And let's not fail to take notice in the upper right-hand corner of the 4th image, a portion of a billboard advertising Disneyland-!
(Okay - and for all you Jerry Vale and Ronnie Martin fans... they're appearing at the Hotel Fremont in Vegas, baby-!)
Nanook - I am ashamed to say I didn't notice the billboard!
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