1950 Pictorial California, Pt. 2

Am finally getting back to the series from the 1950 Pictorial California publication. This group of pages showcases Beverly Hills. In the first image, we see Sunset Municipal Park. It opened in 1915 and was referred to simply as Sunset Park, located just off Sunset Boulevard. The park was renamed in 1952 in honor of entertainer Will Rogers, who was appointed the first “Honorary Mayor” of Beverly Hills in 1926. How the area looked when I photographed it in August 2013:



On April 7, 1998, this park was put on the map for all the wrong reasons when singer George Michael was arrested for inappropriately using the restroom shown below with undercover cop Marcelo Rodriguez. $810 and 80 hours of community service cleared that incident all up. The restroom has since been torn down. Is nothing sacred anymore?



Across the street is the swanky Beverly Hills Hotel:



The rated a two-page feature.



Probably because they purchased an. The Chateau didn’t, thus they didn’t even rate a photo caption. Money talks…



The Beverly Hills Hotel, circa 2018:



The Polo Lounge, as seen twenty years ago for Easter 2006. It was a delicious brunch, as I recall. Mary Ann Mobley and Gary Collins were dining there as well, just two years before his DUI conviction. Maybe the Easter Bunny drove him to it.



More Pictorial California to come!

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Sleepless on Sunset

Staying at the Chateau was my dog's first time to sleep someplace besides my house (which is now his house) or the boarding facility that he stays when I am out of town. Our initial night there was sleepless; every time he heard someone walking down the hall outside of the room, he would jump out of bed to investigate. Then it was back to bed, and up again with the next noise. Again. And again. And again.

So much for my tranquility.

The solution? A run up and down Runyon Canyon. Willis is an active dog and loves exercise and play, so I knew I would really have to wear him out.



The remnants of the old Outpost sign are still rusting away here.





I noticed the addition of a scarecrow, who seemed to be losing his guts:



Despite the hike up and down Runyon, I knew it would take much more to wear little Willis out. Once back to the Chateau, I cleaned up and took Willis for a LOOOOOOOOONG walk, beginning with a stroll through the Historic Harper Avenue Historic District.



So many interesting architectural details to capture. Here is The Harper House:





Vintage signage:





Cool weather vanes:



Romanesque Villas, Harper Avenue







Four Gables on Fountain Avenue:



The El Mirador Apartments appear to still be in limbo:







Cloned Bulldog statue by William Sweetlove on Santa Monica Boulevard:



And then we hit Beverly Hills.



Willis was happy to sit for a bit and get some water.







Willis posed in front of the Beverly Hills sign:



The Will Rogers Memorial Park:



Behind Willis, you can see the pink tower of the Beverly Hills Hotel:



Heading back on Sunset, we ran across one of the many decorative celebrity guitars that dotted the Boulevard:



Signage for The Viper Room:



Although I'd been on this route many times before, having Willis with me caused to see it from a different vantage point. As a photographer, this day was a treasure.

Back at the Chateau, Willis was ready for some dinner and then bed.



My plan worked. We both got a good night's sleep!

See more vintage & current Hollywood photos on my Hollywood web pages.