Changes on Sunset

A new photo in my vintage collection has allowed me to give a wider range of the changes that have occurred over the years by the Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard. First image is from the early 1950s and shows The Players Club. By 1979, it was replaced by the Imperial Gardens Japanese Restaurant.



Any of you seen the George C. Scott film "Hardcore"? It's one of those that's so bad it's good. Well...maybe not good. Good is a very strong word for a movie that bad.



The other billboard on Sunset shows the new album by Ted Nugent, Weekend Warriors, which was released September 1978.



This shot that I took personally back in January 2011 shows yet another location change, this time Miyagi's, which was a popular restaurant/nightclub. Unfortunately, my collection is still missing a shot of when this location was the infamous Roxbury.



And a recent shot of how the Pink Taco has overtaken this small piece of Sunset Strip real estate. The food here is so bad it's...



More Chateau Marmont photos at my main website.

Last (for now) vintage Disneyland Town Square

Hopefully you can all take one more (for now) vintage post on Disneyland's Town Square. Dating back to the first summer at the Park (1955 to all you newbies out there), this shot shows a stylish lady in plaid with City Hall and a popcorn vendor behind her. That box below the cart does not make a pretty display!



It seems so funny to see the young and scrawny trees that barely cover the berm.



View number two shows the peak of the Matterhorn in the background and the information/souvenir booth in the foreground.



25¢ for a Guide Book. Is there ANYTHING at the Park today for that price? What a great assortment of souvenirs here!



Meanwhile Vesey Walker and the boys march through Town Square.



Last shot for today is a blurry view of a Horseless Carriage zipping by from Spring 1957.



Just in case you still need more Disneyland Town Square, visit my main website.

More Vintage Disneyland Town Square

Today we are back in Town Square at Disneyland, with these three vintage images from 1956. The Fire Engine/Chemical Wagon which is now permanently on display in the Fire Department is out for a spin.



Looking at this contemporary shot, I notice that the badge is missing, but the wagon has picked up a few bells somewhere over the years. Maybe there was more than one Chemical Wagon at Disneyland.





This cute little girl in blue with a box of Disneyland popcorn is probably getting a lot more friendly with the horse of the horse-drawn streetcar than she should.



I can't quite tell what she is offering the horse. "First taste free!"



Even more vintage (and current!) Disneyland Town Square images at my main website.

1959 Digital Magic

What happens when you take two consecutively shot 1959 badly faded vintage slides and spend some time cleaning them up digitally?



You get an amazing panorama view of Disneyland's Town Square circa 1959.



Here are a few juicy details from these images, beginning with the Fire Department/Walt's Apartment and Bekins Storage:



In this view, you can see the banner heralding all of the new attractions for 1959 as well as the Skyway in the background.



And a recent shot of Town Square for comparison:



More vintage (and current) Disneyland Town Square photos at my main website.

1957 Disneyland Home Movie

Thanks to my good friend Christy, I am able to share this rare footage from 1957 of her family's trip to Disneyland. Lotsa' good stuff to see here!

More vintage (and current!) Disneyland photos at my main website.

Children's Classics in Central Park

Central Park in New York City is a total gem, especially for those who love the classics of childhood. This statue of Hans Christian Andersen is from 1956 by sculptor Georg J. Lober and depicts him reading one of his most famous works, The Ugly Duckling.



He looks a bit tired. I would be too if I'd been sitting in the same place since 1956.



This bronze statue from 1959 by José de Creeft was a tough one to photograph; everyone in the park was climbing all over it while they got their photo taken. And not just the kiddies.



This 1959 work by Frederick G. R. Roth was once a fountain. Not as famous as the other two statues, it depicts the major characters from Alice in Wonderland.



The Duchess:



The Mad Hatter:



The Red Queen:



Last but not least, Alice herself.



More Alice and Central Park at my main website.

Inside The House of the Future

Let's journey back to August 1965 for an inside tour of the Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland. Our tour guide is waiting for us at the door.



These shots were taken only a few years before this large plastic behemoth was removed from the Park.



This print is pretty cool; I wonder what happened to it and who the artist was?



The sun was really streaming in and casts some interesting shadows on the living room.



While the outside looked sterile, I really do like the interiors. They feel warm and comfortable.



I can't quite make out what was playing on the TV.



Here's where the folks of the future would eat dinner.



Think you might be happy living in a home like this?

More Disneyland Monsanto House of the Future at my main website.

Back to the Hollywood Sign

This was my third collaboration with Vince Ramos, who wanted to get some shots of his new shades near the Hollywood sign. We began our semi-early morning near the James Dean statue by the late artist Kenneth Kendall.



Just in case we couldn't get close to the sign, I took my "insurance" shot of Vince from semi-far away.



With a 600mm lens, everything looks close.



And then after a bit of a journey, we made it. Backpacks and all.



It was a lot easier back in 2004.



Our next destination was Bronson Cave, where the Batmobile from the 1966 TV series roared out every Wednesday and Thursday night. Along the way we discovered the Giving Tree, which was one of those unexpected treasures along the way.



This park map was zero help. The water fountain a little further down...that was LOTS of help!



Finally made it.



Inside the cave. Unfortunately, neither Batman or Robin were here at the time.



Last one is a composite shot I got of Vince nearby.



More Hollywood photos at my main website.

When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

Judy Garland's 1954 "A Star is Born" is almost as famous for the uproar caused by the roughly 30 minutes that were trimmed from it AFTER the movie had debuted across the country. Warner Brother executives felt that the greater amount of times the movie could be shown (thanks to the deletions) would mean higher profits. Their strategy backfired, and the sales of the movie trailed off when the public wasn't as enamored with the less compelling film that resulted. Here is a still from one of the musical segments removed after the first preview, "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street." During the "Born in a Trunk" sequence, Garland's character learns that her mother has passed away and she must fill mama's shoes on the stage, singing and dancing this joyous tune while silently mourning her loss. That's showbiz folks.



Judy Judy Judy and more Judy at my main website.