Davelandblog

1950s Visit to MGM

2026-03-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

This genuine FauxD© image shows two lovely lasses on the MGM lot, posed perfectly in front of the Thalberg Building. Stitching the left and right sides together gives us a wider view:

Zooming in, you can see the MGM lettering and Thalberg name on the right:

By the time I visited in 2018, MGM was gone and Columbia Pictures/Sony had moved in.

A rainbow was installed in the courtyard to acknowledge the filming of “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) on this very lot.

The building still looks like MGM in all its art deco glory…

but it now bears the name of Columbia.

I should be grateful that they kept the light fixtures in front. And I am.

Surprisingly, they also kept the Thalberg name, visible on the nameplate at right:

Thalberg, Vice President of Production, was known as the “Boy Genius” of the lot. Studio head Louis B. Mayer liked glamour; Thalberg preferred more cerebral material for his films. Inside the Thalberg, his portait is on display.

The Oscars on display are all for Columbia films.

Back in 1941, Shirley Temple joined the MGM stable of stars. She was welcomed to the lot by Gable, Rooney, and Garland. What a powerhouse quartet! Here they are in front of the Thalberg building.

See more MGM studio photos at my main website.

Disneyland Transportation Cutbacks: The Keel Boats

2026-03-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

One last part to my Disneyland Transportation Cutbacks series; how could I leave out the Keel Boats? Appearing on the Rivers of America, the 38' Bertha Mae and Gullywhumper Keel Boats were based on two episodes of the Davy Crockett miniseries from the 1955 Disneyland TV show: "Davy Crockett's Keel Boat Race" (November 16, 1955) and "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates" (December 14, 1955). The attraction was named after Mike Fink, the "King of the River" who lost the keel boat race. Once again, Walt showed his genius in reusing items already available to him by putting the props from the show into the Park. Over in Tomorrowland, it was the 20K Under the Seas exhibit. But I digress…below are Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen, who appeared in the Davy Crockett episodes as Davy and George “Georgie” Russell:

It would appear that the show also featured a third boat, the Monogahela Belle:

A close-up with Ebsen and Parker:

Some of my earliest shots of the Keel Boats at the Park are from August 1956, both featuring the Bertha Mae:

This October 1956 shows the Gullywhumper, which was much plainer in the decor department:

March 1957:

A June 1957 overhead shot taken from the Mark Twain (or the Columbia!) showing the Bertha Mae docked in Fowler’s Harbor:

This August 1958 image shows a Mike Fink popgun that was found on the deck of the Gullywhumper:

Undated 1950s:

LOVE those early Disneyland Paper Hats!

June 1965:

Some marvelous hairdos and glasses:

June 1967:

From July 17, 1977, the most recent shot in my collection of a Keel Boat still in action:

The Bertha Mae was removed in May 1997 after it capsized; shortly after that the entire attraction was 86'ed. The Bertha Mae was auctioned off on ebay for $15k and the Gullywhumper sat permanently docked in the Rivers of America. From December 2006:

May 2008:

By April 2010, the Gullywhumper got a bit of a reprieve. It was cleaned up, restored back to how it looked in the 1955 shows, and put in front of the former Burning Cabin, which was turned into Mike Fink’s home:

How it looked in May 2015:

Were they comfortable? Probably not. Did they have a high guest capacity? No. Did they add to the flavor and movement of Frontierland? DEFINITELY YES! Slowly but surely, the budget cuts have removed the energy and excitement of what Walt originally created.

See more Disneyland Keel Boat photos at my main website.

The Art of Banksy

2026-03-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

Recently I checked out “The Art of Banksy” exhibit at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Art and the Fairgrounds are two things I rarely associate with each other.

My history with the Fairgrounds is tied mainly to the racetrack. That’s me on the right, many moons ago.

While I am now aware that racing horses is not a popular viewpoint from the perspective of animal cruelty, I admit that back in the day I enjoyed watching many a thrilling race as the horses and jockeys ran neck-to-neck.

Back to Banksy…I knew very little about him before seeing the exhibit, and apparently he likes it that way. Photos of him are impossible to find, and his street art pops-up unexpectedly (temporarily and illegally). When I first entered, I thought, “Oh crap, I’m going to have to check in my camera.” Nope…the security area was part of the exhibit itself, having to do with Banksy’s Dismaland work.

Dismaland was a temporary art project in the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. Like most of Banksy’s work, it was prepared in secret, and opened August 21, 2015, closing September 27, 2015. The artist described it as a “family theme park unsuitable for children.”

A map of the park took up a large wall of the exhibit:

T-shirt art:

This trio of work includes “Toxic Mary,” meant to be a social critique on the toxicity of religion as well as the relationship between mother and son.

Banksy would appear to have a very dark view of life, and loves to point out the evils of crass commercialism. The piece below, titled “Napalm” (2004), takes the famous horrific image of Kim Phúc from the Vietnam war in 1972 and sandwiches her between Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald, blissfully guiding her forward.

One of the more lighthearted pieces was part of the “Pulp Fiction” series where Banksy replaced guns with bananas.

I can’t disagree that Hollywood often leads the world into paranoia and other conspiracy delusions.

Besides prints, stencils, and sculptures, the exhibit had a number of rooms with video installations. This one was particularly cool.

While I found the exhibit to be a bit on the depressing side, Banksy is definitely brilliant, and his dark satires definitely make you think. I’m just not sure how many people at the Fairgrounds actually understood the messages. Another favorite of mine was “Love Is In The Air” (2003). War and love are mixed together in a very powerful image.

“Christ With Shopping Bags” (2004) shows Jesus weighed down by shopping bags, aka consumerism.

The message of “Trolley Hunters” (2007) is brilliant: it compares how our ancestors had to gather food vs. the modern day trials and tribulations of going to the grocery store. Hunted animals are replaced by trolleys, aka grocery carts. FYI: Banksy is British!

“Simon Cowell judges the Ballet” (2019) was one of the more amusing pieces. The idea of sticking the critical Cowell in the middle of a Degas painting is genius.

Towards the end of the exhibit is a large wall of various stencil/grafitti art colorfully lit:

While I appreciated the message of “There Is Always Hope” sprayed on the wall, it seemed at odds with the dark and depressing (albeit brilliant) showcase that was on display.

The exhibit was capped with a wall where people could put their own messages. Did the kids even understand a fraction of what they had seen? Did the parents? It would be interesting to hear what dialogue transpired after these families shared the art together.

Do I recommend it? Hell yes. It was a very well curated and installed exhibit. You can find more info at The Art of Banksy “Without Limits” website.

See more Del Mar Fairgrounds photos at my main website.

Disneyland Comin' at Ya! Summer 1955, The Grand Finale!

2026-02-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

We’ve covered Main Street and Fantasyland, now it’s time to see the rest of the Park circa July/August 1955 in glorious Faux©D! This view of Adventureland was taken at the entrance, looking inside the themed area. As always, the 3D version and the stitched panorama below. That little boy was thirsty!

A closeup of the Tiki's Tropical Imports souvenir stand:

A shot of the stand and its wares from March 1956:

A view of one of the Bull Elephants from the Jungle Cruise attraction:

Not as exciting without the 3D effect!

The Indian Village was once located near Adventureland, in the approximate spot that Indiana Jones would eventually take over:

Below is the New Orleans Street area of Frontierland, which now houses the River Belle Terrace Restaurant.

This location housed Casa de Fritas (opening August 11, 1955) until it moved in 1957 and was replaced by the Silver Banjo BBQ. Initially, I thought the singing group was the Gonzales Trio (with a fourth member added in for good measure), but let’s just say I’m not 100% sure on that!

The Mark Twain riverboat:

It is so jarring to see autos inside the Park in many of these early shots taken during the first few months of operation:

Last one shows the entry area to Tomorrowland, featuring tile from the Clock of the World at left and the atomic symbol on the Monsanto Hall of Chemistry at right:

And that’s all, folks! I hope you enjoyed this FauxD© look at early Disneyland!

See more photos at my main website.

Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer: Tension on the Set!

2026-02-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

While the Sidney Sheldon penned film “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer” (1947) was a comedy, behind-the-scenes tensions and sometimes boiled over between its lead trio of stars, Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple. Loy and Temple played sisters; Grant played the bachelor of the title, an artist who often got himself into trouble because of his charms.

Temple and Loy first crossed paths professionally in 1934 as a result of the Oscar nominations. As Shirley told the story in her autobiography Child Star:

During the 1934 [Oscar] nominations for best actress, a vicious cat fight had erupted. My name was on the nomination list and odds-makers had me an almost certainty to win. Myrna Loy (“The Thin Man”) and Bette Davis (“Of Human Bondage”) had both been ignored in the nominations and write-in campaigns had been threatened. This quarrelsome affair had forced Academy officials to rescind both my nomination and the Academy rules against write-ins and devise a compromise. I would be excluded from the best actress category altogether. A diminutive Oscar would be awarded me in a special-award category, one whose only previous recipients had been Charlie Chaplin in 1927 for “The Circus,” Warner Brothers for revolutionizing movies with sound in “The Jazz Singer,” and Walt Disney for Mickey Mouse.

Shirley getting a best actress Oscar over Loy and Davis? It boggles the mind.

A publicity shot of Loy for “Bachelor,” showing the typical haughty and elegant demeanor of her onscreen character:

Below, Grant and Shirley between takes of the film for a scene where she fantasizes that Grant’s character is her knight in shining armor:

In one scene, Shirley attempts to seduce Grant’s character by dressing to look older. Her upswept hairdo required a form of glue to hold her ears back, as they protruded to far for the taste of the film crew.

As she recalled in Child Star:

Our scene was a close-up, with lights shining comfortably warm on my skin. We were slow getting started while director Irving Reis and Grant bickered about details of delivery and stage position. Their wrangles about words or stage direction were getting commonplace. Much of what Grant proposed was meritorious, mostly ad libs and little routines. However, for every added embellishment, Myrna Loy would excuse herself to the portable dressing room and bring back suggestions to enhance her own role. Grant was known as someone obsessively concerned with nuance and detail, and Loy as someone not easily finessed. In the middle was Reis, unwilling to be superseded by either of the two warring contestants.…In a huff Grant had disappeared into his portable dressing room. Little could be done about the personal animosity, so Reis again shut the set down. For a few minutes we all milled around aimlessly, chatting and drinking coffee, then Reis carefully rolled both his white shirt sleeves to the elbow and rapped sharply on Grant’s dressing-room door, ordering him to return. Grand did pop out at once, but not to work. Off he stormed without a backward glance. Going directly to producer Dore Schary, he threatened to quit unless Reis was fired. Buckling to the pressure, Schary replaced Reis with himself, releasing publicity that Reis had collapsed from physical exhaustion. Several days later Reis seemed to have recovered dramatically, for he hosted a reception for cast and crew members, Grant notably absent. The party was held at his home, one of those aeries clinging to the steep side of a Beverly Hills canyon, and the candlelight disclosed our host quite healthy and philosophical about his replacement.

Below, Reis directs Johnny Sands and Shirley in a scene:

Although some residual disharmony continued to plague the set, Schary coped with Grant’s perfectionist tendencies and tolerated his abrupt absences to count or rewrite lines. As was my custom during such intermissions, I hung around joshing with the crew, far preferring some activity to nothing. That’s how the trouble started. I started to mimic Grant. Egged on by the crew’s applause, I soon was doing an impromptu show. Taking center stage where the lights were ready for our next close-up, I tipped my head, put on a a quizzical smile, and started a soliloquy in a deep-throated, cockney accent. Swaggering across the set, I executed a typical Grant double-take, careful to point out that I was showing only my right profile, a well-known minor vanity. The crew had been laughing and cheering, but suddenly turned silent as tombstones. Beyond the edge of the lights glare, I detected Grant’s face. I was caught red-handed. Again he stalked away, this time directly to Selznick, who sent word for me to come at once. Grant was quitting the film unless I went, and Selznick was fuming at yet another personality clash on an already troubled set. Mimicry is immature, I was lectured, leaving a clear impression that if anyone left the film, it would be me. Never having been fired, to say I felt chastised would be a yawning understatement. Trembling with apprehension, I made my way back to the set. As had been the case with Lionel Barrymore in “The Little Colonel,” my only salvation lay in a personal apology, one fortunatley accepted by Grant.By the his annoyance level had subsided, and with a grave nod of his head he accepted my remorse, turned, started off, then stoped. “By the way,” he said, cocking his head in an exaggerated version of my mimicry, “it was a pretty good imitation.”

Grant and Schary between takes:

One of the on-set pranks made its way to the press. From the vintage caption that accompanied the photo below:

They say it’s an old Egyptian proverb that he who makes practical jokes one day is victim of ribbing. And so it came to pass recently. Shirley Temple, under cover of that sweet, innocent expression so well-known to thousands of movie goers, has been the instigator of many practical pranks. So it was inevitable that her fellow workers would one day turn the laughter on her. “Buddy” Barasch, production assistant of the film in which Shirley is working put over the gag. Donning Arabian robes and a beard, he posed as a royal visitor and beguiled her. Later when the disguise was removed, Shirley joined in the laughter. The two are shown here. 11/16/46

For the May 10, 1948 Screen Guild Theater radio version of the film, tensions between the three leads are clearly visible in the photo below:

Loy does not feign joy as Shirley points to a detail in the script. Grant at least seems attentive:

For some reason, the film was dramatized a second time, on June 13, 1949, as part of the Lux Radio Theatre series. Temple and Grant participated; Loy did not. Apparently, twice was enough for her.
Frances Robinson took over Loy’s role.

Producer William Keighley opened the program:

Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we welcome back to THE LUX RADIO THEATRE a man whom I consider one of America's truly great screen stars, Cary Grant. With Cary is a young lady who long ago captured the heart of America and has held it ever since, Shirley Temple. Together, they bring us RKO's sparkling romantic comedy "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," with Cary as the gay man-about-town and Shirley as the adoring bobby-soxer -- the same delightful performances that made the picture a hit. You know, the bobby-soxer has introduced some fascinating additions to the American language and mode of dress, but I understand she's still old-fashioned enough to want a lovely Lux complexion. So she takes a lesson from her mother, and the screen stars, and lets Lux Toilet Soap help out on the beauty front.

Keighley (seen at left) directed Shirley in her previous film, “Honeymoon”:

The Lux program’s wrap-up banter:

KEIGHLEY: Tonight's play was enjoyed, I know, by all bachelors, all bobby-soxers, and all the rest of us, too. So here's all our thanks to Cary Grant and Shirley Temple. SOUND: APPLAUSE KEIGHLEY: Cary, when we first tried to reach you about tonight's show, you were in the middle of the Atlantic on a freighter. We're certainly glad you made it. GRANT: Well, thank you, Bill. So am I. I had a wonderful rest. TEMPLE: I suppose after a strenuous picture you need a rest when you're - over twenty-one. GRANT: Uh, Shirley, remember, you can vote now. ... TEMPLE: (LAUGHS) KEIGHLEY: (LAUGHS) I suppose you're pretty bored, Shirley, with people who say (CLICKS TONGUE) "My, how you've grown." TEMPLE: Well, after all, I'm a married woman with a little daughter. GRANT: You know, that's the trouble. Other girls get married; two days later, everybody's forgotten it. Except the groom, of course. TEMPLE: (LAUGHS) GRANT: But when Shirley Temple gets married, the whole world feels twenty years older. ... TEMPLE: Well, I think every girl should be married. GRANT: Ah, every girl should be married. ... I'm glad you brought that up. KEIGHLEY: Yes; you see, Shirley, two weeks from tonight, Cary will be back with us again, starring with Betsy Drake in their recent hit "Every Girl Should Be Married." TEMPLE: Oh, that's wonderful. I loved the picture. And I have a suggestion for every girl who thinks she should be married. Every girl should have a Lux complexion. KEIGHLEY: Yes, I recommend a Lux complexion exactly like yours. TEMPLE: Why, thank you, Mr. Keighley. I've always used Lux Soap. And, don't forget, you promised me one of those "Neptune's Daughter" scatter pins. In fact, I'd like to have two of them to wear on my new suit. KEIGHLEY: Well, it'll be a pleasure, Shirley. The "Neptune's Daughter" pin is sterling silver and something every woman will want. GRANT: Well, what's next week's play, Bill? KEIGHLEY: Well, it's a drama about Hollywood, Cary -- the famous hit of stage and screen, "Merton of the Movies." Starring in it, we'll have the one and only Mickey Rooney. And, with Mickey, lovely Arlene Dahl. There'll be laughs, drama and romance here next Monday with "Merton of the Movies." TEMPLE: We'll all be listening. Good night. GRANT: Good night. KEIGHLEY: Good night and we'll see you in two weeks, Cary.
Want to hear the entire program? Here you go:

The program for the Radio City Music Hall presentation of “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”:

See more “Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer” photos at my main website.

1950 Pictorial California, Pt. 1

2026-02-23T04:30:00.001-08:00

The Winter 1950 edition of Pictorial California and the Pacific featured a number of my favorite places. Marking the 25th anniversary of the publication’s start, the founder was Eugene Swarzwald, who simply wanted to “publicize California and the Pacific, to show the loveliness, the dynamic beauty, the grandeur, and the lure of the West.” The ads at the back of the publication are just as interesting as the gorgeous photography featured on sepia-toned pages.

It is fitting that the foreword is plastered over a picture of palm trees, orange groves, and cloud-covered mountains.

The first areas featured are those I have yet to visit. The top picture shows “historic Gardella, where the California State Highway 49 crosses the Mokelumne River.” The bottom image shows “the dusty main street of Volcano.” Volcano is home to many firsts: theater group in CA (1854), private school in CA (1855), first private law school in CA (1855), and first legal hanging in Amador County (1856)!

As a kid, I visited Columbia State Park many times with my California cousins. I loved the old western town with its vintage touristy shops and a stagecoach ride that was “held-up” on each trip. My brothers got a kick out of heckling the stagecoach robber!

A genuine FauxD© 1970s shot of the Columbia State Park Wells Fargo Express coach:

Next up is a two-page spread featuring Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco:

The Wharf area when I visited in 2002:

The photography in this publication is stunning, even without being in full color. Below is a shot of Jenner Beach in Sonoma County, about 90 minutes north of San Francisco:

Storm clouds over Joshua National Forest, named after the Joshua trees that populate the area:

Still beautiful…

Below is the reason I picked up this magazine - a shot of Sunset Boulevard featuring (but not naming) the Chateau Marmont hotel and the Garden of Allah:

Chateau at left, the Garden of Allah across the street:

In August 2015, I captured some similar views:

The Garden of Allah was paved over for a bank and a strip mall, and now even those are gone.

More scenic sepia California views to come!

See more vintage and contemporary photos from my collection at my main website.

Disneyland Comin' at Ya! Summer 1955, Pt. 2

2026-02-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

The Daveland time machine is taking you back to the Summer of 1955 for some 3D images presented in Genuine FauxD©! The Disneyland Band is aboard the Horse-Drawn Streetcar in Central Plaza. Rain must have been a problem that day, as the photographer wrote, “It Aint Gonna Rain No More” Band on Horse Trolley on the back of the slide. Below is the wider panorama view, created by merging the left and right images.

The Sleeping Beauty Castle is positively C-R-O-W-D-E-D!

The wider view:

A closeup view of the cute poodle bag, the retro shades, and of course the ticket book and brochure in the gal’s hand on the right of the image:

In the heart of Fantasyland, we can see that the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship still has a few finishing touches to be added before opening to guests:

The restaurant opened for business on August 29, 1955, putting this batch of images somewhere between mid-July and August.

A closer look at the work crews:

How the ship looked on August 27, 1955, shortly after the restaurant opened:

Still a few more 1955 3D images to come!

See more Disneyland photos from my collection at my main website.

Disneyland Transportation Cutbacks: Fantasyland & Tomorrowland

2026-02-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

One of the lesser-known transportation cuts at Disneyland was the extended route of the Omnibus. This duo of July 1957 images shows the Omnibus in Town Square. Nothing strange about that! However, the next shot clearly shows it in the middle of Fantasyland, near the Fantasyland Autopia!

Before the construction of the Matterhorn, the Omnibus took guests right into Fantasyland, as seen in this 1958 shot:

This December 1957 shows Snow Hill (eventually the Matterhorn) on the left and the Monsanto House of the Future at right.

Shot from the Skyway (more on that in a minute), you can see it near the Alice attraction, circa July 1958:

This provides a great segue into one of my largest transportation disappointments at Disneyland. When Toon Town opened in 1993, it had the Jolly Trolley, which took guests around the new land. It didn’t take long for the Park to bolt this little cutie to the ground and turn it into a photo op:

I wish…oh how I wish…that instead of bolting it down, the Disney Corporation would have seen fit to expand its tracks to have the Troller run all the way to Central Plaza. Once at Central Plaza, there is no good way (other than walking) to get to Toon Town.

The Skyway opened in the Summer of 1956:

Guests could soar over the Park from Fantasyland:

All the way to Tomorrowland, as seen in this July 1957 image. What a great way to save time, steps, and get some incredible views!

This one is probably a debatable transportation cut, as it really falls more into the attraction category. Still…for a nice leisurely cruise, the Motor Boat Cruise operated in one form or another from 1955—1993. The Skyway afforded this overhead shot from August 1956:

Loving this 1960s shot with the Monorail AND the Motor Boat Cruise dock all together:

Last time I saw it, the Motor Boat Cruise dock was just rust and decay. Here’s an interesting idea…with the Autopia sorely needing an update, how about creating a vehicle that goes on land AND water. Since both attractions use a track for the vehicles, I wouldn’t think a hybrid would be all that difficult.

Finally, the most mourned loss of Transporation in Tomorrowland is the PeopleMover. Circa July 1968:

August 1969 gives a great view of the Rocket Rods when they used to soar majestically over the center of Tomorrowland, and the Mary Blair murals on the right:

This 1969 images shows the PeopleMover entering the attraction building. So much to see on this slow little attraction!

The PeopleMover was changed into the Rocket Rods in 1998; they were a bomb, and ended up shuttering the entire thing by September 2000.

Today, the decaying/crumbling tracks are all that are left of this one.

Did I miss any?

See more Disneyland photos at my main website.

Disneyland Comin' at Ya! Summer 1955, Pt. 1

2026-02-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

I was very excited to acquire this group of 3D (presented here in Genuine FauxD©) slides showing Disneyland during its first year. The red white and blue bunting tells me these were taken during the first few months of operation. Look at the landscaping around the Mickey floral - positively barren! The first image shows the left and ride sides layered; the image below is a digital composite of the two, which provides slightly more information on both sides, including the slightly disheveled lady on the right.

The main subjects of our year one series can be seen standing in Town Square, waving to the photographer standing on the steps of the Main Street Train Station:

The panoramic view:

Zooming in, you can see that there’s still a crane near the Sleeping Beauty Castle turrets:

How about that non-themed trashcan that just says, “TRASH.” At this stage, the uniforms of the Disneyland Band were navy.

Our guests are standing in front of the Plaza Apartments just on the edge of Main Street/Central Plaza, with the Red Wagon Inn in the background. A Keystone Kop poses with them for good measure.

The panoramic view removes one of the obstructions from what I “assume” is a Main Street vehicle.

Last one for today shows our guests with their backs to Main Street:

A surrey and the Horse-Drawn Streetcar co-exist!

You can just barely see the Disneyland brochure in this gal’s hands in this detailed view:

Most likely this is what we see in the photo:

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Roman Holiday

2026-02-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

“Roman Holiday,” the Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck classic, had its world premiere in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on August 27, 1953, followed by the Los Angeles opening on September 30.

A special premiere was held on September 14, with the proceeds going to the Santa Monica Hospital’s building fund. It was appropriate for Shirley to attend (with her handsome husband Charles) as she was born there in 1928:

The Los Angeles Times announced on the morning of the premiere:

A charity premiere of the film “Roman Holiday” will be held tonight at the Village Theater in Westwood with funds from ticket sales and donations expected to add $75,000 to the Santa Monica Hospital’s building fund. The hospital is planning a new wing in a $1,000,000 expansion program. The institution is a voluntary, nonprofit organization and is the only emergency service for a large portion of West Los Angeles and the beach area. The film costars Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn and was contributed for showing by Paramount studios at the theater by Charles P. Skouras, head of National Theaters. Voluntary contributions for the epansion already have netted $325,000 and $600,000 has been donated by the Lutheran Hospital Society of Southern California, according to actress Esther Williams, general chairman.

Audrey’s arrival, surrounded by music legends Cole Porter and Irving Berlin:

Shirley and Charles arrive:

The theater seen in the background of both photos is The Bruin, which I photographed in 1986:

The premiere was held at the nearby Fox Westwood Village:

How it looked, Summer 1989:

It is wonderful to see the love in Charles’ eyes as he proudly looks at his gorgeous wife:

In their seats for the screening:

On the back of the three photos in my collection of Shirley and Charles at the back is stamped the name and address of Darlene Hammond:

This is what I was able to dig up about who she was when I found a Bonham's auction of her photos:

From the 1950s through the early 1980s, there was rarely a Hollywood event at which photographer Darlene Hammond was not present, capturing the glamorous yet candid moments of the Golden Age of Hollywood and witnessing with her lens the changes that took over Hollywood in the late 1960s and beyond. A woman ahead of her time, Darlene was one of the few female photographers during these formative years in the film industry. Darlene's work appeared in national magazines such as Life, People, The National Enquirer, and in hundreds of movie magazines from the 1950s through the '70s. Her ability to catch just the right moments in both the private and public lives of her celebrity subjects, which included Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and every other major star of the Golden Age, makes Darlene Hammond's photographs some of the most unique and vibrant in Hollywood history.

In 2017, Christie's auction house sold a number of shots from the premiere that were from Audrey Hepburn’s personal collection:

Another shot of Audrey with Porter and Berlin. In the background is a poster for James Stewart’s film, “Thunder Bay,” which had been released a few months before on May 20.

How did the event go? According to the Evening Vanguard:

Hundreds upon hundreds had a real “Roman Holiday” Monday night when they attended a gala benefit premiere of the picture in Westwood…Among the first nighters were cute Audrey Hepburn, who plays the lead in the film with Gregory Peck…She made a personal appearance…Leo Carrillo and Duncan Renaldo were there in their Pancho and Cisco costumes…Had just come in from working on the Cisco films…MGM’s Esther Williams was chairman of the show and presented silver spoons to five proud papas who became fathers of wee ones (they were all girls) at S. M. Hospital that day…Then an added celebration…Every man in the theater (thousands of them) got a cigar with the familiar band “it’s a girl”…It was a big night…Searchlights, red carpets, grandstands and a welcoming committee of dinner-jacketed men were on hand to greet the first nighters…The theater was jammed…

Also in attendance were Jan Sterling, Paul Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Debbie Reynolds, Gene Barry, Macdonald Carey, Wendell Corey, Ann Miller, Ann Robinson, Mercedes McCambridge, Rex Allen, Anne Francis, Terry Moore and Keenan Wynn.

See more Shirley Temple Black photos at my main website.

Disneyland Transportation Cutbacks: Frontierland

2026-02-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here begins a series on the transportation reduction at Disneyland, starting with the Frontierland area (dry land only for today!). This is not necessarily about attractions that have been cut, but rather modes of transportation that once took guests from point A to point B, OR those that gave guests a tour or glimpse of the Park. In 1956, gigantic maps were sprinkled throughout Disneyland, highlighting the attractions that could be found. This one was in Frontierland. Zooming in, you can see the various modes of transportation that could be found there.

The original entrance for the Stage Coaches/Wagons/Pack Mules, circa September 1955:

The below image shows the upgraded entrance and ticket window structure for the Rainbow Desert Stage Coaches:

Guests could buy tickets here for Conestoga (covered) Wagons, a Stage Coach (also referred in some Disney publications as “Concord Stagecoach”), and the Pack Mules.

Only 50¢? What a value! Or a ‘B’ ticket if you prefer!

Another view of the entrance area, from February 1959:

A 1956 brochure shows you could choose between buggy rides, buckboard rides, conestoga wagon rides, mule pack ride, stage coach ride, surrey ride, and yellowstone coach ride.

The 1958 guide book only listed Conestoga (Covered Wagon) Ride, Stagecoach Ride, Mine Train, and Mule Pack Rides.

Here are photos that show each of these vehicles in action, beginning with the Stage Coach (or Stagecoach, depending upon which publicity piece you read!):

This is a different style of Stagecoach that was also offered, numbered 4:

Number 5:

Number 6:

A buckboard:

A Conestoga Wagon:

The Yellowstone Coach photo is a pre-opening shot. Perhaps Walt intended these to take guests around Frontierland; instead, they joined the other wagons and coaches on the Nature's Wonderland trail.

A color shot from 1959 of the Yellowstone:

A lineup of the vehicles, July 27, 1955:

Guests could ride either shotgun (on top with the driver) or inside of the coach itself (and learn what a sardine feels like!). Both the Stagecoaches and Wagons shared the same route through Frontierland, which included Coyote Rock, Elephant Rock, Inscription Rock, Horse Thief Canyon, Dead Man’s Spring, Natural Bridge, and Indian Territory. A December 1955 newspaper ad for Frontierland stated:

You will ride the Conestoga Wagon in Frontierland—one of the most picturesque and vital vehicles in history. It was the Conestoga, not the Covered Wagon, that developed the West. The great wagons were first built in the Conestoga Valley of Pennsylvania, with water tight bottoms that permitted safe crossing of rivers. You will also ride authentic stage coaches, pack trains, and buckboards in this remarkable re-creation of the old West.

After new scenic landscaping was added, the Stagecoaches were renamed the Rainbow Mountain Stage Coaches in 1956. Unfortunately, the Stagecoaches were prone to tipping over (which shook up the Pack Mules; talk about a chain reaction!).

Breakaway harnesses didn’t solve the problem; instead they caused guests to sometimes be stranded while the horses proceeded on the journey without them.

Although apparently intended for Frontierland, the Surreys were found on Main Street instead, as seen in this August 1955 image:

…and March 1956:

…and April 1963, below. Based on photos in my collection, it seems like they were removed from the rotation of Main Street vehicles after 1965.

They were on display at the Big Thunder Ranch, but of course disappeared when Star Wars took over that area. Hopefully they are being taken care of behind-the-scenes!

The Pack Mules were a popular attraction, lasting in Frontierland until October 1973. Note the weight limit of 195 pounds. Better skip that extra churro!

In this image, you can see the mules passing alongside a stagecoach:

Yes, the Mine Train was part of an attraction, Nature's Wonderland, but I would classify it as transportation. It provided guests a grand tour of the sites of Frontierland, as well as the Rivers of America.

And what’s left of all these amazing transportation modes today? Zip. Zilch. Zero. None of them operate in the Park on a regular basis anymore. At special events, some of the vehicles are trotted out for photo ops, but that’s about it. Big Thunder Mountain replaced Nature’s Wonderland in 1979. Functioning solely as a thrill ride, BTMRR lasts for a fraction of the time that its predecessor did.

Low guest capacity and high overhead were the reasons given for why all the coaches were eliminated. The last journey of the Stagecoach and the Conestoga Wagons is debatable; in the Nickel Tour book, two dates are given: September 13, 1959 and February 10, 1960. The Pack Mules were removed as the times changed, and having to rely on unpredictable animals was something the Disney Corporation did not want to have to deal with.

Frontierland lost its zip when all of these rides were removed, becoming a lot more predictable and bland.

See more Frontierland transportation photos at my main website.

Trojans in the Park!

2026-02-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

January 1963, and the USC band is playing in Town Square. Victorious from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, it would appear that they were given the honor of a concert at the entrance to the Park, still decorated for the 1962 Christmas season.

Over near City Hall, the former Disney Police Department has been stripped of its name with a blank sign above the door.

The Tour Guides were not allowed to take over this building yet; instead, they had to make do with the little gingerbread booth on the right of the detailed image below. Note that the light posts in front have been painted all black. How gloomy!

That was the easiest way to cover up the original white lettering that alerted guests that “the fuzz” could be found inside:

At some point between January 1963 and April 1965 (the photo below), the Guided Tour letters finally gave a designation to this Town Square building.

See more Disneyland Town Square photos at my main website.

Date Night in Kensington

2026-01-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

When I first moved back to San Diego in 1999, the Kensington, Hillcrest, and University Heights neighborhoods of San Diego were my go-to choices for restaurants and fun. Over the years, Kensington dropped off my radar, mainly because it was the furthest out. When pressed for time, an extra five to ten minutes can make a huge difference; also, I am the type of person that easily gets caught in the rut of visiting my favorite haunts. Recently, I decided to rectify that and of course took my camera along. The Kensington sign calls to my inner vintage neon nut. Unknown to me, my photography was being captured behind-the-scenes by my date While I wasn't necessarily happy with how I looked or my posture, I was VERY relieved to see that I still have avoided the dreaded baldspot in back!

Club Kensington’s sign is even cooler than the main Kensington one:

This vintage car was appropriately parked in front of the retro-looking club:

The things I do to get the right angle; I sure hope my knees hold out!

The destination was Trattoria da Sofia, an Italian restaurant that had been on my radar for awhile. They follow me on social media, so naturally I had to check them out!

Capturing the required establishing shot:

The interior decor was interesting; I would call it eclectic. One would expect to see this type of fountain in the lobby of an Italian restaurant:

…but probably not the laundry hanging overhead. It was a very fun touch!

I was obsessed with this fish-shaped water bottle on the table:

Moving onto the food, the arancine appetizer was fantastic and generously portioned:

The crispy burrata was beyond yum!

One of my typical choices when I dine in an Italian restaurant is pollo parmigiana (aka chicken parmesan):

It was also delish. My sweet tooth was a bit disappointed that Spumoni ice cream was not on the menu, but the limocello cake was out of this world!

Sofia’s definitely rated a return visit!

See more Kensington neighborhood in San Diego photos at my main website.

Paramount Set Stills: Now and Forever, Pt. 1

2026-01-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

Paramount’s 1934 production, “Now and Forever” (originally titled “Honor Bright” and then “You Belong to Me”) starred Carole Lombard, Shirley Temple, and Gary Cooper. Lombard and Cooper were already big stars; Temple had just exploded onto the scene with her captivating performance in “Little Miss Marker,” also a Paramount production. I am always amazed at the care and detail that went into creating the sets for these films from the golden age of Hollywood. The first production still shows the Sino Manor Hotel lobby located in Shanghai:

As you can see by the board, the film was still being referred to as “You Belong to Me”:

This screenshot reveals that the black area was used for a rear projection effect, thus eliminating having to build the rest of the set. Smart!

Another view of the lobby desk:

Look at all the branded materials on the desk, created just for this brief scene:

The hallway of the hotel, which does not appear in the final film:

This detailed exterior shows the shop where Cooper prints some bogus business cards:

This publicity still shows way more of the set than we see in the final film:

In this office, Cooper sets up shop to milk hotel customers for their outstanding hotel bills so that he can use the money to fund his extravagant trips with Lombard.

How it looked in the film:

The Stateroom occupied by Cooper and Lombard:

This area is barely seen in the final film:

…and yet someone had to go to the trouble of putting together Lombard’s luggage. Note her hat on the couch:

In a 1930s movie to get by with the recently created production code, separate beds were a necessity!

This is all we get to see of the room where “the magic” happens! The status of the relationship between Lombard and Cooper had to be solidified as a marriage, rather than just lovers, in order to appease the censors.

In France, Lombard returns to her hotel and receives a wire from Cooper:

The corresponding production still:

A detail of the signs on the wall, that probably not a single movie-goer would notice back in 1934:

This little cafe is not in the final film:

It was used for an ultimately deleted scene between Jameson Thomas and Carole Lombard, who were in a relationship before she met Cooper.

More set stills from “Now and Forever” to come!

See more photos at my main website.

Chateau Marmont, 1938

2026-01-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

This July 1938 image of the Chateau Marmont was taken from the residence across the street. Below is a contemporary view of the hotel for comparison’s sake, shot from the street.

On the left, you can see the residence with two garages where the photo was taken. Because of the contemporary look of the home from the exterior, I always “assumed” the original had been torn down and replaced. We all know what happens when you “assume.”

How the home looks at street level:

I decided to go on Zillow and see if there were any photos posted that might match my 1938 image. I was surprised to see that the original 1923 home still exists; what is visible from the street was a later addition.

A Google street view from May 2009 shows what the property looked like before the expansion:

This MLS Listing image taken from farther back on the property shows the Chateau in the background as well as the original portion of the home:

I am guessing that the 1938 photographer was standing on the lawn towards the left of this detailed MLS listing image, facing the Chateau when he took the picture, where I artistically added the red stick figure!

In November 2018, I snapped this overhead shot from Room 71 of the Chateau. You can clearly see the original structure and the addition:

Back to the original photo, I am guessing that the gent in the photo was either visiting or one of the people living at 8222 Marmont Lane in 1938.

The penthouse balcony was very lush in 1938 with lots of potted plants:

How it looks today:

See more vintage and contemporary Chateau Marmont photos at my main website.

Lionel Barrymore: Once is not enough!

2026-01-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Oscar winning actor Lionel Barrymore costarred with Shirley Temple in the 1935 film, “The Little Colonel.” Unlike Frank Morgan, who attempted to steal scenes from the child star in “Dimples” (1936), Barrymore worked with Temple and the chemistry between the two created some of the most touching and comical scenes of Shirley’s films. The behind-the-scenes story of the two is just as entertaining and heartwarming. “The Little Colonel” director, David Butler (shown above and below), spilled the tea in his autobiography.

We wanted to get Lionel Barrymore to play the grandfather in the South, but we couldn’t get him. Buddy [DeSylva] said, “You go over and see him. You know him well.” I did know him well. We used to have dinner with him and his wife. So I went over to Metro to see him, sat in his dressing room, and I said, ‘You’ve done everything that you can do. We want you to do ‘The Little Colonel.’ He said, ‘No, I’ve heard about it, but I don’t want to work with children.’ ‘Lionel, you owe this to yourself. You’ve done everything in the theatre, everything you can do in the pictures, and you’re one of the best actors in the world. I think you owe it to yourself to work with this little girl because she’s marvelous and you’ll love it.’ I finally talked him into it.

Everything went swimmingly until they were playing a game which we kind of created, like checkers, only on one side we had Northern soldiers and on the other side Southern ones. Lionel said, “If I were doing that, I’d move right over here and put my man here.” Shirley said, “If you did that, I’d jump you here, and I’d jump you here.” Then he had a speech to her. Lionel stopped, and he said, ‘What are the lines?’ Shirley said, ‘Oh, Uncle Lionel, you have to say —’ and she gave him his line. He jumped out of that chair! It was the worst thing that could have happened because he didn’t like a kid telling him the lines. But we straightened it out.

Shirley herself gave an expanded version of what happened with Barrymore in her autobiography, Child Star:

At the outset director David Butler took me over to meet our southern colonel, Lionel Barrymore. It wasn’t really a meeting. Barrymore didn’t take my extended hand, and with one brief downward glance, he turned to speak with someone else. There is a big difference between being seen and being acknowledged. During out first rehearsals a large blackboard was wheeled onstage and all Barrymore’s cues and lines chalked up. I asked Mother why he couldn’t learn his lines at home like everyone else, but she hushed me, explaining that he was a famous stage actor and would be hurt if he heard such comments. Our first scene together went well enough, but noticed his breath had a rich, fruity aroma vaguely remindful of the alcohol rub Mother gave me when I had a fever. “It’s because he’s in pain,” she explained later. “You must learn to be more sympathetic.” From the start Barrymore seemed weak on his lines, stumbling a lot over phrasing, and arguing with Butler over small points of emphasis. I mistakenly considered us both confederates acting in concert, not building up to our own civil war. One time, having as usual learned everyone’s lines, I prompted him. “Dammit!” he exploded. “I’m thirty years in this business!”… “Everyone take a break,” said Butler, shaking his head.…Returning shortly, [Butler] took both Mother and me aside. “Bad news,” he said. “He’s complaining she made him look ridiculous. He told me to get somebody else to do the picture.”…Finally Butler and Mother gave me their opinion. I must go alone and make up with him. I had no option. When I rapped on Barrymore’s dressing-room door, he let me in without a word and closed the door behind us..…“Uncle Lionel,” I said, addressing him that way for the first time. “I know you’re the best actor in the world.” He shot me an incredulous glance, but I kept on. “May I have your autograph?” He shrugged his shoulders, sighed once, and then sat down at his table. “To my favorite niece,” he wrote. “Your Uncle Lionel.”…Having caused a problem, I had to work out of it. But in addition there was an underlying reason for my backhanded apology, a powerful sense of community purpose. Stuck together we would succeed; pried apart, we failed.

Back to Butler’s version:

The end of the picture we did out on location. After we finished the shot, I said, ‘That’s it. We’ve finished the picture.’ Lionel Barrymore always made up himself, so they had a little stand there for him. He went over to the stand and started to take his makeup off. I went to talk to him and there was a little tug at his sleeve. He didn’t pay any attention to it. It got a little bit stronger. He turned around, and in back of him was Shirley with an autograph book.

She said to him, ‘Uncle Lionel, can I have your autograph?’ The tears just welled in his eyes and poured down his cheeks. He grabbed hold of her and kissed her, and it was just great. He cried like a baby, after going through it with this kid. Then, when she went away, he said, ‘You were right, David. That was a great experience. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’

Shirley recalls getting the autograph in Barrymore’s dressing room; Butler recalls it happening at the end of the shoot, followed by tears. Butler’s own home movie (now in the collection of Shirley expert supreme, Rita Dubas) captured the autograph signing, which occurred outdoors without the crying but does display a fondness between the two, as seen below in a screen grab.

Another amusing anecdote from Butler describes the difficulty in filming the baptism sequence:

We had the scene where Shirley had to baptize this little colored boy. We had an audition for colored boys, and this kid named Junior [Nyanza Potts] was so cute that we took him. But Junior didn’t know anything about taking direction or listening to anybody. He was a wild man. We had an awful time even keeping him in a scene, to walk down a set. He’d be looking all around or fooling with his pants. But we managed to get by with it after working quite hard. So now we come to the baptism, where Shirley has to dunk him in the water and say, “Are you saved?” He has to say no, and she dunks him again. We’d get him all set, and the cameras ready, and Shirley would dunk him down under. “Are you saved?” He’d come up and shake his head. Then he’d grab Shirley and duck her under. Well, I want to tell you that I was ready to kill that kid. We changed Shirley’s clothes and fixed her makeup at least five times. Every time, he’d shove her in the water. Finally his mother told him she was going to give him a good spanking if he did it again, and we got the scene. But this was after changing Shirley five times. He’d grab her and duck her and hold her under, and the whole crew would jump in to save Shirley. When we finished, I told his mother, “I’ll tell you something about Junior. He’s going to be fine in the picture, but he caused me a lot of trouble. I’ll bet you he winds up a porter on the train.” Twenty years elapsed, and I’m going to New York on the Chief. I got in my compartment, and in comes a porter. He says, “Mr. Butler, you don’t remember me, do you?” I said no. It was Junior. He did wind up a porter. It was so funny.

Shirley didn’t mention Nyanza nearly drowning her during filming, but she did talk about how he had some difficulty with this scene:

In the spluttering and commotion of filming he missed his cues and was speechless. The more the director cajoled and the more we dunked him, the more flustered he became, a pitiful figure, dripping and bedraggled. Making little progress, the director called a break and scolded Nyanza sharply. Mother, however, sensed the problem. Someone had gotten him tongue-tied at the prospect of acting with a name star, so she suggested I help him. Taking his small hand in mine, I led him into a corner to rehearse. He really knew his lines, and the more we talked as two children do, the more self-assured he became. convince he finally had it, we dressed in dry sheets and waded back down into the stream. Nyanza said his lines with a falter. We dunked him. Surfacing, he said some more. Again he got dunked. The director seemed happy. “Was I perfect?” Nyanza asked as we splashed up out of the stream. “Sure,” I answered, glad to have helped but unwilling to give him all the credit. “We all were! We did it together!

Butler’s behind-the-scenes footage also includes these fun candid moments - Lionel with lit cig and Shirley on a horse, waiting for the cameras to roll:

Barrymore removing the white wig he wears during the movie, once again lighting up a cig. He looks like his brother John in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”!

…and Nyanza, wildly dancing around, also carrying a cig!

You can see the entire movie at Rita’s YouTube channel:

Barrymore and Temple joined forces again in 1941 for the December 19th Shirley Temple Time radio broadcast titled, “Christmas for Two.”

Looks like somebody had a sore throat. I would guess it was Barrymore!

You can listen to the broadcast a the Great Detectives website.

Both Shirley and Barrymore were in the 1944 Selznick production, “Since You Went Away.” Although they were in the same scene, it is somewhat doubtful that they were on set at the same time.

Barrymore had a short but memorable cameo preaching a Sunday sermon.

One of Barrymore’s most famous roles was as the villain, Henry Potter, in “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946). Unlike his “Little Colonel” part, this character never thawed out!

Caption for the above photo, shot on set of “It’s a Wonderful Life”:

Barrymore-Stewart, Post-War Reunion

Hollywood, Cal…Back on the movie set after gallant war service, during which he rose to the rank of Colonel, James Stewart stops to chat with veteran Lionel Barrymore, who last week celebrated his 68th birthday by working on a new movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” directed by Frank Capra, center. Photo by Dave Cicero.

Interestingly enough, while the name Barrymore is synonymous with three of the greatest actors AND siblings (Lionel, Ethel, and John), their birth name was actually Blyth. Just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Go I.U.!

2026-01-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

My college years at Indiana University were idyllic. They truly were. I think back on them and only remember the golden memories of the four years I spent in Bloomington, Indiana, doing a minimum amount of classroom studies and a maximum amount of maturing. With a few bad choices mixed in for good measure.

I was amazed when I heard that my alma mater was going to be in the Rose Bowl this year. During my tenure at I.U., the football team was a joke. The school had high hopes when they hired Lee Corso as the football coach in 1973, but his record was spotty. The modifed poster in my dorm room with the blacked out tooth and zombie eyes says it all (no, that's not me standing next to it). For my freshman year (Corso’s final year), his record was 5-6.

Having been in my high school’s marching band, I decided to audition for the one at I.U., known as The Marching Hundred. In 1927, the band marched in a 10x10 block during the pregame show for the match against Harvard. And there you have it. Below is a shot of the bus trip to the one and only away game (Michigan in Ann Arbor) the band could afford to accompany the football team on.

Posing for the family that kindly hosted us in Michigan during our stint there. We lost, 10-24.

Even back in college, my camera went everywhere with me. I took these shots during a home game. Yes, it was cold.

Below are band directors Wilbur England and Ray Cramer (also his final year as director):

England took over when Cramer left and lasted until 1985. I can still hear the teashing chants of “Wilbuuuuuuuuur” not-so-silently from my fellow band members.

I only did one year in the Marching Hundred. The practices and games really killed my social life and prevented me from making many friends outside of the band until the football season was over. I still went to a few football games afterwards. Some shots of the band from the 1983 season:

In 1985, it was one of those Haley’s Comet moments when I was with my two brothers AND my dad (the occasion was the IU Homecoming game). Being on the Indiana Memorial Union Board of Directors, we were treated to a tailgate picnic feast before the game.

The last shot I took of the Marching Hundred during my college career appropriately shows them in “I” formation, circa 1985:

While I never marched in the Rose Parade while at I.U., I DID have that honor as a high school student back in 1980.

I’m the alto in the middle.

Not only did I.U. play in the Rose Bowl game this year, they had their best season in program history with a College Football Playoff national championship after a 27-21 victory over Miami on January 19. To quote our Indiana University fight song, “GO! IU! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! Indiana, we're all for you!"

See more Indiana University photos at my main website.

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

2026-01-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

Even though I moved back to San Diego over twenty-five years ago, I had still never been to Rancho Santa Fe. All I knew about the area was that my dad and his second wife had once owned property there, and the long back-story to it was not pretty. A brunch gathering a few weeks ago changed all that. The first thing that greeted me as I pulled into the village was this bronze statue of architect Lilian Rice by Nina de Burgh.

Credited as the person creating the master plan for Rancho Santa Fe, the document in her hand shows her sketch for the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Her focus was LOW DENSITY HOUSING. If only today’s planners followed suit.

The walk up to the Inn at was lovely; the perfect southern California weather didn’t hurt, either.

I do love succulents, and the property had these and a number of other native plants that added to its natural beauty.

From the Inn’s website, here’s a bit of background info:

In 1924, the Santa Fe Land Company built a guest house called ‘La Morada’ for potential homebuyers. It was later purchased and renamed ‘The Inn’ in 1941. The Inn’s rich history (including visits from icons like Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin, and Mary Pickford) is thoughtfully preserved and celebrated throughout the property. Design details remain, such as the original wood-beamed ceilings that still grace the lobby today.

Early 2023, The Inn underwent a full reimagination of its 11-acre property. After reopening in the fall of 2023, The Inn now boasts unparalleled vintage luxury, rich history, and timeless tradition throughout every inch of the property and guest experience. Inspired by the history and timeless glamour of its Silver Screen heritage, each accommodation offers a unique experience devoted to lavish comfort, carefully researched, and curated with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces from around the world, layering design with detail to create a sense of elegance and respite.

The spaces were light where then needed to be and very warm and welcoming.

The art pieces were appropriate to the location and tastefully placed.

The restaurant is appropriately named Lilian’s (only one “L,” just like its namesake!) and the bar (Bing’s) pays tribute to its namesake and longtime guest, Bing Crosby. The trellised design look like it had been inspired by the Titanic’s Veranda Café and Palm Court.

The food was good, the atmosphere lovely, the service…well, there were plenty of servers, but it felt a bit like Disney’s attempt at high-end dining. While they all tried their best, they gave off the vibe that they had just been hired and were not quite up to par yet.

I loved all the different nooks for relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

I will definitely be back to explore the surrounding village. Stay tuned!

See more Rancho Santa Fe photos at my main website.

More from the Hollywood Canteen

2026-01-14T04:30:00.000-08:00

About 15 years ago, I did a post on the Hollywood Canteen. With a few new photos added to my collection, it seemed like a good time to do an update! The photo above shows Shirley Temple arriving for her appearance at the Hollywood Canteen, July 14, 1943. How do I know the date? Thanks to Shirley expert supreme, the Rita Dubas, who not only gave me the date that was written on the back of a photo from her collection, but shared the photo itself/ Not sure who the guy next to Shirley is, but the guy behind her looks a bit like Ray Bolger!

Rita also sent me a link to a FANTASTIC site filled with photos and background info about the Canteen. Edited from the Historic Hollywood Photographs website:

Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, actress Bette Davis approached fellow actor John Garfield and Dr. Jules Stein about starting a canteen for servicemen in Hollywood, similar to the Stage Door Canteen in New York. The three approached all the entertainment unions, guilds, movie studios and radio stations for support. They found a dilapidated barn located at 1451 N. Cahuenga Blvd and leased it for $100 a month for the duration of the war. Hollywood's motion picture craftsmen volunteered their services to do the renovation and transformed the place.

Below, from 1942 (L to R) Forrest Cooper, Jules Stein, Al Ybarra, Bette Davis & John Garfield planning the construction of the Hollywood Canteen

It was unanimously agreed that the Hollywood Canteen would be exclusively for enlisted servicemen, no officers allowed. The servicemen's uniform was his admission ticket. The only people allowed to volunteer were those who worked in some facet of the entertainment business. The Canteen had its grand opening on October 3rd, 1942 with Eddie Cantor as MC. The forecourt was filled with thousands of servicemen, dignitaries and civic leaders. All food, beverages, and cigarettes were free. Each night, two bands played to packed dance floors. Entertainers included Red Skelton, Spencer Tracy, Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. Hostesses included Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich, Paulette Goddard and Joan Crawford. When the war ended in 1945, fewer servicemen visited and the canteen closed by November. Over the course of its 3 year existence, the Hollywood Canteen had over 3 million servicemen come through its doors. It was truly Hollywood's finest home-front contribution to the war.

Below is a shot from opening night on October 3, 1942, with comedians Abbott and Costello at the microphone:

The medley below shows just how special the Canteen was, especially in light of today, this would NEVER occur. Top Hollywood celebrities like Hedy Lamarr, Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable (with Sergeant Carl Bell, the millionth serviceman to visit), and Linda Darnell all served, danced, and socialized with the soldiers without pay or bodyguards. Let that sink in. Oh…and no social media.

Shirley puts her apron on to get down to business. The stars didn’t just show up — they WORKED!

From the How to Eat LA website comes an additional shot of Shirley from the same night, serving snacks to the servicemen:

And in case you think these celebrities were one-and-dones, no way; here’s Shirley performing again at the Canteen on a different night.

Rita informed me that the backdrop behind the band was styled after an 1890s vaudeville stage—the circular plaque above Shirley reads “Ennola Colber Hosiery Underwear.” Below is a detailed view of Shirley:

These previously posted images were from a collection I purchased, showing the exterior of the Canteen:

From the same batch, the soldier captured this view of Hollywood Boulevard featuring the NBC building:

Zooming in, you can also see the Palladium and the CBS building. The Palladium still stands.

This soldier relaxes at the cross streets of Sunset & Vine, just a few blocks from the Canteen:

The same soldier at Hollywood and Vine. You can see the Brown Derby sign in the background:

A detailed view of the United Nations War Relief ad:

The former site of the Canteen at Sunset and Cahueanga is now a parking garage and the CNN building. No plaque, no nothing to commemorate this historic location.

What are the sayings? They paved over paradise…time marches on…nothing lasts forever…well, you get the drift. Especially in Hollywood.

See more Hollywood photos at my main website.

Vintage Balboa Park in San Diego

2026-01-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

These two July 1956 images show the flags that lined the path into San Diego’s Balboa Park for the inaugural Fiesta del Pacifico. According to the SD Union-Tribune, it began on July 18, 1956, and was a

Spanish-flavored summertime promotion built around an outdoor pageant in Balboa Stadium called, “The California Story.” The pageant featured 1,300 performers in a retelling of California history in two acts, with music by Meredith Willson.

In the first photo, you’ll notice the little A-Frame promoting Robin Hood, which was being performed at the Starlight Theater in Balboa Park for the 1956 Summer Season:

This 1950s image shows the San Diego Museum of Art and a number of vintage autos:

The below shot shows the Home Economy Building from the 1915 Exposition that once stood to the right of the Museum:

It was torn down in 1963 and replaced by the Timken Museum of Art (shown below). I’m not sure why they chose this contemporary design which stands out like a sore thumb from the rest of the Exposition structures, but I would guess that someone from the Frank L. Hope and Associates architectural firm wanted to put their personal stamp on it. And they sure did. At least the art inside is stellar.

See more Balboa Park in San Diego photos at my main website.

Floating through the Matterhorn, 1980

2026-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Disneyland newbies probably don’t know this, but at one time you could “float” through the Matterhorn attraction in a Skyway bucket. Oops…those newbies might not even know that you could travel from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland in the air, looking over the guests and attractions while doing so. Ah…those were the days. These June 1980 images were taken by a guest doing said activity.

The Skyway existed from 1956-1994. The buckets were changed in 1965 for the Disneyland Tencennial celebration, converting the shape from round to a more square configuration. Below is a closeup of Fantasyland back when it had its original Festival Tournament façades. Another piece of history lost on the newbies.

This carefree family (they look like they might be a bit of fun) are exiting the Fantasyland Skyway Station (visible on the hill on the upper left). Yes, newbies…another piece of Disneyland history that is gonzo.

This November 1967 image gives a better view of the beautiful structure:

Also from November 1967, you can see one of the buckets entering the station:

Below is an undated 1960s image, back when you didn’t have to worry about guests throwing/spitting things from the bucket (for the most part!).

In the “don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today” department, the historic Hollywood Center Motel on Sunset Boulevard has burned to the ground. So glad I took the time last March to snap a few shots.

Edited from Empty Los Angeles:

The Hollywood Center Motel - consisting of a 1905-ish house surrounded by bungalows built a few decades later - caught on fire early this morning. The motel, which was originally housing, was recently nominated for landmark status. Victorian houses are very, very rare in Hollywood. LAFD reports that it was a knockdown fire. Citizen reports it was a two-story structure, and a few of the posted videos show fire damage to the original house, El Nido. The motel had a known issue with squatters (a vacate order was posted last month). At least two people were trapped inside the burning house, and one of them had to be taken to a hospital in unknown condition. I was afraid of this. I’ve mentioned previously that we have a demolition-by-neglect problem in Los Angeles, and the motel has had previous fires. Now LAFD’s arson unit is investigating. I also mentioned in an earlier post that the owner of the motel had previously applied for demolition permits, despite not having a replacement project lined up for the site. Because of this fire, they may not need one - at least for poor El Nido.

A fire due to squatters in California? Shocking.

See more Disneyland Skyway photos at my main website.

Golden Memories, 1939

2026-01-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

On January 2, 1939, the Golden Memories themed 50th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade was held in Pasadena, California. Shirley Temple presided over the festivities as Grand Marshal. The Star-News and Post printed a commemorative booklet for the occasion with cover shown above. Although Shirley was already approaching her 11th birthday, the art on the cover attempted to depict a much younger version of the child star to keep her more precocious to her adoring fans. Below is a color tinted image from the parade inside the booklet.

If you’re wondering why the 1939 parade was on the 2nd instead of the 1st, whenever the 1st falls on a Sunday, the parade shifts to Monday.

Another shot of Shirley with Rose Queen Barbara Virginia Dougall:

If you wanted to get an up-close-and-personal seat for the parade, you would have needed a ticket:

A float promoting the upcoming MGM film “The Wizard of Oz” included costumes and cast members from the film:

A few color screenshots showing the Oz float:

The football game that followed was between USC and Duke; USC took home the trophy!

A few additional images from my collection of Shirley in the parade:

You can see Shirley’s father seated below her, somewhat hidden by all the roses around him:

Rare color footage exists of Shirley enthusiastically waving to the crowds. Keep in mind the parade lasts roughly two hours! Her hand must have been exhausted!

See more Shirley Temple 1939 Rose Parade photos at my main website.

New Year’s Eve at the El Mirador

2025-12-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

I finally acquired an establishing shot of the long defunct El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs. This March 1963 image was taken just nine years before the property was converted into the Desert Hospital. Ray Ryan bought ownership of the rundown El Mirador in 1960 from his other investment partners and spent over a million dollars refurbishing the property in an attempt to return it to its former glory.

Not sure why there’s a Hans Cristian Anderson sign on the palm tree. Perhaps it was tied to what appears to be the hotel’s “Copenhagen Smorgasbord” listed on the sign.

Below is a March 1960 shot of the hotel. While the rest of California shivered from low winter temperatures, the smart ones flocked to Palm Springs to enjoy the dry heat.

Back in the day, the El Mirador was a haven for Hollywood celebrities, like Spencer Tracy and John Wayne, as seen in this 1934 photo:

From the accompanying caption:

MOVIE LUMINARIES AT DESERT RESORT

Among the colonists recruited from cinema ranks at El Mirador, Palm Springs, California, Desert Oasis, are Spencer Tracy (left) and Mr. and Mrs. John Wayne, shown as they reposed on the brink of the El Mirador Plunge. Wayne is a star of the “horse operas.”

At the time, Tracy was the bigger star and Wayne was still making westerns on skid row before getting his break in “Stagecoach” (1939).

While Shirley Temple typically stayed at the Desert Inn when she visited Palm Springs with her parents, she does have a connection to the El Mirador.

The following gem of a story is from the Palm Springs Life website as told by Frank Bogert, who created many a publicity stunt for the El Mirador:

“We had Governor Herbert Lehman of New York as a guest at the hotel,” Bogert recalls. “He wanted privacy. No interviews. No photos. But he expressed one wish. He said he'd like to meet Shirley Temple who was staying at the Desert Inn with her mother. I said I'd try to arrange it. And I did. Shirley's mother said she'd like to meet the governor. So they met for lunch beside the pool at El Mirador. I took several pictures and thought I was doing pretty well until little Shirley spoke up and said, 'Look, Mr. Bogert, why don't you stand over there with your camera? The governor can sit where he is and I'll cheat a little toward him. I think that will do much better.' . . . Well, I did what she said and got a picture that went all around the nation. By following the advice of a 7-year-old. But what a 7-year-old!

Below are images from the Temple/Lehman get together at the El Mirador from the Palm Springs Historical Society website:

Temple and Lehman crossed paths again in 1938 in New York when the child star took her famous cross-country vacation.

I hope you enjoyed the final rabbit hole post at Daveland for 2025!

See more Palm Springs photos at my main website.

Wee Wayfinding

2025-12-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

Wayfinding is an important part of…well, finding stuff! Even for the non-existent inhabitants of Disneyland’s Storybook Land, the signage was part of the original attraction, as seen in this 1950’s image, most likely from the initial days of the attraction, judging by the barren landscape.

By 1959, the Giant’s Patchwork Quilt was growing in nicely:

I am constantly amazed by the detail and artistic craftsmanship that went into the Storybook Land attraction:

An aerial view of the scene from the 1950s:

Anyone able to read what is on the sign at left?

A May 1958 shot taken from a Skyway bucket:

This detailed view provides a shot of the “island” known as Peter Pan Park as well as the Fantasyland Train Depot:

Jumping forward to August 2013, Peter Pan’s Park had been renamed London Park. Poor Peter.

This duck graciously posed for me so that I could demonstrate the scale of these miniature buildings!

See more Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my main website.

Christmas Eve: Anticipation

2025-12-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

In 1939, Shirley Temple posed for her final Christmas photos at 20th Century-Fox. She would be temporarily retired by the time the next winter holiday rolled around. Even in the day before digital photography made it easy to take hundreds of photos without worrying about cost, the studio shot an abundance of the little girl in this session that attempted to capture the anticipation of awaiting Santa Claus’ visit on Christmas Eve. Taken at the studio, a staircase from props along with a wreath and some gifts gave a slight air of authenticity. I truly love the first one of Shirley pretending to be asleep while the silhouette of Santa looms behind her. Below, the wonder of seeing the tree and presents on Christmas morning is perfectly captured by Shirley’s expression:

A small candle in her hand lights the way:

Four additional shots of Shirley descending the steps are in my collection, showing that the studio liked giving the movie magazines options to choose from:

Hunting through the internet, I found three more:

Had enough Shirley yet? That’s ok, because we are moving on to Christmas 1970. Were my brothers and I dressed for a fancy dinner? No. This was the typical attire for a plane trip from Philadelphia to San Diego. Back in the day, plane travel was a luxury and one was expected to dress for the occasion. I was reading a book on the zodiac, and my oldest brother was apparently planning to practicing his clarinet while we visited our Grandmother in San Diego for Christmas.

Our United Airlines flight had actual curtains on the window!

Eldest brother was reading The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon, part of the Alfred Hitchcock mystery series:

Ah, to recall a time when plane travel was fun and you had room to squirm around in your seat.

The first order of business in San Diego was to visit Santa Claus at the May Company department store in Mission Valley. This modernist building had opened in February 1961. It is currently empty, most likely awaiting demolition.

Christmas Eve at my Grandmother’s fireplace shows our stockings (I still have mine) as well as the annual plate of Christmas cookies and note to Santa.

Note Marlboro 100s box in the background. No Christmas tableau is complete without it.

Christmas morning shows the genuine smiles as we were finally allowed to enter the living room to see what Santa had brought.

I hope you are all able to experience this form of happy anticipation and joy over the holidays and can disconnect from the stressors of 2025.

See more Shirley Temple at the holidays photos at my main website.