[Update: This truly is a mystery photo. It was taken near Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards and the set of “Intolerance” is in the background but there’s no information on what is occurring in the photo, which is undated.

[The picture was published Jan. 1, 1980, with an article by Eric Taub and John G. Watson about looking for old movie locations in Los Angeles. There aren’t any huge surprises in their feature, which covers the steps from “The Music Box” and some other Laurel and Hardy locations, Greystone Mansion, etc., but one must admire their diligence in tracking down information on “Casablanca.” ]

Here’s another crowd scene….

I don’t post much on the 1920s (so many stories, only one Larry Harnisch) but I stumbled across this feature page when looking for something else and found several interesting pieces. The first is a long interview with Joseph M. Abrams, vice president and general manager of a tour bus line, who says the most popular sightseeing spots are: 

1) Mary Pickford's house

3) Charlie Chaplin's house

4) Gloria Swanson's house

5) Will Rogers' house

6) Pauline Frederick's house

7) Milton Sills' house

8) Jackie Coogan's house

9) Tommy Meighan's house

10) William Desmond's house

11) William S. Hart's house

12) Eugene O'Brien's house

13) Pola Negri's house

14) Lois Wilson's house

15) J. Warren Kerrigan's house

16) The house on Dayton Avenue where Jim Jeffries was born. [Note: The home was at Dayton and Cypress Avenues, presumably 535 Cypress, according to the 1909 city directory, available online from the Los Angeles Public Library. A subtle reminder to budget-slashing civic leaders who think librarians only reshelve books. And yes, Jeffries’ father was a minister.]  

“Most of the reservations for sightseeing trips about Los Angeles are made by the women. They constitute 80% of our patrons. Men want to go to the baseball game or to a prizefight or to the beach, where the bathing girls are. When they go to view the city they usually are hauled along by their wives,” Abrams says. 

Then there’s a piece on old and vanished buildings of Los Angeles and  the unusual home of “occultist” Ben Hansen  (no address, alas). It is built entirely of eucalyptus and decorated with Egyptian/Assyrian/Persian/Aztec symbols. With a couple of Buddhas  tastefully thrown in.

ALSO

Jim Jeffries and the “Fight of the Century”

The Art Museum at the University of Memphis has opened an exhibition on the works of Los Angeles architect Paul Revere Williams, above left, with champion prizefighter Joe Louis in 1960.

Oct. 10, 1960: The Times takes a look at construction of Los Angeles’ Jet Age airport. The “Theme Building” will resemble a giant flying saucer and there will be a monorail called the Skylift to whisk passengers from one terminal to another.

Dec. 5, 1896: The Times Eagle is installed on the roof of Times Building No. 2 at First Street and Broadway after being made by the J.L. Mott Iron Works of Chicago and brought to Los Angeles by rail.