Help Needed: Mystery Buildings at Disney-MGM Studios

[Werner Weiss]

I need your help, please. (UPDATED 11/23/2007 WITH 5 ADDITIONAL PHOTOS)

On November 16, 2007, my Yesterland article was Real Buildings that Inspired Disney-MGM Studios. A lot of people enjoyed that article.

There was a good discussion about on MiceChat at Nov. 16, 2007: Real Buildings that Inspired Disney-MGM Studios.

I'd like to do some future articles along similar lines, including two more about Disney-MGM Studios (Disney's Hollywood Studios). I've figured out the inspirations for some additional Disney-MGM Studios buildings. There are eleven that I'd like to identify, but that have me stumped.

What real-life building inspired the following Disney-MGM buildings?

Mystery 1.


Mystery 2 Solved! former Pasadena Winter Garden (J. Cyril Bennett, 1940), now Public Storage, 171 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena


Mystery 3 Solved! 35er Bar, 12 East Colorado Boulevard (near Fair Oaks), Pasadena, California


Mystery 4.


Mystery 5 Solved! 200 Powell (at O'Farrell), San Francisco (is becoming a Skechers store).


Mystery 6 Solved! The old Floral Exchange at 1900 Telegraph Ave. (at 19th Street) in Oakland.


Mystery 7 Solved! former Paul Kohner Agency, 9169 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.


Mystery 8.


Mystery 9 Solved! Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Boulevard, Culver City, California.


Mystery 10 Solved! Telesound Studio (circa 1945), 6926 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.


Mystery 11 Solved! Fire Station No. 1, 2230 Pasadena Avenue , Lincoln Heights.


I'm looking for addresses and/or names and/or links to web pages that provide details.

As I get answers, I'll update this post with "mystery solved" information.

Please post your responses here. Thank you!

[ex-wdi]

#4 is possibly inspired by the Mayan Theater, but it's not at all an exact match.
#5 looks like the Wiltern Theater.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by ex-wdi

#4 is possibly inspired by the Mayan Theater, but it's not at all an exact match.

It's not the Mayan Theatre: http://www.you-are-here.com/theatre/mayan.html

When I originally saw that facade, I assumed it was based on the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia. But it's not that either: http://rion.nu/v5/archive/000317.php

When I was researching for this article, I thought it might be based on one of the L.A. area's themed movie palaces. No luck either. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...ew_page_18.htm

I have to believe that #4 is based on a real building, and that it actually has a corner entrance like that. I just don't know what it is. It could be from a restaurant, a bar, a shop, or a business.

I hope somebody reading this thread recognizes it.

Originally Posted by ex-wdi

#5 looks like the Wiltern Theater.

It's not the Wiltern Theatre (Pellissier Building). The Wiltern/Pellissier has lots of zig zag ornamentation. http://www.you-are-here.com/theatre/wiltern.html

[BigPigletFan]

It is quite possible that some of these buildings are no longer in existence. I sent an email to Professor Marling - author of Designing Disney's Theme Parks... maybe she can give some information to this search.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by BigPigletFan

It is quite possible that some of these buildings are no longer in existence. I sent an email to Professor Marling - author of Designing Disney's Theme Parks... maybe she can give some information to this search.

Thank you! It will be interesting to see her reply.

[Werner Weiss]

If anyone in the Los Angeles area wants to waste part of a day taking digital pictures for Yesterland, I would really appreciate it. I would provide pictures that I already took at Disney-MGM Studios; ideally, the camera angles would be similar. I already have a few pictures, such as The Darkroom and Chapman Park Market, but I don't have most of the others. (Of course, I wouldn't expect pictures of the demolished buildings.) Also, even one or two pictures would help; I don't want anyone to think I'll only accept a comprehensive set of photos.

All you'd get from me is credit as the photographer and my sincere thanks.

In addition to the pictures in my recent Yesterland article and the "mystery" buildings at the top of this thread, here are some other Disney-MGM buildings and their inspirations.

I believe the following buildings still exist:

1. Apparel, Accessories, Jewelry (pink & white building on Sunset): The former Max Factor Bldg. (one-story portion), 1666 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood (still Mel's Diner?)
2. Great Movie Ride: Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
3. Sunset Ranch Market: Los Angeles Farmer's Market, 3rd & Fairfax, Los Angeles
4. Legends of Hollywood: Academy Theater, 3141 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood (now a church)
5. Keystone Clothiers (streamline portion): former Owl Drug, 6382 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
6. Tailors To The Stars: L.A. Department of Water and Power, 2417 Daly St., Lincoln Heights
7. Pluto's Palace: Animal hospital, 940 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood
   
8. Mouse About Town: former Paul Kohner Agency, 9169 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
9. Pacific Electric building: Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Boulevard, Culver City, California.
10. Villains in Vogue (middle facade): Pasadena Winter Garden, now Public Storage, 171 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena
11. Keystone Clothiers (tower portion): (still a mystery after all)
12. Sunset Club Couture: The old Floral Exchange (now Flora) at 1900 Telegraph Ave. (at 19th Street) in Oakland, California.
13. Villains in Vogue (right facade): 35er Bar, 12 East Colorado Boulevard (near Fair Oaks), Pasadena, California
14. Blue art deco facade of Hollywood & Vine Cafeteria: 200 Powell (at O'Farrell), San Francisco (is becoming a Skechers store).
15. Cosmetic Dentistry: Telesound Studio (circa 1945), 6926 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.
    

This list isn't complete yet. I will make changes in blue.

Photos that I already have:

• The Darkroom camera shop: The Darkroom on Wilshire Blvd.
• Head To Toe: Chapman Plaza Market, 6th & Kenmore, Los Angeles

Buildings that no longer exist in the L.A. area:

• Entrance: Pan Pacific Auditorium (destroyed by fire 1989)
• Beverly Sunset Theater: Warner Beverly Hills Theater (demolished 1988), 9404 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills
• Carthay Circle Theater: Carthay Circle Theater (demolished)

If you're interested, please reply to this thread or send a PM to me.

Thanks!

[BassBone]

Kinda off-topic, but is Mystery 11 called "Peevy's?" Is that a Rocketeer reference?

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by BassBone

Kinda off-topic, but is Mystery 11 called "Peevy's?" Is that a Rocketeer reference?

Yes, Mystery 11 is called "PEEVY's Polar Pipeline" on the main sign, and they sell "FROZEN CONCOCTIONS ." Touchstone Pictures (Disney) released The Rocketeer in June 1991 — about two years after the opening of Disney-MGM Studios. Alan Arkin played the part A. "Peevy" Peabody.

Yes, the Peevy's counter service location was named after the character from The Rocketeer. Peevy is an unusual name. I assume that The Rocketeer was already in production when when the name was picked for this Disney-MGM Studios facility. (It's also possible that Peevy's wasn't there on Day One of Disney-MGM Studios; it doesn't appear in my 1989 Disney-MGM Studios guidebook).

For more details about references to The Rocketeer at Peevy's, see http://www.studioscentral.com/column/why12.html

[BassBone]

I am a big Rocketeer fan and it's nice to see references to this most under-appreciated of Disney movies.

[BigPigletFan]

Originally Posted by Werner Weiss

Thank you! It will be interesting to see her reply.

Yes, she emailed me back and said she has photos of the buildings as well. They're in her office. She's on vacation to WDW for the Thanksgiving holiday, but she also mentioned not to leave out the Chinese Theatre as well! (I remember seeing a slide of #9 in her class last spring.)

I'll get these to you once I get them from her.

[Hilsbro]

#9 looks like a small Union station....lol

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by BigPigletFan

I'll get these to you once I get them from her.

I'm looking forward to the information. Thank you!

Originally Posted by Hilsbro

#9 looks like a small Union station....lol

Mystery 9 and Union Station look different to me. Please take a look at this photo of Los Angeles Union Station:

Los Angeles Union Station (at dkimages)

[Hilsbro]

very true....well...my mistake



I did a little snooping and I found this

Ivy Substation

http://www.hubbellandhubbell.com/pic...y/TNIvySub.jpg

Ivy Substation was built in 1907 by the Los Angeles Pacific Railway Company to house electrical transformers needed to run cable cars.It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument Number 182.

[Werner Weiss]

Originally Posted by Hilsbro

very true....well...my mistake



I did a little snooping and I found this

Ivy Substation

http://www.hubbellandhubbell.com/pic...y/TNIvySub.jpg

Excellent! One mystery has been solved! #9 is Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Boulevard, Culver City, California. (Address according to the Historic-Cultural Monuments and the Cultural Heritage Commission is 9009-9031 Venice Boulevard.)

Here's a larger picture: http://cityplanning.lacity.org/compl...Substation.pdf

There's more information about Ivy Substation at http://www.culvercity.org/cultural/i...n.asp?sec=arts

[YoCharles]

#3 looks like the Bullocks Wilshire Building.