Help Needed: Mystery Buildings at Disney-MGM Studios

[lynxwiler]

Here's a possibility for Mystery #13. It is the Simon's Coffee Shop once located at Wilshire and Fairfax: http://flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2092406462/
One more Simon's on Wilshire: http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics25/00062240.jpg
And another: http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008803.jpg

Some pieces of the streamlined facade of this drive in are reminiscent of the Coca Cola stand at DCA. Certainly, there's no Deco drive in like this one left standing in Southern California.

As for the possibility that Disney's Imagineers only borrowed architecture from extant buildings, I (slightly) disagree. Hollywood's Brown Derby was demolished in 1985 and this structure, http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2093063506/ , originally located on Wilshire in Beverly Hills, was demolished in 1988/89, years before it was added to the theme park in 1994, http://flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/1087134986/ .

[Werner Weiss]

I concur. I'm in LA, and I believe I've seen a dentist's office that looked just like that. But where, I couldn't begin to guess. I"m going to keep my eyes out for it as we drive around town.

Darn! It looks SOOOOOO familiar. It's driving me batty!

Mystery 10 is now solved! It's not really a dentist's office, and it's not in Glendale.

#10 is based on Telesound Studio (circa 1945), 6926 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

[Werner Weiss]

Here's a possibility for Mystery #13. It is the Simon's Coffee Shop once located at Wilshire and Fairfax: http://flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2092406462/
One more Simon's on Wilshire: http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics25/00062240.jpg
And another: http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008803.jpg

Some pieces of the streamlined facade of this drive in are reminiscent of the Coca Cola stand at DCA. Certainly, there's no Deco drive in like this one left standing in Southern California.

That one is close. I've looked up various drive-in restaurants, and I haven't found anything better.

My guess is that the Coca Cola drive-in façade at DCA is a Imagineer's fantasy based on the style rather that on a specific building.

As for the possibility that Disney's Imagineers only borrowed architecture from extant buildings, I (slightly) disagree. Hollywood's Brown Derby was demolished in 1985 and this structure, http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2093063506/ , originally located on Wilshire in Beverly Hills, was demolished in 1988/89, years before it was added to the theme park in 1994, http://flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/1087134986/ .

I agree that several buildings were gone in real life before they became part of Disney-MGM Studios. The Hollywood Brown Derby is in the park because of its legendary role as the eatery of the stars.

The Carthay Circle Theatre had been gone for a long time, but had a role in Disney history as the theater where Snow White (and other Disney features) premiered.

The Beverly Sunset Theater façade is based on the Warner Beverly Hills Theater (demolished 1988), 9404 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.

It seems that the Imagineers tried to borrow from extant buildings when they were just trying to capture a style. But when it came to recreating significant landmarks, that wasn't always an option.

[Brian_WDW74]

Mystery 10 is now solved! It's not really a dentist's office, and it's not in Glendale.

#10 is based on Telesound Studio (circa 1945), 6926 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

This is an amazing find. I'm stunned by all the little architectural marvels the Imagineers found to replicate in the parks.

Does this building still exist? I see something on Google Maps in the general vicinity that looks somewhat like it, but if it's the same building it's been majorly remodeled.

[Werner Weiss]

Does this building still exist? I see something on Google Maps in the general vicinity that looks somewhat like it, but if it's the same building it's been majorly remodeled.

Here's the actual building that influenced the Cosmetic Dentistry building at Disney-MGM: http://www.costar.com/FreeSearch/Det...13E91FD683FCA2

It appears the Imagineers essentially cut the façade in half.

I also took a look at Google's Street View. I appears that the upper part of the building's exterior has been remodeled.

That brings up an interesting point about the various "actual" buildings... Almost 20 years have passed since the Imagineers designed the first phase of Disney-MGM Studios. Since then, there have often been changes to the actual buildings—sometimes for the better, and sometimes not. Pan Pacific Auditorium, the inspiration for the entrance gates, was destroyed by fire just weeks after Disney-MGM Studios opened.

[lynxwiler]

It may not mean much, but I was wandering through DCA recently and found this photo of the Wilshire Bowl in a window display in their Hollywood Backlot area. It's just another photo of the Wilshire Bowl, which I still think is a possible study for Mystery #8. Maybe not, but it's close.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2135503031/

[Werner Weiss]

It may not mean much, but I was wandering through DCA recently and found this photo of the Wilshire Bowl in a window display in their Hollywood Backlot area. It's just another photo of the Wilshire Bowl, which I still think is a possible study for Mystery #8. Maybe not, but it's close.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79761301@N00/2135503031/

Wilshire Bowl was also one of the fast food counters in the defunct Hollywood & Dine food court at Disney's California Adventure. The counter featured a design based on the architecture of Wilshire Bowl (later named Slapsy Maxie’s) at 5655 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. I'll be adding the Hollywood & Dine food court to Yesterland in early 2008.

Wilshire Bowl may have been one the buildings that influenced the blue tower part of Keystone Clothiers. The building at 5620 Hollywood Blvd.(especially the entrance) may have been another. I'm now operating on the assumption that the blue tower façade is not based on any single building, but was influenced by multiple buildings and is simply representative of a style.