Thursday, May 31, 2012

Commute, 6

This alley in Hollywood runs north and south, between and parallel to Highland and Citrus Avenues. I've just turned north from Willoughby. I believe the address of the big, white building in the background is 1025 N. Highland, at the corner of Highland and Romaine. It houses film industry-type of businesses, including a film archive company.

Surrounding us in the alley are the backsides of recording studios, dubbing companies, photo labs and such. Some of the buildings, like the big one in the background, date to the 1920's. Filmmakers and recording artists have been coming through here since Hollywood's beginnings, getting the work done.

I like these buildings and their day-to-day workings of Hollywood. There's not much glamour here (though it passes through from time to time), but there is history.

16 comments:

Shell Sherree said...

I like seeing the down-to-earth side of Hollywood. It's somewhat reassuring in a way. Thanks, Petrea!

Jean Spitzer said...

I lived in this area as a child and used to walk home from school past the studios in this area.

savannah said...

i miss la! xoxox

Adele said...

Somehow, you can just feel the energy that comes from all those buildings (in a good way).

Petrea Burchard said...

The down-to-earth side of Hollywood has a nostalgia to it, Shell. I'm glad you like it.

Jean, for the "commute" series I've been taking pictures from the car when it was safe to stop in traffic. To photograph the studios in that area I'll have to park. But I do drive by a couple of them on my commute so they count. These are the small ones, the old ones, and it's worth it.

It's still here, Savannah! Come visit!

Eventually I'll get pics from the front sides on Citrus, Adele. They have a nostalgic look.

Ann Erdman said...

Glamour is subjective, isn't it? There's glamour in the history of this area. If those walls could talk...

Anonymous said...

Is this where you do some of your voice-acting work? Can we see the innards?

Cafe Pasadena said...

I hope real, live, entertainment people can still come to "Hollywood" to do work, instead of having to leave the state or county.
It would be very sad if only the ghosts of the past were left to haunt those bldgs/streets.

Laura M said...

I love Hollywood! The real Hollywood, with all its seediness on the streets and extravagance in the hills, with Griffith Park and the Hollywood Bowl, neglect and hope.

I lived here in the early '70s amid all the hippies and Jesus people. I've lived in the 'Denas now for 34 years, but I am and always will be an Angeleno.

Petrea Burchard said...

I swear I answered Ann's comment hours ago. Uhoh, probably on another post.

Yes, Karin, this is the alley behind Bell Sound Studios. I can take a picture there if you'd like to see it. Maybe for next week's installment of "Commute."

Agreed, Cafe. California and Los Angeles are already doing more to keep production here. Better late than never.

Laura, your description is perfect.

Katie said...

Alleys are always interesting. I like the brick building with the glass brick window. Read an article yesterday in the NYT called "Daddy, What Were Compact Discs?" about the cycle of "formats". I hope that film archive company can hang on as the world goes digital.

Ms M said...

Interesting alley -- and history! It would be fun to see where you work.

Katie said...

FYI, after yesterday's post I went to Picassa and deleted a bunch of blog profile photos I've used over the years and I guess doing that turned my photo into that black one above. Yikes! Stupid Picassa. But hey, I guess I should have read the fine print too.

magiceye said...

maze of overhead cables!

LONDONLULU said...

Yoiks! I think I know where this is. Oh, chills (in a good way) of forgotten memories, suddenly renewed.

Petrea Burchard said...

My bet is that's what the film archive company is doing, Katie--digitizing old films before they deteriorate. As for Picasa, maybe it was in the fine print but I'm not surprised nobody knew about it.

Okay, Ms. M, that's two votes to see the studio at Bell Sound. As far as I'm concerned it's a mandate.

I'm so used to seeing them, magiceye, that I didn't notice!

Yoiks is right, Londonlulu! It's the 900 block, if that helps.