Lockheed Air Terminal at Burbank Airport
With a gorgeous backdrop of hazy Valley air smothering the mountains, the Hollywood Burbank Airport whisks another passenger to wherever they were heading (not like I would know where that was). The name would change again in 1978 to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport.
The snappy moniker held until 2003 when it was formally known as Bob Hope Airport. After all, the Duke had an airfield named after him, so why not Bob Hope?
Century City
Pictured above is the new $100M Theme Center, developed by Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa). Constructed over the world’s largest parking garage, the 43-story, twin triangular towers were built by architect Minoru Yamasaki. In addition was the ABC Entertainment Center, developed by Henry George Greene.
The ABC Entertainment Center connected to the Century Plaza Hotel (owned by Western International Hotels) across the street, which underwent an expansion in 1970. The new improvements would see the concave hotel’s occupancy extend to 1600 rooms. The hub of late-night entertainment was found at both The Westside Room and the Hong Kong Bar. Diners had a choice between the Garden Room, the Granada, and Yamato.
The largest, privately-financed urban development in the U.S., Century City began as Alcoa’s “City of Tomorrow “ around 1960. After the initial deal with New York’s Kratter Corporation fell through, Alco joined William Zeckendorf’s Webb and Knapp real estate firm in purchasing the 267 acres of 20th Century-Fox Studios backlot. The estimates for completion were between ten and fifteen years.
Two other studios sold land around that time; MGM in Culver City sold much of its backlot and Universal Studios sold its Studios City property to Monolith Music Corporation.
Aside from office and retail development, the fully integrated city within a city moved fast with enviable residential living. The Century Park East apartments arrived in 1970, with prices starting at $350 a month.
Additional Welton Becket / Total Design, 1971.
City National Bank, West Hollywood
Developed by Bram Goldsmith’s Buckeye Realty company, the modern, $3M office structure by architect Victor Gruen arrived on the landscape in mid-1961. Located near the corner of Sunset and Doheny, the new high-rise sat directly next to the Sunset-Doheny West Building, built by architects Palmer & Krisel in 1962 (another Buckeye project).
Victor Gruen’s building was equipped with an underground fallout shelter and fully equipped to accommodate 4,000 people for 14 days (should there be an atomic attack).
In addition, the building soon added The Grenadier, which called itself “a man’s restaurant… that women enjoy.” The eatery was operated by Tom Arthur, who was also responsible for the Stadium Club at Dodger Stadium.
One item that was enjoyed by a woman was Percodan. In 1962, a dodgy prescription for the painkiller was traced back to actress Marie McDonald, under an alias. Using blank scrips, the blonde actress (known as “The Body”) admitted to forging the name Dr. Wendell G. Hendricks – a physician listed at the City National Bank building. He later denied giving McDonald permission to use the drug, which she claimed was originally prescribed for a painful ulcer.
After all that messy business, the City National Bank building moved on with its new eatery, Stefanino’s. Opening in 1965, the cozy trattoria was operated by veteran restaurateurs Steve Crane and Al Mathes; the duo behind Au Petit Jean, The Luau, and Scam.
Oddly, Crane's daughter Cheryl was part-time hostess (and presumably kept away from sharp knives). Also on staff was actor Louis Quinn from the hit TV show '77 Sunset Strip'. Amid financial troubles, the Italian restaurant closed around 1974. Taking over was Nick's Fish Market, owned by Nick Nickolis (makes sense).
In recent years, the spot was home to Bar One, which added live music from the likes of Vince Neil, and Arthur Lee and Love, and then upscale dance party, Euphoria.
The lyrics to George Harrison’s Magical Mystery Tour entry, Blue Jay Way, were scribbled on notepaper belonging to their attorney Robert Fitzpatrick, who conducted business there.
The building has undergone a number of refurbishments which have chipped away much of the old facade.
Citizens National Bank, Miracle Mile
Located in the Miracle Mile, Citizen’s National Bank moved to this corner of Wilshire Blvd and Curson in 1948. Today, the entire block is unrecognizable. The giant Wilshire Courtyard complex opened in 1988 and occupied eight acres.
The project was developed by J. H. Snyder in 1985 as part of an effort to revive the flagging area. Snyder had already purchased and renovated the 10-story Prudential Square complex, renaming it Museum Square.
Don Loper, 1947
Known as the “Temple of Fashion”, the Sunset Strip studio of Hollywood dress designer Don Loper formerly belonged to interior designer Billy Haines.
Loper, a former ballet and ballroom dancer returned as a choreographer to the Copacabana in New York, where he previously danced with partner Maxine Barratt. In October 1942, The Billboard magazine described the look for the Copacabana’s new season,
Loper’s costumes are smart, being glamorized versions of street gowns and sexy in a dainty, cunning way. Opener has the six chicks in white satin, with lace organdie bust line and underskirts plus Mexican hats. Midway finds them in striking black crepe draped gowns, with front slit and net top plus black sequin necklace, and lobster-red opera gloves. For the finale, they sport purple velvet split gowns.
The successful couturier (GQ magazine wrote sales in 1957 reached $25M) outfitted for everyone including; Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Esther Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Janet Leigh, and Eartha Kitt. Known for wearing black suits and driving a black Mercedes, Loper introduced a line of men’s colognes; Night and Day, as well as a complete collection of drapery and upholstery fabrics for the Jack Perle Company in Los Angeles.
Not missing out on “jet age fashion”, Pan Am hired the world-famous courtier in 1958 to design uniforms that would match their interiors. The Loper uniform appeared in the same “Pan Am blue” as earlier uniforms, but now included a pencil silhouette skirt, white gloves, a jaunty cap with white piping, and a torso-length four-button jacket that emphasized a defined waistline.
The favored designer would also work with Eastern Airlines in 1966;
Why does an Eastern Stewardess wear a suit designed by Don Loper ? For the same reason our fleet has a sparkling new look.
After Loper moved to a new location in Beverly Hills in 1951, the Don Loper salon became an art gallery. After Loper passed away in 1972 at the age of 65, his partner Charles Northrup continued the business.
The Sunset Strip spot however was officially part of Sunset Plaza, which was bounded by 8589 to 8720 Sunset Blvd., (including Don Loper’s pillared building). The biggest change arrived in the mid-1970s when Eddie Kerkhof and Michael Yhuelo opened their famed table-hopping brasserie, Le Dôme (designed by Barbara Lockhart).
However, the chicken croquettes were over by 2006 when the site became a steakhouse.
Hall of Records building, downtown Los Angeles
Standing at the east end of the Civic Center Mall was the slightly off-center Hall of Records building. Built at a reported cost of a little over $1M in 1911 by architects Frank Hudson and William Munsell, the distinctive 12-story structure with its ornamented roof saw the wrecking ball in 1973.