Musso & Frank

  

 Musso & Frank is old Hollywood. It was opened in 1919 by French immigrant Firmin "Frank" Toulet. I guess Frank was easier for Americans than Firmin. In 1923, Toulet partnered with Joseph Musso, and Musso & Frank Grill was born. Over the years, ownership has changed and even expanded into a neighboring space, but it's still at the same address. Right from the beginning, it attracted the film community.  Movie stars, studio executives, and talent agents would drop by the restaurant for a steak and martini, hash out deals, and gossip about who was sleeping with whom.  Still in business, it still has a menu that leans towards steak, and alcohol.  It also has a dress code.  Suits and ties for gentlemen and dresses for ladies are no longer required, now it's business casual.  I suspect I'd be turned away if I showed up in my usual blue jeans and tee shirt. 

The caption on the back of the card, "Musso & Frank Grill.  FINEST CUISINE.  6667 Hollywood Boulevard, Calif 11 A.M. to 11 P.M.  HO 7-5123 or HO 7-7788."  And the publisher, "PUB. BY "CUMMINGS" (213) 344-6560" 

A Vacation In Hamburg 5

 

I've got a lot of these, some of the few true-found photographs in my collection.  I was, walking down the street, and there they were, just lying in the middle of the sidewalk.  Click on Hamburg Vacation Collection in labels to see more.  

Meet Me In Paris

 

 I've long been fascinated by World's Fairs but have never visited one. Many years after it closed, I was in Seattle, went up in the Space Needle, and rode the monorail, but it wasn't the same as being there during the fair. 

This postcard is from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, its motto being "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms." Well, I'm not too fond of the Man Conforms part, but still.  I spent some time doing research and found a few actual photographs that were similar to this card, but not an exact match.  There is a credit, "KAUFMAN-FABRY PHOTO," and while that's not a guarantee that this card started out in life as a photo, it's a strong indication.  The caption on the back of the card, "STREETS OF PARIS, A very worth-while reproduction consisting of typical shops, buildings, and cafes."  Published by "N. SHURE CO., CHICAGO, ILL." Made by "C.T. ART COLORTONE," MADE ONLY BY CURT TEICH & CO., INC., CHICAGO U.S.A." 

True Found Photography, The Cha-Cha

 

Yes, I'm the type of person who picks things up off the street.  A photo booth strip that I found in the gutter.  It must have been one hell of a party. 

Poinciana

 

Poinciana is a tree, it's a small town in Florida, golf club, and a popular name for restaurants.  So, basically, I couldn't find anything telling me where this photo was taken.  Written on the back of the top photo, "June 1953."   

Hold Still, Ladies

 

It looks like some photographer is chasing a couple of women down the street.  Of course, more than likely, the cameraman knows his female subjects.  I always search the background of photos for clues as to where and when the picture was taken, but no such luck here.  I suppose I could try to match hairstyles and clothes to an era, but I don't feel like doing the research.  Let's take a guess of the 1930s to 1940s.  Is that the photographer's thumb in the bottom photo? 

A Vacation in Hamburg 4

 

No, I haven't lost interest in this blog.  As I mentioned a few posts ago, money is tight right now, so I'm not buying a lot of old photos.  It's not that the actual photographs are all that expensive, but I buy a lot of my images at antique stores I pass on my way out of L.A., and I just can't afford to travel right now.  So, rather than letting things go too long, I'm returning to this small collection of true-found photographs.  Literally, I found them on the street.  A couple of these are dated "July 1989" so I'm going to assume they are all from the same year, if not the same month.  We've got some stylish young Germans in the top photo, and a couple of snapshots with murals painted on the walls.  I've speculated about this in an earlier post.  Much of Hamburg was destroyed in World War 2, and I was wondering if Hamburg was trying to evoke its past.  And what's with the out-of-focus photo of a photo hanging on the wall?  A relative, perhaps.  Click on Hamburg Vacation Collection in labels to see more.