Photos of yesteryear, Hollywood, 1953. Why did it go downhill? (Williams: young professionals, vs.)

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by yowps3

L.A is better then I actually thought, whenever I think of L.A I think of gangs and rappers..

Going back to the 80's again .

[Skip Surguine]

For the record, my family arrived in Southern California (from the S.F. Bay Area) in 1963. I was just entering high school and Hollywood Blvd was AWESOME then! Several good book stores and record stores, lots of fun places to eat and just wander around. By the time I actually started working in the film business (1972) in and (mostly) around Hollywood, the place had become seedy and dangerous. I think it is fair to see that the very people I sort of identified with (i.e. the anti war counterculture folks-- aka "hippies") were largely responsible. I heard MANY times how Hollywood, which HAD BEEN a very nice place where career grips and electricians (etc.) of Hollywood had homes, became a bad a terrible place, largely because of drugs, prostitution, runaways etc.

[MIKEETC]

Hollywood, like anywhere, will have its cycles. Some more extreme than others. But overall, Hollywood is okay. I think it's clean, safe, interesting, etc.

[you'll need to get out of the car to notice this, though]

[VLWH]

Let's also add that crime is way down. Crime data stats for Los Angeles as a whole shows a lower crime index lower than the national average in 2010.

[downtown lover]

It just more crowded with mentally ill homeless people having nowhere to go. They sleep on the streets. Back then, they stayed at the mental institutions. Older people patronized the district and were very respectful of keeping Hollywood somewhat clean and order. Now, it's mostly young people hanging out and not respecting the area as much. The buildings are older and more crowded.. People were more easy going then and more polite. It's a combination of those things make Hollywood not as good as 1953, but it's better than 1990, though.

[Honoluluwaikiki11]

Originally Posted by kanhawk

Look at these two great photos from flickr of what Hollywood used to look like. When it did it go downhill and why do you think it did? What mistakes did the local government make?


Vine St., Hollywood, Los Angeles - 1953 by ElectroSpark, on Flickr



Vine Manor Hotel, Hollywood, CA - 1953 by ElectroSpark, on Flickr

wow BEAUTIFUL, kanhawk do you also feel like the quality of people sort of plumetted too? Its sort of gritty and dangerous in LA now, ahh the 50s...the rat pack, sinatra, monroe, liz, audrey hepburn

but the same happened to the rest of the country also its not the governments fault, my opinion is that the U.S. reached its peak and now its sort of on the decline/decaying as a country

Examples not meant to offend anyone:

^Obesity and weight problems are at an all time high in the u.s. definitely not a problem that was prevalent just 20 years ago people were in shape in the 50s, 60s and all the way up to the 90s then fast food happened
^Plastic surgery is way too common these days, and from my observation people are much more insecure these days, maybe its the internet and media bombarding people with images of the "perfect person" and "perfect life" (I dont have a problem with people who get plastic surgery but when people are so insecure that they get procedures that they dont even need like Heidi Montag there is a legitimate problem) remember natural beauty? Audrey Hepburn...Liz Taylor, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly they were stunningly beautiful and natural now it's all fake tan, fake hair, fake teeth, fake hair color, fake nails, fake breasts, fake butts, fake eye colors fake everything, and photoshop
^50% of all marriages end in divorce now, compare that to your parents and grandparents who really stayed together until death
^education is failing ..enough said
^Morals are falling, murders are on the rise, people commit unspeakable, senseless crimes now and don't even think twice about it
^People are very disrespectful towards each other whether it be in traffic, bullying in schools, racism...there used to be a lot more respect
^Bullying is getting really bad in schools, too many suicides
^People are extremely greedy in 2012, they want to have it all but dont want to work for it and they absolutely HATE to see anyone who has something they don't whether it be money, stunningly good looks, fame or love
^Television and cinema now is garbage....Jersey Shore, Teen moms, norbit? what is that?!
^the economy right now.......
^college tuition and college debt compared to just 15 years ago...but as tuition costs rise the quality of education isnt rising with it...its declining wth?!

The list goes on and on *sigh*
Now all people care about is getting out of debt, getting unemployment money, protestings the wealthy 1%, designer brands to impress others, iphones, apps, reality tv, celebrities, becoming famous, 50 shades of grey () and fast food

I don't want to live on this planet anymore - YouTube

[Fontucky]

^^^ Have you considered suicide?

[Elle Oh Elle]

Also keep in mind that was all during a different era (Hell, most movie stars born before the 1940s were sort of refined and stiff, they had to be) and the city didn't have as many people as they do now.

[Tantamount]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

^^^ Have you considered suicide?

LOL!
I find the doom and gloom comments funny, as if there never was any bullying in schools until now, no shocking t.v. shows ever seen before (that weren't shocking for their time), and actors never had plastic surgery in the past (yeah right), etc. LOL.

[Elle Oh Elle]

Originally Posted by Tantamount

actors never had plastic surgery in the past (yeah right), etc. LOL.

We all did unless you were like a janitor.