Author Tony Piazza

Mystery Author and Movie Historian

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Locations of Film, Television, and Soon, My Novel- Part 4. By Tony Piazza

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PART FOUR

A continuation of my visit to film and television locations in the Los Angeles area as a means to “walk the walk” of my novel’s characters and bring realism to my storytelling. This week, The Union Station.

 

 

Union Station with William Holden (1950)

Union Station isn’t in my next book for a very good reason- it wasn’t opened until 1939. The sequel to Anything Short of Murder ( let’s call it Tom Logan’s adventure #2) is set in 1931, one year after my reader’s first introduction to this hardboiled  Hollywood detective. Union Station’s predecessor however, La Grande Station will play a major role in the conclusion of the novel. La Grande was the main passenger terminal in Los Angeles for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe until the opening of Union Station. The final years of La Grande Station was spent in a dismal state after the Long Beach earthquake of 1933. The station occupied an area located at 2nd Street and Santa Fe Ave., and after the completion of the new station was demolished.

 Exterior of Union Station

In 1926 a measure was put on the ballot in Los Angeles which offered an option to consolidate the different railroad terminals or construct a network of elevated railways. The former won, and Union Station was born.

 

Sign outside of Union Station

The location chosen for Union Station was in the heart of the original Chinatown, and a narrow vote of 51 to 48 percent permitted the demolishing of  a large part of this section to build the station. Its official address today is 800 North Alameda Street, across from what was the original center of Los Angeles, the pueblo, referred today as Olvera Street.

 Looking west towards entrance

The architects John and Donald Parkinson who’d also designed Los Angeles City Hall were partially responsible for Union Station’s design. They were assisted by Jan van der Linden and other supporting architects that combined Dutch Colonial Revival, Streamline Moderne, and Mission Revival to give the station its’ unique look.

 Closer look at detailing on ceiling of waiting area

The interior walls are divided into two parts; the upper originally early acoustic tile is now being replaced with cork, and the lower travertine marble. The floor is terra cotta with a strip of marble that runs down the center.

 Waiting area looking east. Restaurant is in foreground. 

There are two gardens of either side of the waiting room, and attached to the main building on the south side is a restaurant (now closed) that was the last of the Fred Harvey Restaurant chain and designed by famed southwestern architect Mary Colter.

 Fountain in garden north of waiting area.

In 1980 Union Station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Harvey Restaurant, Union Station postcard (courtesy Harvey House Fan site) 

 

 Wing off from the waiting area used in Scarecrow courtroom scene in the film, The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Although smaller than the other Union Stations, this Los Angeles cousin stands tall amongst the tall palms of Southern California having been seen by countless millions on film and television over the years. Here are just a few:

 

 Them! with James Whitmore & James Arness

FEATURES

Union Station (1950) with William Holden and Nancy Olson.

Southside 1-1000 (1950) with Don Defore and Andrea King.

Them! (1954) with James Whitmore and Joan Weldon.

The Hustler (1961) with Paul Newman and Piper Laurie

Silver Streak (1976) with Gene Wilder and Jill Clayburg

Blade Runner (1982) with Harrison Ford and Sean Young

Star Trek: First Contact (1996) with Patrick Stewart and Alice Krige

 Pearl Harbor (2001) with Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) with Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway

 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

 TELEVISION

Quantum Leap (1989) with Scott Bakula

 24 (2001) with Kiefer Sutherland

 Alias (2006) with Jennifer Garner

 NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) with Chris O’Donnell

 Castle (2009) with Nathan Fillion

 

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Every corner you turn in Los Angeles gives you this feeling of déjà vu, and no more so than this historic station which was a pleasure to visit and share with you today.

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Look for the new Tom Logan mystery coming in 2013

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Tony Piazza is author of the 1930s Hollywood murder mystery novel, “Anything Short of Murder,” which had its roots on the TCM fan website. His next novel, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” was released early 2012 and is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. He was an actor/extra during the 1970s and worked with such legends as Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Karl Malden.  His non-fiction e-book “Bullitt Points” is an in depth look at the making of “Bullitt” from a person who was there. Look for it where fine books are sold, or at the link posted below. All profits go to the Boys Republic charity: www.bullittpoints.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Locations of Film, Television, and Soon, My Novel- Part 3. By Tony Piazza

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 A star is Born (1937)

PART THREE

A continuation of my visit to film and television locations in the Los Angeles area as a means to “walk the walk” of my novel’s characters and bring realism to my storytelling. This week, The Biltmore.

 

 The Millennium Biltmore Hotel

The Biltmore is a luxury hotel located at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles. It will play a role in my upcoming sequel to Anything Short of Murder – a novel which is due to be released mid- 2013. The hotel had its grand opening in 1923, and was then the largest hotel west of Chicago. Designed by the architectural firm of Schultze and Weaver, it incorporates Spanish- Italian, Mediterranean Revival, and Beaux Arts styles.

 

Side entrance at Biltmore for those special guests 

The interior has frescoed mural ceilings hand painted in 1922 by Italian artist, Giovanni Smeraldi. I was taken by these, as I was by the marble fountains, oak paneled walls, tapestries, and exquisite crystal chandeliers.

A Closer look at the frescoe ceiling

What was the main lobby is now used for afternoon tea, and the current lobby can be found by entering in at Grand Avenue. This new lobby has travertine walls, oak paneling, and if you were to wander off to a sitting room across from the desk you’d discover a beautiful mural influenced by either Roman or Greek design.

Rendezvous Court (original lobby)

Returning to the original lobby, known today as the Rendezvous Court, you will find a beautifully carved fountain, Italian chandeliers, a ceiling painted with 24 carat gold accents, and a staircase that can be recognized from numerous television, feature film, and T.V. ad productions.

A Look at the detailed ceiling

Owned by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, the Biltmore was designated in 2009, a Historic- Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles.

A Hall at the Biltmore

The Los Angeles Biltmore was the location of the Academy Award Ceremonies in 1937,  held as a luncheon banquet in its Crystal Ballroom March of that year. A hallway displays photographs from that and other similar events where you can pick out such noted individuals as Walt Disney, Gracie Allen, and Louis B. Mayer. Bob Hope hosted the banquet for the Academy’s 50th Anniversary here as well.

 

 The 1937 Academy Award luncheon

 

Other events of note:

At the Biltmore, John F. Kennedy gave his presidential acceptance speech in 1960, and the Beatles occupied the President’s Suite during their tour in 1964.

 The Beatles

To mention just a few feature films shot here:

Jennifer Garner as Elektra in 2003’s Daredevil

 

The original A Star is Born(1937) with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March; Daredevil(2003)* with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Bugsy(1991) with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening; and Chinatown(1974) with Jack Nicholson.

Poster from Chinatown (1974)

* Another Marvel Comic Book character,  Spider-man (2002 ) also filmed here.

To mention some television shows:

The original Charlie’s Angels (1976)

There was Columbo (1968-2003) with Peter Falk; Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981) with Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, and Kate Jackson; and 24 (2001-2010) with Kiefer Sutherland.

 

My friend, Peter Falk as Columbo

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 Walking through this magnificent hotel was like visiting the Vatican.  Filled with awe inspiring murals, beautifully carved marble fountains, and detailed bronze work;  how could an author walk away without being moved enough to include it in his manuscript?

Author Tony Piazza and wife Susan in original lobby

My detective, Tom Logan will definitely pay it a visit in his newest adventure. Hope you’ll read it and see the Biltmore through his own eyes when the novel is released next year!

Look for the new Tom Logan mystery coming in 2013

————————————————     

Tony Piazza is author of the 1930s Hollywood murder mystery novel, “Anything Short of Murder,” which had its roots on the TCM fan website. His next novel, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” was released early 2012 and is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. He was an actor/extra during the 1970s and worked with such legends as Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Karl Malden.  His non-fiction e-book “Bullitt Points” is an in depth look at the making of “Bullitt” from a person who was there. Look for it where fine books are sold, or at the link posted below. All profits go to the Boys Republic charity: www.bullittpoints.com.