Hollywood Then and Now 2019

This month's installment of seeing how much Hollywood hasn't changed features my very favorite episode of my very favorite sitcom.  "I Love Lucy."  The episode in question is "LA At Last."  It's the first one where the Ricardos and the Mertzes arrive in Hollywood.   You know.  The Brown Derby scene with William Holden and Lucy lighting her nose on fire.  Brilliance.

But, at the very beginning of the episode, there is some stock footage following them on a drive around LA and ultimately pulling up to their Hollywood hotel "The Beverly Carlton."

Except the hotel isn't in Hollywood.  It's on Olympic Boulevard about a mile away from my LA home.

I noticed the similarity a few years ago when driving to my favorite German delicatessen.  Hmm.  That entrance to the Avalon Hotel looks very, very familiar.

I went home and ran the DVD version of the episode.  And sure enough.   

Somebody already beat me to it on the internet.  Look at the side-by-side comparison.  The fire hydrant is still there on the corner.   

This is the kind of history that never gets old.   And there's more to be found.  Stay tuned.

Dinner last night: Leftover brats and red cabbage,