Olvera Street

Image: 1939 postmarked postcard showing costumed players depicting early days in Los Angeles.

Pasadena Rose Parade 50th anniversary

Image: souvenir postcard packet (damaged at fold)

This is the outer cover that would be folded over and mailed to send a collection of postcards instead of just a single one.

Also see my blog post on the parade from a few years ago.

Coogan with Grable; child actors gain ownership of their earnings

1939 photo of Jackie Coogan with wife Betty Grable. Location is not given but it was probably in southern California. Image from http://thesilverscreenaffair.blogspot.com/2011/09/picture-of-day_29.html .

“The Coogan Law is named for famous child actor Jackie Coogan. …It wasn’t until his 21st birthday …that Jackie realized he was left with none of the earnings… Under California law at the time, the earnings of the minor belonged solely to the parent. Coogan eventually sued his mother and former manager for his earnings. As a result, in 1939, the Coogan Law was put into effect, presumably to protect future young actors from finding themselves in the same terrible situation that Jackie Coogan was left in. Unfortunately, the 1939 incarnation of the Coogan Law was flawed, leaving open various loopholes and necessitating long term, court sanctioned contracts for validation.”

Excerpt from http://smartactors.com/coogan-law/ . Learn more about the law at the link.

Coogan was born in Los Angeles and lived in the area. As a child, he was discovered by Charlie Chaplin and appeared in The Kid. His marriage to Grable was short-lived. Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Coogan .

 

 

 

Mt. Wilson

Images: front and detail of 1939 postmark on postcard.

Learn about the Mt. Wilson Observatory at https://www.mtwilson.edu/about-mwo/ .

See some “found film” photos taken on Mt. Wilson in 1939: http://www.foundfilmsociety.com/dt_gallery/mt-wilson-1939/ .