Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 99

I work at the Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles which has an especially cool little shop on the premises. The Library Store has an assortment of unusual gifty things along with books (of course), and if you’re related to me you have probably received a B-Day or X-Mas present from the store.

One day while I was in line to purchase something, I had to stop myself from screaming when I saw this postcard. To the untrained eye, this may look like a bizarre photo of girls sprawled out on giant letters spelling out HOLLYWOOD REVUE. Well, it actually is that – but, I knew that this kitschy display was a “living billboard” set up at the corner of Wilshire Blvd & Shatto Place in June of 1929 advertising MGM’s all talking, all singing, all dancing Hollywood Revue of 1929. I also instantly knew that sitting on the first O in Hollywood is none other than Ann Dvorak.

I actually think the display was re-created somewhere on the MGM lot for this photo, because I don’t see how the photographer would have gotten this vantage point on the street where the billboard was built-up fairly high. Also, the girls look way too happy which leads me to believe they are not being exposed to the elements in this particular image. I have a photo of the actual street side display, which I am using in the book, and the ladies look miserable.

I ended up purchasing 3 or 4 copies of the postcard, but didn’t bother explaining to the cashier why even though I really wanted to. I would have probably confused and bored her if I did. I hung one card up in my office and have no clue where I put the other ones, meaning Ann Dvorak will pop up in the darndest place when I am cleaning out a closest at home.