Los Angeles Freeways 1950s

This is amateur silent 16mm color film taken in the Hollywood Hills, downtown Los Angeles, and the Pacific Coast Highway in the mid-1950s.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Los
• Angeles
• Hollywood
• Pacific
• Coast
• Highway
• PCH
• 16mm
• film
• 1950s
• stock
• footage
• Ephemera

[tall32guy]

Did someone in your family take this? Where did you get ahold of it?

[johnmeyer77]

@tall32guy I transfer and restore film for friends, family, and the occasional client. This was taken by one of those people.

[hebneh]

This is at least two batches of film.

The opening shots have to be at least the fall of 1956; the vehicle transporter at 0:48 is carrying new 1957 Plymouths, which would've been on the market in Sept. 1956.

The shots at 1:43, however, date from the early to middle 1960s.

[johnmeyer77]

@hebneh Nice sleuthing! I think you are correct on both counts, although based on the cars in the second half of the video, I think I would guess around 1962.

[CAgirl707]

Hahaha Wish our freeways were still this uncrowded...lol Thank you Beach Boys for having the world come to sunny Southern Californi-a! lol

[OSTARAEB4]

@hebneh Looks like two batches to me also as I remember one could continue on motion picture cameras then. The first part looks like 1955 as the plates were black w/yellow print. The yellow background smaller plate started in 1956-1963. Second part is definitely early 1960's as a blue 1960 Ford is in left with a white 1959 Chevy comes up in right lane. At 1:53;It looks like a blue 1963 Chevy Impala is in center lane. That might be shot from overpass on 110 Harbor in downtown LA.

[KryptonT25]

Holy COW! The beginning freeway in this video. On the faar right in the very first seconds, there is supposed to be Universal Studios and the Hilton Hotel. Dang thats crazy!

[dgarr64]

Cool old Kenworth hauling hay

[GabeHudson16]

Everything was greener :(

[powergirl901]

Opening Fwy looks like the 101 just leaving the Valley, thru Cahuenga area.

[fmichaelb]

@hebneh

Correct about the 1957 Plymouths on the transporter. The newer car (blue car, under the shadow of the signs) at 1:43 is not quite in focus well enough to be sure, but it looks like a 1963 Chevrolet. Just 3 or 4 seconds later you can definitely pick out a 1960 Ford on the left and a 1959 Chevrolet on the right.

[jfs1988]

It looks so peaceful.

[TacoManTuesday]

I wish i can travel back in time and experience the 50's.