|
Post by Al Alven on Aug 30, 2006 14:39:51 GMT -5
I don't know of the Jersey Cape Motel, Mike, but I'll definitely try and check it out. You gotta love those old signs. Just so much imagination and character there. The Vogue sign, at least in shape and style, reminds me of the Packard sign. Now, I highly doubt the Packard sign I knew was the original, but it was one of the more high-profile and memorable signs in NWW, right at the corner of 26th & Surf. That's one thing I'd love to see make a comeback in the Wildwoods -- The classic "roadside" sign. Al, Here are two old shots of the Packard Motels sign. The day shot is the original sign (without the star at the top) and the original colors of the building. The night shot is a couple years later and they painted everything yellow. Wow, these really blew me away... thanks, Eric! I only knew the Packard with its yellow and brown color scheme. Were the original owners Italian, by chance? Just wondering, judging by the pattern of the original sign -- it almost looks like an Italian flag. It is interesting that the actual design and shape of the sign remained the same through the years. Aside from the color, the original looks almost exactly the way the motel's sign did right up until its demise two years ago. I love the star on top of the sign in the second picture. I wonder when that disappeared, because I almost feel like I have a vauge memory of it... could be wrong, though.
|
|
|
Post by Al Alven on Aug 30, 2006 15:18:21 GMT -5
Quick question...
In the first picture of the Packard above, an older, larger building appears in the background. Today, on this spot, stands the Bird of Paradise Motel.
Am I correct in calculating that this building was the old Savoy Hotel? I'm pretty sure it was located right next to (or behind, depending on your point of view) the Packard, near the intersection of 26th & Ocean, but I'm not certain.
Does anyone know for sure?
|
|
|
Post by hulk007 on Aug 30, 2006 21:25:03 GMT -5
I can't seem to pull up these pics.
|
|
|
Post by writhinganacondo on Aug 30, 2006 23:38:15 GMT -5
Great pictures again Eric, good detective work Al.....yes, the owners of the Packard I believe were Italian and they owned it until the end. They had to get permission from the Packard Motor Co., then still functioning, to use their logo. (thats what I was told anyway). That is the Savoy behind the old Packard shot.....I'll give you another factoid......the Savoy area before it became the Bird of Paradise was the Blue Diamond Motel....had a great neon sign w. the diamond.
|
|
|
Post by FlyinGN on Aug 31, 2006 5:51:00 GMT -5
sopossedly... The original Packard hotel had furniture that came from a supplier to the packard motor company.. I have no idea if it is true or not..
|
|
|
Post by Rob Ascough on Aug 31, 2006 8:45:12 GMT -5
There should be a motel furnished with seats from old cars... THAT would be Doo Wop at its finest! Or would it be redneck at its finest?
|
|
|
Post by DooWopStuff on Aug 31, 2006 10:10:11 GMT -5
sopossedly... The original Packard hotel had furniture that came from a supplier to the packard motor company.. I have no idea if it is true or not..[/quote The pictures I have of the original rooms, just look like normal motel furniture of the time.
|
|
|
Post by DooWopStuff on Aug 31, 2006 10:50:02 GMT -5
This TV was in the Packard motel room picture. I think I have seen this old show before and can't place it or the actor. Anyone know?
|
|
|
Post by wildwood4life on Aug 31, 2006 13:11:22 GMT -5
pretty much looks like normal motel furniture that you would see now lol....why change a good thing? Oh yea I know why cuz they are not $900,000 condos...WHO NEEDS CONDOS
|
|
|
Post by thelastresort on Aug 31, 2006 13:19:23 GMT -5
I think that is the scene from "the Great Escape" with Donald Pleasance (Bythe, the forger) right after he got shot. If I am correct, that is James Garner's hand holding his head, when Pleasance says "thank you for ... getting me.. out", and then he dies. The movie came out in 1963, so it was being televised by the late 60's I'm sure, I recall seeing it on TV in the early 70's. www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/
|
|
|
Post by DooWopStuff on Aug 31, 2006 13:25:52 GMT -5
I think that is the scene from "the Great Escape" with Donald Pleasance (Bythe, the forger) right after he got shot. If I am correct, that is James Garner's hand holding his head, when Pleasance says "thank you for ... getting me.. out", and then he dies. The movie came out in 1963, so it was being televised by the late 60's I'm sure, I recall seeing it on TV in the early 70's. www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/That's it. I have seen that movie a few times, great movie. You even know the words, unbelievable. Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by thelastresort on Aug 31, 2006 13:27:25 GMT -5
I think that is the scene from "the Great Escape" with Donald Pleasance (Bythe, the forger) right after he got shot. If I am correct, that is James Garner's hand holding his head, when Pleasance says "thank you for ... getting me.. out", and then he dies. The movie came out in 1963, so it was being televised by the late 60's I'm sure, I recall seeing it on TV in the early 70's. www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/That's it. I have seen that movie a few times, great movie. You even know the words, unbelievable. Thanks. One of my top 5. I've seen it so many times over the last 30 years or so, I can probably recite the whole thing. "good luck"
|
|
|
Post by Al Alven on Aug 31, 2006 13:48:47 GMT -5
Wow, lastresort... I'm impressed. Eric, as I've mentioned before, I think it's really neat that your father always made sure a television set was turned on and featured some sort of noticable image when he took his interior photos. There is always something neat to look forward to (and very often a valuable, built-in pop culture reference) and look for in his shots.
|
|
|
Post by DooWopStuff on Aug 31, 2006 14:03:12 GMT -5
I think when my dad started out shooting rooms, not everyone had TV's, so going on a vacation and having one was important. Later when they came out with color tv's, that was a big selling point for the motels. People would look for a place that had them. You could tell what my dad watched over the years. He liked to quiz shows. I have a ton of pictures with What's My Line showing.
|
|
|
Post by Al Alven on Aug 31, 2006 14:40:36 GMT -5
That's a very interesting strategy for marketing the motels. Makes a ton of sense.
I hope this doesn't sound disrespectful to anyone in any way, but I think it's really difficult for someone from my generation or younger to even begin to conceptualize the notion of not owning a television.
TV is just one of those things that has always been a given for me, but putting it in the proper perspective, I can see what a drawing point they might have been.
Eric, there's one postcard (and I can't remember which one it is now) where your father captured a perfect image of Frankenstein on one of the motel televisions. It's really cool.
I think it might have been a postcard for the Bel Air in the Crest, but I'm not sure. I'll have to go back and look tonight.
|
|