Retro Friday: Street Safety in 1930s Los Angeles (Filmstrip)

Don't Be foolish! Obey the Law! Cross Streets Carefully! Think Of Your Parents!

Los Angeles streets in the 1930s look like the Wild West in this safety filmstrip -- but I suppose the whole concept of street culture was relatively new back then. No seat belts, no speed limit, no safety measures to prevent tragedies. This film (no sound, sorry) gives us a glimpse into busy 1930s L.A. surface streets, including the heyday of the Red and Yellow Cars. Watch above.

Retro Friday: Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles

Fans of 1930s Los Angeles history and Raymond Chandler buffs should get a kick out of this documentary, which looks at the lawlessness and crime of the time as seen through Chandler's noir eyes. It's in three parts below.