E. Clem Wilson Building Has No Advertiser, But Ugly Blue Boxes Remain

Above, the E. Clem Wilson Building while Samsung leased the sign space.

The 1929 art deco building that sits at the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and La Brea Ave. in Los Angeles is now without an advertising sign at its top, but ugly blue boxes remain.

According to Curbed Los Angeles:

The boxy blue hat that sits atop the 12-story E. Clem Wilson Building at La Brea and Wilshire has been wiped clean of its big white "Samsung", noticeably altering the skyline along Wilshire without improving it too much. The building's long-time manager tells the Beverly Press that Samsung just didn't renew their lease, so while the blue box remains, the white letters have disappeared, leaving only a faint outline of the company's name. "Samsung doesn't lease an office space. They just did the advertising on the building," he says.

Why is this blog post about an old Los Angeles office building posted? Well, the E. Clem Wilson Building is a major landmark to fans of the Adventures of Superman television show.

The building was used as the Daily Planet Building during the show's first season filmed in 1951. Those are the "film noir" episodes that featured thrilling cops & robbers, murders, mystery and suspense stories. This was the season in which Phyllis Coates was Lois Lane to George Reeves's Clark Kent/Superman.

Above, the building as the Daily Planet Building.

The building ceased being used as the Daily Planet Building when huge signs advertising Mutual of Omaha were erected at the top. The producers then began using the Los Angeles City Hall as the Daily Planet Building in 1953.

The Mutual of Omaha signs remained on the building for decades, but were finally replaced by Asahi Beer signs. The Asahi signs were on the building for several years until Samsung leased the advertising space.

To read more, go here.

E. Clem Wilson Building In The 1930s

The above photo of the E. Clem Wilson Building, located at Wilshire Blvd. and La Brea Ave., has surfaced, thanks to Wilson McPhert. Judging by the cars in the photo, it looks like the photo was taken in the 1930s.

The building was used as the Daily Planet Building during the first (1951) season of the Adventures of Superman television show starring George Reeves.

Above, the E. Clem Wilson Building
as The Daily Planet Building in 1951.

I have long been familiar with the building, but didn't associate it with Superman until a few years ago. I knew it as the "Mutual of Omaha" building (they once owned it) as it was adorned with a Mutual of Omaha sign at the top for years. The sign obscured the top of the building.

Later, Asahi Beer signs were placed at the top and, currently, it is adorned with Samsung signs.

The Wilson Building was rendered unusable as the Daily Planet Building with Mutual of Omaha put their signs at the top. The Los Angeles City Hall was then chosen as the Daily Planet Building and it appeared as such from 1953 through 1957.

Lunch At The Daily Planet

Today was an enjoyable one.

Had a late-lunch/early-dinner date with Jessica in the mid-Wilshire district of L.A. The restaurant she selected was Luna Park located at the E. Clem Wilson Building (right), which was once the tallest commercial building in Los Angeles and, also, the Daily Planet Building during the 1951 episodes of Adventures of Superman (the ones with Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane).

I got there a few minutes before Jessica did and while waiting outside near the valet parking attendant's stand, former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan came out of the restaurant and went to the valets to claim his car.



I managed to sneak this photo with my cell phone of Brosnan getting into his car:



Once Jessica got there, we were seated and had a superb meal. She had tuna salad and I had a cobb salad. Neither of us had salads lately and so both of us were in a salad mood. It was an enjoyable time with good conversation. Funny thing, she wanted a cocktail before eating and the waiter couldn't serve her one as she forgot to bring her i.d., even though she's 31. I told her, "Take it as a compliment!"

After lunch, I assisted Jessica with a few errands before taking her home. We actually had a good time talking and laughing while driving around for her errands. Part of the route we took through L.A. were in some "old haunts" that I haven't been to in years. They brought back many nostalgic memories of the old L.A. of my childhood.

Interestingly, I worked the graveyard shift last night and got no sleep today. But I wasn't even tired by the time I got home this evening. I guess having an enjoyable day does wonders for the lack of sleep.

Angel's Walk L.A.: Any "Miracle Mile" Plans?

Last year, I tried contacting the Angel's Walk L.A. people to see if they would note the E. Clem Wilson Building (pictured above) on their walk stanchions if they should create a "Miracle Mile" walk.

To date, I have not received any word from them and the current email address is no longer usable. With all the budget problems with the city, I wouldn't be surprised if the Angel's Walk office has been closed down.

So, I forwarded this message through City Councilman Tom LaBonge's office:

Dear Ms. Molloy:

Are there plans for a Miracle Mile walk? If so, you should consider placing the E. Clem Wilson Building on the northeast corner of Wilshire and La Brea on your list of historical buildings to be given recognition.

More on the E. Clem Wilson Building: http://armandsrancho.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-daily-planet-building.html
Thanks,

Armand Vaquer

If I hear anything further, I'll post it here.

UPDATE (May 26, 2010): I received this note from Doug Mensman of Councilman LaBonge's office:

I've left a voicemail for them to see if I can get another email address.

Thanks,
Doug

We'll see if we get a reply with a new email address.

Superman and The Mummy's Kiss: Something Shared

Above, the E. Clem Wilson Building, something that the "Adventures of Superman" and "The Mummy's Kiss: Second Dynasty" have in common.

Superman and The Mummy's Kiss: Something Shared

by Armand Vaquer

After I posted my spotlight feature on actress/model/language instructor Yuu Asakura on Monster Island News, I was in the mood to watch Don Glut's The Mummy's Kiss Second Dynasty tonight. In the movie, Yuu Asakura had a bit part as Marie, the assistant to the tabloid editor. Christine Nguyen played the tabloid's ace reporter who gets wrapped up in the mummy story.

For the first time, I watched the movie with the commentary track on and noted Don's comment that he wanted to use the E. Clem Wilson Building on Wilshire Blvd. at La Brea Ave. in the movie as the tabloid office so he could correct an error in the first (1951) season DVD set of the Adventures of Superman, starring George Reeves.

Above, the E. Clem Wilson Building as the Daily Planet Building in 1951.

In the set's commentary track, Glut said that both commentators in the Superman DVD identified the building used for the Daily Planet Building was Los Angeles City Hall. In actuality, the E. Clem Wilson Building was used as the Daily Planet in 1951. Starting in 1953, City Hall was used as the Daily Planet until the show ended in 1957. Both Gary Grossman (Superman: Serial To Cereal) and Chuck Harter made the same error in their commentaries.

I guess we can now deem the error corrected, thanks to Don Glut.

Mummy's Kiss: Second Dynasty

Right, Don Glut and Armand at G-FEST.

Monster Island News has posted a review of Don Glut's The Mummy's Kiss: Second Dynasty, which stars Christine Nguyen:

The Mummy's Kiss: Second Dynasty

I've already ordered a copy through Amazon.com. It should be arriving in a day or so (they originally told me it would be arriving around September 4).

Right, Christine Nguyen in "Mummy's Kiss: Second Dynasty." Definitely a Nguyen-Nguyen situation.

UPDATE (8/28/09): I received my copy and watched the movie through last night. Very entertaining. I noted that the E. Clem Wilson Building (on the northeast corner of Wilshire and LaBrea) was used as the office building where Christine Nguyen (as Elyse Lam) worked as a tabloid magazine reporter. Regular readers here will note that the Wilson Building was used as the "Daily Planet Building" on the Adventures of Superman during its first season (1951). The movie itself was fun (there's a reference to the old Universal Mummy movies of the 1940s) and Christine Nguyen shined. Don Glut did a good job in writing and directing. He's no Ed Wood! One word of warning: there's some frontal nudity (or, as Archie Bunker used to say, "nudal frontity").

UPDATE (10/2/09): It didn't dawn on me that the museum's lady director, Dr. Zita Furneaux (who wanted to get back her youth) was Belinda Gavin, a MySpace friend of mine. I thought she looked familiar but just couldn't place her. She was billed as Kylie Wyote. Then I read some reviews of the movie on-line and found that Kylie Wyote was actually Belinda. She was a contestant on American Gladiator last year (she put in a great effort). She played an evil, yet sympathetic, villain. Nice job, Belinda!

Status On The Daily Planet Building

I contacted Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge's office to see about getting a sign erected at the E. Clem Wilson Building, the original Daily Planet Building in the Adventures of Superman, noting its historical significance in television history.

I received the following message from Councilman LaBonge's office:

Mr. Vaquer,

Thanks for the info you've provided via emails. After talking with Councilmember LaBonge, we thought it might be difficult to get signage since the building isn't locally designated. But the Councilmember came up with an even better idea. We think the building should be part of the Angels Walk LA program (www.angelswalkla.org). They have a mapped route marked by street stanchions that go down Wilshire from basically Westlake to Fairfax. I have forwarded your emails and contact info to the executive director of the program, Deanna Molloy. You can get in contact with her at dmolloy@angelswalkla.org.

Thank you for the info and it was interesting learning a little more of the history of this building.

Best,

Doug Mensman
Assistant Director of Planning
Councilmember Tom LaBonge

While it is not a sign, this may be a good way to go. Another possibility is to find out how much a sign costs and we chip in to get one made to the city's specifications. But still, I do like the stanchions.

What do you think? Your input is appreciated.

The First Daily Planet Building

The First Daily Planet Building

by Armand Vaquer

The first Daily Planet Building in the Adventures of Superman televison show (1951-1957) was the E. Clem Wilson Building at the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and La Brea Avenue.

Left, the Wilson Building as the Daily Planet, 1951.

The building was designed by Meyer and Holler (of Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian Theatre fame), the Streamline Moderne and ZigZag tower is the tallest of the three 1920s high-rises on the Miracle Mile. At one time, it was the tallest commercial building in Los Angeles. It also had a dirigible mast at the top, but Mutual of Omaha removed the mast when the insurance company owned the building.

In 1951, the Wilson Building was used as The Daily Planet Building in the Adventures of Superman television show starring George Reeves, Phyllis Coates, Jack Larson, John Hamilton and Robert Shayne.

Above, the Wilson Building adorned with an advertising sign is shown from an early opening of "Dragnet."
 Michael Hayde, a noted Superman historian, dates this photo at early 1952 (see link at bottom of this article).
 This provides proof that the building was rendered unusable for the Superman producers.

The top of the Wilson Building was designed for the placement of advertising signs, and when one was added (above), the Superman show producers were forced to find another building to be the Daily Planet. They settled on the Los Angeles City Hall when the 1953 shows were filmed. Along with a new Daily Planet Building, 1953 saw Noel Neill replace Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane when Coates opted to do another television show.

Efforts are currently in progress to place a sign at the building's location commemorating its history and its association with the Adventures of Superman.

Above, the Wilson Building today.

Additional info: A Great Metropolitan Newspaper

UPDATE(6/7/09):

I received this nice note from Superman: Serial To Cereal author Gary Grossman on this blog two days ago:

Armand,

Loved the story. I drive by the building almost every day. It always brings heartfelt memories to mind. Also, there's the area in Culver City my family calls "Superman Mountain," where "The Mind Machine" (runaway bus scene) and other episodes were filmed. It's right across where my kids went to school and still do gymnastics!

Hope all is well with you. Keep 'em coming.

Sad anniversary coming on in another 11 days. 50 years. Amazing.
Best,
Gary