Chances are that if you are familiar with vintage photographs of Burbank you have seen this Wolfe’s work yourself.
Paul E. Wolfe got his professional start in the late 30’s as a photographer for Lockheed Corporation. He soon branched out and became the official photographer of the City of Burbank, as well as St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Official baby photographer and also had his own studio in town.
Today I would like to focus on an aspect of Mr. Wolfe’s fine work, namely his Burbank postcard series. No one knows for sure how many different post cards he created but we do know his numbers on the cards have reached the high 400’s. Having said that, most of his work between one and the higher numbers is lost to time.
New cards turn up at ephemera shows every now and then but the bulk and total numbers of cards made Eludes us. Whenever we find a new number we don’t have we add it to Burbankia.
Mr Wolfe had an extensive library of old Burbank photos to be sure but as he retired and left the area his collection of prints and negatives were lost or thrown out. All that remains are the many photo prints we have and the ones located in the City Hall archive and at the Historical Society.
We know there are many more to be found and hope you readers of Burbank history will look for his name on photos and postcards check the front and back for his name as he marked almost all his work.
Enjoy some of these I picked for this article.
I would like to thank Mike Carson of the City of Burbank GIS department, who after reading last week’s flashback Friday about old golf courses in town shared with me an aerial photo showing one of the miniature golf courses I mentioned on Magnolia from a 1950 aerial photo and that led to a wealth of finds in the other aerial photo maps we have added many new photos to Burbankia with Mike’s help!
SAVE THE DATE’S!
TRUE TALES FROM BURBANK
From the Authors who brought you “Lost Burbank” & “Growing Up In Burbank” Comes the third exciting installment of the Burbank Trilogy…
“True Tales From Burbank”
Stories from Los Angeles’s most surprising suburb!
Home to the likes of Disney and Warner Bros., Burbank has a fascinating history beyond the glitz and glamor of its entertainment industry. Discover the true story behind the mysterious Night Riders and how the Druids came to visit. Learn about the plans to film biblical epics in town and the how the Crank Conventions came to be. Delve into tales of rodeo queens, Hollywood stars, Mouseketeers and a flying lion cub. Wesley H. Clark and Michael B. McDaniel, take you on a surprising and whimsical tour of the people, places and events of this historic San Fernando Valley city.
Wes and Mike will be in town October 10 through the 16.
Book signings will be at Auto Books on Magnolia Oct 13th from 9 am to noon.
Bell Cottage on Magnolia Day TBA.
All new slide presentations will be at The Burbank Historical Society Saturday Oct 13th at 2 pm and The Buena Vista Library Oct. 16 at 7pm! Watch for more dates and times! Books will available for purchase and signing! Don’t miss the True Tales Burbank Tour!
NOW AVAILABLE!!
Get your Copy of Lost Burbank Now!
Slowly fading with the city’s ever-changing landscape, the places and people of Burbank’s past tell a vibrant story. Before the arrival of Warner Bros. and Walt Disney, First National Pictures built its original studio lot on Olive Ave in 1926. For over sixty years, Lockheed Aircraft Company produced some of the nation’s best airplanes where the massive Empire Shopping Center now stands. Heavyweight champion James Jeffries turned his Burbank ranch home and barn into a beloved landmark and boxing venue. Inventor Joseph Wesley Fawkes’s scheme to build a monorail to Los Angeles became a local laughingstock. Diehard Burbankers Wes Clark and Michael McDaniel collect these and many more forgotten local stories where they can finally be found.
and their new book, Growing Up in Burbank, just out!!
