New Routines And More To Explore

Saturday January 28, 1939. “Nice day. Shopt with + for Jeanne in A.M. Sam home about 1:30. Tony here with friend + Phil. Then Phil, Sam, Jeanne + I took Raleigh coupons + got Jeanne pens + pencil. I got pair of silk hose.”

“Then off to the aquarium. Home + delicatessen meal.”

At nite: With Phil, Sam, and I downtown , walked around + through Chinatown.

Sunday January 29, 1939. “Sam and I to Stow Lake, then got Jeanne + went to the museum. Rain!!”

Richmond District branch library

Tony over. Sam + I with her to library. Got cards and books. Then to her sister’s + her mother’s house. To the store, then home. Quiet evening in + reading.

BAyview 7951

Point Montara Lighthouse

Wednesday January 25, 1939 “Took a ride down the coast with Phil. Got back + took a walk through the park to Poly High to meet Jeanne after school.”

“Then to shop at Clement Street.”

“Nite: Sam, Jeanne, and I went to Tony’s to listen to fights. Joe Louis knocked John H. Lewis out in two minutes and some seconds of 1st round. Grand weather today.”

Thursday January 26, 1939. “Washed a few things. Signed for a phone. Phil over in the afternoon. Walked in the park. Nite: Sam and I took street car to the beach. Very heavy fog.”

Friday January 27, 1939 “Rain! Took Bijou out early in the rain. Picked up Jeanne after school, shopped + then for a long walk in the park during a dry spell. Bedding arrived today + phone got connected. BAyview 7951. Sam home late – 8:30.”

It Was A Grand Day

Tuesday January 24, 1939. “Jeanne started at Polytechnic High School. We unpacked the trunks which arrived today.”

Polytechnic High School 701 Fredrick Street was open for almost 90 years until the 1970s. Over that time the school had a reputation for a diverse and talented student body, inspirational teachers and administrators, and exceptional football teams. Photo source: San Francisco Public Library Historic Photo Collection

In 1987 the school property was re-zoned for condominiums and most of the campus buildings were demolished. Fortunately the magnificent Art Deco Gymnasiums were kept. Photo Source www.noehill.com


Clement Street Photo Source http://www.outsidelands.org
“Jeanne and I went Clement Street for shopping. Nice store-fun!”

Clement Street Photo Source http://www.outsidelands.org

“Nite: Tony over for a few minutes. Then Sam, Jeanne and I went to Clement Street. It was a grand day.”

Unpacking. Settling In.

Downtown San Francisco 1939. Move your scroll bar all the way to the right to view this huge photo in its entirety. There’s lots to see! Photo Source: kellistanley.com

Monday January 23, 1939. “Went downtown with Sam + Phil. Waited a long time for Sam.”

Photobooth Photo, Sam Hussey, San Francisco. 1939

“Ate in Chinatown for Lunch. Home-unpacked, shopt, etc. etc. etc. Rented a Garage.

“Nite: Dinner at El Portal. Bed early.”

Found An Apartment In Twenty Minutes

Jeanne at John Adams Junior High, what is now called “Middle School,” 1938.

Caption reads “Helen in front of the bank. Lookin for somepin?” 1938

Caption reads “Sam (Hussey). His very first picture in San Francisco.” 1939

Sunday January 22, 1939. “Arrived at Tony’s at 8:30. After breakfast found an apartment in about twenty minutes. 3400 Fulton, Apartment 1.”

Not a bad find in twenty minutes. Directly across from Golden Gate park with major museums footsteps away.

“Then drove. Fisherman’s Wharf–

“Along Ocean Drive…

For further reading see Fleishaker Pool – A Strange Journey Through S.F. History
“Fleischaker Pool, The Zoo, Golden Gate Park…

“The Presidio…

San Francisco 1939 Photosource Brett Weston Archive

“Coit Tower…

“Saw the bridges, etc, etc, etc…Dinner at Tony’s. Home about 8:15. Tired.”

The Move Is On

From the 1936 Voter Registration and Google, showing where the Husseys lived until April 1938. Here the home as it appears today. Thank you Sarai Johnson for the history look-up of where the Husseys resided. Johnson & Johnson Architecture

In March 1938, Helen wrote they had a strong desire for a new house. House hunting was mentioned several times. On April 7, 1938 they put $1,000 down on a house. By April 30, 1938 they completed their move to 2236 Cloverfield Blvd. in Santa Monica. Perhaps one reason they never chose to own real estate again–they lived here only 9 months. And they’d be on the move again several more times in years to come.

Jeanne Martin 1938, caption reads “In our backyard at S.M. Cloverfield Blvd.”

Wednesday January 18, 1939. “Exciting day. Said goodbye to Irene. Stopped at the Cooks. Saw Ruth Muller on the way home + she came along. She and her friend Will want to buy the place! Nite: Ruth and Will over–they want the house. Sherry and good time.”

Thursday January 19, 1939. “Ruth and I to attorney Hickson, then to the agent. Settled. Willl joined us for lunch then to L.A. to get Sam. Nite Sara, Jon, Hugh over. Ruth moves in Saturday.”

Friday January 20, 1939.” Busy day + no extra money until nite + not much. Packed. Irene Moore, Mortons over. Ruth and Willl here. To bed about midnight.”

Saturday January 21, 1939 “Left Santa Monica about 5:30 A.M. in awful downpour. Stopped at Oxnard for breakfast. ” 101 Ranch House Cocktail Lounge Restaurant on Pacific Highway in Oxnard.

“Buellton for bite.” Eating options in/around Buelllton. Notice the two streetcars as bookends of the building.

“Pismo Beach lunch.”

Salinas for a bite.

“Arrived south of San Francisco at an auto court at 6:30. Called Tony – no answer. To bed about 8 P.M.” Illustrative only–San Mateo is South of San Francisco, but so are a lot of other places and possible auto courts where they may have stayed.

We Must Go A Week Sooner

Thursday January 12, 1939 “To matinee at the Criterion. Saw Topper Takes A Trip and an old picture (1932) with Clark Gable and Carol Lombard-No Man of Her Own. Rotten! Letter from Sammie. Sam has a slight cold.

Topper Takes A Trip trailer. It was a sequel of Topper (1937). Same cast minus Cary Grant. Involves a ghost trying to reunite a couple who she had a hand in splitting up in the prior film. It was followed by another sequel, Topper Returns in 1941. The font selection in the trailer is quite stylish and most attractive.

I only found two clips from this film. Neither one has original sound track. This might be one of those lost forever movies. No Man Of Her Own clip.

This is Lombard and Gables only role together playing a married couple, several years before their own legendary marriage in real life.

Gambler Babe Steward (Clark Gable) is in trouble with the law and decides to lie low in a small town. There he meets librarian Connie Randall (Carole Lombard) and attempts to seduce her. They flip a coin to decide whether or not to get married. The coin forces them to get married and Connie soon falls in love with Babe. Babe, meanwhile, continues his conning while telling Connie that he is working on Wall Street. Connie does not suspect anything until she finds Babe’s marked cards in his desk. She shuffles the cards and when Babe plays a game of poker, he loses. Babe wants nothing more to do with Connie and leaves for Rio de Janeiro to win big money at cards. But, realizing that he loves Connie, he gives himself in to the police to serve his jail sentence. When Babe returns to a pregnant Connie, he does not suspect that she knows of his deception, but she does not say a word about it and in true Hollywood fashion, we are left to assume that the couple lives happily ever after. Helen says “Rotten!”

Friday January 13, 1939. “Lovely day. Went to cooking school this morning. Shopt and then home. Read. Jeanne to farewell party tonight for Barbara Birdro. Sam’s cold better. Bought me candy. Masoa over. Sara called.”

Saturday January 14, 1939 “To Santa Monica, paid bills. 10:30 Perm at Elsie J’s. Out at night with Sara, Jon + Fred K. Spaghetti feed. And wine!!

Any mention Helen made to me of spaghetti feed was associated with Little Joe’s.

Tuesday January 17, 1939 “Telegram from San Francisco this morning. We must go a week sooner. So we leave Saturday. Went to Art’s for lunch. Called Gladys M., Irene M, DeFinos–Sara out most of the day.

Beginning Preparations For The Move

From Helen Hussey’s diary, the preparation for moving to San Francisco.

Saturday January 7, 1939 “Put the house in the hands of an agent. Jon + Sara over at night. They will stay in the house if not sold. Drank Sherry and talked.”

Sunday January 8, 1939 “Sara + Jon out about noon. Took a nice drive up the coast + came back by the old coast road. Took S + J home. Nite – very clear – lights of the city beautiful. Jeanne to a show with George.”

Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, 1939. Photo source hpoliver.com

Monday January 9, 1939. “Had a Mexican man here to help clean. Clear, cold day. To Santa Monica to stop at DeFino’s + store. Letter from Corola.
Tuesday January 10, 1939. “To Sontags and Library. Nite: Sam called Kemp. Eva and Mack over. Listened to the fight. Armstrong decisioned Arizmendi. In the morning Mrs. Sotherland over, she looked at the house. No prospects yet. Beautiful day.

Sontag Drug Store 1939 at 5401 Wilshire Blvd. Photo Source: Water and Power Associates

When Radio was king of home entertainment. 1930’s Radios from Richmond Designs Inc

Armstrong vs. Arizmendi Youtube Check out the Ring Announcer.

Taking a Job in San Francisco

From Helen Hussey’s Diary Thursday January 5, 1939.

“Poured rain today. Jeanne spent day at Mercedes (a friend). Wrote six letters. Nite – Sam got a call from Kemp in San Francisco. Job open there. He is to call there tomorrow. Wonder what will eventuate.”

Image Source: westside-historic.tumblr.com

Friday January 6, 1939. “To Santa Monica in A.M.-banking. Afternoon to the Criterion-Shining Hour and Citadel.”

The Shining Hour – (Original Trailer)

Showgirl Joan Crawford marries wealthy Melvyn Douglas then has to deal with his family in Frank Borzage’s The Shining Hour (1938)

The Citadel – (Original Trailer)

A struggling doctor is tempted to give up his ideals for a posh high-society practice in The Citadel (1938), directed by King Vidor.

Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles.

“Nite. To wrestling matches. Unusually good. Sam called San Francisco + accepted job. 3 weeks-which means busy times ahead trying to dispense of things.”