Halloween 1924 - Thousands descended on downtown streets to celebrate. Early in the evening a red-haired 'Charlie Chaplin' ran amongst traffic and tried (unsuccessfully) to climb into the car of two beautiful young women. A 200-pound man dressed as a 'bottle baby' lead quite a crowd through the streets as he carried a huge bottle of milk. The Biltmore threw a swell shindig, it's ballroom and foyer decorated in orange and black. A highlight of the event was a novelty 'radium dance' complete with ballet girls in burlesque witch costumes, their bodies coated with phosphorus and carrying mechanical black cats.
Halloween 1925 - In Los Angeles all 950 police officers on the day watch were ordered to stay on duty throughout the night to 'prevent all destruction of property and undue annoyance of persons by those celebrating the occasion'. The Sheriff's 'dry squad' put quite a damper on festivities in Culver City by arresting fifteen Halloween revelers at the Green Mill and Nightingale cafes on Washington Blvd. The piers all celebrate. The Ocean Park Pier, in celebration of its first Halloween, gave special prizes (to the best costume I'm assuming). The Edgewater Club held a dinner dance for members with the Edgewater band providing the music. The Venice Pier ballroom once again hosted yama yama girls, Spanish dons, sheiks and assorted clowns. Chief of Police Andy Davilla welcomed all who sought a 'good, clean, wholesome time' but had no patience for 'the element which will insist on breaking laws.' By the end of the night more than sixty celebrants in Venice had been arrested for intoxication, reckless driving and disturbing the peace. With Venice and Culver City feeling the pinch why wasn't their any news of arrests in its sinful sister city, Vernon?
