Showbiz: LAPD Photo Archive Collages
2021Trigger Warning: These collages all contain photos of crime scenes from 1920-1970. The collages explore the gaze of the police from this era. This involves institutional racism, sexism and homophobia and how this has been translated into film noir, neo noir and contempory documentary photography. These collages contain photographs of death, injury detail, injury threats and violence.

5 Cent Sandwiches. Jul 20, 1932.

A body under a bridge over the LA River as police investigate, 1955.

A booking photograph of a vagrant in the early 1930s.

A jewellery store robbery that resulted in the death of a bystander, 1932.

Actress Thelma Todd. Dec 16, 1935.

An assault victim poses for the camera, 1934.

Back of female, arrows marking bullet holes. Aug 26, 1965.

Ballistics test. Apr 4, 1956.

Blanket covering woman's body. Jan 29, 1960.

Blood evidence with view of officer through car window. Apr 9, 1950.

Body lying on back alley stoop. Mar 17, 1945.

Booking photo of male. Sep 17, 1947.

Cuffed perpetrator with uniformed officers and detectives. Oct 13, 1929.

Dead body laying on the ground with gun at side, 1926.

Dectective over man with slit throat in car, 1929.

Demand note signed The Weatherman. Oct 27, 1970.

Detail of bullet holes in screen. Feb 3, 1930.

Detail of fingerprints on gun, 1930.

Detective holds hand of woman in floral dress. Mar 11, 1949.

Detective peering into camera. Nov 14, 1934.

Detective points out victim in field. Sep 28, 1942.

Detectives calculating the trajectory of a bullet, 1934.

Detectives looking for evidence. Nov 5, 1930.

Detectives writing on note pads. Dec 28, 1938.

Donuts and coffee, c. 1950.

Explosion, East Pico Blvd. Feb 20, 1947.

Felony vehicle stop, c.1960.

Female assault victim with facial bruises, 1951.

Female assault victim with floral applique on dress. May 7, 1943.

Female displaying bandaged hands. Feb 6, 1950.

Female hanging. Feb 1, 1951.

Female recruit gets measured, 1950.

Female with bruises. Feb 1, 1944.

Field sobriety test no. 1. Jul 6, 1958.

Field sobriety test no. 2. Jul 6, 1958.

Field sobriety test no. 3. Jul 6, 1958.

First African American officer killed in the line of duty, 1920, latest African American officer killed in the line of duty, 2021.

Forensic detail of bullet holes in a car window-1942.

Freckle-faced woman in fur c.1920.

Girls with guns, Oct 8, 1968.

Hallway with ghost silhouette, Sep 14, 1936.

Jack Webb and Chief Parker on set of Dragnet. 1963.

JFK at LAX. Aug 19, 1962.

John Doe, amnesia victim. Nov 12, 1937.

Kent McCord (Adam-12). Dec 28, 1968.

Lenny Bruce, home office. Aug 3 1966.

Lenny Bruce, overdose scene. Aug 3 1966.

Mac's restaurant, night scene. Nov 11, 1952.

Male in plaid jacket with knife. Dec 4, 1950.


Manson family at arraignment. 1970.

Matchbook. Feb 12, 1945.

Men's toilet. Apr 6, 1950.

Menu on store front, black panther raid. 1969.

Miles Davis, left and right arm with needle marks. Sep 16, 1950.

Morgue, Man with floral tattoo around nipple. Mar 24, 1945.

Muse Theater, curtain with trash can. Jun 28, 1950.

Muse Theater, Gorgeous Gems. Jun 28, 1950.

Muse Theater, Open All Night. Jun 28, 1950.

Officer directing traffic on broadway, 1950.

Officer surveying yard with body. Jul 13, 1930.

Officer with targets, c. 1950.

Open car trunk exposing evidence. Jul 17, 1952.

Police vehicle with bullet holes. Aug 31, 1932.

Poster of woman with flowers. Aug 19, 1937.

Recruitment billboard, c. 1950.


Robbery demand note, 1965.

Rude gesture. Nov 28, 1930.

Sidecar jail, unknown.

Silhouette of officer at dusk, c.1950.

Smith's Wood BBQ, night scene. Nov 11, 1952.

Southern Barbecue. Mar 31, 1936.

Suspect. Feb 9, 1933.

Switchblade on towel. Jul 17, 1952.

Tap City. May 31, 1966.

Tear gas test, c. 1960.

Thanks, The Falcon. Mar 8, 1945.

Training-observation test, male. 1953.

Truckload of marijuana. Oct 11, 1935.

Two detectives in ballistics lab. Nov 7, 1930.

Union riots at LA harbor. May 15, 1934.

Virginia's, night scene. Nov 11, 1952.

Woman in high-collar fur coat. Feb 28, 1936.

Woman under arrest, 1952.

Woman with hair in bun. Mar 17, 1949.

Woman, officer and child pose with police phone. Mar 2, 1949.