Woman In Swimsuit Smokin' Ciggie

[mysterymom7]

Using the info on the camera used in the Alcala pic, the Kodak Instamatic 154 was introduced Jul 1965 and it was withdrawn Jan 1969. The next version was the 174 and was introduced Jul 1968 and withdrawn Apr 1971.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Instamatic

If Alcala didn't have a lot of money, my guess is that this would have been purchased after the release of the 174, making the 154 cost less.

Based on the palm trees, I would say it's either California or Florida. Since he's not known to have ties in Florida that we know of, I believe based on the timeframe, known whereabouts at that time, these pictures were taken in California. I'm going to look into the greenery to confirm.

 

[mysterymom7]

http://retro.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Retro-Motels-Hotels-of-the-1950s-60s/G0000XmoQkCgoHwU/I0000Jx2oKmMgS3g

Look at the balcony. This is in NJ. I know in the above pic there's no palm tree. But after looking through multiple pics of hotels/motels in Wildwood, NJ in the 1960s, quite a few had palm trees at the pool. Maybe it had been revamped before the Alcala pic was taken?

 

[SoBeCzar]

http://retro.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Retro-Motels-Hotels-of-the-1950s-60s/G0000XmoQkCgoHwU/I0000Jx2oKmMgS3g

Look at the balcony. This is in NJ. I know in the above pic there's no palm tree. But after looking through multiple pics of hotels/motels in Wildwood, NJ in the 1960s, quite a few had palm trees at the pool. Maybe it had been revamped before the Alcala pic was taken?

Good find. The railing along the second floor has the "v" shape just like in the photo.

 

[mysterymom7]

Looking again at the architecture could it be the googie/pop luxe/doo wap style?

Good call! Doo Wop Style it seems to be.

I believe it's either Beach Colony:

Or the Golden Nugget:

 

[mysterymom7]

Good call! Doo Wop Style it seems to be.

I believe it's either Beach Colony:

Or the Golden Nugget:

One search later and I've found they're one in the same.

 

[mysterymom7]

I looked up the website for Beach Colony, and it says it's been the same owner for the past 25 years. I called and asked to speak to her. The woman I spoke to said she wasn't there, but she was a close friend of the owner and maybe she could help me. First, I asked if there was a palm tree in the pool area, she said there is. Then I explained that the police are trying to identify people in pictures taken by Rodney Alcala and one was taken of a woman by the pool at the motel. She just said, "Uh huh... Thanks for calling. Bye," and hung up. :waitasec: So, she was of no help... I called the Crimestoppers number that's listed on the pictures, and the man I spoke to had no clue who or what I was talking about. Lol He asked if I knew his whereabouts. I said, "Yes, he's currently incarcerated." I think that confused him even more. Then he took a second to figure out what I was talking about, said there was someone interested in the info I had and gave me a number... which went to voicemail. Guess I'll tackle this tomorrow...:truce:

 

[anne11]

Excellent sleuthing MysteryMom7 !! So its New Jersey I will check with the timeline to see which year it could be.

 

[mysterymom7]

Excellent sleuthing MysteryMom7 !! So its New Jersey I will check with the timeline to see which year it could be.

I've figured between '68-'71. I figured I could've narrowed it down more if the owner answered the question of when the palm tree was put in, but I never got the chance to ask. There was no palm tree in the first picture I found when it was still called Golden Nugget, and the description was vague... it just said '60s. The camera gives another clue that it was at least after '65 when that model was introduced.

 

[anne11]

I was thinking about the hair style - sort of a mix Jane fonda in Klute and Ziggy Stardust which puts it around '71 to '72.

 

[mysterymom7]

I was thinking about the hair style - sort of a mix Jane fonda in Klute and Ziggy Stardust which puts it around '71 to '72.

I spoke with the cold case detective this morning. He's going to call me a little later to get the info I have. (I was driving when he called.) He said that Wildwood is a vacation spot, so finding her identity may prove fruitless. :/

 

[anne11]

I hope that she was just vacationing and not another of Alcala's victims

 

[mysterymom7]

I hope that she was just vacationing and not another of Alcala's victims

She's alive.

 

[norest4thewicked]

She's alive.

Could you please share the information on the fact that she is alive so that we can update our lists? That's wonderful news!

 

[mysterymom7]

Could you please share the information on the fact that she is alive so that we can update our lists? That's wonderful news!

I spoke with the NYPD cold case detective, and he gave me that info. I asked why it wasn't taken off the list, and said they keep it on for more information. I wasn't sure if he wanted me to pass on that info. I did for the mental comfort of those here.

 

[anne11]

What a great result, well done for your persistence Mysterymom7 !

 

[canadiantake]

Awesome! According to these logos, I do think it could have been a Best Western though, if we were still interested in determining his whereabouts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LogosBestWestern.png

 

[Daphne1972]

Her hair resembles Joan Jett's in the periode 1975-1980. Another interesting thing is that there are very little people around and no children.
Only after reading here I saw the older woman with clown hair. Indeed I had to laugh and that's nice considering how gruesome my searching matches with the Alcala pics sometimes is.
As the windows on the ground floor are having curtains I assume this is a motel and not a hotel. In Europe you could just hire an appartment for your holiday, but as far as I know never with appartments on ground floor.
(I am talking about Spain in the late 70's and early 80's).
As Alcala was on parole after his release in 1977 I question that he would have left the States.

Yet I wonder about something else: how can we be sure that all these pictures have been taken by him?

EDIT: the thing in the background that I took for a structure seems to be a billboard. Which means that the road leading up the place was on that side.

 

[Daphne1972]

Imo it's a Doo wop motel. Most likely Jersey shore and probably Wildwood.

But only the colors are Doo wop. Not the architecture so I might be totally off.

 

[Daphne1972]

I may have found the motel. Quality Inn in Charlottesville NC. Location of background building circled in red. The two storey part on pic would be the part behind Ciggie girl. The other part is not visible in attached pic. Note this is a recent pic. For one this building has no roof but the part behind Ciggie girl does.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I think this might be the Aztec in Miami Beach.

Swimming Pools of Florida Hotels in the 1950s and ’60s Through Beautiful Postcards

The first swimming pool was a public pool built in 1887 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Pools such as this were great places to socialize, and ...

www.vintag.es