“Whimsical farewell smile” is how some people see this sign. Here we are standing before the Cat Sculpture Installation. This isn’t just any sculpture. It’s a landmark. It’s a piece of Los Angeles history. The Cat Sculpture Installation is more than just art. It represents a significant part of Southern California’s cultural identity. Since its installation in 1959 this iconic cat sign has captured the hearts of locals. Especially children eagerly awaited its magical appearance. They saw it while traversing the Harbor Freeway.
The Felix the Cat neon sign and Chevrolet showroom have become as well-known as City Hall. Disneyland’s Castle is another famous landmark. The Queen Mary and the Hollywood sign are too. Ask anyone who grew up here about Felix the Cat. Most will share a memory of this sign first. The animated films are a distant second.
For decades the Cat Sculpture Installation has welcomed northbound motorists to downtown Los Angeles. It also offers a whimsical farewell. Like the Hollywood-land sign, it started as a commercial advertisement. The Felix sign was meant to boost automobile sales. But both signs transcended their original purpose. They evolved into cultural icons.
The Architectural Resources Group prepared a report. It evaluated the Felix Chevrolet showroom building and the sign’s historic significance. The report concluded that both met the criteria for listing on the California Register. The building was significant for its association with the re-introduction of consumer automobile sales after World War II. It is also significant as a rare example of a postwar automobile showroom. The Cat Sculpture Installation meets the criterion as an iconic example of 1950s commercial signage.
New civilian car production had stopped in 1942. This was by order of the United States government. New car sales began in 1945. This launched a period of unprecedented consumer growth. American car sales quadrupled between 1946 and 1955. The showroom is significant for its association with this boom. It marked the birth of a national car culture.
Beneath the neon artistry lies a story of L.A. pioneers. It’s a story of migrants fulfilling their dreams. The intertwined principals connected with the Felix Chevrolet showroom and sign are of merit. They are indicative of the social and economic conditions of early and mid-20th century Los Angeles. Their story embodies classic Horatio Alger achievements.
Winslow Felix arrived in Los Angeles after serving in WWI. By 1922 he owned a Chevrolet dealership. He gained success through inventive merchandising techniques. He used the Felix the Cat cartoon character to advertise his dealership. After his death in 1938, his wife Ruth sold the dealership to Nick Shammas in 1955.
Pat Sullivan, the creator of Felix the Cat, was an immigrant from Australia. The Felix the Cat character achieved immediate success. The King Features Syndicate adapted the character into a comic strip. The character is now imprinted on countless products.
The Tupman brothers migrated from Kentucky. They opened a Ford dealership in 1920. Their dealership became the anchor for Figueroa corridor’s “Automobile-Row.” Thomas Tupman had the showroom redesigned in 1946. The modernization included canted glass windows and neon signage. He sold the building to Nick Shammas in 1958.
Nick Shammas transformed the Felix Chevrolet dealership. In 1959, he had the Heath Co. install the Felix the Cat neon sign. It transformed the dealership into a visual landmark.
The Cat Sculpture Installation is a totem-pole. It represents the efforts of visionary men. It also represents the transition of Los Angeles from an agrarian village to an automotive megalopolis. So next time you see this iconic cat give it a smile.