Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Miriam and Victoria Caldwell Vilma: The Diary of a Clifton’s Cafeteria Camera Girl

What’s the big deal about an old cafeteria, anyway? Peel back the layers of time and come on a historic journey to discover why Clifton’s was one of the premier tourist destinations in the world, and to hear the charming 1950s diary of one of its Camera Girls, Vilma!

Founder Clifford Clinton was a visionary in the same class as Walt Disney. In the 1930s, cafeterias were all the rage, providing quick, nutritious meals. Mr. Clinton, an already established restaurateur and philanthropist, wanted his new cafeterias to stand out, so he created two ultra-fantasy themed locations in downtown Los Angeles: Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” and Clifton’s “Brookdale.” From the 1930s to the 1950s, Clifton’s was serving 10,000 people per day. More than that, Mr. Clinton created a community atmosphere where all were welcomed. Somewhere along the line, a souvenir photo studio was added to Clifton’s, named “Keepsake Photography.”

Sisters Miriam and Victoria Caldwell discovered their mother Vilma’s handwritten diaries, along with never-before-seen Clifton’s Cafeteria photographs and ephemera, unearthing the story of the photo studio and its staff photographers, known as Camera Girls. Let her diaries transport you right back into this time and space as Miriam and Victoria read some of the best diary entries, tell stories, and share photos, bringing to light one of the unique stories on the history of Clifton’s…and about one camera girl who blazed her own path to become the “Star of YOUR Souvenir photo”!