CALIFORNIA ... "Hollywood or Bust"
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Erin and I re-visiting Moonshadows restaurant in Malibu - sitting at the same table we shared (with "Potsie) almost 29 years ago. |
Dean Martin (Dino Crocetti)
and Jerry Lewis (Joseph Levitch).
When I saw the movie as a 10-year old the theme grabbed me. I became interested in everything in Hollywood. I never thought of being in a movie or being an actor. I just loved the idea of the place called Hollywood and all things California.
I wanted my first trip there to be special so,
in 1988 we flew to San Franciso, rented a car and set-out south on California's
the main drag, the Pacific Coast Highway, PCH.
It's only 350 miles to LA but we wanted to take our time and see as much of the coast as we could in a week.
the main drag, the Pacific Coast Highway, PCH.
It's only 350 miles to LA but we wanted to take our time and see as much of the coast as we could in a week.
77 miles south of San Jose
we peeled off the highway
at Pebble Beach and took
17 Mile Drive
through the three golf course
a complex that's dotted with spectacular mansions.
at Pebble Beach and took
17 Mile Drive
through the three golf course
a complex that's dotted with spectacular mansions.
It ended in the town of Carmel By-the-Sea where super-star actor, Clint Eastwood,
was also its mayor.
Carmel invented the word quaint.
While walking the town, we came across Eastwood's bar, The Hog's Breath Inn -
we went in for lunch.
I asked the bartender if Dirty Harry
ever came into his own bar.
His response was expected ...
"You just missed him.”
Carmel invented the word quaint.
While walking the town, we came across Eastwood's bar, The Hog's Breath Inn -
we went in for lunch.
I asked the bartender if Dirty Harry
ever came into his own bar.
His response was expected ...
"You just missed him.”
Then, on to the Hearst Castle.
It's not so much a castle
as a 90,000 sq. ft. monster-mansion set on 250,000 acres of prime land with 14 miles of coastline overlooking the Pacific.
I booked one of the three tours that's offered.
To show how big the place is, we never ran into one of the other tours while in the same building. Access to the castle
is by bus up a winding roadway to the top of the hill.
A hill that used to be the grazing range for a variety of exotic animals imported from all over the world.
I booked one of the three tours that's offered.
To show how big the place is, we never ran into one of the other tours while in the same building. Access to the castle
is by bus up a winding roadway to the top of the hill.
A hill that used to be the grazing range for a variety of exotic animals imported from all over the world.
I can't properly describe The Hearst Castle.
It's full of masterpieces of art and craftsmanship.
The outside Neptune pool
is fronted by an actual
Ancient Roman temple
- need I say more?
The best review I could give the experience was voiced by our two teenagers. At the end of our tour, on the bus, on the way back to our rental car,
It's full of masterpieces of art and craftsmanship.
The outside Neptune pool
Ancient Roman temple
- need I say more?
The best review I could give the experience was voiced by our two teenagers. At the end of our tour, on the bus, on the way back to our rental car,
I overheard them say in unison to each other, “wow!"
It was around this time that I realized the awful mistake I'd made choosing to drive the PCH south. PCH may be listed as a highway but much of it is really just two lanes that hug the side of the entire mountain range with lots and lots of twists and turns. The problem is for a car's passengers.
PCH doesn't have guard rails and south-driving cars are often only 10-15 feet away from going over the side. If that happened and I can only imagine it does, a car and its occupants may never be found. It's a long, long way down to the water.
PCH doesn't have guard rails and south-driving cars are often only 10-15 feet away from going over the side. If that happened and I can only imagine it does, a car and its occupants may never be found. It's a long, long way down to the water.
We bypassed other spectacular California towns
on the way to LA.
on the way to LA.
Malibu was in our sights.
We exited the main highway
and found ourselves in the same tunnel where Warren Beatty's character,
NFL quarterback, Joe Pendleton's
bicycle collides with an oncoming car in the opening scene of the film,
and found ourselves in the same tunnel where Warren Beatty's character,
NFL quarterback, Joe Pendleton's
bicycle collides with an oncoming car in the opening scene of the film,
Heaven Can Wait.
Then we connected to the Pacific Coast Highway again while the car radio
somehow cued up the Beach Boys
and their anthem, Surfing USA
-- we sang along as we pulled into the first eatery we saw, The Malibu Inn
and their anthem, Surfing USA
-- we sang along as we pulled into the first eatery we saw, The Malibu Inn
As we got out of the car, the parking attendant approached to give us our ticket. He was wearing a Blue Jay baseball cap. "You're a Jay fan in LA?”
He admitted to being a displaced Torontonian.
"I got to Malibu 10 years ago, took one look at the beach and never went home." We asked if he knew anyone who could give us surfing lessons. Not surprisingly, he claimed to be the best instructor on the beach.
He was "Moon-Doggy" from Etobicoke.
"I got to Malibu 10 years ago, took one look at the beach and never went home." We asked if he knew anyone who could give us surfing lessons. Not surprisingly, he claimed to be the best instructor on the beach.
He was "Moon-Doggy" from Etobicoke.
We made arrangements to meet in the afternoon.
The Malibu Inn.
Dark wooden walls,
antique light fixtures,
checkered tablecloth tables.
Every busboy and waitress was an actor waiting for their break and, of course, blond and blue-eyed.
But, the best thing ... every table had a dial-up telephone. Our waitress explained that the place is always full of actors and agents and movie people. "If a studio is looking for someone, they can usually be found at the Malibu Inn." At that moment someone must have cued the phones ... they started ringing all over the restaurant.
antique light fixtures,
checkered tablecloth tables.
Every busboy and waitress was an actor waiting for their break and, of course, blond and blue-eyed.
But, the best thing ... every table had a dial-up telephone. Our waitress explained that the place is always full of actors and agents and movie people. "If a studio is looking for someone, they can usually be found at the Malibu Inn." At that moment someone must have cued the phones ... they started ringing all over the restaurant.
What an introduction to LaLa Land. Now, this ... is Hollywood!
The Malibu Inn
was Alice's Restaurant.
Named after Arlo Guthrie's song
by the same name.
It was built on stilts out onto the water. Also, as we learned, another popular hang-out for movie types.
with NHL player, Glenn Goldup. Following his pro-playing days, he joined the Los Angeles Kings in 1977.
He arrived during the summer to get himself settled and prepare for training camp. He drove his brand new Indian motorcycle up to the front of Alice's and parked. He headed to the bar for a cold one and someone tapped him on the shoulder. "That your Indian? Can I have a look?"
Glen introduced himself and led the way back to the parking lot. He connected with the guy right away - probably because of the Indian.
The guy
was the biggest movie star
in the world, Steve McQueen.
The two of them spent the
summer weekends
riding their bikes through Malibu's canyons.
It's Hollywood.
You don't have to make this stuff up.
Finding a hotel was easy. The Malibu Shores Motel was perfectly situated next door to the Inn. It was a two-storey building with all rooms facing one of the most iconic surfing beaches in the world. All day, all night, we could hear the sound of the curl crashing into shore less than 200 yds away. We stayed three days, lived the Malibu lifestyle and used our hotel as a home base while we got acquainted with Beverley Hills and Sunset Blvd. and Rodeo Dr. and Venice and Zooma. Surfing for me ended up a heart-breaker. I couldn't quite master the motion to get upright on the board. My daughter managed to do a little better.
When we checked out of Malibu Shores we were a little sorry since we didn't want to leave but Disneyland was next on our list. We got up early and drove to the complex in Anaheim.
We got out of the car on a stifling hot Cali day and looked at each other. "Should we just go back to Malibu?" I asked. Nobody said a word ... they just happily got back into the car.
We got out of the car on a stifling hot Cali day and looked at each other. "Should we just go back to Malibu?" I asked. Nobody said a word ... they just happily got back into the car.
A few years later, I was watching TV's Entertainment Tonight. They had a report on the whereabouts of the famous TV actor, Jan-Michael Vincent - the police had been looking for him with several warrants.
He was a 1970's blond hunk
who'd fallen badly into a life
of drugs and alcohol.
The show's reporter found and attempted
to interview him at the back of a building that looked so familiar to me. He was on the ground and couldn't get up by himself. It was our Malibu Shores Motel. He appeared to be in a haze and couldn't answer the reporters' questions. It was hard to watch how someone with a good TV career and huge fan following had hit the skids. But we've learned that Hollywood isn't a place where dreams always come true.
He was a 1970's blond hunk
who'd fallen badly into a life
of drugs and alcohol.
The show's reporter found and attempted
to interview him at the back of a building that looked so familiar to me. He was on the ground and couldn't get up by himself. It was our Malibu Shores Motel. He appeared to be in a haze and couldn't answer the reporters' questions. It was hard to watch how someone with a good TV career and huge fan following had hit the skids. But we've learned that Hollywood isn't a place where dreams always come true.
Our two teenagers loved the California trip. So, two years later, for our daughter's sweet-sixteen birthday, I planned a 4-day weekend in LA, just her and I, as a surprise. Our birthday adventure started where we'd left off, The Malibu Shores Motel.
I arranged some special treats.
Anyone and everyone in Hollywood had to be seen at
Wolfgang Puck's Sunset Boulevard beanery.
We settled into the room and ordered
dinner, when I noticed at the table next to us, was Hello Dolly herself, Carol Channing.
There was a noisy hum in the room and even though she was beside us I couldn't eavesdrop on the conversation. Shame. She was really giving it to her dinner partner.
Big hair, big eyes on fire and finger-waving the whole time.
For the next morning, a friend organized a tour of
Warner Bros. studio. At the time, Warner Bros. didn't have a commercial studio tour so we were met at the front gate by a studio executive on a golf cart. Our private, 3-hour tour was outstanding. His patter about the history of the Warner Bros. Burbank studio was remarkable -- so many stories --
so many actors and movies. He had a comment about every one of them.
Warner Bros. studio. At the time, Warner Bros. didn't have a commercial studio tour so we were met at the front gate by a studio executive on a golf cart. Our private, 3-hour tour was outstanding. His patter about the history of the Warner Bros. Burbank studio was remarkable -- so many stories --
so many actors and movies. He had a comment about every one of them.
that the studio's founder,
Jack Warner,
was a Canadian born
in London ON and opened the original Warner Bros.
Hollywood studio
on Sunset Blvd in 1918.
The finale of our golf cart tour was a trip to the prop dept.
You name it ... if an item, any item, ever appeared in a Warner movie it was stored in the prop dept. Nothing was thrown away, ever. And, the place was the size of an airplane hanger -- think the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
We needed the golf cart. Our first stop was the property manager's desk to meet the boss before entering his domain. He was perched in his chair ten feet off the ground so he'd have a clear view of people coming and going. Original movie memorabilia on the market command big money. He'd been in that chair for 50 years. I doubted anyone ever got by him with anything of value.
Curiously, he had a framed, black and white photo of a hockey player, Stan Mikita, behind him on the wall.
You name it ... if an item, any item, ever appeared in a Warner movie it was stored in the prop dept. Nothing was thrown away, ever. And, the place was the size of an airplane hanger -- think the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
We needed the golf cart. Our first stop was the property manager's desk to meet the boss before entering his domain. He was perched in his chair ten feet off the ground so he'd have a clear view of people coming and going. Original movie memorabilia on the market command big money. He'd been in that chair for 50 years. I doubted anyone ever got by him with anything of value.
Curiously, he had a framed, black and white photo of a hockey player, Stan Mikita, behind him on the wall.
His drill Sargent demeanour stopped me from asking about the famous Black Hawk.
Do you remember the donut shop
in the Mike Myers movie,
Wayne's World?
On top of the shop was a rotating
a life-sized figure of Stan Mikita
- like a player, you'd find in a
table-top hockey game.
Stan Mikita told me he stopped cold when getting onto a plane and saw the actor, Richard Dean Anderson/McGuiver, a self-proclaimed hockey-nut, sitting beside that very Mikita figure from the movie propped-up beside him in first class. Some other prop master obviously wasn't paying attention.
Wayne's World?
On top of the shop was a rotating
a life-sized figure of Stan Mikita
- like a player, you'd find in a
table-top hockey game.
Stan Mikita told me he stopped cold when getting onto a plane and saw the actor, Richard Dean Anderson/McGuiver, a self-proclaimed hockey-nut, sitting beside that very Mikita figure from the movie propped-up beside him in first class. Some other prop master obviously wasn't paying attention.
Our guide aimed his golf cart at each aisle so we could ooh and aah at all of the fabulous pieces of Hollywood history on display on shelves 35 ft. off the ground.
I shouted at him to stop. Back up! I needed a closer look.
On the shelf in front of me was The Maltese Falcon.
"Is that the real one from Humphrey Bogart's movie?"
"Yes", he replied and so are the other 4 Falcons right behind it. Hollywood couldn't leave anything to chance ... they had five falcons just in case one was broken or one went home with the star.
I shouted at him to stop. Back up! I needed a closer look.
On the shelf in front of me was The Maltese Falcon.
"Is that the real one from Humphrey Bogart's movie?"
"Yes", he replied and so are the other 4 Falcons right behind it. Hollywood couldn't leave anything to chance ... they had five falcons just in case one was broken or one went home with the star.
As we were about to exit the prop hanger I had to ask him to stop again. "Is that what I think it is?" Above the doorway, on a series of huge shelves were all of the costumes, uniforms and instruments from Robert Preston's The Music Man. Our guide explained that if the studio decided to remake the film everything they'd need is catalogued and stored just waiting to be "green-lighted" (movie speak).
That night, we had tickets for the taping of the Arsenio Hall TV show -- a 1980s Tonight Show knock-off that was a big hit with the 18 - 35 yr. olds. Just before showtime, Frank Bonner took his seat in front of us.
You know, Herb Tarlek from WKRP in Cincinnati.
You know, Herb Tarlek from WKRP in Cincinnati.
The show's first guest was Bruce Willis (Walter Willison). He fielded questions about his then-wife, Demi Moore (Demetria Gene Gynes), claiming she "just wrapped a small film".
turned out to be "Ghost".
For once, a Hollywood movie star
who actually understated something?
A Toronto hockey buddy was an Academy Awards voting member - there are only 5,000 of them in the world. He arranged another golf cart tour, this time Paramount Studios. Our studio executive arranged for us to meet him at the Bronson Gate ...
Paramount's original front entrance.
If the name sounds familiar, actor,
Charles Bronson(Charles Buchinski)
lined up with other extras at that gate looking for movie work.
He was of Lithuanian descent with a European surname. He decided a job may come easier if he had an American-sounding name and stole Bronson from the sign for his own ... the most famous studio entrance in Hollywood helped Charles become one of the most famous actors in the world.
Paramount's original front entrance.
If the name sounds familiar, actor,
Charles Bronson(Charles Buchinski)
lined up with other extras at that gate looking for movie work.
He was of Lithuanian descent with a European surname. He decided a job may come easier if he had an American-sounding name and stole Bronson from the sign for his own ... the most famous studio entrance in Hollywood helped Charles become one of the most famous actors in the world.
The first stop on the Paramount tour was the home-on-the-lot of the most successful, most popular silent film star ever, Mary Pickford.
She was much more than just an actress.
She was the definition of a woman
who could do it all?
She and Charlie Chaplin
created United Artists Studios
while she was married to the
world's biggest movie star,
Douglas Fairbanks.
Our guide couldn't wait to tell us that film-going America loved her so much, that they nicknamed her, America's
Sweetheart. Then I caught him a little off-guard.
The most famous film star in the world of her time,
Mary Pickford, "America's Sweetheart" was actually born in Toronto. Her family home is where today's Sick Children's Hospital is situated on University Ave.
She was much more than just an actress.
who could do it all?
She and Charlie Chaplin
created United Artists Studios
while she was married to the
world's biggest movie star,
Douglas Fairbanks.
Our guide couldn't wait to tell us that film-going America loved her so much, that they nicknamed her, America's
Sweetheart. Then I caught him a little off-guard.
The most famous film star in the world of her time,
Mary Pickford, "America's Sweetheart" was actually born in Toronto. Her family home is where today's Sick Children's Hospital is situated on University Ave.
Our Paramount behind-the-scenes tour was way-over-the-top. The studio is more than 100 years old. After 3 hours of being drenched in its history, I was exhausted.
Exhausted but not tired of Hollywood.
Exhausted but not tired of Hollywood.
In 2004, I was in Ireland and being driven around by a local. We went to Wicklow, near Dublin. As we approached an intersection, I noticed several road signs showing the distance to towns in the county.
I asked the driver to pull over, I had to take a picture of a town sign ... it said, "Cillin Chaimhin " (Irish) HOLLYWOOD below it. When I returned to the van, I asked if they named the town after Tinsel Town.
He looked like someone who'd just been insulted.
"No, my boy-o, this Hollywood has been here for the last 450 years!" 100 residents are registered to the town, they actually have a mini Hollywood sign on a grassy hilltop overlooking it and they have two pubs on the same street, directly across from each other. Two pubs for 100 people!
Ya, that sounds about right.
"No, my boy-o, this Hollywood has been here for the last 450 years!" 100 residents are registered to the town, they actually have a mini Hollywood sign on a grassy hilltop overlooking it and they have two pubs on the same street, directly across from each other. Two pubs for 100 people!
Ya, that sounds about right.
I saved the best for last.
I choose Moonshadows in Malibu.
Perfect.
Perched high above and Million dollar view, zillion dollar sunset.
Erin was a fan of the TV show, Happy Days.
And, a huge fan of one of the show's players,
Anson Williams, "Potsie".
While we looked at the menu,
I noticed a group at the back of the restaurant, mom and dad, grandparents and a baby.
Erin had her back to the group.
I focussed in on the guy ... it was him, “Potsie".
Anson Williams, "Potsie".
While we looked at the menu,
I noticed a group at the back of the restaurant, mom and dad, grandparents and a baby.
Erin had her back to the group.
I focussed in on the guy ... it was him, “Potsie".
The "Potsie" group finished about the same time as us and the grandparents gathered up the baby and made their way by us to the exit. "Potsie" stayed back to settle the bill. I had to time this perfectly. All my attention was on him.
Before leaving Toronto, I had an artist create an extra large birthday card "I'm Sweet Sixteen Today" it proclaimed in a big, bold, colourful script.
I was hoping we'd meet a celebrity or two and have them sign her card. As he walked towards me, I held it up for him to read - she couldn't see him coming. He stopped, tapped her on the shoulder and she swivelled to be face to face with her TV idol. I think they invented the word gobsmacked for this very occasion.
I was hoping we'd meet a celebrity or two and have them sign her card. As he walked towards me, I held it up for him to read - she couldn't see him coming. He stopped, tapped her on the shoulder and she swivelled to be face to face with her TV idol. I think they invented the word gobsmacked for this very occasion.
He congratulated her, wished her well, signed her card, gave her a kiss on the cheek and was on his way. That may be a story idea for a movie.
I also got her other TV star,
WKRP's Herb Tarlek,
to make a fuss over her following the Arsenio Hall Show and sign her card.
WKRP's Herb Tarlek,
to make a fuss over her following the Arsenio Hall Show and sign her card.
Hollywood or Bust?
I made it and didn't Bust.
I've been very lucky. I've ridden San Francisco's cable cars, and been to Haight/Ashbury. I've driven through the Presidio.
I've taken photos of the
Golden Gate Bridge at sunset
and I've stood in a solitary confinement cell at Alcatraz with the door closed.
I've been to Napa and the Redwood Forest.
I've ridden horseback
along a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains
directly in front of the
H O L L Y W O O D sign.
I've visited the Farmer's Market
in downtown LA that's in the shadow of city hall - the same building that was a stand-in for the Empire State Building
in the original King Kong movie.
I made it to the 40th anniversary of the Charles Schultz "Snoopy" senior hockey tournament in Santa Rosa and won.
I've gone "26 miles across the sea"
because Santa Catalina
was waiting for me.
I've been in the audience for the taping of both the Johnny Carson and Jay Leno editions of the Tonight Show.
I've had lunch at The Polo Lounge
at the 100-year-old
Beverly Hill's Hotel
- where a million movie deals were hatched.
I've spent two full days on Manhattan and Newport beach watching my grandson win gold medals in beach volleyball tournaments.
("Beach" was invented in southern California so witnessing the Canadian kid sweep the competition was extra sweet).
I visited Frank Sinatra's "compound" in Rancho Mirage, twice. I've been on several movie-star homes tours.
The most interesting was Paul McCartney's house in Laurel Canyon. McCartney's first wife was Linda Eastman. Following her death, he married again, to Heather Mills. His home is in the middle of a street that sits between Linda Street and Heather Street.
I've taken photos of the
Golden Gate Bridge at sunset
and I've stood in a solitary confinement cell at Alcatraz with the door closed.
I've been to Napa and the Redwood Forest.
I've ridden horseback
along a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains
directly in front of the
H O L L Y W O O D sign.
I've visited the Farmer's Market
in downtown LA that's in the shadow of city hall - the same building that was a stand-in for the Empire State Building
in the original King Kong movie.
I made it to the 40th anniversary of the Charles Schultz "Snoopy" senior hockey tournament in Santa Rosa and won.
I've gone "26 miles across the sea"
because Santa Catalina
was waiting for me.
I've been in the audience for the taping of both the Johnny Carson and Jay Leno editions of the Tonight Show.
I've had lunch at The Polo Lounge
at the 100-year-old
Beverly Hill's Hotel
- where a million movie deals were hatched.
I've spent two full days on Manhattan and Newport beach watching my grandson win gold medals in beach volleyball tournaments.
("Beach" was invented in southern California so witnessing the Canadian kid sweep the competition was extra sweet).
I visited Frank Sinatra's "compound" in Rancho Mirage, twice. I've been on several movie-star homes tours.
The most interesting was Paul McCartney's house in Laurel Canyon. McCartney's first wife was Linda Eastman. Following her death, he married again, to Heather Mills. His home is in the middle of a street that sits between Linda Street and Heather Street.
Tony Curtis (Bernie Swartz),
at the bar in Spago and he introduced me to his drinking buddy, Sammy Kahn,
one of the world's most celebrated songwriters.
I was somehow able to convince Curtis to stand and wait with me until Lorraine got out of the bathroom so he could wish her a "happy birthday".
I've walked the length of
Walk-of-Fame and was stunned
by the star who owns the street's
most prime position directly in front
of the century-old Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
I've seen so much and there's so much more to see. Solvang, Santa Cruz and Big Sur are at the very top of my list.
During the 1950's-'60's, competition for Marilyn Monroe's (Norma Jean Baker) status as moviedom's title of
was challenged by
big, bold, blond
Jane Mansfield (Vera Jane Palmer).
To add to her resume
she married Mickey Hargitay,
Mr. Universe (1955).
her Mariska.
You can see her every night
as one of the lead players
on TV's Law & Order.
In 1980, another bodybuilder, Mr. Universe (1968) portrayed Mickey Hargitay in a movie titled, "The Jane Mansfield Story”.
Hargitay was played by actor,
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold would use that first movie
as a launch pad to become
the most famous action movie hero
in the world -- and later,
was elected Governor of the State of California, twice.
as a launch pad to become
the most famous action movie hero
in the world -- and later,
was elected Governor of the State of California, twice.
Only in Hollywood.
Perhaps the best way to sum up my fascination for all-things California is to use three words. Three words from a 30-year-old movie that are now etched into our present-day lexicon.
In the 1984 film "The Terminator", Arnold uttered those magical words ... the three words that speak directly to me
and my affection for Hollywood and California
ck!
and my affection for Hollywood and California
ck!
... our daughter caught the California bug so bad, that she had to buy a home there. It's was beautifully situated just above Sunset Blvd in Hollywood with a fabulous view of the city, slept 8 and was offered on Airbnb -- until the city of LA changed the rules for Airbnb. She sold it and bought a condo just off Suset Blvd. and near all the attractions on Hollywood Blvd.
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