Bachelor in Paradise Film Locations

Bachelor in Paradise was a Bob Hope vehicle from 1961 in which he played an author doing research for a book on the love life's of American's in suburbia. It's a typical Bob Hope movie full of gags and off hand remarks. Lana Turner co-stars as his love interest.

What is of interest to me are the film locations. The movie was shot around the San Fernando Valley. In the movie Hope is set up in a new housing development which is actually in Woodland Hills. I believe it is just west of Topanga Blvd. in the foothills. I used to have the address but can't find it now. Locations also included the Corbin Bowl on Ventura Blvd. and a Hughes Market at 8231 Woodman Ave. in Panorama City. For those familiar with that area it is across the street from Kaiser. It is no longer a Hughes market but the building is still there. The scenes shot inside the store are a trip down memory lane for those of us who grew up in the 60's.

Frank Sinatra Jr. Kidnapping, a Valley Connection

The Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Saturday December 14, 1962 reports two big news stories. The first about the Baldwin Hills Dam break and the other reporting details of the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. The latter is our concern for this post.

December 8, 1963 Frank Sinatra Sr. received a call at the Harrah's Club Motel in Stateline Nevada that his son, 19 year old Frank Sinatra Jr. had been kidnapped from Harrah's Lake Tahoe by 2 men and being held for $240,000 in ransom. Sinatra Sr. returned home to his ex-wife's house in Los Angeles where negotiations were arranged between the FBI and the kidnappers. During negotiations Sinatra Jr. was being held at a house in Canoga Park California at 8143 Mason Ave. (The house pictured above is as it appears today with Google Street view). It was decided a courier would be sent to Los Angeles International Airport. The courier chosen was an FBI agent. At the airport telephone booth the agent was instructed to proceed to a service station about 8 miles from the airport. The FBI agent left the ransom money at the service station and the kidnappers were captured two days later.

For more details on the story follow this link: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/outlaws/frank_sinatra_jr/1_index.html

1962 North Hollywood Plane Crash

December 14, 1962, North Hollywood CA. A plane belonging to the freight airline Flying Tiger Line crashes in North Hollywood, East of Laurel Canyon between Vose Street on the north and Hart Street on the south. The investigation found that the pilot had a heart attack and slumped over onto the controls on the final approach to Burbank airport.

My Dad worked for Flying Tiger Line and that night he was playing cards with a co-worker. I remember them hearing the news and going out to the crash site. Years later I went to work for a company on Vose Street just a few feet from the crash site. Vose is right under the landing path to Burbank airport. The first few weeks I was there I would flash back to that night every time I saw or heard a jet on final approach.

One day I was talking to a co-worker and we started talking about the airplanes overhead and I related my story of the crash to him. He told me his father had also driven out to the crash sight. That night when his Dad returned home from the crash sight he died of a heart attack.

Brady, Blake and North

Friends and relatives who came to visit were always surprised by the location of famous TV and movies sites. Everyone thought the Brady Bunch house was in the hills when in actuality it is north of the Hollywood Hills which are north of it. If you head west on the same street about 7 1/2 blocks you arrive at the infamous Mata Hari Ranch, the former home of actor Robert Blake. The house is now gone but I used to drive by it on the way to visit a friend who lived a few doors down from it. And next door to my friend lived the mother of actor Jay North of Dennis the Menace fame.

Builders Emporium

Radio Rat just sent me a group of pictures of Lancaster Ca in the past. This picture caught our attention as it shows a Builders Emporium Hardware store in Lancaster. Radio Rat and I worked at Builders over the years. There are not a lot of images online of any of the old stores. Radio Rat has shared his Builders experiences in an older post on this blog. His Mom worked there for many years. We have joined a Facebook group for former Builders employees. We hope to see you there.

Hazeltine Ave. School September 1960

Here are two pictures from my first day of school in September 1960. One is a picture of the outside of my elementary classroom and the other is me as the letter T and a friend. On the back of the photo is written the name Kathleen and a question mark. So I am unsure if it is the woman or the child. I assume they live in our small complex.

I recall my mom was upset because my Grandfather was in town from Dayton Ohio and he walked me to school. My mom wrote in a school scrapbook that I only spent half a year in kindergarten. I peaked early it seems.

According to my Billboard Top 40 Hits book, "It's Now or Never" by Elvis was the number one song that day. Soon to be followed by a reentry of "The Twist". Holy cow!

Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee Video Store

On Vineland Ave. in North Hollywood is the best video store I have ever been to. I first went to Eddie Brandt's when it was on Colfax Ave. in North Hollywood, just south of Victory and behind the McDonald's Restaurant. Actors, industry people and movie fans created an eclectic gathering down every aisle. Ask a question and some patron probably knows the answer. Follow this link to a video that appeared on Turner Classic Movies of the store and its manager Donovan Brandt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnNRAgnBdiI

Here is a link to a Daily News article on the store:

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_13254853?source=most_emailed

Laptop Lessons

A few months ago the monitor on my laptop went black and would not come back to life in spite of my fevered attempts at computer CPR. At the time it seemed catastrophic. I used it for writing, photos and music. I checked e-mails and occasionally surfed just to kill time. Mostly it served as my jukebox while I worked on other things at my desk. All my files were backed up and the important things were easily transferred to an 8GB flash key that Phone Rat gave me.

I found myself reduced to borrowing my wife's laptop to check e-mails and other things. The laptop of course can be used with the AC adapter or with the battery. I used the battery since it was a project to dig the plug out of the wall behind things. So I could sit in my chair and be comfortable and check on things. However the most I could get was about 2 hours of life which was initially irritating. But over time I realized I really did not use the computer, on line for very many things. I took care of business and logged off. the battery life became unimportant and an important lesson was learned.

When we are plugged in and have unlimited time we tend to waste most of that time on frivolous things. I am not against the frivolous but as with television, too much is bad for us. But when we are aware of the passage of time and how little we have, as when the computer runs off the battery, we make much better use of our time and distill our session down to what is really important. The lesson obviously applies to life but many of us, including myself don't learn it until we get older.

My battery is actually running low now so it is time for me to end this overly long post and to get on to something a little deeper.

Box Memories

I started collecting boxes when my Dad gave me a wooden cigar box. At the time I didn't realize I would become a collector. As time passed my Dad gave me more cigar boxes which I used to store some of my better pens in. Dad also gave me some English Leather cologne boxes made of wood. After a while they stopped making them out of wood and made them out of heavy cardboard, and I have some of those. I started putting all sorts or small items in these small boxes. Boxes went inside other boxes and they all began to take over my closet. The other day I went through my closet and came across many of these boxes which mostly contained items from my parents. i took pictures and thought I would share some of the contents here.

In the top left hand corner is a money clip my Grandfather received for a work anniversary. Next to it is a money clip from The Mint Hotel in Las Vegas that my parents bought me. Next to it is an old Illinois brand pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather.

The "C" hood ornament belonged to my Dad's last car, a 1978 Chevy Nova Concours model. The ring belonged to my dad and used to have a black onyx and diamond. I still have the broken onyx and the diamond went into my Dad's masonic ring which I still have. Theitem below the ring is a decoder of some sort from 1936. It has numbers around it and the disk that moves under it contains letters. Next to that is a key chain like item from Ralston "Straight Shooters" that spells "good luck" when you spin the disk. Below that is a Lakewood Ohio Bicycle license that belonged to my Dad, probably from the late 30's or early 40's. Lastly to the right is an Ohio State Chauffeurs pin from 1944. It was in with my Dad's stuff but I am not sure if it was his.

Mrs. Perlmuter of Hazeltine

We finally have a picture of Mrs. Perlmuter, the most famous teacher at Hazeltine Avenue Elementary School, thanks to Julie (Rosenthal) Meshchaninov, Hazeltine class of 1969. Julie left a comment on a previous post "Looking For Mrs. Perlmuter" that she had a picture and here it is.

I never had Mrs. Perlmuter as a teacher so I will leave those who did to share their memories. Thanks again Julie and thanks to our friend Bob Walance who came through again.