Van Nuys Drive-In

The other night Radio Rat called me and we got to talking about the old days, as old men are wont to do, and the topic naturally turned to old girlfriends. Specifically a girl he used to date back in the early 1980's. While the memories were fairly clear I was a little vague on the dates. So tonight I dug out my briefcase full of datebook/journals I have kept since about 1980. In going through the books I found what I was looking for but also happened across one item I had forgotten about.

Back in 1981 I went to Van Nuys Drive-in on Roscoe Blvd. (The one is the Blog heading) with my girlfriend. That night we saw two pictures I have no recollection of what so ever. "Graduation Day" and "Cheerleader Beach Party". Why we went to see those two pictures is a puzzle. My choice of movies was as stupid as I was back then. Now that I think about it, that was the last time I went to a movie at Van Nuys Drive-in. Sad that it was such an awful double bill. After that I recall going to the Winnetka drive-in complex in Northridge, and my last visit to a drive-in was to the Sepulveda drive-in back in 1994 where we saw "Stargate" and a Sly Stallone movie called "The Specialist". I do recall a bit of those movies, but again, one did not always go to a drive-in for the movie...it was the food, yeah that's it.

The first movie I ever recall seeing was "The Crowded Sky" which my parents took me to see at a drive-in in the Valley, but I don't recall which one. I think I'll switch on my iPod and go back in time for a little bit.

Dr. Sam Sheppard

This is not a L.A. story but it does have an L.A. connection. Today is July 3rd and it is 9:45 PM. 56 years ago in the early hours of July 4, 1954 Marilyn Sheppard was brutally murdered in her Bay Village Ohio bedroom. Before there was O.J. and any number of other notorious murder cases, the Sheppard murder case was one of the biggest murder cases of the last half of the 20th century. In December of 1954 her husband Dr. Sam Sheppard was convicted of her murder and spent the next 10 years in jail. F. Lee Baily, then an aspiring lawyer took over his case and got Dr. Sheppard's initial conviction thrown out do to numerous violations to his constitutional rights at the trial. The State of Ohio decided to retry Sheppard and this time Baily represent Dr. Sheppard and got him acquitted of the charges. The murder of Marilyn Sheppard is still unsolved and opinions are so vast and numerous I won't even begin to cover them here.

Before Sam Sheppard and Marilyn Sheppard were married, Sam graduated from the Los Angeles Osteopathic School of Physicians in 1945. After graduation the couple were married and moved into an apartment on Sichel Street in Los Angeles. Sam went to work in Los Angeles at the County Hospital and for a doctor in private practice. Sheppard work in Los Angeles until 1951 when he moved back to Bay Village to join the medical practice of his father and two older brothers.

The murder happened 6 months before I was born. However, I remember hearing my parents and family members talk about the case throughout the 1960's. The Sheppard family had a hospital on Lake Road in Bay Village. Sam's parents lived in a house on the other side of the lot to the east of the home. It is here where Sam was arrested in 1954 for the murder of his wife. It is here where my Aunt later went to work for a doctor who years later had his practice in the old house. I still remember walking through the house with all those youthful memories swirling in my mind.

Dr. Sam's surviving son Sam Reese Sheppard and his cousin Janice have a new website devoted to the case and their cause to finally find who they believe the murderer to be, and to further clear the stain on Dr. Sheppard's name. The website is not free and does have a cost. here is the link:

http://www.drsamsheppard.org/

There are numerous website with articles and histories of the case that are free and can give you a good overview of the case. So here I sit in my office on this July 3rd night when every year, like it or not my mind wanders back to that house on Lake Road in Bay Village, just a few miles from here, and the aftermath that affected so many lives.

Postscripts:

I just found the old photo above of the Los Angeles Osteopath College on Facebook at Los Angeles Relics. I believe this might be the college where Sheppard attended. If not, it's still a great old picture.

After writing this post I came upon a very interesting analysis of Dr. Sheppard's statements to the police. Follow this link to read his statement and the running analysis:

http://www.spyingforlying.com/2009/07/dr-sam-sheppard-mystery-solved-through.html

Jane Russel High School Pictures

Our good friend Bob "Mr. Yearbook" Walance has been at it again. This time he snagged a Van Nuys High School Yearbook from 1938 which includes pictures of the actress Jane Russell in her junior year. Two pages from the yearbook are posted here. One shows Jane Russell with her classmates. She is on row 5, third from the right. The other page has a stand alone picture of her and another picture of two fellow students.

Much thanks to Bob for scanning and sharing these images. Be sure to check out our link to Bob's Photobucket page with other scans of San Fernando Valley High School yearbooks.

Art Linkletter

When Art Linkletter passed away last week at the age of 97 I like I suspect many baby boomers had a flood of memories. My Mom told me that when my Dad was transferred to Los Angeles from Detroit they had a hard time convincing me to go. I was an avid fan of westerns at the time and thought the west was full of Indians, and well, I didn't want to be attacked and die. Then my Mom told me that it was really safe, that Art Linkletter lived and worked out there and he wouldn't live in a dangerous place. So I agreed to give it a try and we moved to L.A. in April of 1960 with very little trouble or drama from me.

Art Linkletter had the rare gift of being able to bring out the best and funniest things in people. He did not fight for the spotlight when he interviewed adults and children. Like Johnny Carson he was not from Hollywood and had a genuine air about himself. Both were masters at bringing out the humor in people.

When I was younger I used to worship talent and intelligence. As I have gotten older I realize those traits are common and usually not used to their best end. What impresses me now are good people. People who try to be happy and make the world a better place in small and large ways. Art Linkletter was one of those people.

If baby Boomers have a Mount Rushmore it might include Art Linkletter, along with Walt Disney, John F. Kennedy and who else I can't think of at the moment. When good public people die their lives should be celebrated a little more than they are.

1965 San Fernando Valley East Elementary Schools Christmas Record

Here is a sample of three songs from a San Fernando Valley East Christmas LP from December 1965. It features three schools including Kester Ave., Erwin St., and Monlux Ave., Elementary Schools.

Digital transfer made from original LP's provided by Larry Hoffing, Kester Ave. Alumni.

Van Nuys Blvd. Song

Here is a song called "Van Nuys Blvd." by The Drivers, with a few images of Van Nuys Blvd. Video by Phone Rat & Guitar Rat.

For some reason there is no image above until you click on the start button and then it appears. Most likely I forgot to do something.

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.