HOLLYWOODLAND

RIP: Tony Curtis 1925-2010

2010-10-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hollywood legend Tony Curtis passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 85. His career spanned six decades.
Here I am with Tony in 2007. In addition to his acting career, Tony was also a successful artist. His paintings sold for as much as $25,000 each.
Tony co-starred with his wife at the time, actress Janet Leigh in the George Pal film, "Houdini". Together they had two children, actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Tony with Jack Lemmon in probably his most famous film, "Some Like It Hot".
Tony and Marilyn Monroe in the Billy Wilder film.
Last year I attended "The Magic of Tony Curtis" at the Million Dollar Theater in Downtown LA. The theater, which opened in 1918, was the first movie palace to be built by Sid Grauman, who later went on to build the Egyptian and Chinese theater on Hollywood Blvd.
Tony's films, "Houdini" and "Some Like It Hot" were screened.

The acting legend also made an appearence on stage.

Gloria Stuart, Eddie Fisher, and now Tony Curtis have passed away within a week of each other. RIP.

Debbie Reynolds @ The El Portal Theatre

2010-09-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

Friday evening I attended the Debbie Reynolds Thalians Benefit concert at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. The Thalians is a mental health charity Debbie and actress Ruta Lee started over 50 years.
Here I am with Debbie Reynolds. She's most famous for her starring role in the classic, "Singin' in the Rain", with Gene Kelly, below.

Her stage show is a mix of singing, comedy, and impressions.

She imitates Jimmy Stewart, Bettie Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Katherine Hepburn, and Barbra Streisand, above.

She has been performing this act since the 1960's.

Here I am with actress Ruta Lee.

George Chakiris, from "West Side Story'', with Debbie.

Actress Anne Jeffries.

Actress Mitzi Gaynor, from "South Pacific".

This is actress Susan Claassen, dressed as famed costume designer Edith Head. She's currently performing a one woman show at the El Portal, called "A Conversation With Edith Head".

Some of Edith's original sketches were on display.

Here's Susan with Joan Rivers.

And here's a shot of Debbie Reynolds with the real Edith Head. That's it for this post!

An Evening With Jane Russell

2010-06-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended the Hollywood Heritage event, "An Evening With Jane Russell", at the Lasky-DeMille Barn in Hollywood. The barn was built in 1913 and used as Hollywood's first movie studio.
The barn was moved to its present location across from the Hollywood Bowl.

Before the program they had a raffle and I won! I received this wood shingle from the barn signed by actresses June Havoc, Carroll Baker, and Marsha Hunt.
Studio shots of actresses Havoc, Baker, and Hunt.

Here's the evening's guest, actress Jane Russell.

Born in 1921, she's probably best remembered for her role in 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", where she costarred with Marilyn Monroe.

The two put their hand prints in cement together at Graumen's Chinese Theater. It's still there today.

Afterwards Ms. Russell signed her book, took photos with fans, and had Birthday cake.

That's it for this post!

Walt Disney's "Pollyanna" Then & Now

2010-06-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of not only Disney Animation, but the Disney live action films from the 50's and 60's. One of my favorites is 1960's "Pollyanna" starring Hayley Mills and Jane Wyman. I was up in the bay area last month, so I decided to visit Santa Rosa and St. Helena to find a few of the filming sites. This is the Bale Grist Mill near St. Helena. The mill, built in the 1800's, was seen in the opening credits of the film. This area was beautiful.
They give milling demonstrations on the weekends.
The St. Helena train depot. This is where they shot the film's opening and closing scenes.
The building is now used as offices for various businesses.

Hayley Mills as Pollyanna arrives to town.

This is a publicity photo of Walt Disney taken at the station.

This is the Mableton Mansion in Santa Rosa. It was used for all the exterior shots of Aunt Polly's house. The top floors of the house were painted in by Disney matte artist Peter Ellenshaw.

The house is currently being renovated and restored.

The towns people coming by the house for a meeting.

The top shot is another matte painting by Peter Ellenshaw, combined with live action footage of Aunt Polly with the Reverend.

Hayley and Jane Wyman.

Here I am with Nancy Olson, who played Nancy in the film.

And Pollyanna herself, Hayley Mills! Hayley received a special Oscar for this performance.

Will Vinton Productions Christmas Card

2010-04-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a rare image from Will Vinton Productions 1985 studio Christmas Card. The image features Becky Thatcher, Huck Finn, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, and Homer the frog. This was the year the studio released their feature length Claymation film, "The Adventures of Mark Twain".

It's possible some of these Christmas props were reused from the studio's earlier short film, "A Christmas Gift", which can be seen in the compilation film, "Festival of Claymation".

RIP Peter Graves 1926-2010

2010-03-18T16:37:00.001-07:00

Peter Graves died this last Sunday at the age of 83. He's probably best remembered for his roles in the "Mission Impossible" tv show and as Captain Clarence Oveur in "Airplane". He also starred in another movie I love, "The Night of the Hunter" with Robert Mitchum.

An Evening With Richard M. Sherman

2010-03-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday evening I attended An Evening With Richard M. Sherman at the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood. Richard and his brother Robert are the famous songwriting team behind such classics as Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. They also wrote music for Disneyland, including It's a Small World and the Enchanted Tiki Room.
Word to the wise. Don't ever get front row seats to a live show at the El Capitan. You'll only see half the performance. The first half of the show was Richard performing songs from his amazing career followed by a live stage show of song excerpts from the musical, Pazzazz, written by Richard and his friend Milt Larson. Milt is known for creating the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.
Here's Robert, Richard on the piano, and Walt Disney performing "It's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" from the Disneyland attraction Carousel of Progress. Walt gave the brothers a 16mm copy of this footage and said "here's something to show your grand kids one day."
L to R: Richard Sherman, Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and Robert Sherman on the set of Mary Poppins. They won two Oscars for this film. One for the score and the other for their song "Chim Chim Cher-ee".
There's a great documentary out on the brothers, called "The Boys''. It's a fascinating look at how different the two are, and how that friction helped them create their music. You can find out more at: http://www.theboysdoc.com/

The Hollywood Show

2010-02-16T09:09:00.001-08:00

I spent Saturday at the quarterly Hollywood Show in Burbank, CA. Tons of stars from the past were there to sign autographs and meet their fans. Above is a shot of me with Academy Award winning actress Rita Moreno.

She won the Oscar for her role as Anita in "West Side Story"(1961). She also had a minor role as Zelda Zanders in the MGM classic, "Singin' in the Rain"(1952).

Here I am with Larry Hagman, star of "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Dallas". He also happens to be the son of Broadway actress Mary Martin, famous for her stage roles as Peter Pan and Maria in The Sound of Music

Larry with his "I Dream of Jeannie" co-star Barbara Eden.

At the show I bought this collectible replica of the "Jeannie" bottle which Mr. Hagman signed.

The Jeannie bottles are created by Mario Della Casa and can be purchased here: http://www.jeanniebottles.com/main.html

This is Lesley Ann Warren who first appeared on TV as Cinderella in 1965. Walt Disney took notice and personally signed her to a contract.

"The Happiest Millionaire"(1967) with Fred MacMurray was her first film for the studio. This was the last live action film Walt Disney supervised. He died in December 1966.

Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, star of "Marty"(1955) and "The Poseidon Adventure"(1972). Ernest is 93 years young!

Ernest Borgnine as Marty and Esther Minciotti as his mother in the Academy Award winning Best Picture of 1955.

Actress Stefanie Powers, star of "Hart to Hart", "McLintock!", "Herbie Rides Again", and "Die! Die! My Darling!" with Tallulah Bankhead.

Some of the other celebs in attendance included Jane Russell, the Osmond Brothers, Richard Chamberlain, Morgan Fairchild, and reunions with the stars of the Terminator films, Knots Landing, and West Side Story.

The Exorcist- Then and Now

2010-01-09T13:41:00.001-08:00

I was recently in Washington D.C. on vacation and I decided to find many of the locations used in the classic 1973 horror film, The Exorcist. Above is the film's famous poster shot of the Exorcist approaching the house.

The film stars Ellen Burstyn as actress Chris MacNeil and Linda Blair as her daughter Regan. In the film, the two are living in a rented house at the corner of 36th and Prospect in the D.C. neighborhood of Georgetown. Chris is in town to shoot a movie on the Georgetown University campus. Slowly Regan starts to exhibit bizarre behavior after playing with an Ouija board. She's taken to many doctors and psychiatrists who can find nothing wrong with her. Finally, Chris turns to the church to have an exorcism performed on her daughter.
The actual house still stands but you'll notice many things missing from the film. The left side of the house was a fake front built so Regan's bedroom window would be closer to the long set of stairs that lead down to M Street. In the film, Regan throws film director Burke Dennings out her window where he falls to his death at the bottom of the stairs. The filmmakers also built up the roof so there would be enough space to allow for an attic.

Looking down Prospect St. towards the Georgetown campus. There was no filming inside the house. All interior photography took place on a soundstage in New York.

Many of the buildings surrounding the house look exactly the same. Above you can see The Tombs bar, located directly across the street from the house. This is where the film's bar scenes were shot.

The "do not enter" sign is still crooked! This is actor Lee J. Cobb who plays Lieutenant Kinderman. Cobb was nominated for the Oscar twice, first for "On the Waterfront"(1954) and then for "The Brothers Karamazov" (1958).

Here are some shots of Father Dyer walking towards the stairs along the side of the house. Dyer was played by real life Reverend William O'Malley.

This view is from the side of the house, looking towards the stairs that lead to M Street.

This set of stairs can be found in Healy Hall on the Georgetown University campus. This is where Father Karras, played by Jason Miller, goes to seek the church leaders approval to perform an exorcism.

Lee J. Cobb ascends the famous Exorcists steps as he looks for clues in the murder of film director Burke Dennings.

These steps were known for years as the Hitchcock steps.

Each step was lined with padding for the scene where Father Karras throws himself out of Regan's window and down the steps.

This is Healy Hall on the Georgetown Campus, where the movie within a movie was shot. Above is Chris MacNeil talking to her director, Burke Dennings, played by actor Jack MacGowran.

The student protest scene was filmed on the front steps.

Here's a shot of Father Karras walking away from the filming going on in front of Healy Hall.

After a long day of filming, Chris walks home from the campus. Above is a now and then comparison of the stairs next to the campus library, with Healy Hall in the background. Looks pretty much the same.

Here Chris takes a relaxing walk through the streets of Georgetown. This is where you first hear Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" music, made famous by this film.

This is Dahlgren Chapel on the Georgetown campus.

This is where the church desecration took place.

The side door to Dahlgren Chapel, where the priest enters to change the flowers.

The statue of Mary is no longer there, so it was either added by the filmmakers or taken out by the school at some point.

The inside of the chapel looks similar, minus the red walls, statues, and old pews.

Here is where Father Karras took communian. That's it for this post!

The Lizzie Borden House: Now and Then

2009-11-14T18:45:00.001-08:00

I recently took a trip to Fall River, Massachusetts and spent two nights at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. This is the original house where Lizzie, the New England spinster, murdered her Father and Stepmother on August 4th, 1892. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Borden

You may remember the famous poem, "Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her Mother forty whacks, When she saw what she had done, She gave her Father forty one."

Lizzie was found not guilty, but to this day most people believe she committed the crimes.
The house was a private residence until the mid-90's when it was opened as a bed and breakfast. The owners claim that the house is haunted and there have been many tv shows documenting this. During my two nights there I didn't experience anything out of the ordinary.
Here's my Mom at the front door.
The back of the house at the time of the murders and how it looks today. The original barn was much closer to the house. A few years ago they recreated the barn, but set it further back to make room for parking. Inside the barn is a small gift shop.
The front entry. I was told that all the doors and locks are original to the house except for two.
Off the front entry is the parlor. This is where Lizzie was told that she was the prime suspect in the murder case.
On the morning of August 4th, Lizzie's father, Andrew, returned home early from work. He decided to take a nape and laid down on the sofa in the sitting room. The above crime scene photo shows what happened next. Andrew's face was completely crushed on one side. According to court testimony, Lizzie found the body and called up to the maid, Bridget Sullivan, that "someone had killed Father."
While Lizzie was being tended to by neighbors, the maid went upstairs and from the landing, looked over into the guest room and saw a body laying on the ground on the other side of the bed.
Laying beside the bed was the body of Mrs. Abbey Borden. Both victims had been killed by blows from a hatchet. At the time of the murders, this room was occupied by Lizzie's uncle, John V. Morse. He was out of town on that day.
In the corner of this bedroom they have the original costume worn by actress Elizabeth Montgomery from the 1970's tv movie, "The Legend of Lizzie Borden". Montgomery is probably most famous for playing the witch, Samantha, in the long running tv show "Bewitched".
The staircase is original to the house.
As you go downstairs, there's a small sign that reads "CAUTION! Watch your head! Low ceiling. There have already been two fatal head injuries in this house."
Here's Lizzie's bedroom where I stayed on the first night.
All over the place, pictures of Lizzie stare out at you.
In this case is a collection of Lizzie's original books. You can see she initialed the one behind the doll.
Notice the title of the book, second from the right. "With Edged Tools"
Having breakfast in the dining room.
The kitchen looks into the sitting room where Andrew was killed.
Here's the basement.

Back in the corner they found this hatchet, though it was never determined if it was the murder weapon.

This is where they would collect rain used to wash clothes.

The side of the house.

An old view of Second street.

Here I am at the Fall River Historical Society. They have an entire room dedicated to the Borden case. On display is the hatchet that police found, the blood stained bed cover from the upstairs bedroom, and many photographs from the case.

After the trial Lizzie decided to move to the nicer part of town, up on the hill. This was her house until she died there in 1927.

She called the house Maplecroft and had the name carved into the steps.

This is Oak Grove Cemetery, where the Borden family is buried.

They have so many visitors wanting to see the graves that they actually have arrows that direct you to them.

The family plot.

Lizzie headstone reads "Lizbeth".

Lizzie and her sister Emma side by side. They died just nine days apart.

This is the former Central Congregational Church, where Lizzie attended.

Down the street from the Borden house is The St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, where the maid Bridget Sullivan attended.

Weekend Photos from Hollywood

2009-10-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a two week vacation and spent part of last Sunday at the Hollywood Collector's Show. The lady above used to scare me as a kid. That's Sarah Douglas, who played Ursa in the Superman movies. I was surprised how tall she was. She told me that she just got back from a month in China, where she was filming a movie for the Sci-Fi Channel.

This is Rusty Goffe, probably the most recognizable Oompa Loompa from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory". He also was the Ministry of Magic Goblin in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".

This is Stan Freberg, famous voice over actor, radio personality, composer, singer, author, and comedian. He voiced Junyer Bear in the Looney Tunes, the beaver in Lady and the Tramp, and the yawning man in George Pal's Tom Thumb. In the background of this photo you can see actor Mickey Rooney in the yellow shirt.

Weekend Photos from Anaheim!

2009-09-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days down in Anaheim for Disney's first ever D23 Expo. The event featured special seminars, displays for upcoming attractions, screenings, and celebrity guests. On the first day I attended the annual Disney Legends awards. Some of the special guests in attendance over the course of the expo included Robin Williams, Betty White, Art Linkletter, Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, Robert Zemeckis, Miley Cirus, and Jerry Bruckheimer.
They had the original animatronic Lincoln from the 1964-65 World's Fair. This was the prototype for the Lincoln figure that opened in Disneyland.
Here I am with actress/singer Mary Costa. She was the voice of Princess Aurora in Disney's 1959 classic, "Sleeping Beauty".

Mary during the production of Sleeping Beauty.

Here's Mary with animator Marc Davis.

Herbie.

This display model shows the upcoming Cars Land, which will be opening at Disney's California Adventure in 2012.

I spent a little time in the parks.

The Enchanted Tiki Room.

Over in California Adventure, they're installing all the equipment for their new water show called "World of Color", premiering next spring. The show takes it's inspiration from Walt Disney's 1960's television show, "The Wonderful World of Color".

The show will be the size of a football field and feature animation projected against water, much like Fantasmic over in Disneyland. But the mist screens will be four times the size that you see in Fantasmic.

In this scene, the cats head will be projected against the mist screen, but the body will be made of water.

Claymation Article

2009-08-17T22:40:00.001-07:00

I found this1987 issue of Step-By-Step on Ebay.
Will Vinton in front of the Raisin "Lunch Box" set.

Mark Gustafson setting up the shot.

Weekend Photos from Hollywood

2009-07-19T14:41:00.001-07:00

On Saturday I went to another Hollywood Collector's Show. Here are a few people I met. Above is Leonard Stone, who starred as Mr. Beauregarde in one of my favorite movies, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". In the film, his gum chewing daughter Violet turns into a big blueberry. "Violet, you're turning Violet, Violet".
Leonard with Mr. Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder.

Actress Kathy Najimy, who starred as a nun in "Sister Act" and as one of the Sanderson sisters in "Hocus Pocus". She's also done voice over work for "King of the Hill" and "Wall-E".

This is old time Disney star, Tommy Kirk. He starred in a string of Disney Classics such as "The Hardy Boys", "Old Yeller", "The Shaggy Dog", "Swiss Family Robinson", "The Absent-Minded Professor", "Son of Flubber", "Babes in Toyland", "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" and "The Monkey's Uncle".
Here's Tommy with fellow Disney Star, Annette Funicello. Here's character actress Edie McClurg. Her first movie was "Carrie" where she starred as Helen Shyres. She's gone on to do tons of film and television roles. Her voice over work includes "The Little Mermaid", "A Bugs Life", and "Cars".

Forest Lawn- Hollywood Hills

2009-07-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills to do a little celebrity grave hunting.

The front of the cemetery is currently lined with news station trucks and satellites. Michael Jackson's body is being held here until his funeral on Tuesday. The news crews have been set up out front since last Wednesday.
The King of Pop and the Claymation Michael.
A private family funeral will be held here at 8 AM Tuesday morning, followed by a procession to the Staples Center in Downtown LA.
Inside I found the grave of Roy O. Disney, brother of Walt. Roy was in charge of the financial side of the Disney Studios, allowing Walt to focus on the creative.
Next to Roy is his wife, Edna.
After Walt died in 1966, Roy continued on with the plans to build Walt Disney World in Florida. The park opened in 1971, and Roy died shortly there after.
This statue of Roy and Edna can be seen at the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, right across the street from the Disney Studios in Burbank. This also happens to be the hospital where Walt passed away. In 2003, actor John Ritter died here. He was filming "8 Simple Rules" at the Disney Studios when he collapsed and was rushed across the street.

The tomb of Bette Davis.

Piano player Liberace.

James Bond and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang producer Albert Broccoli.

Actor and Director Charles Laughton. He was married to the Bride of Frankenstein, Elsa Lanchester.

Actors Freddie Prinze and George Raft are side by side.

Woody Woodpecker creator Walter Lantz.

Actor Strother Martin from "Cool Hand Luke".

Animator Tex Avery

The great stone face, Buster Keaton.

Stan Laurel of "Laurel and Hardy" fame. The marker for Stan's wife is in front of the wall.

The television family, Ozzie and Harriet.

Their son, Ricky Nelson is two rows up.

His marker reads Eric Nelson.

Forest Lawn is very uptight. They refuse to give out information on the location of star graves. If you're caught with a book telling you where they are, they may take it from you or ask you to leave. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is much friendlier to Celebrity grave hunters.

RIP Dom DeLuise 1933-2009

2009-05-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Ghostbusters" Locations!

2009-05-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

Here's another location I found during my New York trip in March. The Ghostbuster's Fire House.

The New York Public Library was seen in the opening of the film.

The Librarion above is the first person to encounter ghostly activity. This is the Library's reading room which has changed a little over the years.

Rosemary's Baby-Now and Then

2009-04-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

I visited New York City last month and one of the places on my must see list was The Dakota apartment building near Central Park. Construction on the building was finished in 1884. In 1968 the exterior was used in Roman Polanski's film, "Rosemary's Baby", starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes.

This high angle shot is from the opening credits of the film.

The Upper West Side of Manhattan was quite sparse during The Dakota's early years.

Here you see Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes walking outside the building. That's Central Park in the background.
In the film, this couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move into the the building, called the Bramford. They befriend this older couple, the Castevets, who happen to be witches/devil worshipers. Many of the building's older residents are part of this coven. The Castevets convince Guy that he could have fame and success in his acting career if his wife conceives Satan's child.

The Dakota is also known as the home of former Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono. Lennon was murdered in this entryway behind me on December 8th, 1980. He was shot several times in the back by Mark David Chapman when he was returning home for the night.

Yoko and John, outside The Dakota shortly before his murder.

This is actress Ruth Gordan, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Minnie Castevet. Some of her other films include "Harold and Maude" and "What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?". She was also a successful screenwriter, having received Oscar nominations for "Adam's Rib", "Pat and Mike", and "A Double Life".

In this scene, Mia is waiting for her friend, Hutch, outside the Time and Life building.

That's Radio City Music Hall in the background. Home of the Rockettes.

Weekend Photos From Hollywood!

2009-02-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from this weekend's Hollywood Collectors Show in Burbank. At the show you have opportunity to meet many old time stars or look around the tables filled with all kinds of movie memorabilia. Some of the people in attendance included Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Joan Collins, Jane Withers, Bruce Dern, Paul Reubens, and Beau Bridges.

Here I am with actress Nancy Olson, star of many classic Disney films, including "The Absent-Minded Professor", starring Fred MacMurray.

She was married to famous music composer, Alan Jay Lerner. She's currently married to former Capital Records Chairman, Alan Livingston. At 80 years old, she looks pretty amazing!
Here are a few of Nancy's film roles. Top: She starred with William Holden in the 1950 classic, "Sunset Blvd", for which she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar Nomination. Below that is Nancy with Fred MacMurray in "The Absent-Minded Professor", 1961. The bottom two stills are from one of my favorite Disney films, "Pollyanna",1960, in which Nancy starred as a character named Nancy Furman, one of Aunt Polly's servants.
This is actress Elizabeth Daily, who starred as Dottie in, what else, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure". Her distinctive voice has given her quite a successful voice over career. Some of her voices include Tommy Pickles in "Rugrats", Babe from "Babe: Pig in the City", and Buttercup from "The Powerpuff Girls".

Outside the show, this vehicle from " The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" was on display.
Back at home, I'm working on a personal project that will be shot in stop-motion animation. I'm returning to my roots!

Spahn Movie Ranch

2009-02-07T23:11:00.001-08:00

At 1200 Santa Susana Pass Road in Chatsworth, stands the former location of the infamous Spahn Movie Ranch.

Many Westerns were shot here, including "Duel in the Sun" and episodes of "Bonanza" and "The Lone Ranger". The old western town sets burned down in a 1970 fire.

This is George Spahn, the dairy farmer who purchased the property in 1948.

Here you can see one of the many Westerns that were shot on the property.

But Spahn Ranch is probably more well known today for being the location where the infamous Manson Family lived in the spring of 1969. On my visit there I found the location of the famous LIFE magazine photo of the Family, above. The lady third from the right is Lynette Fromme, who is serving a life sentence for attempting to assassinate President Ford in 1975.

It was from this ranch that madman Charles Manson sent out his followers on two nights of murder in the Los Angeles area.

On the night of August 9th, 1969 they went to the Benedict Canyon home of director Roman Polanski. The Manson Family members killed five people on the property, including Roman's wife, actress Sharon Tate. He was over in England working on a film at the time of the murders.

The next night, they went to the Los Feliz home of Leno and Rosemary Labianca and killed the couple.

I could go into more details about the crimes, but it's been written about so much.
This shot is from a Police raid on the ranch. Members of the Family were picked up on a separate charge of car theft. The killers were finally charged in the Tate/Labianca murders after Manson member, Susan Atkins bragged to her cellmate about committing the crimes.

The World of Coraline at Universal Studios

2009-02-03T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics I snapped this weekend of the Coraline display at Universal Studios.
http://www.coraline.com/
It opens this Friday!

The film was created by Laika Entertainment in Portland, Oregon.

Here you can see the facial seam that was painted out in post production. The upper and lower parts of her face were separate replacement pieces.

More "Roger Rabbit" Locations and Stars!

2009-01-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

Back in October, 2006 I wrote about a few locations used in the filming of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". http://kevinmaclean.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html I recently took the time to find one more spot used frequently throughout the film.

This is Hope Street in Downtown LA. It was the street used to film the scenes outside of Eddie Valient's Office and the bar where Dolores works.
Most of the buildings have been demolished, but Eddie's office was still there at the time of my visit.
It looks like it's ready for the wrecking ball.
This is Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit. During the filming of the movie, he actually dressed up as a rabbit and stood off camera, acting out his lines with Bob Hoskins. He was recently seen in "Zodiac", with Jake Gyllenhaal.
Here I am with actress Joanna Cassidy, who played Dolores in the film. She's had a long career in films including "Bank Shot" with George C. Scott and "Blade Runner".

"The Lone Ranger" Rock

2009-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

Just West of Topanga Canyon Blvd, below the 118 Freeway, you'll find this famous boulder, known as the Lone Ranger Rock.
It was seen in the opening credits of the TV classic, The Lone Ranger(1949-1957). Actor Clayton Moore and his trusty steed, Silver, can be seen rearing up in front of the rock.

Me, Maggie, and the rock.

The area was once part of Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, a place where many Westerns were shot. Now there are condos surrounding the area. Nearby is the former location of the infamous Spahn Movie Ranch, once the home of the Manson Family!
Actor Clayton Moore(1914-1999) and Silver. Apparently, Mr. Moore continued to wear the mask and hat out in public after the series ended.

My trusty steed, Maggie, takes a rest on the rock.

She's exhausted after this photo shoot.

Welcome to Fantasy Island!

2009-01-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

I was at the LA Arboretum this weekend and snapped these pics of the Queen Anne Cottage, the filming location of Fantasy Island. It really hasn't changed in 30 years.
The cottage was constructed in 1881 by Elias Jackson ("Lucky") Baldwin, a California businessman who once owned this land.

Actors Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize. Mr. Montalban passed away last week at the age of 88. Hervé shot himself in 1993 after suffering from health issues.

The cottage is on the National Register of Historic Places.

"de plane, de plane!"

Laurel and Hardy "The Music Box" steps

2008-11-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

The classic 1932 Laurel and Hardy short, "The Music Box" won the Academy Award for short film comedy. It's probably their best known film.
In the film, they have to deliver a piano to a house that sits at the top of a steep flight of stairs.

The stairs still exist to this day. They're on N. Vendome St. south of Sunset Blvd. The house to the right still looks pretty much the same.

At the bottom of the stairs you'll find this plaque.
A lady pushing a carriage hits Stan. A toilet was sitting out there on this particular day.

Eric and Ollie.

View from the top.

Recent Trip Photos

2008-09-22T21:34:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pics I snapped on a recent trip to South Dakota and Wyoming. Mt. Rushmore above.

View from the Presidential Trail at the base of the mountain.
Nighttime view and the parade of flags.

The Crazy Horse monument. This mountain carving was started 60 years ago and is located just 30 minutes from Mt. Rushmore. They're currently focusing on the horse's head which they hope to have done in the next 10 years.

I was able to get an up close view of the face which was pretty amazing.

At night they do a laser light show on the mountain.

Devil's Tower in Wyoming, seen in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".

The Wheel Inn Diner- Now and Then

2008-09-03T22:58:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos related to my previous post on the Cabazon Dinosaurs. This is the Wheel Inn Restaurant which sits right next to the roadside dinos. The place was once owned by Claude Bell, creator of the Dinosaurs.
In addition to using the Dinosaurs for "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", director Tim Burton and actor Paul Reubens also filmed inside the diner. Here you can see Pee-Wee entering the restaurant and a view of how it looks today. Those pies look yummy!
The place looks pretty much the same, with the exception of some different booths.
Of course I had to eat lunch in the Large Marge memorial booth.
The counter, where Pee-Wee first meets Simone. Hope you enjoyed the pics.

The Cabazon Dinosaurs

2008-07-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

I recently went to visit the Cabazon Dinosaurs, just west of Palm Springs off the 10 freeway on Main Street. You may remember them from "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure". This is where Large Marge drops off Pee-Wee. Above you can see a now and then comparison from the film. The "Eat" restaurant, which they actually filmed inside, is still next to the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs are named Dinny and Mr. Rex.
The dinosaurs were created by a man named Claude Bell. He started creating Dinny in the mid 1960's at a cost of $250,000. It took 11 years to finish. Dinny has a gift shop in his belly.
Another Pee-Wee comparison.
Mr. Rex was created in the early 1980's.
Pee-Wee and Simone go up to Rex's mouth to watch the sunset. They've since built this fence around the T-Rex which looks completely stupid.
Going up.
A set was used for the interior shots of the mouth.

Queen Mary.....Haunted?

2008-07-16T09:22:00.003-07:00

I went to visit the Queen Mary yesterday in Long Beach. The ship is said to be haunted.
I took a self guided tour and when I was down in the boiler room wandering around, this white mist (above) appeared as I was framing a photo. It lasted only a few seconds and then I took a second photo from the same angle. My flash was turned off and there was nothing running down there that would have created smoke.

The pictures above were taken not far from the location known as "shaft alley", where a fireman was crushed to death by the closing water tight door #13 in 1966. Many people report seeing a bearded man roaming this area.
The creepy propeller!!
The first class pool was the eeriest location on the ship. People have reported seeing a women and a young girl around the pool. Sometimes people hear children laughing.
The promenade deck.
Two years ago I was in London visiting the Tower of London when I took these two pictures. They're not shadows.

Weekend Photos

2008-07-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos I took during the 4th of July weekend in San Diego. That's Mission Bay above. The Parrot is from the Catamaran Resort in Pacific Beach. The bottom two pics were taken at Balboa Park.

Recent Photos

2008-06-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent pics I've snapped. These were taken in Malibu this weekend.

This seal was relaxing on the rocks. He got annoyed when I started snapping photos, so he got up and started waddling towards me.

I recently went to Lake Arrowhead with some friends. We stayed at this old bed and breakfast called Bracken Fern Manor. According to one of those Discovery Channel shows, the place is haunted by the spirit of a woman named Violet and a young boy.
The place has an interesting history. It was once owned by mobster Bugsy Siegel.

Universal Studios: Back lot Fire

2008-06-01T21:59:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics I snapped this morning of the fire on the Universal Studios back lot. The fire destroyed the King Kong attraction and the Back to the Future courthouse set. A video vault was also lost.
In these shots you can see the "War of the Worlds" set and the back of the "Psycho" house in the foreground.

Here is the nearby Smoke House, one of my favorite restaurants.

Hollywood Collectors Show

2008-04-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from last weekend's Hollywood Collectors Show in Burbank. I went with fellow DreamWorks animators Jeremy Bernstein and Morgan Kelly. Above: Kevin and Richard Dreyfuss.
Morgan and Verne Troyer(Mini-Me)
Kevin and Dom Deluise

Jeremy and Patty McCormick, star of "The Bad Seed".

"PSYCHO" ... 48 years later

2008-04-21T17:03:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite films is the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic, "Psycho". Here are a series of photos I've taken comparing the present day locations with the film.
The Psycho house on the Universal back lot is not in the original location. It has been moved twice since the filming. The actual filming location is near the lake where Jaws attacks the tram. Also, the original motel was torn down. The one you see today was created from old blueprints and photos for the Psycho sequels.
Mother is still home. I remember seeing the original Mother when I was a kid. She was on display in a glass case, rocking back and forth. It gave me the creeps.
For some reason Universal has set pieces from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" right next to the Bates Motel.
I recently found the car lot used in the film. It's on Lankershim Blvd., just North of Universal Studios. This is where Marion, played by Janet Leigh, goes to trade her car in. She is being watched by a cop(Mort Mills) from across the street who has become suspicious of her.

The brick building and doorway still exist. They've since added a show room to the lot.

A visit to Warner Bros.

2008-03-01T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from a recent visit to the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. They still have a back lot, though not quite as big as the neighboring Universal Studios.
This is Hennesy St., named after production designer Dale Hennesy. He designed the street for the 1981 film, "Annie".

Here's the orphanage. It looks a little different 27 years later.
This back lot alley has been used in many films including the first Spiderman and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Pee-Wee walked down this alley in the rain and some gang members jump out at him.
Remember this courthouse? It was seen in the opening of every episode of the 1960's Batman. The Batmobile pulls up and the caped crusaders rush up to Commissioner Gordan's office.

The street above was used in the classic Vincent Price film, "House of Wax". The building on the right with the yellow sign was the small wax museum that gets set on fire in the opening of the film.
The character played by Vincent Price ends up opening a larger wax museum at this location on the lot. Fans of the movie will notice that the marque is missing. This was Warner Bros. first 3-D movie and in the film they have a guy with a paddle ball hitting the ball into the camera at this location. A little further down the street you can see a black theater marque. Apparently this was used as the wax museum in a previous 1933 film version, "Mystery of the Wax Museum".
This town square has been used in many films, including 1962's "The Music Man". You can also see the church on "The Waltons".

RIP Johnny Grant 1923-2008

2008-01-11T08:54:00.001-08:00

Johnny Grant, Honorary Mayor of Hollywood died Wednesday of natural causes. He was 84. Johnny oversaw the Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremonies and for years organized the Hollywood Christmas Parade. I was able to meet him on two occasions and had the above photo taken with him about a month and a half ago.
Johnny gets his own star, above, and a wax version of Mr. Grant can be found at the Hollywood Wax Museum, below.

The Munchkins: Walk of Fame

2007-11-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

On November 20th, I attended the Walk of Fame star ceremony for seven of the surviving Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz".

Joey Luft, son of Judy Garland made a brief speech.
After the ceremony I went to the "Lunch in the Land of Oz" at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The lunch was in the same room where the first Academy Awards ceremony was held.

At the luncheon, I met actress Ann Rutherford, one of the last surviving cast members of "Gone With The Wind". Ann played Scarlett's sister, Carreen O'Hara (below).

Random Celebrity Photos: Part 2

2007-09-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more photos from my collection. I was an animator on Jerry Seinfeld's upcoming animated film, "Bee Movie" http://www.beemovie.com/ This photo was taken after my last dailies session on the film.
Julie Newmar. Famous as Catwoman from the 1960's Batman.
Debbie Reynold from Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Charlotte's Web.
Mickey Rooney. He's probably had the longest career of any actor in history. He started in silent films and was just recently seen in Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller.
Legendary voice actress June Foray. Voice of Rocky the Squirrel, Witch Hazel, Grandma Gummi, "Talking Tina" doll from the Twilight Zone to name just a few.
Tippi Hedren, star of the Hitchcock classics, "The Birds" and "Marnie". She's also the mother of actress Melanie Griffith.
Here I am with another ex-Portlander, Tonya Harding!!

HOLLYWOODLAND: Now & Then

2007-09-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

This is Beachwood Village, the neighborhood the Hollywood sign was originally created to advertise. The stone gates that lead you into historic Hollywoodland still stand to this day. The white house in the middle was once owned by Mickey Rooney.

The area has a market, Hollywoodland Antiques, and the Village Coffee Shop below. It's a nice area to hangout and relax. You may even spot a famous face. Keanu Reeves was having breakfast on one of my recent visits to the Village Coffee Shop.
To reach the area, just drive north up Beachwood Drive from Franklin Avenue.

Random Celebrity Photos

2007-07-29T15:25:00.001-07:00

One of my hobbies is collecting autographs and photos with various celebrities. I really like meeting people from old Hollywood. Above you see me with Tony Anselmo and Bill Farmer, the voices of Donald Duck and Goofy.
Here we have several cast members from the classic 1960's "Batman". Top: Adam West (Batman), Middle: Lee Meriwether(Catwoman), Burt Ward (Robin), Bottom: Yvonne Craig (Batgirl).
Lou Ferrigno, The Incredible Hulk.
This picture with Morgan Fairchild was taken just the other week.
Jane Russell, star of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", seen above with Marilyn Monroe.
Kathryn Grant Crosby, former wife of Bing Crosby and star of my favorite Ray Harryhausen film, "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad".

Will Vinton Studios: Summer 1997

2007-07-20T00:20:00.000-07:00

Here we have a few more photos from my first job in the animation industry. You can see the crew below, from the right going counter clockwise: Gary Bialke(an amazing character designer/sculptor), Meredith Gill, Bartek Prusiewicz, Kevin MacLean, Adel, and a teacher whose name escapes me. We were creating a clay cartoon for Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom.
Another animator on the crew, Joel Brinkerhoff, can be seen below, second from the right. http://joelbrinkerhoff.blogspot.com/
This area of the studio was called "Clay 3". It was right off the shooting stages and as you can see, not very organized. This is where we would sculpt the characters and get them ready for the camera. The shelves on these desks were filled with old clay characters from past Vinton productions. It was a fun place to wander around in.

Weekend Photos: Griffith Observatory

2007-07-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

I went up to the Griffith Observatory Saturday night and snapped a few photos. I'll be posting some more now and then photos of sites around Hollywood in the coming weeks.

10 years ago......

2007-07-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my Mom on the phone and mentioned that it was exactly 10 years ago today that I was hired at Will Vinton Studios. It's amazing how fast it all goes by. The pimple faced teenager above is me working on my first professional project. It was a flat clay on glass educational film for Disney, directed by John Logue.

http://www.animationjones.com/

Paramount Ranch

2007-07-01T14:50:00.001-07:00

These photos were taken this weekend at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. The area was bought by Paramount Studios in the 1920's and it is now a 466-acre public park. Countless westerns have been shot here over the years. There is a standing western town set that visitors can explore. This area was used to film the tv show, "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman".
Chris Bancroft and Kevin at the town Grocery. The area is still used for filming. While we were there some location scouts were walking around talking about the shots that they needed to film.
If you're interested in visiting, just take the 101 North from LA to the Kanan Rd. off ramp. Turn left on Kanan and go South until you reach Cornell Rd. Take a left onto Cornell and go about two and half miles to Paramount Ranch Rd. Take a right and follow the road into the Ranch.

All the doors were locked unfortunately.
Chris found a pair of false teeth on a window ledge. He wouldn't put them in his mouth, but kept it as a souvenir.

LA Photos

2007-06-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here's some recent photos I snapped around Los Angeles last week. The two middle photos were taken at The Grove, a fancy, Disneyland-like shopping complex. The last photo is at Westward Beach in Malibu, the same location from my last post. This is the location in Planet of the Apes were they go in the cave and find the doll.

Planet of the Apes

2007-06-02T17:15:00.001-07:00

Recognize this beach? It's Westward Beach in Malibu, also known as the sight of the famous end sequence from Planet of the Apes. This is a secluded area of the beach surrounded by cliffs. I had to climb over rocks to reach it. The beach lies right between Point Dume and Zuma beach. If you're expecting to see the Statue of Liberty you'll be disappointed.

The Bronson Caves (aka The Bat Cave)

2007-06-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos taken yesterday at the Bronson Caves in Griffith Park. The cave was used in the original Batman tv show of the 60's and has also been seen in Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Star Trek.
Chris Bancroft, Eric Deuel, and Kevin MacLean at the Bat Cave. Adam West and Burt Ward were at the cave several years ago to film scenes for the reunion movie, Return to the Batcave, above.

Once you walk thru the cave/tunnel you get a great view of the Hollywood sign.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

2007-05-31T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today I went with my friends Eric Deuel and Chris Bancroft to Bronson Canyon in Griffith Park to see the Bronson Caves. This area has been the site of many films over the years including the 1956 classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In the photo above you see actors Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter running across the canyon in the film. You can see from my present day photos that the area really hasn't changed much in 51 years.

My next post will include photos of the cave, better known as the "Bat Cave".

Behind the Scenes: NFL on Fox

2007-05-24T21:52:00.001-07:00

Here's a series of behind the scenes photos from the last round of NFL on Fox commercials created at Vinton Studios in 2002. Travis Knight and myself were the animators and Brad Shiff was the animation director. They were a fun group of spots to work on. In the photo above I'm working on the tiny submarine set where Terry is spying on the weather girl, Jillian as she takes a bath.
Here's Travis working on NFL "Cookout". His animation is amazing. In addition to these NFL spots, he also animated many stop-mo Kikoman commercials during this period at the studio.

Here I am animating Terry Bradshaw as he tortures Jimmy Kimmel with his singing voice in "Kimmel's Travels".

More Portland Photos

2007-05-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post a few more photos of last month's Portland trip. That's Cannon Beach above.
Here I am with my friends Kyle and Matt at The Portland Grill. Kyle has been with Laika/Vinton Studios for the last 20 years.
Waiter, Kyle, Matt, Eric Deuel, and our waitress Sabrina.
This is the Columbia River Gorge. That's Washington on the other side of the river.
This statue is called Portlandia. She's been sitting up there for over 20 years now. Portlandia is the second largest hammered copper statue in America (the largest is the Statue of Liberty).

Eric at the Pittock Mansion.
Eric roaming the halls.
Multnomah Falls.

Mulholland Drive

2007-05-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

I was driving along Mulholland Drive today and discovered this scenic overlook which has a great view of Hollywood and downtown LA.
That's the 101 Hollywood freeway headed south. Notice the Capital Records building, middle and to the right.
Here's a unique view of the Hollywood Bowl.
Look off to the east and you see the Hollywood Sign.

Claymation Commercials

2007-05-04T01:12:00.000-07:00

Here we have a few behind the scenes photos from some Will Vinton Studios commercials I worked on. The first two photos are from a low budget Albertsons commercial I animated along with Teresa Drilling. I remember having to shoot the above shot twice because I had the characters bumping too violently into the doors as they were trying to get out.
The faces were clay and I think the bodies were taken from some old "Gary & Mike" puppets.
I always liked animating the Three Musketeers. This photo was taken during the filming of the "Chocolate Awards" spot. We shot the characters front light/back light so they could be placed into the live-action environment of an awards show.

AAAAAHHHH!!!! Monkeybone!!

2007-04-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

Me & Monkeybone. I can't believe this was seven years ago. It would be nice to get back to pushing puppets around since I've been doing all CG animation for the last four years.

ASIFA-Hollywood's Stop-Motion Expo

2007-04-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to ASIFA-Hollywood's Stop-Motion Expo at Woodbury University in Burbank. There were panel discussions and a few items on display including Speedy Alka-Seltzer, above, and portions of The Nightmare Before Christmas "Oogie Boogie" set, below.

This is Gene Warren Jr., special effects artist and winner of the effects Oscar for Terminator 2: Judgment Day. His dad, Gene Warren, worked on many George Pal "Puppetoons" and won the Oscar for the special effects in 1960's "The Time Machine".
Here is Will Vinton on the panel discussion, "The Evolution of Stop-Motion Animation". Will screened some of the work his studio created over a 25 year history.
This is from the famous Nissan car commercial from the mid-90's.
A clip from "Closed Mondays", Will Vinton and Bob Gardiner's Oscar winning short from 1974.
Some CG animation snuck in there too. This was from a popular M&M's commercial me and Tracy Larson animated at Will Vinton Studios. The characters are eating their own M&M's and Patrick Warburton comes in and tells them, "you don't eat your own kind, it's unnatural." So they all switch bags and continue eating. Patrick walks out saying, "That's just disturbing."
More Vinton Characters: Raisins, above, dinosaurs, Rex & Herb, below.
Smokey & Thurgood Stubbs from "The PJ's", below.

Portland Trip

2007-04-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Me and fellow DreamWorks animator, Eric Deuel, were in my hometown of Portland, Oregon this last weekend.
This is the Pittock Mansion which has a great view of Portland. You may remember the TV movie, "The Haunting of Sarah Harding", starring Sela Ward was filmed at this mansion.

While we were there we visited my friends at Laika Entertainment. At the moment they're spread out among several buildings until their new Tualatin campus opens in 2009.
Beautiful Multnomah Falls. I believe this is Oregon's number one tourist attraction.
This is the view from the top.

Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock, seen in the movie, "The Goonies".
Astoria, a location for many different films.
This is the famous "Goonies" house in Astoria.
A few blocks away from the "Goonies" house is the school from "Kindergarten Cop".
The Astoria column offers a great view of the city.

Walt Disney Studios

2007-03-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

I was at the Disney Studios for lunch yesterday. I'll eventually post more photos that I snapped. This is the famous corner of Mickey Ave. and Dopey Drive. Behind me is the original animation building where the Disney classics of the 40's, 50's and 60's were animated. Walt Disney's office was on the third floor of this building.

Pee-Wee Herman

2007-02-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

I love "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" and "Pee-Wee's Playhouse". This photo was taken yesterday at the Hollywood Collectors Show in Burbank. Left to right: Kevin MacLean, Jeremy Bernstein, Paul Reubens, and Morgan Kelly. Jeremy, Pee-Wee, and Morgan are all CalArts alumni. I was accepted there to the Experimental Animation program but never ended up attending.

Will Vinton Book Signing at Universal Citywalk

2007-02-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from Will Vinton's book signing at the "Things From Another World" store on the Universal Citywalk. Will has a new graphic novel out called "Jack Hightower" from Dark Horse. It's been about a year and a half since I last saw him.

Here's an old shot of Will in the classic Claymation days. Most of these characters are from the late 80's/early 90's period at Will Vinton Studios.

Animation: Behind the Scenes

2007-02-08T01:02:00.000-08:00

A few behind the scenes photos from Will Vinton Studios. That's the character Sharique I'm animating on top for the 3rd season of "The PJ's". Middle: The M&M's were the very first characters I animated in CG. This particular spot was a promotion for "Will & Grace" on NBC. Bottom: Animating against green screen for "NFL on Fox". I've been missing stop-motion lately.
This was the only photo I ever snapped of the long row of stages used during the production of Eddie Murphy's "The PJ's". We shot the show in a huge warehouse in Northwest Portland. Each set is separated by black curtains. When you walked onto the stage you heard constant clicking noises because we were all clicking away on our frame grabbers.

Griffith Observatory

2007-02-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

I took my parents to see the Griffith Observatory this weekend. It recently reopened after being closed for years of refurbishing. Many movies have been shot here including "The Rocketeer", the recent "Charlie's Angels" pic, and the classic "Rebel Without a Cause" starring James Dean.
The Observatory has a great view of LA.
Mom and Dad with smoggy LA in the background.
The world famous Hollywood Sign can also be seen.

James Dean tribute statue.

The PJ's, "You Go Kart"

2007-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

This is a publicity photo from the television show, "The PJ's". The Director of Photography and myself are setting up a shot for the episode, "You Go Kart". This was my favorite episode to work on from the first season. Billy Jarcho directed it.

Movieland Wax Museum (1962-2005)

2007-01-18T00:05:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures I snapped of my visit to the Movieland Wax Museum in 2005, just months before they closed their doors. The museum was in Buena Park, just down the street from Knott's Berry Farm. Like I said in my last post, the quality of this museum, from the figures to the sets, was much better than the Hollywood Wax Museum. Many of the figures had the original costumes worn by the actors.
Sammy Davis Jr.
Jean Harlow
Ed Asner as Lou Grant.
John Wayne
Two of the museum's most famous figures.
Marilyn Monroe

Superman Returns

2006-11-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

This is actress Noel Neill. She played Lois Lane in the 1950's series, "The Adventures of Superman" with George Reeves. She also had a cameo in 1978's "Superman" and as the old, dying lady in the opening scene of "Superman Returns".

Noel in the opening scene of "Superman Returns".
Noel and George Reeves.

Get "Flushed Away"

2006-11-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

This was the scene at DreamWorks today. "Flushed Away", DreamWorks and Aardman's new film is out in theaters. Check it out! http://flushedaway.com

A Room With A View

2006-10-26T22:52:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered this neighborhood in Los Angeles that overlooks the Universal Studio's back lot. The people who live here have a great view of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" set and the back side of the "Psycho" house from the Alfred Hitchcock classic.

Walt Disney Studios: Then and Now

2006-10-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

The site of Walt Disney's original animation studio at 2719 Hyperion Avenue in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles is now a grocery store called Gelson's Market. Only a small building from the original studio survives and it now sits on Disney's Burbank studio lot.

I'm sure that most of the people that shop at Gelson's probably don't realize that "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was created on this site.

More "Roger Rabbit" filming locations...........

2006-10-07T22:16:00.000-07:00

The fictional cartoon studio of "Maroon Cartoons" in the film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is in reality the Ren-Mar Studios in Hollywood. It's located at 846 North Cahuenga Blvd., just North of Melrose Avenue. From 1953 to 1967 it was called the Desilu Cahuenga Studios, and shows such as "I Love Lucy" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show'' were shot here.

Toon Town Tunnel

2006-10-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

The actual tunnel used as the entrance to Toon Town in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" can be found in Griffith Park on your way up to the Observatory. To reach it turn off of Los Feliz onto Hillhurst. Drive up into Griffith Park, pass the Greek Theatre, wind up the road until you reach the tunnel. (It looks slightly different since they dressed it up for the movie) Roger Rabbit director, Robert Zemickis also used the tunnel in one of his other films, "Back to the Future II". Look for it in the scene where Biff chases down Marty on the hover board. The length of the tunnel looks huge in that film so I'm not really sure how they shot it.

Child Stars

2006-10-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Turner Classic Movies aired a documentary tonight called "Private Screenings: Child Stars" and it featured actresses Jane Withers and Margaret O'brien. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I love meeting old time Hollywood actors. Jane starred in "Bright Eyes" with Shirley Temple and with James Dean in "Giant". For 20 years she was "Josephine the Plumber" in Comet television ads. I've met Jane a few times, most recently when I was sitting across from her table at the old Smokehouse restaurant near Warner Bros. Studios.

As for Margaret O'brien, she was in "Jane Eyre" with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, and she won a special Oscar in 1944 for her role as Tootie in "Meet Me In St. Louis" with Judy Garland.

A Piece of Hollywood History

2006-09-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is the small section of the original Hollywood Sign that I own. It was taken from the letter "H".

The Hollywood Sign

2006-09-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

The world famous Hollywood sign. You're not supposed to hike up to it, but that's just what me and two other animators did last year.

I wasn't content on just having a picture of the sign from afar, so William Salazar, Eric Deuel, and myself made the 25 minute hike up Mt. Lee to the sign. The letters stand 50 feet tall. Back in the 1932, an out of work actress named Peg Entwistle(see photo below) jumped to her death from the top of the letter H. In those days the sign read as "HOLLYWOODLAND". Legend has it that Ms. Entwistle still haunts the sign to this day.

The current sign is not the original. It was rebuilt in the 1970's after years of decline. I own a small section of the original letter "H". I'll post some photos of that in my next entry.

Check out http://www.hollywoodsign.org for more history and live webcams of the sign 24/7.