Obscure and lost L.A. history

ABOVE: The Haunted Castle at Beverly Park (now the Beverly Center)
BELOW: BP parking lot circa 1969-70


Lately, as I roam around the net in-between gigs waiting for the writer's to do their thing so I can finish mine...or to be more specific, I'm waitin' on liner notes from Pamela Des Barres for the The Sales Bros. album package I'm designing...and Al Jardine's Track info for his first solo album I'm doing...I've grown addicted to daily hang-outs in these blogs in particular:

Gorillas Don't Blog
Stuff From The Park
Outside The Berm
Vintage Disneyland Goodies
Knott's Berry Farm Museum
Daveland

Why? Because they feature not only amazing old Disneyland stuff (from photos to souvenirs to employee handbooks) but they also serve as a time machine for places that we've lost forever here in Southern California; Marineland (below), Knott's (pre-snoopy) , P.O.P., etc...


BELOW: The late great Ralph Story did a couple of shows for KCET called "Things That Aren't Here Anymore" (can't find a link to it...so I guess the show isn't around here anymore either!) But Ralph also did an incredible TV series from 1959-1970 called "Ralph Story's Los Angeles"

Yes, this is the man who invented Huell Howser.
The shows are over at the UCLA media department and can be viewed by the public there, but man I'd love to see these released on DVD. There's an entire episode done on the Hollywood Ranch Market that's mind-blowing...complete with 1967 Rodney Bingenheimer in a purple Nehru jacket buying a Diet-Rite soda at 3A.M. (those wierdos that come in after the rock clubs close, the check-out girl explains!)

I guess what's so hard of letting go of the past, is that being an L.A. native and an artist, I really miss the visual & creative vibe we used to have here before the city turned into what I can only describe as The Invasion of the Beige People!...I can't seem to put my finger on who is behind this movement, but they've re-painted over almost every architectural structure (that they haven't leveled) different shades of beige or brown..."tuscan" they call it, and now when you drive around the city on the main boulevards, the buildings actually feel like they're falling in on you...like a claustrophobic forced perspective.

BELOW: Driving around Hancock Park last week I caught it happening in action...here we see the innocent workers following orders from tuscan headquarters...one hour earlier, this was a perfectly groovy white Spanish-style home.
Stop the madness!
Listen, to each their own...but my own has a much wider color scheme! Our local retail shops aren't much better. Long gone are the bright colors and the red & white striped awnings that would pop out of those storefronts as a perfect foreground to the palm trees and blue skies. Also nearly extinct are those amazing and imaginative store & restaurant logos we used to see all around the city.

I gotta thank Dan Goodsell for the 60's Orange Julius logo, Dan's the king of original food packaging. It's a wierd sensation when you get home-sick while you're in your own city, and that's how I feel here lately.

Mon Oncle

BELOW: It was a groove to find these clips from a 1969 "Playboy After Dark" appearance of my late great Uncle Milton...Milt Kamen. This is 1 of 2 parts available for viewing on YouTube.



Milton was my mother Dorothy's brother (one of 5 brothers and 2 sisters) They grew up pooor in Brooklyn and in fact, in an old Esquire magazine article written about the great comedian Harry Ritz, my uncle and Harry were talking about Milton Berle's legendary practice of stealing jokes to which my Uncle says "I was at a cocktail party last week and telling someone about my family, being raised in poverty etc...and I see Berle standing there listening to me...well, the following evening I go to another party and there I overhear Berle telling the same story word for word!...Berle didn't steal my jokes...he stole my whole life!"

BELOW: A couple of great shots courtesy of my pal and Game Show Book author Fred Wostbrock of Milt with guests from the old "Pantomime Quiz" TV show circa mid-fifties. We can see a twenty-something Carol Burnett in the mix, but I can't make out the rest of the folks. Post it in the comments if you know.
BELOW: another clip from 1976 when he was a panelist on "The Gong Show" although he doesn't say a word, it just feels good to see him again...now if Jaye P. Morgan had been my Uncle we'd have something here.



He was also a talented and classically trained musician who played the French Horn (in Carnegie Hall at one time) and also hung out with some pretty heavy cats like Brando, Wally Cox, Lenny Bruce, Oscar Levant and Dizzy Gillespie (he can be seen doin' some "freeform dance expression" while Dizzy blows the horn on the 1959 debut of "Playboy After Dark"...then titled "Playboy's Penthouse") and was frequent guest on Merv Griffin's show. Merv loved Uncle Milton, and used to have him do his own wacky movie reviews. One I remember in particular was of the 1933 King Kong film: "Here he comes to the greatest city in the world, immediately picks up this gorgeous blonde broad, and what does he do? he takes her to the Empire State Building like any tourist...talk about no imagination!"

Milt was a clean comedian, but then I've had in the past, both George Carlin and Redd Foxx tell me stories about how much they loved and dug him. He did a play in Vegas with Redd that was written by our old next door neighbor Sam Bobrick called "Norman, Is That You?" Sam was also the "Mad Man" who was responsible for that Mad Magazine cardboard 45 record called "It's a Gas" remember that one?

He did one comedy album on Capitol Records in 1964 which can be downloaded here. Thanks to Kliph Nesteroff for this one -


The album was produced by Mel Brooks and the back liner notes are written by some other funny guy named Groucho.

Legend has it that Uncle Milton dug a kid he saw doing stand-up in the Catskills and brought him in to meet Sid Caesar to see if he could get him a job writing for the show "Fellas, this kid's a young Larry Gelbart!" to which a young Gelbart (in the room at the time) said "I thought I was a young Larry Gelbart?!" Well, they ended up hiring him. The kid's name was Woody Allen.

Man, I guess what was only gonna be a few sentences and a couple of clips of my Uncle is turning into an authorized biography here! There's plenty more showbiz stories there, not to mention his "friendship" with Shelly Winters (I told you not to mention it!) but maybe some other time. Thanks for your mouse.

MAILA NURMI R.I.P.

Bummer to wake up and see that Maila Nurmi passed away on Thursday. I got to know Maila for a short time and had the honor of creating a poster for her to sign and sell (below) so she could eat and pay some bills.

Thanks to my friend Chuck Harter, I was also able to go to the original KABC studios in Los Feliz where the Vampira show was shot in 1954 and accompanied her and Chuck to an interview done for a Halloween segment which, due to the passing of Steve Allen was bumped off the evening broadcast.
see Vampira's Attic on YouTube for a bunch of cool videos.

Rest well Maila.

Brian's New Tour Programme

Programme? Yup. It was intended to be sold exclusively in Europe, but they decided to make it available in the U.S. too. Below are the front and back covers (stacked up)

You should be able to grab one on Brian's website soon. Here's a few preview page spreads below (click on the images to see 'em bigger)

There's a bunch of new and old shots and I had Brian's ol' friend Harvey Kubernik do an awesome new "inner-view" (also, look for this month's MOJO mag with Harvey's "Monterey Pop Festival" article) I dug up some amazing older shots over at Capitol Records. One of my favorite ones in the booklet is the one below of Brian at P.O.P. (Pacific Ocean Park) and there are a few surprises inside too: How 'bout an actual advertisement for The Radiant Radish?

My 1st update in a few months? I actually attempted to log in earlier last month, but forgot my password and user name. Today I logged in without thinkin' and hit it on the first shot!

Oh yeah...last month I ran into an old friend of mine, Nigel Mogg. Nige sent me this photo (below) of a SMiLE tattoo that a friend of his had gotten. He's an actor/musician named Drake Bell

I've seen a few SMiLE logo tattoo's, and I've also included another one (below) that I found last year. Man, it's one thing to see your art bootlegged on an album or shirt, but quite another thing to see it on someone's skin! If you have one yourself or know a friend that has one, send me a shot of it: Mlondon@hotmail.com See ya soon!

George Barris Place

Well, it was a groove. Domenic Priore and I went down there and met up with 1/3 of the Wondermints: The great Nicky Wonder & Darian Sahanaja. We also ran into Art Fein and my good friend (and amazing cartoon artist) Patrick Owsley. Domenic's new book "Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock'N'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood" will finally be out in June.

ABOVE: The King with Councilman Tom LaBonge being hoisted up in a crane to unveil the new street plaque seen in the first photo at the top.

BELOW: Cool new mural done for the event. I was told that there was gonna be a faux Batcave constructed in that location and the Batmobile would be seen haulin' ass outta there at some point just like the opening of the TV show. So much for rumors. I guess it was cheaper to just paint it instead!

BELOW: all I can say is...it's the thought that counts! However this does give us a good idea what it could've looked like if Richard Belzer had been originally cast as Robin!

BELOW: The closest to Zombo I'll ever get...

BELOW: The closest to The Monkees Nicky will ever get...(but if they ever have another reunion, I hope they're sharp enough to have his number around!)
BELOW: (found on a sampler of things) If Wondermints ever get their own TV show...

I'm not sure of the exact list of who else attended. Of course Brett, George's son who I'd mentioned before...as was Brett's sister Joji. We saw Nancy Sinatra pulling around the front of the shop, but I didn't see her at the event. Eric Estrada was there, but that's about all I can remember. All in all, it was a great day and maybe Huell Howser will finally take notice and do one of his "California's Gold" features on George. I personally wrote Howser a letter explaining that Barris' shop is basically the "Willy Wonka" factory of Hollywood auto history, but I got a generic form reply in return...so, to them I say; get a clue, clues are free! OK back to work & see ya soon.
~ ML ~

Here we come..walkin' down the street: "Barris Place" that is!

Well, Rodney got his due last week and now another living piece of California's Gold; George Barris will have a street named in his honor this week. In case you think don't know who the King of Kustom is...trust me, you know his work.
Start with the Batmobile, The Munster's Coach & Dragula...and then I'll let you have fun doing your own google-fest.

Here's the 411:

TOLUCA LAKE – Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge is pleased to announce a very special ceremony on Friday, March 23 honoring the King of the Kustomizers, George Barris, and the Barris family business, Barris Kustom City. Please join Councilman LaBonge and Master of Ceremonies Fritz Coleman as they unveil and christen George Barris Place, and as they honor the most famous kustom auto designer and builder of celebrity cars in the world.

Expected to attend the dedication will be some of the stars Barris created cars such as Bo Derek, John Corbett, Adam West, John Schneider, Nancy Sinatra, Dan Haggerty, Karen Kramer, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), James Barren and Mamie Van Doren, just to name a few. Paul Casey, official Elvis of Las Vegas and two-time Entertainer of the Year, will perform Elvis’ greatest hits as a tribute to Barris, a long time personal friend of Elvis Presley. Barris built several movie cars for Elvis. The dedication will take place at 1 p.m. at Barris Kustom Industries, 10811 Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake.

Aside from fiberglass fabrications, Barris is also known for his Boss paint jobs. The "Barris Gold" is his signature color, and he's most renowned for his "scallops" rather than his flames. A scallop follows the line of the body and ends in a sharp point.
One of George's most legendary scallop jobs could be found on the back of a Porsche Spyder that was owned (and fatally un-owned) by the original Brad Pitt...a guy named James Dean.
Below is a shot of "The King and I" taken by Hal Lifson at his first "1966!" book signing at Bookstar in Studio City. At that signing we also had Batman himself: Adam West present along with Barris to sign some books (L.A. locals will sadly notice our dearly departed Sav-On in the background) You shoulda seen the look on the local policemen's faces when they saw the '66 Batmobile parked out front of the store, it was right out of a Candid Camera episode!
I went to High School with Brett Barris, George's son...this comes in handy when you just happen to need an original Batmobile on short notice...Thanks Brett & George!

One of my favorite Barris creations (also my all-time favorite movie poster seen above) is the ZZR surfmobile from the (1966 of course!) film "Out Of Sight" dig this -
Also of note to Beach Boys fans, George did a little something for the guys too (below)
BELOW: Beach Boys Buggy Kustom Cars Sticker #38
Text description written on back of the card:
From one of the biggest national contests Capitol Records ever has evolved 22 Kandy striped mini Coppers for the Beach Boys. Hub caps are made of their gold records. Red and white Kandy striped fur interior, top and curtains make this Barris special a real eye-opener.So there ya go.
Be there or be aware! I won't be posting much for the next coupla months, it's time to start on Brian's 2007 tour book and I'll be buried under e-mail's, photos, coffee and deadlines.

Until then, keep it real! ~ ML ~

P.S.
In memory of our beloved Tower Records on the Sunset Strip, which went the way of Wallich's Music City this year, here's my moment from 2004. A sight that all album designers and bands throughout the years used to look forward to seeing. I'm proud to have been a part of that tradition...and just in time!
photo by Dennis Loren

Rodney on the Walk: It's All Happening!

On March 9th 2007 the Mayor of the Sunset Strip will have conquered Hollywood Blvd. too!

I was asked by my pal Rodney Bingenheimer to create the concert poster for the evening gig at the Music Box theatre to celebrate his new position on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Here's is the official announcement from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce:
WHO: Rodney Bingenheimer, Honorary Mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
WHAT: 2,330th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
WHERE: 7021 Hollywood Boulevard
WHEN: Friday, March 9, at 11:30 a.m.

A few years ago, Chris Carter gave me the chance to design my first movie poster (above) for his and George Hickenlooper's documentary on Rodney "Mayor of the Sunset Strip". It's a beautiful poster with a silver mirror foil-stamped logo. These were only given out at the June 17th 2003 premier of the film at the Hollywood Cinerama Dome. I also designed the soundtrack sampler CD package, a promo folder, a button and the passes for the after-party event.

Unfortunately when the film was finally sold to First Look Media, I wasn't even given a shot at the art for the world release:

Them (read with lisp): "Well, we want to use someone who specializes more in movie posters"
Me (with "get a clue" frustration): "That's called an artist sir. If I make the graphic square, it's an album, if I make it long, it's a movie poster...you know, like my poster that you have framed in your front office!"

Anyway, his nephew or his friend probably got the gig or something. To me, the final art (look it up yourself) ended up looking like some kind of Clockwork Orange Halloween party. A little sour grapes? Nope. I'm happy with the work I did, I just think I should've been given a fair chance at the new package. That said, Rodney can still be heard on KROQ (106.7 FM in Los Angeles) every Sunday night, and I believe on the net too.