Well, dear readers, it is very late and these here notes should have been posted ninety minutes ago but alas and alack as well as alack and alas, I went down a rabbit hole trying to identify the location of a 1969 photograph. This is not an easy task when the identifiers don’t mesh. I thought it might be Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica and/or Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, but neither worked. I finally got the bright idea to search via newspapers.com and that proved very helpful. In the photograph, you could clearly see on the right a Scots Hamburgers, Mark C. Bloome tires, and further down Gold’s Gym and Thrifty. I never knew there were multiple Scots Hamburgers – I only knew the one at Pico and Westwood right east of the Picwood Theater. But there were twelve locations, including three in the Valley. And going that route, I was able to place Scots, Mark C. Bloome, and Thrifty all within a five-block radius on Van Nuys Blvd. in Panorama City. On the left side, there’s clearly an office building and if I’m right, then that would have been the Panorama Towers, which is still there. But, of course, nothing else is there – although the Thrifty is a Rite Aid and Mark C. Bloome is a Just Tires. Unfortunately, that still leaves Gold’s Gym and I can find no evidence that there was ever a Gold’s Gym in Panorama City. That said, apparently the owner, Joe Gold, DID build a gym in Panorama City called World Gym, so I’m guessing that maybe people’s memories that it was called that may be wrong OR it was Gold’s Gym first. Eureka! Not Gold’s Gym – Golds Furniture and Appliances. Now we have it for sure! And now, without further ado – the notes! Oh, and here’s the photograph.
Prior to the rabbit hole, I did manage to finish watching Jet Pilot – it’s certainly enjoyable in various ways and some of it is classic Josef von Sternberg, especially the way Janet Leigh is photographed by the amazing Winton Hoch. And there are a few amusing moments, too. After that, I watched a Blu and Ray of The 7th Dawn, starring William Holden, Capucine, and Susannah York. I did see it when it came out, but I’m thinking it may have been a sneak preview somewhere in Westwood. It’s too long, but I do like the cast very much and the score by Riz Ortolani has a beautiful main theme. Freddie Young’s photography is stunning although I don’t think its especially well represented in this “new 2K transfer”. I always laugh when I read that stuff – 2K transfer of WHAT? The WHAT being the point. It’s never sharp enough in the mid to long shots. The color is fine at times, not so fine at others. The prints were dye transfer Technicolor and I remember it being VERY vivid. Anyway, it was fun to see it again after all these years.
Yesterday was a short day as I got almost twelve hours of sleep, not arising until just before two in the afternoon. I really needed it. Then I decided early on that I was not in the mood to do anything on the screenplay, but I did have a conversation with an old pal about using a venue he has something to do with for one of our New York locations, and I think that’s going to work out fine. And we put out a couple more asks, too. Then I finished Jet Pilot, after which I had two bagels with lox and cream cheese, and that was very good. So good, in fact, that I had a third later in the evening. I can’t believe it, but I dozed off for about thirty minutes, which I found odd given the amount of sleep I got. Then I watched the other movie, then went down the rabbit hole.
Today, I’ll try to be up by eleven, I’ll do whatever needs doing, then I’ll buckle down, Winsocki and work on the adjustments to the screenplay. I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll make an appointment for the motor car to get this new part it needs, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same and locking down the performers for the Kritzerland show and getting the songs chosen.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, try to be up by eleven, do whatever needs doing, work on the adjustments to the screenplay, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, make a motor car appointment, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of that fine actor, Mr. William Holden? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have finally identified the location in the photograph.