Putting together this "Shameful brushes with Fame" segment for the
Eisenberg Agency website, inspired recollection of my some of my
personal encounters with celebrities and musicians throughout my
lifetime.
My only shameful brush is the faint recollection of my brother John
getting into a brawl with
Rocky Burnette, son of the rocker
Johnny Burnette who died tragically in 64'. Johnny Burnette was an
incredibly gifted singer/songwriter. Johnny Burnette wrote many of
Ricky Nelson's songs.
The Burnette's home was located directly behind ours. I personally
didn't know the family, but frequently saw Rocky at school. Rocky
really loved his dad and took his passing very hard. Rocky went on
to become a successful musician himself.
Around this time period
Dan Blocker (Hoss Cartwright, Bonanza)
lived in the neighborhood a few blocks away. As his income and success
with Bonanza grew, Dan moved on to a more upscale area.
At 13, I took an interest in the drums and played in a very loud
(and very bad) rock and roll band called the Hallucinations. Oh how
we tormented the neighbors, including my Pacoima Junior High School
homeroom teacher, John O. Whitaker who lived across the street and a
few doors down from our lead guitarist. Mr. Whitaker is the father
of Johnny Whitaker who played "Jody" in the popular television
series "Family Affair". If memory serves me, John O. had 9 children!
Well into the series, the Whitaker's lived in a neighborhood that
would not be considered a good neighborhood by any stretch. We're
talking Pacoima, California. Remember, Pacoima is mentioned in "Cheech
and Chong's Christmas song".
Pacoima Junior High was put on the map by a mid-air collision and by
Ritchie Valens who died tragically in an airline crash himself.
My graphic design career began at Pacoima Jr. High school. I had an
excellent art teacher, Mrs. Armstrong. She was the only art teacher
I had throughout school, I felt could actually draw and paint well.
My design for the "Torch" (school annual) was chosen and accepted
for print. Of course I still have my copy. In my class were two
celebrities. Susan Sennett and Rae Clark. Susan Sennett (Susan
married Graham Nash landed a TV role as Susie Hamilton in
the 1973 Ozzie and Harriet spin-off; "Ozzie's Girls". For those of
you under 30, Ozzie and Harriet was not an early Ozzie Osbourne
television series. Rae Clark was a personal friend of mine during
the middle school years. Rae, a long distance runner, is currently a
hometown legend in Sacramento, California. I believe Rae once held
the world record for running 100 miles. Rae was the kind of guy who
would climb to the top of a 120' steel power structure and hang from
the center by one arm, corner and catch a badger in a sleeping bag,
chase down a Bobcat and bring a Moray eel he caught while scuba
diving to biology class. I'm not saying he actually did any of these
things (wouldn't want to get him into any trouble).
During Jr. High, I ran directly against Rae in a homeroom relay
race. Our team was ahead, and Rae didn't catch me. He might have
been gaining on me, I didn't look back. My homeroom, Mr. Whitaker's
class won the competition. Although Rae had plenty of natural
ability, he later worked very hard to develop his abilities to the
world-class level. Who knows, perhaps our race provided some
inspiration. At age 14, we both bicycled from Arleta in the San
Fernando Valley to Malibu beach and back. Rae beat me home this
time.
When I entered High School (San Fernando), I became best friends
with John McIntire's (Gunsmoke Television series) nephew, Alan. Alan
was a person gifted with an very charismatic personality. I taught
Alan some guitar chords and he was a natural. Alan had a great sense
of humor. I haven't heard from Alan since High School. I hope he is
alive and well.
At age 16 there was a new neighbor in town just 2 doors down from
us. Chester Grimes. Chester has appeared in many movies throughout
the years. Commonly as a biker or member of a biker gang. Chester
always had a very charismatic personality. Chester reminded me of
the character "Angel in the television series "The Rockford Files" I
remember when Chester began developing a good relationship with
Actor James Garner. Chester asked me to accompany him to Garner's
home in Bel Aire. There we got the details from James related to
watching his home while he and his wife were out of town. I met
James Garner at that time and the following week we guarded the
property one night from their garage. As Chester and James
relationship developed, James trusted Chester to keep his two
beloved dogs while he was away. Chester owned two Doberman's that
were trained to inspire fear. Although Chester made every effort to
keep the dogs apart, one day Chester's doberman's made a mess out of
Garner's dogs. Needless to say, Chester and Garner's friendship strained
from that point on.
In 1980, I went to work for Dennis Roberts, eyeglass designer for
the stars. I have made eyeglasses for celebrities such as Elvis
Presley, Eddie Van Halen, Bruce Springsteen, Stephen Bishop (the
white pair he wore for the Grammy's), Patrick Stewart, Paul Newman,
Elton John, Fran Jeffries, Pepe Ludmir, Sammy Davis Jr. Robert
Redford and Cher. Our company made the pair of glasses used in the
"The Jerk" starring Steve Martin. This is the pair fitted with the
device that keeps glasses from slipping down your nose, that made
"The Jerk" his fortune.
As I continued on in the Optical business, I had the pleasure of
meeting and working with Dr. Mike DeCarlo. Mike's brother Mark began
his television career with a stand-up-comic background. Mark had
exceptional wit and used it freely during his reign as host of the
television show "Studs". Studs was a dating game-like show. Mike and
I would meet socially from time to time where he would tell me some
of the some of the things his brother said on his show:
One time Mark asked a contestant what he was looking for in a woman.
The man replied; "I'm looking for a woman with a good head on her
shoulders". Mark replied; "That's a good place for it to be."
On another occasion Mark asked a contestant where he was from. The
contestant, from one of the Baltic countries; replied; Hollywood.
Mark asked him what he liked best about America. The man replied
"All of the beautiful women". Mark said; If you live in Hollywood,
I've got news for you, those aren't women you're lookin' at!
I met my wife Valerie in Santa Monica California in 1984. In the
70's my wife had a favorite television show called "The New People"
in which
Tifffany Bolling played the starring role as Susan Bradley.
Valerie was surprised one day to see Tiffany at her Church. Over the
years Valerie and Tiffany developed a close friendship. Our families
have developed a close relationship as well. Tiffany married Richard
Casares and they have one daughter named Seanie. Tiffany has been in
a number of films over the years, and her husband Richard was Mike
Love's (Beach Boys) manager. These are three fine people that we
love dearly. |
