NUMBER 1
Every week for about 40 years I enjoyed writing stories to fill the blank back side of the members only Friday lunch menu at our Magic Castle Hollywood. When we changed to a buffet lunch we stopped having a weekly printed menu. I missed having those weekly deadlines, so I started writing occasional blogs.
Arlene had a fun idea that every week we should have a souvenir information sheet at the reception desk about our headliner guest star of the week. She suggested I could use the blank back of the sheet to write about anything that might be of interest to our Cabaret members and guests.
-- Milt Larsen
Arlene had a fun idea that every week we should have a souvenir information sheet at the reception desk about our headliner guest star of the week. She suggested I could use the blank back of the sheet to write about anything that might be of interest to our Cabaret members and guests.
-- Milt Larsen
NUMBER 2
CUTE KIDS AND FABULOUS HOTELS
I have been in the wonderful world of magic all my life. When asked I like to say I was born in the far east, paused and quickly said Pasadena, California. It always gets a modest chuckle. My late brother and I grew up in the Larson family of magicians. My dad was a very successful criminal attorney but gave up the practice of law to pursue magic. After just celebrating four wonderful days of Fourth of July parties at the Cabaret I was reminded of one trick Dad loved to do around this time of year. Instead of typical magic side tables Dad always did his magic dealing with apparatus. It was brought in by the kids, Milt and Bill. I was a cute little six-year-old. In this case I brought in a tray with three scarves, a red, white and blue. Dad would place the three scarves in a tube and accidentally drop the blue scarf. Then he waved his hand and showed the result. It was an American flag only it was just red and white – the blue field was missing. Little Milt (that’s me) would sheepishly hand the blue sky back to Dad who would place the flag with the blue scarf back in the tube. Now the full American flag was restored! It was sure a winner for the holidays.
The Larson family played resort hotels on the West Coast and that was during the depression. Dad figured out that the really rich people still had enough money to go to the expensive resort hotels. Our full evening magic show was usually booked for two weeks in fabulous hotels. We always had the finest accommodations as honored guests during the depression when many folks were in the breadlines. Staying in fancy hotels probably lead to my love of creating ornate places. I also said I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but it just had a hotel’s name on it.
There was a secret in booking those hotels with our act. I’ll reveal it in my Fun Facts and Fantasy story next week.
I have been in the wonderful world of magic all my life. When asked I like to say I was born in the far east, paused and quickly said Pasadena, California. It always gets a modest chuckle. My late brother and I grew up in the Larson family of magicians. My dad was a very successful criminal attorney but gave up the practice of law to pursue magic. After just celebrating four wonderful days of Fourth of July parties at the Cabaret I was reminded of one trick Dad loved to do around this time of year. Instead of typical magic side tables Dad always did his magic dealing with apparatus. It was brought in by the kids, Milt and Bill. I was a cute little six-year-old. In this case I brought in a tray with three scarves, a red, white and blue. Dad would place the three scarves in a tube and accidentally drop the blue scarf. Then he waved his hand and showed the result. It was an American flag only it was just red and white – the blue field was missing. Little Milt (that’s me) would sheepishly hand the blue sky back to Dad who would place the flag with the blue scarf back in the tube. Now the full American flag was restored! It was sure a winner for the holidays.
The Larson family played resort hotels on the West Coast and that was during the depression. Dad figured out that the really rich people still had enough money to go to the expensive resort hotels. Our full evening magic show was usually booked for two weeks in fabulous hotels. We always had the finest accommodations as honored guests during the depression when many folks were in the breadlines. Staying in fancy hotels probably lead to my love of creating ornate places. I also said I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but it just had a hotel’s name on it.
There was a secret in booking those hotels with our act. I’ll reveal it in my Fun Facts and Fantasy story next week.
NUMBER 3
MAGICIANS, SUPERSTARS & STEPDADS
Back in 1950 there was an Abbott Magic Shop on Sunset Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue. The manager of the shop was George Boston, a well-known magician. I got a job working there as George’s assistant as package shipper, floor sweeper and sometimes salesperson. It was a great job for a just-out-of-high-school kid. One day, not long after George left for lunch, a customer came in, and I immediately recognized Cary Grant. He recognized Bill Larsen’s kid and just wanted to pick up a few tricks. Cary loved magic and was very good. I demonstrated a number of tricks. He ran up a sizable tab. He said he would be sending a driver later to pick them up and said to just send him a bill and then he left.
George returned from lunch. He asked, “Did you have any customers”. “Yes, just one, his name was Cary Grant, Cary said just send me a bill”. George was furious. He said I should have called him, but I had no idea where he was having lunch, and there were no cell phones in those days. George always wanted to meet Cary Grant. Cary was a superstar of superstars!
A little later George was working with the You Asked for It show on ABC television and I started providing some material for them. The host of that show was the marvelous Art Baker and George actually introduced my mother Gerri Larsen to him. Well Art Baker became my stepfather. Then later George was working with Ralph Edwards Productions as a manager of his gift department. I applied for a job as a writer and I submitted some material and it wasn’t exactly right. George Boston needed a new assistant in the gift department. He said it was good if I had a foot in the door. It was a good idea because a little later, I submitted the proper type of acts and ended up being a writer for the Truth and Consequences for the next 18 years. George was instrumental in my career.
Back in 1950 there was an Abbott Magic Shop on Sunset Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue. The manager of the shop was George Boston, a well-known magician. I got a job working there as George’s assistant as package shipper, floor sweeper and sometimes salesperson. It was a great job for a just-out-of-high-school kid. One day, not long after George left for lunch, a customer came in, and I immediately recognized Cary Grant. He recognized Bill Larsen’s kid and just wanted to pick up a few tricks. Cary loved magic and was very good. I demonstrated a number of tricks. He ran up a sizable tab. He said he would be sending a driver later to pick them up and said to just send him a bill and then he left.
George returned from lunch. He asked, “Did you have any customers”. “Yes, just one, his name was Cary Grant, Cary said just send me a bill”. George was furious. He said I should have called him, but I had no idea where he was having lunch, and there were no cell phones in those days. George always wanted to meet Cary Grant. Cary was a superstar of superstars!
A little later George was working with the You Asked for It show on ABC television and I started providing some material for them. The host of that show was the marvelous Art Baker and George actually introduced my mother Gerri Larsen to him. Well Art Baker became my stepfather. Then later George was working with Ralph Edwards Productions as a manager of his gift department. I applied for a job as a writer and I submitted some material and it wasn’t exactly right. George Boston needed a new assistant in the gift department. He said it was good if I had a foot in the door. It was a good idea because a little later, I submitted the proper type of acts and ended up being a writer for the Truth and Consequences for the next 18 years. George was instrumental in my career.
NUMBER 4
“MILT HAS A TYPEWRITER AND BILL HAS THE ADDING MACHINE”
Let’s flash back to the year 1961. I was in the sixth year of my job as a 31-year-old gag writer for Bob Barker’s NBC hit audience participation show Truth or Consequences. The view from my 9th floor window of the building that was at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland was spectacular. I was fascinated with a grand but rundown 1909 residence on the Hollywood hillside. The owner of the property was acquiring all the proper papers leading to his landmark Yamashiro Hotel and Restaurant. That was the year I met Thomas O. Glover and told him of my idea for turning his old mansion into a private club for magicians. Mr. Glover was not a magician. He didn’t know that black sticks had white ends. But he liked the concept of restoring his old building
After impressing him with a few examples of my restoration projects he was also impressed with my telling him I had no business plan and had no idea of how to pay the rent. After all, I was a gag writer! My brother Bill Larsen Jr knew about such things and worked at CBS in the production control department. People used to say, “Milt has a typewriter and Bill has the adding machine.” Tom loved my honesty. We shook hands and he gave me the key. No rent for a year to work on the house and come up with a plan.
Later our lawyer questioned my doing all this with no contract. I said there was nothing more binding than a Texan’s handshake. A year later I was physically creating the clubhouse — The Magic Castle — and Bill formed our Dad’s dream of The Academy of Magical Arts. We opened January 2, 1963. Thank you, Thomas O. Glover and the Glover family.
In 1961 I didn’t really have to deal with the architectural review board, planning commission, coastal commission, the transportation commission and all the other commissions that you have to deal with in today’s world. Unfortunately, it’s a different world. August 31st will be the one-year anniversary of our frustrating delays in the permit process.
Let’s flash back to the year 1961. I was in the sixth year of my job as a 31-year-old gag writer for Bob Barker’s NBC hit audience participation show Truth or Consequences. The view from my 9th floor window of the building that was at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland was spectacular. I was fascinated with a grand but rundown 1909 residence on the Hollywood hillside. The owner of the property was acquiring all the proper papers leading to his landmark Yamashiro Hotel and Restaurant. That was the year I met Thomas O. Glover and told him of my idea for turning his old mansion into a private club for magicians. Mr. Glover was not a magician. He didn’t know that black sticks had white ends. But he liked the concept of restoring his old building
After impressing him with a few examples of my restoration projects he was also impressed with my telling him I had no business plan and had no idea of how to pay the rent. After all, I was a gag writer! My brother Bill Larsen Jr knew about such things and worked at CBS in the production control department. People used to say, “Milt has a typewriter and Bill has the adding machine.” Tom loved my honesty. We shook hands and he gave me the key. No rent for a year to work on the house and come up with a plan.
Later our lawyer questioned my doing all this with no contract. I said there was nothing more binding than a Texan’s handshake. A year later I was physically creating the clubhouse — The Magic Castle — and Bill formed our Dad’s dream of The Academy of Magical Arts. We opened January 2, 1963. Thank you, Thomas O. Glover and the Glover family.
In 1961 I didn’t really have to deal with the architectural review board, planning commission, coastal commission, the transportation commission and all the other commissions that you have to deal with in today’s world. Unfortunately, it’s a different world. August 31st will be the one-year anniversary of our frustrating delays in the permit process.
NUMBER 5
WHO WAS GENE FOWLER?
Members have asked about the empty showcase above the entrance to the lounge. One of my collections of Theater memorabilia is the Gene Fowler hat collection.
Gene Fowler was something of a legend in the days of early Hollywood. He was a respected writer whom all the studios had on the A list. He was the major author of novels, plays and movies. He wrote the biographies of some of Hollywood’s most colorful characters. At one time he was kind of the rat pack of the 30s. Fowler’s book “The Minutes of the Last Meeting” was a fantastic book about people like John Barrymore, WC Fields and the other mavericks. His bestselling novel included “Solo”, “Tom-Toms” and the “Mighty Barnum.” His home in Beverly Hills was also the hangout for all of those characters. In those days all men wore hats even when you went to the theatre. When his friends would visit, if they were friends of that kind of stature, they would leave their hats on his hat rack and he decided they were his hats. He then collected them and that’s part of the collection that will be on display. They included Walter Winchell, the great Radio news caster, Jimmy Durante who was a great comedian, Jimmy Walker, the Mayor of New York, Burt Lahr and Red Skelton. The collection was given to me by his son, Gene Fowler Jr. who is an Award-winning film maker and his other son, Will Fowler who is a very famous writer and reporter.
Members have asked about the empty showcase above the entrance to the lounge. One of my collections of Theater memorabilia is the Gene Fowler hat collection.
Gene Fowler was something of a legend in the days of early Hollywood. He was a respected writer whom all the studios had on the A list. He was the major author of novels, plays and movies. He wrote the biographies of some of Hollywood’s most colorful characters. At one time he was kind of the rat pack of the 30s. Fowler’s book “The Minutes of the Last Meeting” was a fantastic book about people like John Barrymore, WC Fields and the other mavericks. His bestselling novel included “Solo”, “Tom-Toms” and the “Mighty Barnum.” His home in Beverly Hills was also the hangout for all of those characters. In those days all men wore hats even when you went to the theatre. When his friends would visit, if they were friends of that kind of stature, they would leave their hats on his hat rack and he decided they were his hats. He then collected them and that’s part of the collection that will be on display. They included Walter Winchell, the great Radio news caster, Jimmy Durante who was a great comedian, Jimmy Walker, the Mayor of New York, Burt Lahr and Red Skelton. The collection was given to me by his son, Gene Fowler Jr. who is an Award-winning film maker and his other son, Will Fowler who is a very famous writer and reporter.
NUMBER 6
IT IS A SMALL, SMALL WORLD!
My best friend and writing partner Richard M. Sherman is famous for his dozens and dozens of hit songs for musicals like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Sherman Brothers also wrote the world’s greatest earworm It’s a Small World After All. It’s A Small World is fitting for my stories about the Magic Castle Cabaret and its history as the Café del Sol. Back in the 1980s we had the Society for the Preservation of Variety Arts. We had a great building in downtown Los Angeles, and we found ourselves as the recipients of the donation of hundreds of human hair wigs from a costume shop that had gone out of business. That gave me an idea about a stage review at the Variety Arts Theater. I talked to Dick Sherman and he said that some of their most famous songs had to do with dogs. They wrote the Magic of Lassie and Snoopy Come Home. I talked to Arlene who was very involved with the Varieties Arts Center. She is a great costume designer. I wanted to know if it would be possible to make costumes out of all of those human wigs to look like dogs. Dick and Bob Sherman would write new songs and Arlene would create costumes and of course I would write the script. We played our small theater to excellent reviews and Arlene won best costume of the year award from the drama league magazine twice. What does that have to do with Magic Castle Cabaret? Simply that Arlene and I bought a wonderful piece of property, the former Café del Sol. We love dogs and have always gotten our wonderful pets from places like the Humane Society. There is a group in Santa Barbara called Dawg (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) and two of the benefactors used to own the Café del Sol. They were two Chinese immigrants who worked very hard, had no family and left what they could upon their passing to the organization. The property was sold later to provide care for the wife Lilly, and that is how this all ties together. It is a Small, Small World!
My best friend and writing partner Richard M. Sherman is famous for his dozens and dozens of hit songs for musicals like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Sherman Brothers also wrote the world’s greatest earworm It’s a Small World After All. It’s A Small World is fitting for my stories about the Magic Castle Cabaret and its history as the Café del Sol. Back in the 1980s we had the Society for the Preservation of Variety Arts. We had a great building in downtown Los Angeles, and we found ourselves as the recipients of the donation of hundreds of human hair wigs from a costume shop that had gone out of business. That gave me an idea about a stage review at the Variety Arts Theater. I talked to Dick Sherman and he said that some of their most famous songs had to do with dogs. They wrote the Magic of Lassie and Snoopy Come Home. I talked to Arlene who was very involved with the Varieties Arts Center. She is a great costume designer. I wanted to know if it would be possible to make costumes out of all of those human wigs to look like dogs. Dick and Bob Sherman would write new songs and Arlene would create costumes and of course I would write the script. We played our small theater to excellent reviews and Arlene won best costume of the year award from the drama league magazine twice. What does that have to do with Magic Castle Cabaret? Simply that Arlene and I bought a wonderful piece of property, the former Café del Sol. We love dogs and have always gotten our wonderful pets from places like the Humane Society. There is a group in Santa Barbara called Dawg (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) and two of the benefactors used to own the Café del Sol. They were two Chinese immigrants who worked very hard, had no family and left what they could upon their passing to the organization. The property was sold later to provide care for the wife Lilly, and that is how this all ties together. It is a Small, Small World!
NUMBER 7
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Saturday, August 31, we will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the day the Architects Review Board decided we didn’t have the proper building permits, so they were closing the cabaret after four weeks of pre-opening parties. The parties were invitational soft openings and one disgruntled reporter was unhappy because he wasn’t invited to the opening. After a full year of endless paper work, financially backbreaking delays requiring thousands of dollars in architect fees, the S.B. City and County agencies have still not been able to issue a permit.
WE HAVE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS.
This story has to do with my personal experience over a period of fifty years creating Southern California landmarks, The Magic Castle, Hollywood (circa 1910) – The Mayfair Music Hall, Santa Monica (circa 1911) – The Variety Arts Center and Theatre – Downtown L.A., (circa 1926). As a young TV Comedy writer, I found myself fascinated by restoring old buildings. I had a natural talent from turning junkyard trash into architectural antiques.
With the help of the late John Shrum, top NBC Art Director, and other studio artists that shared the thrill of imagination, we were able to create the magical illusion of grandeur without any structural physical changes. Any major construction was always done by outside and licensed contractors. Thus, rather than submit the usual plans and artwork we only needed permits for special projects. By way of credits I served eight years on the Board of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, as an elected member of the Hollywood PAC, a member of L.A. South Park PAC, Recipient of the Legends of Hollywood Award and have a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.
Since you know Arlene and I are only residents of Montecito and Santa Barbara for a mere 40 years it is hard to explain the endless delays in trying to bring our innovative magical ideas to our friends and neighbors in Santa Barbara.
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a beautiful European style Veranda for our members and guests during these hot summer nights? Maybe we will get permission to resume work in time for our next flood.
Saturday, August 31, we will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the day the Architects Review Board decided we didn’t have the proper building permits, so they were closing the cabaret after four weeks of pre-opening parties. The parties were invitational soft openings and one disgruntled reporter was unhappy because he wasn’t invited to the opening. After a full year of endless paper work, financially backbreaking delays requiring thousands of dollars in architect fees, the S.B. City and County agencies have still not been able to issue a permit.
WE HAVE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS.
This story has to do with my personal experience over a period of fifty years creating Southern California landmarks, The Magic Castle, Hollywood (circa 1910) – The Mayfair Music Hall, Santa Monica (circa 1911) – The Variety Arts Center and Theatre – Downtown L.A., (circa 1926). As a young TV Comedy writer, I found myself fascinated by restoring old buildings. I had a natural talent from turning junkyard trash into architectural antiques.
With the help of the late John Shrum, top NBC Art Director, and other studio artists that shared the thrill of imagination, we were able to create the magical illusion of grandeur without any structural physical changes. Any major construction was always done by outside and licensed contractors. Thus, rather than submit the usual plans and artwork we only needed permits for special projects. By way of credits I served eight years on the Board of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, as an elected member of the Hollywood PAC, a member of L.A. South Park PAC, Recipient of the Legends of Hollywood Award and have a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame.
Since you know Arlene and I are only residents of Montecito and Santa Barbara for a mere 40 years it is hard to explain the endless delays in trying to bring our innovative magical ideas to our friends and neighbors in Santa Barbara.
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a beautiful European style Veranda for our members and guests during these hot summer nights? Maybe we will get permission to resume work in time for our next flood.
NUMBER 8
A TALE OF TWO CASTLES
A half century ago my late brother Bill Larsen Junior and I created some amazing projects. Bill and his professional magicians Board of Directors resurrected our father's dream of a fraternal club for magicians. I leased a 1910 old mansion in Hollywood and started working on the place. I would call it the Magic Castle. Of course, the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) occupies that building and has become the premier magic organization in the world. The Magic Castle is internationally known as a private club and many of our members are also members of our private club in Santa Barbara, The Magic Castle Cabaret.
A few years ago, Magic Castles Inc. and the AMA structured a new arrangement for payments for use of the trademark, etc. Since then items that were in the Castle that are no longer being used and were not wanted became part of the Cabaret. Such things as the tin wall, the elevator gag, the Austrian grand drape that was in their largest showroom, The Palace of Mystery, and the stained-glass windows that were in the Inner Circle. I pride myself in finding ways to use cast off materials again and again.
Over the years, the Magic Castle Hollywood was constantly being changed architecturally using old building materials that were salvaged. I owe credit to Johnny Carson’s Art Director, the late John Shrum, for coming up with innovative ideas to use these cast offs. Much of the Cabaret was not part of the Magic Castle, we have used antiques that were donated by some of our members and wonderful things we found at the Restore Store. I wanted the Cabaret to look like a European Palace from my phony Contessa in Northern Spain. It was her dream to have a Palace of gold, and we wanted to recreate a wonderful atmosphere for Arlene and my personal friends in Santa Barbara and Montecito.
A half century ago my late brother Bill Larsen Junior and I created some amazing projects. Bill and his professional magicians Board of Directors resurrected our father's dream of a fraternal club for magicians. I leased a 1910 old mansion in Hollywood and started working on the place. I would call it the Magic Castle. Of course, the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) occupies that building and has become the premier magic organization in the world. The Magic Castle is internationally known as a private club and many of our members are also members of our private club in Santa Barbara, The Magic Castle Cabaret.
A few years ago, Magic Castles Inc. and the AMA structured a new arrangement for payments for use of the trademark, etc. Since then items that were in the Castle that are no longer being used and were not wanted became part of the Cabaret. Such things as the tin wall, the elevator gag, the Austrian grand drape that was in their largest showroom, The Palace of Mystery, and the stained-glass windows that were in the Inner Circle. I pride myself in finding ways to use cast off materials again and again.
Over the years, the Magic Castle Hollywood was constantly being changed architecturally using old building materials that were salvaged. I owe credit to Johnny Carson’s Art Director, the late John Shrum, for coming up with innovative ideas to use these cast offs. Much of the Cabaret was not part of the Magic Castle, we have used antiques that were donated by some of our members and wonderful things we found at the Restore Store. I wanted the Cabaret to look like a European Palace from my phony Contessa in Northern Spain. It was her dream to have a Palace of gold, and we wanted to recreate a wonderful atmosphere for Arlene and my personal friends in Santa Barbara and Montecito.
NUMBER 9
HEARINGS, DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS AND THE VERANDA
Last Saturday, August 31, Arlene and I lifted our fancy champagne glasses to celebrate our thirty years of marriage. We worked together for about twenty years before tying the knot. We also toasted the one-year anniversary of the Santa Barbara Architectural Review Board (ARB) from pulling the plug on the third week of preopening parties. The top magicians that were performing those preopening weeks got rave reviews.
We bought the Café de Sol property in May of 2016. We thought we made it clear that we intended to turn it in to a very small private club for our friends and neighbors in Montecito.
We have had delayed hearings, cancellation of hearings, all the while spending lots of money on plans and revisions to plans!
As I have said before, in the early days of the Castle, we did not have to have permits for changes that weren’t structural. When we did need to do structural changes (i.e. a new roof), we hired licensed contractors who took out the appropriate permits.
Despite my being a resident of Santa Barbara for many years it seems like I am being perceived as a “carpetbagger” from the south, who by the way does have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
Since the ARB had not approved of our changes, we endured a period of being “red-tagged”, which meant no one was permitted in the building. That obviously impacted our ability to conduct business. The plans we wanted to move forward was to build a veranda on the outside porch so that members and guests could enjoy a lovely sunset overlooking the bird lake. Those plans are still pending. My original concept of the Veranda would match the beauty of the Clark estate in Montecito. By the way, the bird lake is known as the Clark Bird Refuge.
We are hopeful that the ARB will move quickly now to review our multiple plan changes so that we can finish our Spanish mansion.
Last Saturday, August 31, Arlene and I lifted our fancy champagne glasses to celebrate our thirty years of marriage. We worked together for about twenty years before tying the knot. We also toasted the one-year anniversary of the Santa Barbara Architectural Review Board (ARB) from pulling the plug on the third week of preopening parties. The top magicians that were performing those preopening weeks got rave reviews.
We bought the Café de Sol property in May of 2016. We thought we made it clear that we intended to turn it in to a very small private club for our friends and neighbors in Montecito.
We have had delayed hearings, cancellation of hearings, all the while spending lots of money on plans and revisions to plans!
As I have said before, in the early days of the Castle, we did not have to have permits for changes that weren’t structural. When we did need to do structural changes (i.e. a new roof), we hired licensed contractors who took out the appropriate permits.
Despite my being a resident of Santa Barbara for many years it seems like I am being perceived as a “carpetbagger” from the south, who by the way does have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
Since the ARB had not approved of our changes, we endured a period of being “red-tagged”, which meant no one was permitted in the building. That obviously impacted our ability to conduct business. The plans we wanted to move forward was to build a veranda on the outside porch so that members and guests could enjoy a lovely sunset overlooking the bird lake. Those plans are still pending. My original concept of the Veranda would match the beauty of the Clark estate in Montecito. By the way, the bird lake is known as the Clark Bird Refuge.
We are hopeful that the ARB will move quickly now to review our multiple plan changes so that we can finish our Spanish mansion.
NUMBER 10
I HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT MY WEEKLY RADIO SHOWS.
I have always been fascinated with radio. I was collecting old personality records when I was 18. I had a spot every week with the radio personality, at the time, Jim Hawthorne on KNX Radio in Hollywood. I was a guest bringing one rare recording with me every week and talked with Jim Hawthorne and Andrew White, who is the founder of the Columbia Broadcasting System. I started collecting personality records and because of that interest I found myself doing radio shows. We had a very popular radio show on a satellite radio station called Yesterday USA. That show was called Music Museum and for many years David L. Burger and I produced, hosted and did a radio show using old records.
My shows are on weekly, Saturdays and Sundays, on CRN talk Digital radio. CRN refers to the cable radio network coverage, but it is much more than the cable these days because of the Internet. You can hear my shows any place in the world at any time. Just go to CRN talk.com where there’s seven channels of radio. Go to the directory and there I am every week. I play recordings from my collection basically from the first half of the 20th century. I also have fun novelty records and things you don’t normally hear on radio. My guest every week is my old friend Richard M. Sherman. We talk about the song writers of tin pan alley and my other guest is another old friend, Prof. Harry Hockman who professes to be the world’s oldest vaudevillian and magician. Some people think he sounds a lot like me but he’s a real live genuine fictional phony personality. It’s a fun show. It’s called Hear Them Again for the First Time. We have another hour on CRN talk radio and that’s called Hit Parade Cavalcade. It is simply Richard M. Sherman and I talking about various songwriters. It’s always fascinating. At any rate that’s what I do on the radio. I’m also working on a new show and hopefully it will be on CRN. It will be a show featuring recordings of the greatest hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s. It will be coming to you from a place called The Magic Castle Cabaret in Montecito, so stay tuned in!
I have always been fascinated with radio. I was collecting old personality records when I was 18. I had a spot every week with the radio personality, at the time, Jim Hawthorne on KNX Radio in Hollywood. I was a guest bringing one rare recording with me every week and talked with Jim Hawthorne and Andrew White, who is the founder of the Columbia Broadcasting System. I started collecting personality records and because of that interest I found myself doing radio shows. We had a very popular radio show on a satellite radio station called Yesterday USA. That show was called Music Museum and for many years David L. Burger and I produced, hosted and did a radio show using old records.
My shows are on weekly, Saturdays and Sundays, on CRN talk Digital radio. CRN refers to the cable radio network coverage, but it is much more than the cable these days because of the Internet. You can hear my shows any place in the world at any time. Just go to CRN talk.com where there’s seven channels of radio. Go to the directory and there I am every week. I play recordings from my collection basically from the first half of the 20th century. I also have fun novelty records and things you don’t normally hear on radio. My guest every week is my old friend Richard M. Sherman. We talk about the song writers of tin pan alley and my other guest is another old friend, Prof. Harry Hockman who professes to be the world’s oldest vaudevillian and magician. Some people think he sounds a lot like me but he’s a real live genuine fictional phony personality. It’s a fun show. It’s called Hear Them Again for the First Time. We have another hour on CRN talk radio and that’s called Hit Parade Cavalcade. It is simply Richard M. Sherman and I talking about various songwriters. It’s always fascinating. At any rate that’s what I do on the radio. I’m also working on a new show and hopefully it will be on CRN. It will be a show featuring recordings of the greatest hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s. It will be coming to you from a place called The Magic Castle Cabaret in Montecito, so stay tuned in!
NUMBER 11
MAGICAL MUSICAL MADNESS OF SPIKE JONES
In my last story I was talking about my radio show on CRN digital radio. Some new listeners commented on the fact that I was playing recordings of a new CD collection “Spikes Guys.” What was that all about you ask? Well that was a recording I produced back in 1972. I had the privilege of knowing the great Master of Musical Madness Spike Jones. He was a very good friend of Spencer Quinn the banjo player, and of course a very good friend of mine. We got together often, and I was a very large collector of his wonderful recordings over the years. Spike passed away back in 1965, the victim of millions of cigarettes. In 1972 I put together the Spike Jones band without Spike Jones. We had his arrangers, we had his musicians, we simply didn’t have the boss. One of his key musicians was Joe Siracusa. Joe is still living in the valley, just about hundred years old and still playing and very active. He was the drummer for the Jones Orchestra, he also was Spike's chief idea man, a creative genius at odd musical sounds, special Instruments and vocal gymnastics. We took pride in putting this CD together. In Spike's style we did Those Were The Days, I Am In The Mood for Love and others. We also put together some original compositions. We had great fun at one of Hollywood’s most prestigious recording studio. At the time I was quite busy with my writing partner Bobby Lahr writing The Vin Scully Game Show. I took my salary as a writer at that show to pay for our experiment with Spike Jones and his music. I think Spike loved our album but unfortunately at that time his family really didn’t want to call attention to Spike Jones failing health. We were all pretty busy, although, but we did publish it on our label Electric Lemon Record Company. It was never really distributed. The Masters were on the shelf for about 40 years. Then we decided it was time to issue them again and we did under the name of Spikes Guys. You can find the CD in Arlene’s fabulous gift Emporium. It’s there with our other Electric Lemon records which are now being issued under the Magic Castle records label. I love looking at the earliest collection of Smash Flops and other really strange musical triumphs. Incidentally, as an aside, we get a report from our distributor sales of our songs on iTunes. It is interesting to know that this week’s biggest sales of all our songs was the Sherman and Larsen song from the Smash Flops collection Watch World War III on Pay TV. That one had 400 copies bought, maybe it says something about today’s world.
In my last story I was talking about my radio show on CRN digital radio. Some new listeners commented on the fact that I was playing recordings of a new CD collection “Spikes Guys.” What was that all about you ask? Well that was a recording I produced back in 1972. I had the privilege of knowing the great Master of Musical Madness Spike Jones. He was a very good friend of Spencer Quinn the banjo player, and of course a very good friend of mine. We got together often, and I was a very large collector of his wonderful recordings over the years. Spike passed away back in 1965, the victim of millions of cigarettes. In 1972 I put together the Spike Jones band without Spike Jones. We had his arrangers, we had his musicians, we simply didn’t have the boss. One of his key musicians was Joe Siracusa. Joe is still living in the valley, just about hundred years old and still playing and very active. He was the drummer for the Jones Orchestra, he also was Spike's chief idea man, a creative genius at odd musical sounds, special Instruments and vocal gymnastics. We took pride in putting this CD together. In Spike's style we did Those Were The Days, I Am In The Mood for Love and others. We also put together some original compositions. We had great fun at one of Hollywood’s most prestigious recording studio. At the time I was quite busy with my writing partner Bobby Lahr writing The Vin Scully Game Show. I took my salary as a writer at that show to pay for our experiment with Spike Jones and his music. I think Spike loved our album but unfortunately at that time his family really didn’t want to call attention to Spike Jones failing health. We were all pretty busy, although, but we did publish it on our label Electric Lemon Record Company. It was never really distributed. The Masters were on the shelf for about 40 years. Then we decided it was time to issue them again and we did under the name of Spikes Guys. You can find the CD in Arlene’s fabulous gift Emporium. It’s there with our other Electric Lemon records which are now being issued under the Magic Castle records label. I love looking at the earliest collection of Smash Flops and other really strange musical triumphs. Incidentally, as an aside, we get a report from our distributor sales of our songs on iTunes. It is interesting to know that this week’s biggest sales of all our songs was the Sherman and Larsen song from the Smash Flops collection Watch World War III on Pay TV. That one had 400 copies bought, maybe it says something about today’s world.
NUMBER 12
“YOU NEED MY HELP!”
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One of the most interesting colorful people I have ever met was John Shrum. John was the Art Director in 1961 on Bob Barker’s Truth or Consequences Show. I was one of the writers. People used to ask occasionally what you guys did. We wrote sketches for the audience participation show. What kind of sketches? We did everything from sketches, song reunions to wonderful practical jokes. Many of these ideas for the sketches needed special scenery. We would need scenes like the interior of an airplane or an old English drawing room. I always admired John’s beautiful work as an art director. One day I was out and about, and I ran into John. He created a sketch for an episode we were doing for Rowan and Martin who were guests on the show. His sketch looked like a great Victorian room. I mentioned to John that I had just started working on a new project that involved restoring an old turn-of-the-century mansion in Hollywood. I invited him to go out and have a drink at nearby bar and then come see the old house. That was in 1961, not too long after a handshake deal with the owner of the property to turn it into a club. John took one look at what I showed him and started twitching because at that time it was very, very primitive! I had only gotten as far as putting red flocked wallpaper on the reception room wall. John took one look at it and said in his trademark gravelly voice “You need my help!”
That was the first day of the relationship that lasted until he passed away in the late 80s. John decided everything in the Magic Castle, at the Mayfair musical and Variety Arts Center. He was the Master of Art Direction and of Scenic Design. Although I had skills as a carpenter, because of my grandfather, John was the one that could make wonderful old building materials live again. The clue was never look at them as they look but what they could be. There’re examples of that throughout the Magic Castle which has been here for 56 years. Because of what John Shrum taught me, you’re seeing the same approach at the Magic Castle Cabaret. Again, you are starting to see an old building, a former Mexican restaurant, turned into a beautiful European private palace. While John passed away in 1988, his ongoing influence at the Magic Castle and the Magic Castle Cabaret will continue. Of all the awards he received, his Emmy and numerous recognitions from various artistic groups, I know the one he would be most proud of is his influence and direction of the Magic Castle.
That was the first day of the relationship that lasted until he passed away in the late 80s. John decided everything in the Magic Castle, at the Mayfair musical and Variety Arts Center. He was the Master of Art Direction and of Scenic Design. Although I had skills as a carpenter, because of my grandfather, John was the one that could make wonderful old building materials live again. The clue was never look at them as they look but what they could be. There’re examples of that throughout the Magic Castle which has been here for 56 years. Because of what John Shrum taught me, you’re seeing the same approach at the Magic Castle Cabaret. Again, you are starting to see an old building, a former Mexican restaurant, turned into a beautiful European private palace. While John passed away in 1988, his ongoing influence at the Magic Castle and the Magic Castle Cabaret will continue. Of all the awards he received, his Emmy and numerous recognitions from various artistic groups, I know the one he would be most proud of is his influence and direction of the Magic Castle.
NUMBER 13
Son: “WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE A MAGICIAN.”
Dad: “NICE IDEA KID BUT YOU CAN’T DO BOTH.”
Dad: “NICE IDEA KID BUT YOU CAN’T DO BOTH.”
Children live in a world of fantasy protected from the world of reality. When you are a kid nothing is impossible. Magicians traveled to the moon long before we actually figured out how to do it. Jules Verne had some really good ideas. Since I have been blessed with a long life as part of the Larsen Family of Magicians, I am often asked “Who was your favorite magician?” My answer is always Walt Disney. Walt said, “If you can dream it – we can build it.”
Frank L. Baum wrote a wonderful line in the Wizard of Oz, “If you don’t believe in magic – you will never find it.”
Incidentally, speaking of the Wizard of Oz you may notice two priceless lithographs in the lounge. One is the poster of the original Wizard of Oz on Broadway. The poster is circa 1900. The Tin Man in the poster is David Montgomery of the famous comedy team of Montgomery and Stone. Fred Stone played the Straw Man. Next to that poster is the poster of a very famous actress of her day, Billie Burke, circa 1910. Of course, she played Glinda in the 1938 MGM Wizard of Oz classic movie.
Supportive of these two lithographs we used our imagination to create a legendary summer palace for magicians in Northern Spain, which is the birthplace of modern magic from the middle ages, according to Wikipedia. We created an illusion using a lot of gold paint and architectural elements. We did not change any of the existing restaurant structure. We still don’t have a veranda. That veranda was supposed to look like part of the Grand Clark Estate, since we are across the street from the Andrea Clark Bird Refuge. The architectural review board still hasn’t allowed us to make the changes that would allow the exterior of the old Café del Sol to match the décor of the summer palace interior design.
Some people just don’t believe in magic.
Frank L. Baum wrote a wonderful line in the Wizard of Oz, “If you don’t believe in magic – you will never find it.”
Incidentally, speaking of the Wizard of Oz you may notice two priceless lithographs in the lounge. One is the poster of the original Wizard of Oz on Broadway. The poster is circa 1900. The Tin Man in the poster is David Montgomery of the famous comedy team of Montgomery and Stone. Fred Stone played the Straw Man. Next to that poster is the poster of a very famous actress of her day, Billie Burke, circa 1910. Of course, she played Glinda in the 1938 MGM Wizard of Oz classic movie.
Supportive of these two lithographs we used our imagination to create a legendary summer palace for magicians in Northern Spain, which is the birthplace of modern magic from the middle ages, according to Wikipedia. We created an illusion using a lot of gold paint and architectural elements. We did not change any of the existing restaurant structure. We still don’t have a veranda. That veranda was supposed to look like part of the Grand Clark Estate, since we are across the street from the Andrea Clark Bird Refuge. The architectural review board still hasn’t allowed us to make the changes that would allow the exterior of the old Café del Sol to match the décor of the summer palace interior design.
Some people just don’t believe in magic.
NUMBER 13
YOU NEED A HALLOWEEN COSTUME
ARLENE NEEDS THE SPACE
ARLENE NEEDS THE SPACE
After years of creating costumes for television shows, Arlene is selling some of the costumes from the years of Truth or Consequences and Laugh-In. Just fun crazy stuff and priced to sell. Some of the items you name the price and take it away. Arlene’s gift shop is open every night the club is open. The sale will continue so check it out and have fun.
It is amazing how much comedy stuff Arlene has found on the shelves in our warehouse everything from hats to garters. Memories of Laugh-In and Truth or Consequences.
A REMINDER: THE MAGIC CASTLE IN HOLLYWOOD celebrates Halloween all week but the castle is closed on Halloween eve.
Arlene is famous for her parties and the cabaret will be open with a very special Halloween party October 31st. The party will be limited to 40 members and their guests.
Make your reservation now. Information in our newsletter and on the website. Also, there is our new page on Facebook; Magic Castle Cabaret.
This page is my weekly stories about our lives in the wonderful world of show business. Since we’re talking about Arlene, many of our members know about many of her accomplishments in the world of costume design. She started in the business as a teenager and had lots of experience working in local theater. That lead to jobs in the Wardrobe department of TV studios. She was a “rag picker”. Costumers would have to get up at the crack of dawn. They had to have all the costumes or whatever they were shooting at the studio early. She worked on some of the shows in television. She had her own costume design company with her mother and her sister. It was called Zam and she still uses that company. I met Arlene while we’re at Truth or Consequences. The costume designer for that show had challenges as many people forget that that show had the contestants doing silly things. Many times, we’d have truck drivers in skirts and ladies in all matter of tacky costumes. We were together on that show for several years. When I opened my Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, Arlene became the instant costume designer. We would change the shows every three months and always had fantastic Victorian costumes for our ever-changing cast of players. We worked together on the Mayfair shows, later when we opened the Variety Arts Center and did shows there, and she did the costumes. After 30 years Arlene and I decided to finally get married (which was 50 years ago). The story goes on from there, with Arlene designing hundreds of costumes for our musical Pazzaz as well as other shows. More about that at a later time.
It is amazing how much comedy stuff Arlene has found on the shelves in our warehouse everything from hats to garters. Memories of Laugh-In and Truth or Consequences.
A REMINDER: THE MAGIC CASTLE IN HOLLYWOOD celebrates Halloween all week but the castle is closed on Halloween eve.
Arlene is famous for her parties and the cabaret will be open with a very special Halloween party October 31st. The party will be limited to 40 members and their guests.
Make your reservation now. Information in our newsletter and on the website. Also, there is our new page on Facebook; Magic Castle Cabaret.
This page is my weekly stories about our lives in the wonderful world of show business. Since we’re talking about Arlene, many of our members know about many of her accomplishments in the world of costume design. She started in the business as a teenager and had lots of experience working in local theater. That lead to jobs in the Wardrobe department of TV studios. She was a “rag picker”. Costumers would have to get up at the crack of dawn. They had to have all the costumes or whatever they were shooting at the studio early. She worked on some of the shows in television. She had her own costume design company with her mother and her sister. It was called Zam and she still uses that company. I met Arlene while we’re at Truth or Consequences. The costume designer for that show had challenges as many people forget that that show had the contestants doing silly things. Many times, we’d have truck drivers in skirts and ladies in all matter of tacky costumes. We were together on that show for several years. When I opened my Mayfair Music Hall in Santa Monica, Arlene became the instant costume designer. We would change the shows every three months and always had fantastic Victorian costumes for our ever-changing cast of players. We worked together on the Mayfair shows, later when we opened the Variety Arts Center and did shows there, and she did the costumes. After 30 years Arlene and I decided to finally get married (which was 50 years ago). The story goes on from there, with Arlene designing hundreds of costumes for our musical Pazzaz as well as other shows. More about that at a later time.