The Reviews Are In....

....And It Looks Like I'm A Hit!!!

Below are some of the reviews I've received on the tour.  They're culled from Yelp, the Goldstar Ticket Service, and emails sent to me directly.  Oh my god, I couldn't do better if I'd written them my self.

"My Family has been is the "biz" for a long time. we all love old hollywood and thought we knew so much information about how hollywood started but after taking the Felix  Hollywood Tour we realized we know only a little! The stories about how this town began are so riveting and exciting I felt like I was back in the 30's at one point!!! I have recommended this tour to all my friends. It's a lot of fun!!!"
-David Deluise
Actor, Director


"We went on this tour last weekend and had a real blast. It's a great mix of old Hollywood trivia and locations with connections to the current. You'll have a small group, so it's VERY easy to interact and ask questions. It was such a good time I'm recommending it to friends and thinking about doing the tour a second time!"
-Helen Simmins-McMillin


"NewsFlash: In Hollywood? Going there? TAKE THIS TOUR/sidestep the traps. My friend Philip will show you the real deal."
-John Wesely Shipp
Actor

 

"We see the buildings, new and old, the cracked sidewalks with the names of long-ago stars beneath our feet.
What lies unseen and unheard are the stories that happened in old Hollywood. That mute testimony comes to life in Philip Mershon's engaging, well-researched 90 minute walking tour of the heart of old Hollywood. He takes us from the very beginnings of Tinseltown, through its heyday in the 30's to 50's, and to its modern incarnations of skyscrapers juxtaposed with the less-than-glamorous. Highly recommended, especially for locals who want to learn some history beyond the Gray Line tours."
-Rob M.
Los Alamitos, CA


"What a great experience! As a Native Angeleno who grew up in Hollywood I remember many of the places on the tour. What I did not know was the history behind the buildings, and the people who created "the industry." Phillip provided a real master class that was informative, interesting and (like its topic), entertaining. Great for residents and tourists alike."
-Mark


"The best tour of Hollywood I've ever had!"
-Carol Arthur Deluise
Actress and wife of the late, great Dom Deluise


"Driving in this area will never be the same.  I'll now be thinking about the rich history and fascinating stories that made Hollywood the entertainment capitol of the world."
-Travis Quentin Young
Actor, Los Angeles


"This tour was great! The pace was relaxed, and Philip is very knowlegable about true Hollywood history. I learned a lot about the history of the entertainment industry, and had fun doing it!"
-Jym 'Wizard' DeNatale
Retired Stuntman

"Having attended Hollywood High school and after living and working in film and tv for the last 20 years, I thought I knew all the histories of my town.  I was wrong. Philip's tour is exciting and informative.  The route is rich with stories and Philip is the right guy to tell them.  I will never look at my home town the same again!"

-Charlie Nicholson 

Set  Decorator

As you can imagine, I'm a little bit over the moon these days and wish to thank you guys for seeing me through from the very beginning.

Happy Daylight Savings everybody. 

Ooops, almost forgot - we need a picture!  How 'bout this:

Between takes on "The Yank At Oxford" Robert Taylor is all wet.  Yes he is!

 

The Mystery Gets Revealed!

You know, something in me said, "Don't include the torso picture."

But I didn't listen to myself, which is odd since I always talk to myself.  In any case that was my undoing.  I should have known that there was a pectoral expert among you.

Sure enough, less than 2 hours after the post hit, Jon of Dolores Delargo Towers and Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle guessed correctly when he said:

Just as correct, but a tad bit later were George W and our own Norma Desmond.

So for being the first to guess correctly, Jon is today's Smartest Boy In The Class.

If you recall Columbia's assessment of Wilde's screen test, "Good for occasional bits and spot casting - but he'll never play leads."  Well it was that very studio that signed him and in return, he brought them a nomination for an Academy Award in the Best Actor category, by enacting the role of Frederic Chopin in 1945's "A Night To Remember."

And the crowd went wild(e)!

Despite Paramount's concerns, he was quite a sensation in Technicolor, and regardless of RKO's worry about his head being too small for his body; with that body who noticed!

With wife Jean Wallace

Greatest Show On Earth, 1952

Bandit Of Sherwood Forest, 1946

Indeed!

Me Want. BAD!!!

I read on Ask The Cool Cookie's blog that Debbie Reynolds will begin auctioning off her store load of Hollywood memorabilia and costumes.  On the one hand this make me sad.  On the other hand, she's got some fabulous shit up for auction!


Of course I saw the item of my dreams.  It would be this:

Doesn't look like much on the hangar, I know.  But it just happens to be the Matador suit of lights that Rudolph Valentino wore in "Blood And Sand"!!! 

The site of the studio lot where this was filmed is on my tour route.  It only seems right that I should own it, right?

So if you happen to enjoy this blog, and you happen to be very well off.........

The auction is in June.

Now Who Do You Suppose They're Talking About?

Now I'll admit before going any further, this Mystery Guest isn't a name that comes marching to the front of the line in most people's minds, but....

He was a very successful actor, producer and director for over 50 years.

He was an Academy Award nominee in the Best Actor category.

His leading ladies have included:  Lauren Bacall, Ginger Rogers, Merle Oberon, Gene Tierney, Ida Lupino, Evelyn Keyes, Donna Reed, Debra Paget, Jane Russell, Maureen O'Hara and Linda Darnell.

He's been directed by some of the greats including:  Nicholas Ray, Otto Preminger, Charles Vidor, and C B DeMille.

Oh, and he was well built.

When he came to Hollywood he was under contract to a studio, after a few small parts that were all over the board (they didn't seem to know what to do with him) he talked them into ending the contract.  He then went all over down testing at every other company and here's what they said:

MGM - "Might be okay for heavies."

Columbia - "Good for occasional bits and spot casting - but he'll never play leads."

Universal - "Nice looking, but too much personality" (okay, what does that even mean?)

RKO - "His head is too small for his body" (his reply was that given some good roles, he was certain his head would swell to a size that would please them)

Paramount - "He's too dark for Technicolor."

He did have one supporter in the form of Hedda Hopper who wrote that he was the best actor to hit town since Paul Muni.

Hurry up and guess before Jane tells Bob!

Those Fabulous Stars Of Black And White - In Color! Pt. 2

Olivia de Havilland hammers out a plan with a sticky wicket.

Rita Hayworth - Red Hair purple flowers.

Maybe in deference to Rita, Lucille Ball's Technicolor Red turns Brunette!

James Stewart - looks like a 'Stewart for Congress' photo.

Little Miss Alice Faye.

A thrilling and spectacular Dorothy Dandridge.

Why Don't You....

Recording session, 1945

....Do a little singing today!

Alice White

PLAIN

and FANCY!

I always thought that Alice White could have been the progeny if Clara Bow and Joan Blondell had a child, with maybe a little Marion Davies as a corespondent.

If you'd like to know more about Alice's sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet story, there's a nice little tribute site here 

I did manage to find one other insane fabulous picture of her, but that one is strictly for The Hair Hall Of Fame.

Happy Sweet Sequestered Days

 

Looking at this picture of the great Jerome Kern and the irresistible Jean Harlow on the set of "Reckless", my first thought is of the Kern standard "Yesterdays".  It's words seem a perfect fit for "The Baby" in this, her centenary year.

These are the wistful Otto Harbach lyrics:

Yesterdays

Yesterdays

Days I knew as happy sweet

Sequestered days

Olden days

Golden days

Days of mad romance and love

Then gay youth was mine

And truth was mine

Joyous free and flaming life

Forsooth was mine

Sad am I

Glad am I

For today I'm dreaming of

Of yesterdays

The only version of this song for me is by Billie Holiday.  Lady Day herself called this her favorite song.  Enjoy

Yesterdays - Billie Holiday by felixinhollywood

Drop Whatever You're Reading!

As I believe I've mentioned before, when one lives in Hollywood, one tends to make friends and acquaintances with all matter of actors, singers, dancers, writers, directors and the like.  While this certainly lends color to ones circle, there can be a downside as well.

How often have I received an invitation to a screening (or play, or concert or reading) only to be so horrified by what is occurring before me that I miss the last half of it, preoccupied by the thought, 'what do I say when they ask me...'.

Then there is that time of sweet reward when watching (or listening or reading) I'm so dazzled by the product, and the talent behind it, that I can't wait to gush.  Openly.

I have been friends for a number of years with a gentleman (and I do not use the term loosely for he is a real gentleman) by the name of George Snyder.  Perhaps you've come across him too.  He's the author of the blog, "1904: The Year Everything Important Happened".  It's on my blog roll.  I just finished reading George's new book, "On Wings Of Affection" and I'm ready to let the unfettered gushing begin!!!

Wicked, fast and fun are the first words that come to mind.  The world that George creates and populates feels a bit like "Tales Of The City" for the over caffeinated - over stimulated - information super highway speed of post millennium West Hollywood.

Here we follow the adventures of our hero Sam.  Sam is a swirling mass of unfocused brilliance, wit, style, and believe it or not, extreme kindness - often to his own detriment.  While Sam craves a life of order, gentility, manners and another Chinese Chippendale side table, he seems to be an utter magnet for chaos, high maintenance types and drama.  With Sam we meet Didier, a ravishing, sexually irresistible, open-hearted nymph wrapped inside a free spirit and a French accent.  Didier makes friends with men and women alike quite easily.  Some pay him, some keep him for a while (in villas, on yachts), some worship him, all would do just about anything for him.  Then there is Pam (well, Agnes really, but we'll call her Pam) who becomes Sam's charge, in a paid arrangement with her Mother.  Pam is an maddening and adorable 16 year old debutante.  Much too wise and worldly for her years she is also imbued with the occasional 'psychic hit'.   

Needless to say, all manner of hilarity, murder, hijinks, destruction and devastation ensue.  The background personnel is a certain subset of a certain subset of society who have power-played, power-fucked, overdosed and tweeted themselves nearly to death.

I really had a blast with this book, it was one of those that I began to portion out the latter chapters in order to make it last longer.  If it wasn't March and so damned cold outside, I would call it the perfect beach book.  And like "Tales", rumor has it this will be a series of books, so hopefully more Sam/Didier/Pam adventures will follow.

It is available here, for the ridiculously low price of $10.95.  I don't know the prices in your particular area, but I can tell you that you can't even see a movie in L.A. for that price, and currently (don't blink) it will only get you about 2 1/2 gallons of gas.  So the book is a great entertainment value.

I really hope you will buy and read the book.  Then I hope you will buy and gift copies of the book, because when friends are talented, it's a joy to support.

The Young And The Old And The Restless.

Young Bogart

Old Lucy - maybe she thinks it's a glass of gin.

A very restless Baby Frances.

Actors And Other Animals - Part 4

The 'Here Kitty-Kitty' edition....

Bette Davis is a Cubs fan!

Cary Grant - a superstitious moment

Claudette Colbert and friend

Debbie Reynolds nuzzles fluffy

Garbo's thinking - So if I signed with Paramount, I suppose I'd have to climb a Mountain!

My gal Glenda Farrell and her four-eyed Siamese

Joanna Lumley - is that cat coppin' a feel?

Mary Pickford and kittens - is there no end to cloying innocence?

Stewart Granger and kitten.  Wow.

Susan Hayward and her big fat pussy

Though I've Thought Of Her Many Ways.....

Lauren Bacall as.....Betty Crocker?

.....but Donna Reed has never been among them!

A Fine Idea....

On a gray, overcast and unseasonably cool day like today, I'm thinking that Tony has the right idea.

During a break in filming on the set of "Psycho", Anthony Perkins catches up on 

correspondence and catnaps.

Old Friends, New Friends, Desert Dreams.

Perhaps I gave the impression that my brief visit to Palm Springs was strictly about a little getaway vacation.  Well, yes and no.

Ostensibly the trip was planned to help the ever-lovin' kabuki zero unload his worldly lucre from the U-haul upon his arrival to neighboring Desert Hot Springs.  It was hard work but also a joy, as I haven't physically laid eyes on 'the kabook' since 1987.  I'm delighted that he is safely ensconced in his new headquarters and only two hours away from me!

As luck would have it another very dear old friend of mine George, just happened to have rented a place in South Palm Springs for the same week and so the decision was made to extend the visit by another couple of days on the front end before kabuki's arrival.

Then, as even further luck would be conferred on me, (interwebs research is a wonderful thing)  I stumbled upon a cyclonic force by the name of Shirley Claire.

The Unsinkable Shirley Claire!

The singer/actor/showgirl/trooper has lived in Palm Springs for the last twenty years or so, but she debuted on my computer a couple of weeks ago in a role that she played over sixty years ago:  That of a showgirl at the Earl Carroll Theater here in Hollywood.

Shirley is on the far right.

As the former Carroll Theater is on my tour route, and discussed at some length, you can imaging my thrill at finding Ms. Claire.  With the typical nerves that come with any schoolboy crush, I sent her an email describing myself, my tour, my upcoming visit and asked if we couldn't perhaps meet for an interview.  Her reply kicked off a series of emails and phone calls and culminated in a three hour visit that left me both dazzled and flummoxed!

The indefatigable Shirley (she eschews the phrase 'Senior Citizen' for the more appropriate 'Seasoned Citizen') made time for me after a morning of household chores (she maintains a very large home by herself with no help) and taking her four little beauties to the doggie park.  She said she would simply cancel her regular yoga class and stretch at home instead, but she would need to be wrapped up in time to go to the theater that evening.  Just hearing about her schedule wore me out.  Oh, and did I mention, she's 83 years old.

Charity Fashion Show 2009

Charity Fashion Show 2010

Having returned from the dog park moments before, she greeted me all hugs and smiles, with her knock-out body clad in a black V-neck sweater, fitted black slacks and black leather ballet flats.  Her first order of business was to have me follow her back to her dressing room so she could get out of those flats and put on a pair of black sandals with a 3" heel!  Once a Showgirl....

We then went to her office where she showed me several scrapbooks.  I got to see the original contract she signed with the Carroll organization.  Finally we settled at poolside for an extended period.  From the moment I walked in till the moment I left, we were both talking a blue streak like two people that had known each other (or had been looking for each other) for ever.  She was frank, forthcoming, wise and funnier than hell.

I don't think either one of us wanted the visit to end.  After we came back into the house for me to take off, more things to talk about came up and we found ourselves sitting side by side on a black leather bench in the living room.  It was an awkward set up to communicate sitting side by side like that.  At one point, feeling the need to face me, in mid sentence she did a fan kick with her left leg that went over my head and resulted in her straddling the bench facing me!

Apparently Shirley never got the memo that we live in a youth oriented culture.  She has never stopped (and doesn't intend to) working.  Since her move to Palm Springs she has appeared in a few seasons of The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies and done numerous club dates and one woman shows.  Please take a moment to scroll through her website, you be glad you did.

And rest assured, Palm Springs hasn't seen the last of me, Shirley Claire hasn't seen the last of me, and you haven't seen the last of Shirley Claire!!!

Just Got Back Home....

 

....and Dad and Mom were waiting.

**Somehow in my three year old mind, Rob and Laura Petrie and President and Mrs. Kennedy were the same people.  When the President was killed, I was very upset that I wouldn't get to see the show anymore.