old school Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 One of my favorite things about working in Hollywood is stage hopping. When I work on any of the lots, it is a blast to visit other mixers, boom ops, even video assist monkeys on the other stages. Today I had lunch with Bruce Perlman and Ron Sherouse, (sorry if I slaughtered his last name), two great guys. Last time I was here 3 weeks ago I got to see Jim Stuebe and his gang. Any time I am at Universal I swing by and see Mick when time permits. Catching up with your peers is so much fun even though it is over way too soon. No real point I'm making here other than it makes my day when I do..... Not much work and a bunch of free time today. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bperlman Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Is that the same video monkey I saw broken down in Pasadena with smoke pouring out of his cockpit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curleysound Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 I don't see the inside of the studio lots too much, but visiting any of them is one of the few things that brings back my child-like wonder. It keeps my nose to the grind-stone, knowing that if I keep doing the quality work I do, and if I keep working and networking enough, that I, too will be able to stage hop some day! I was at WB having lunch the day after Universal burnt down, and while walking around, I felt like I was in a place where anything could be accomplished! It's one of the ways that I remind myself, after the occasional crappy day, that I'm in the right place, doing the right thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Same monkey Bruce.... Hey Tom, I know that feeling of walking the backlot or the rows of massive stages and their interiors. You feel the ghosts of the illusion masters and the craft they created in the big empty barns and one sided facades of a Hwood lot.. The art of story telling that we call "Movies", always changes as it remains the same. It is all about story telling, not the gear. Viva la Revolution... Long may Craft live..... CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrengun Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I practically lived at Universal as a kid, albeit just the theme park. I always wanted to be involved in such fantastic creations. Last year a professor, talking about production said "Most people buy into the magic of movies, of course we all know there's nothing magical about it" Several of us looked around, our expressions clearly reading "We still think it's magic!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bperlman Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 I've been on film sets since I was nine years old and a mixer for over forty years and I still believe in the magic, especially on a stage. You arrive in the morning and there is just a big empty box. Soon it becomes another world and at the end of the day it's once again an empty space. Oh, if those walls could talk! Or how about the idea of a group of virtual strangers coming together to perform an extremely complex technical and creative ballet, and packing it up when we're done? Maybe what we create isn't art but how we create it is pretty damn close to magic. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Birchfiel Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Wow what a great stories, If you guys don't mind I'll tell a short one. I remember when I was 8yrs old and standing in for the little boy in The Buccaneer with Yul Brenner. Talk about a fantasy come true. That's probably why I love this business so much. Long live fantasies. Thanks Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 I love all the lots, but one image that resurfaces any time I work at Warner Bros., is when I was between films, working on 2nd unit of "Goonies" for 7 week in 1984. Spielberg was ex producer and was directing our unit and Dick Donner was the films director and doing 1st unit. They must have had 5 huge stages going. They would ping pong the young cast back n forth to make the most of our days time. I would visit Willie Burton n Marvin on 1st unit and they were having a blast on this huge pirate ship on a massive stage with a lagoon and underground cavern set. We were with Steven who is or was a handful and not much fun, in all the tunnel sets with zero room. Not a party. One day as we broke for lunch and the big stage doors opened, the big lagoon set doors opened, as did the doors to the sets across the alley to "PeeWees Big Adventure" and we all poured out going to lunch or wherever. Federico Fellini couldn't of stage such a scene... A freak show parade and no one blinked. Just another day in Hwood. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curleysound Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Not a contest, but you still win old school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 originally, when I started reading this thread, I was not planning to reply, and then, the next day, there I was looking at all the posters in the lobby of Columbia Pictures (now Sunset Gower) and humming "put the blame on Mame, boys" to the poster of Rita Hayworth in Gilda!! The history is what impresses me, being on sets where some of the great classics and my favorites were shot!! and sadly, as many of the big studios have sold off a lot of their back-lots, some of these memories have been torn down. I always study the placards that list productions that have shot on the stages, and enjoy seeing all the pictures and posters that are on display at many of the lots. sometimes after I see a movie listed at the stage door, I go rent it, just to refresh or create my mental pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Birchfiel Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hey old school isn't sunset gower where Laurel and Hardy shot, they had there dressing rooms where the two story building is with the outside stair case ? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hey Keith, contrary to myth or legend, I was not cable man on "Sons of the Desert" or any of the other great L n H movies.... I know they started w Hal Roach and his stages were in SilverLake I believe, but not sure. Also they went to MGM and did much of their work there. Big Fan of the 'Boys'..... CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 If anyone here is ever on the Universal Lot for any reason, please drop by and say hello. We shoot on stages 22, 24 and 25. Of course we're on location occasionally, but we're here at least four days out of eight shooting days. Regards Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hey old school isn't sunset gower where Laurel and Hardy shot, they had there dressing rooms where the two story building is with the outside stair case ? I believe the Sunset/Gower Studios was Columbia Pictures' headquarters going back to the 1920s. Back in the 1980s, I knew veteran producer Nick Vanoff (who owned the lot at the time), and I got to see his office, which had been Columbia studio chief's Harry Cohn's office throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Vanoff showed me the "secret room" the office had to the side, where reportedly Mr. Cohn "auditioned" selected actresses for parts in his films. The room had a exit to a fire escape that led directly to a parking lot, so Cohn was able to have liasons with nobody being the wiser. There's a lot of great history on that lot. A lot of the Screen Gems shows were shot there; many of the Three Stooges shorts. All the Monkees shows (which show the 1960s corner of Sunset & Gower in several episodes). But I think the Laurel & Hardy shorts were mostly shot in and around Culver City, if memory serves. I think the infamous concrete staircase (where they drop the piano in Music Box) was in Silverlake. [in wheezy old man's voice] And you try to tell this stuff to them youngun's today... I made a wisecrack to a 30-ish guy at work the other day quoting a line from the Godfather movies, and he gave me a total blank look. It's as if the film was made before about 1985, it doesn't exist to them. Scary. I officially feel very old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 This is amazing, I just can't imagine how cool that would be to be able to stage-hop. Boy, you venerable, ancient, almost dead, old-timers are so lucky. ha ha More stories please! Dan Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hey Dan, glad you enjoy this topic. I seldom take it for granted how cool our place in the long history of Hwood is. You could almost say we are the 'Grateful Almost Dead'. If you ever get out west, look me up. I will buy us some beers and we can tell war stories until you've had your fill. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bperlman Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 The Lot (where Crew began this thread) has had a number of incarnations including Warner Hollywood, Goldwyn (Sam, not to be confused with MGM, and long time home to Aaron Spelling and his TV reign) and at one time Howard Hughes. On Santa Monica Blvd. (between Poinsetta and Formosa) there is still an old garage door in the studio wall. Legend has it that this was Mr. Hughes' private entrance and that he rarely used the main gate. That way no one on the lot knew if he was there or not. I wonder if anyone uses it now? Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted June 17, 2008 Report Share Posted June 17, 2008 Hey old school isn't sunset gower where Laurel and Hardy shot, they had there dressing rooms where the two story building is with the outside stair case ? It made me smile as your post brought to mind one of my favorite L&H lines, "Okay, Stanley, you hold the nail, and when you nod your head, I'll hit it with the hammer." JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Birchfiel Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 Hey old school maybe it was the three stooges ? oh well I'm old also thanks Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Had a cool flashback the other day... I hooked up with Jeff n Don as 3rd man on 9 to 5. We started in Jan 80 and finished 5 months later in May. Very old school movie making experience. No one was shooting at Fox then. It was a ghost town, but cool to cruise around, much history. We then started a Hal Ashby movie right after 9 to 5 called Looking to Get Out. Not many have ever seen it, but worth IMDBing it just to see the talent on both sides of the camera. We shot 2 or 3 months in Las Vegas and then went to Culver City Studios for 4 months to finish the film. There was 138 shooting days on the epic. During the stage portion of the shoot, I stage hopped next door to meet Tommy Causey and his crew who were doing 'Beneath the Rainbow'. It was about the making of Wizard of Oz, so you can imagine what that might entail... Shit I gotta go. I will finish this l8r. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisboom Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hey Crew, Any stories or memories from " Down and Out in Bev. Hills that stand out ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Back to Culver City Studios in 1980.... Tom Causey and his gang were doing a different picture there, Willie Burton and Marvin were on 'Rainbow'. Anyway, one thing about me that my friends know is that I am a Frisbee freak. I can still throw one 100 yards and make it go where I want it to. Between set ups I always threw one if I had the time. So Rainbow is lighting as are we. 100 little people in period costume milling about as my friend and I throw it 80 yards or so over their heads... I tell him to go long and really let one fly. He runs full speed trying to catch it and Wham Bam the disk hits a CHP cruiser entering the lot followed by 4 more units and then 2 black limos and then 6 or more CHP units and more motorcycles. WTF? We walked down the lot to a stage where the parade stopped. Out of one of the limos walks Ron Reagan. He was there to cut a commercial. He waves to all and ducks inside. Even though I was not a big fan of the man or his politics, I remember thinking, this is Hollywood. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Hey Chris, all my memories of 'Down n Out' are good ones. Best memory is that my 2nd son Cole was born in the middle of making the movie. The one thing I never saw before or after was a run through rehearsal of the whole movie the day before principal photography started for all the keys. The main mansion set was at Disney, all the interiors, and the backyard and pool. Paul Mazursky had the cast perform the whole film for us on the sets to be used, or in an open area when no set was available. What a treat with that cast. Very helpful as well. Paul M was a very knowledgeable film maker who loved his cast n crew. He loved to laugh, and we did every day. We were scheduled to shoot 65 days and I believe we finished in 57 or 8. We never worked over 10 hours and we all had a 12 hr guarantee. Paul never let actors see dailies, so every day after we saw dallies at lunch, the actors would all ask how the were. Paul told us to say they were good, fine, etc, but the dog was great. This was a great running gag that drove the actors nuts. Every interior was recorded with one schoeps, not one of Jim Webbs favorite mics, but he deferred to my choice. The exteriors were with an 816. It was my 1st job with Bill Macpherson,, who was our 3rd man and is now a top mixer and a good friend. I'm sure there are many other good things to report about that film, but I'm working at USC today on a ESPN spot, and I seem distracted enough by being back here, remembering being a young film student. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I believe the Sunset/Gower Studios was Columbia Pictures' headquarters going back to the 1920s. Back in the 1980s, I knew veteran producer Nick Vanoff (who owned the lot at the time), and I got to see his office, which had been Columbia studio chief's Harry Cohn's office throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Vanoff showed me the "secret room" the office had to the side, where reportedly Mr. Cohn "auditioned" selected actresses for parts in his films. The room had a exit to a fire escape that led directly to a parking lot, so Cohn was able to have liasons with nobody being the wiser. There's a lot of great history on that lot. A lot of the Screen Gems shows were shot there; many of the Three Stooges shorts. All the Monkees shows (which show the 1960s corner of Sunset & Gower in several episodes). But I think the Laurel & Hardy shorts were mostly shot in and around Culver City, if memory serves. I think the infamous concrete staircase (where they drop the piano in Music Box) was in Silverlake. [in wheezy old man's voice] And you try to tell this stuff to them youngun's today... I made a wisecrack to a 30-ish guy at work the other day quoting a line from the Godfather movies, and he gave me a total blank look. It's as if the film was made before about 1985, it doesn't exist to them. Scary. I officially feel very old... We just used that staircase scene in a doc! It was great to see it again! Sync sound! On location! My son lives in an old building on Melrose near Western, just down the street from the Paramount lot. I Googled his address and found some old LA census reports. I was able to tell my son that "motion picture studio staff" had lived in that building since the 1920's Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lightstone, CAS Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 RVD, Love the stories but was disappointed to read that, "I've only been to one union meeting in my 31 years of membership, and I realized that not everyone attends these functions." Democracy works better when you participate, especially when you are paying for it. Regards, RL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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