Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tim Burton (BHS '76) Signing @ LACMA



"On May 28, the day before the much-anticipated Tim Burton exhibition opened at LACMA, the famed director appeared at the museum for a signing. Fans lined up overnight for the two-hour event. All photos by Shannon Cottrell."

LINK: http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/tim-burton-signing-lacma-33427768/



PREVIOUS TIM BURTON POSTS
Notable BHS Alumni - Tim Burton '76
The Work of BHS Alumni Tim Burton at MoMA

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day 2011

"I believe the best way to honor those who have died in war, both combatants and civilians, is to work to abolish war. We must end the killing and suffering caused by war."

Quote by Michael T. McPhearson, former field artillery officer in the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, also known as Gulf War I and former executive director of Veterans For Peace


1965

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Senior Bulldogs Foundation & Monthly Luncheon

Senior Bulldogs Foundation

The Senior Bulldogs Foundation is an alumni association consisting of all graduates of every year, from Burbank High School. We are non-profit and each year give several generous scholarships to deserving graduating Burbank High Seniors, who meet our qualifications.
 
Our meetings (actually casual luncheons) are held on the first Monday of every month at the new Burbank Elks Club located at 2232 North Hollywood Way in Burbank. The meetings begin at 11:30 AM (but most begin to arrive around 11:00AM)
 
The atmosphere is very casual and friendly and it is a chance to get together with old friends and make new ones.

Lunch is $12.00 (your choice of chicken/beef/or veggie)

Everyone new who attends is encouraged to sign the attendance sheet with name, address, phone and email so they can be added to our alumni roster and receive a free monthly Senior Bulldog Newsletter. Your photo will also be taken and be placed in the next month's Newsletter.

For more information, contact Cathy Nicholls Coyle BHS '67 (Secretary of Senior Bulldogs) at scarleto49@aol.com

Carol Brown Baker '67, President
Ray Brown '47, Vice President
Cathy Nicholls Coyle '67. Secretary
John Coyle '65, Co-Treasurer
Sallie Shelton Thomas '68, Co-Treasurer
Santa Vessella Calderon '65, Chairman of Scholarship Committee
Herb Vincent '46, Editor of Senior Bulldog News
Bill Magee '47, Board Member
Linda Durkee Johnson '59, Board Member


Front row (left to right): Bill Magee, Gus Ghiselli, Nadine Berkland Magee and Ray Brown
Back row (left to right): Herb Vincent, Carol Brown Baker, John Coyle, Santa Vesella Calderon, Cathy Nicholls Coyle and Sallie Sheldon Thomas

Friday, May 27, 2011

BHS '67 Neal Hershenson's Camero Rebirth!

Neal sold his 76 Camero to the London Motor Museum and look what they did!!

From Facebook:

"Did you see the photos of what the London Motor Museum has done for our former Chevrolet Camaro? Rebirth!

"As it sat here it was fully, but not overly, maintained. Ran full synthetic engine oil, had new shocks, a/c cold, breezed smogs. Also had a new, clear windshield (tree once fell on car - will post photo). My ad copy truthfully stated that with fresh tires cross-continental travel @ 90mph was no sweat."

‎1976 Chevy Camaro sold and shipped to London, England.






LINK: http://www.londonmotormuseum.co.uk/

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Listen to Don Ray on the Radio Friday Night May 27, 2011

Received the following today from our friend and BHS '67 alumni, Don Ray!

Greetings,

I just found out today that an interview I did for “The Story, with Dick Gordon” will air this coming Friday. In the L.A. area, it airs on KPCC-FM, 89.3 F.M. The show starts at 8 p.m. My segment will air sometime around 8:40 p.m.

If you’re not in the L.A. area, here’s a link that will show you where and when the show airs near you: http://thestory.org/Stations. It will also show you how you can listen to it online if you miss it on Friday.

What’s my story about? It’s about a 19-year-old combat dog handler in Vietnam who finds out that they’re taking his faithful dog away and “volunteering” him to be the untrained, unsupervised veterinarian technician. Yikes! As I recall, I tell him about a wild Med Evac helicopter ride in the middle of the night and how I had to practically hijack a gunship helicopter for the send leg of the trip to save a sick dog’s life. But the real story is about the mysterious disease that the American dogs were catching. And they were dying. I tell the story about how the nearest veterinarian (100 miles away) told me that there was nothing that a vet tech could do about it --- and how I proved him wrong.

19 years old? Geez. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I hope you’ll listen to it and that you’ll share it with others.

Oh, and if you have nothing to do tomorrow or this weekend, you can come and watch me move from my new office to an even newer office. You can marvel at how the spirit of the “can do” 19-year-old still lives on in the way I single-handedly turn from journalist/documentary producer into Don the Moving Guy.

Oh, you might want to listen to “The Story” every weeknight. He’s a great interviewer --- not something I often say about my competitors. J

Enjoy,

Don Ray

Ps. I know that you have a wonderful story that you could also tell to Dick Gordon. Go to the website and share your story with him.

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

Don Ray
(818) 237-3728
Click here for my sometimes silly and sometimes awesome blog:
http://donrayadventures.blogspot.com/

--- end ---


PREVIOUS POST



MAY 27, 2010 UPDATE FROM DON
Here’s a link to download the podcast ---- remember that the Don Ray story is about 2/3 (31:20) of the way into the program: http://thestory.org/archive/The_Story_52711.mp3 You can also find a link and a bit more information on my silly blog at http://donrayadventures.blogspot.com/. I hope you enjoy it. They did a pretty good job of editing it.
Thanks.
Don Ray

Monday, May 23, 2011

BHS Class '66 Recent Get-Together

Big thanks to Scott Bruckner who sent this great photo!

Hi Cathy,
Here is a picture from a recent meeting of the Class of '66 mini group. Greg Alaimo is really terrific in organizing periodic lunches with groups of people from our class. They are all such enjoyable folks, it is always fun to get together.

Take care, and we love the pictures you post on Facebook.
Scott & Dona


L-R: Greg Alaimo, Bruce Keswick, Dona Foy Bruckner ('67), Scott Bruckner, Owen Newcomer, Bill Wright, Chis Seekins

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

A Father, a Daughter and a Dog

Received the following via '67 classmates Sue Sergent and Betty Wareham Worland. It's a tearjerker, so have a tissue handy!

A Father, a Daughter and a Dog

"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me. "Can't you do anything right?"

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.

"I saw the car, Dad . Please don't yell at me when I'm driving."

My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts.... dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often.. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.

At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone..

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.

Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.

Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad 's troubled mind.

But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it. The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.

Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article.."

I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon.. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.

Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hip bones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up
tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.

As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror.. "You mean you're going to kill him?"

"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog.."

I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said. I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me.. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch... "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad !" I said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.

Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad . He's staying!"

Dad ignored me.. "Did you hear me, Dad ?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate. We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw..

Dad 's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne. Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at is feet. Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years.. Dad 's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne 's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at night.. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad 's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad 's peace of mind.

The morning of Dad 's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."

"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article.. Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter. . ...his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. .. and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

My Daughter the Angler on Local TV Show


posted by proud mom Cathy Palmer (BHS '67)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Another Hilarious Piece by Dave LeSueur (BHS '67)

Monday, May 16, 2011
Men and MS Spring 2011

Headline: Having Fun with a Mental Cognition Test
By David LeSueur

One of the potential problems caused by MS is impaired thinking; however, how do you know whether any diminished capacity is caused by MS rather than natural aging? When I was growing up, an uncle told me that when men got old, brain cells (which look like hair) start growing out of their ears!

I was always skeptical, but now I think he might have been right. I figure I have trimmed over a foot of brain cells from my ears during the past decade. That would explain a lot.

So when my neurologist offered to send a nurse to my house to give me a "Mental Cognition Test," I readily agreed. I was anxious to see what she thought. The nurse came by the next week. We talked about the weather, and then she got out her notebook and started the test.

"Let's start with an easy question." she said. "What day of the week is it today?"

That isn't such an easy question. I don't work anymore, so every day seems the same. I can't even rely on what television show I watched last night to tell me what day of the week it is because we record everything we want to watch on our DVR and watch it on a different day. But on that day, I did remember watching the Broncos play the day before, which means the day before must have been Sunday, so I answered confidently, "Today is Monday!"

The nurse looked at me and laughed. "It is Tuesday, not Monday!" she said.

"That's right," I replied. "The Broncos played yesterday, but it was on Monday Night Football." I was not off to a good start.

"Let's try another question. I am going to read you three unrelated words and have you repeat them back to me. That should be easy. But remember them, because I will ask you to name them again in a few minutes. Okay, here are the words: tree, ballpoint pen, bank. . . Now what are the three words?"

It will be easy to say them back now, I thought to myself, but remembering them later could be tricky. Fortunately, I have a book called "How You Too Can Develop a Razor-Sharp Mind and a Steel-Trap Memory." It says that to remember unrelated items you need to form a relationship in your mind between the items. The wackier the relationship is, the easier it is to remember the items. There is more to it – but I can't remember where I put the book to check on it.

What trick will I use to remember these words? First I will imagine looking out my window and seeing a grove of trees. Growing on the trees will be a bunch of ballpoint pens. Finally I'll remember that we are growing the pens to replace the ones in the bank that no longer work.

"Tree, ballpoint pen, bank." I said.

"That's right!" she replied. "Now for the next exercise, you will have 60 seconds to name all the animals you can think of. Are you ready? Go!"

She said "Go!" before I could think about my strategy for thinking of animals. I decided to pretend I was at the zoo. "Penguins, elephants, giraffes," I said to begin. "Can I just say ‘deer’ or do I have to be more specific about what kind of deer it is?"

"Deer is fine. Keep going!"

She was writing something down in her book. "Then deer," I said, continuing, "and lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!" I looked at her but she wasn't laughing. I wonder if I get extra credit for having a sense of humor. Or maybe I get points taken off for telling stupid jokes. I'd better watch myself.

"30 seconds!" she announced.

All of a sudden I couldn't think of any more animals at the zoo, so I shifted to my backyard. "Squirrels, dogs, cats, birds, coyotes, deer - oops, I think I already said ‘deer.’ Does it still count?"

"Yes, I don't keep track of what you have already said."

"You don't keep track?" I answered. "Then deer, deer, deer, deer…." I looked at her. She wasn't laughing.

"Actually, repeating yourself is a sign of senility." She looked at me, and now it was my turn to not laugh.

"Do insects count as animals?" I asked.

"It doesn't really matter. Don't over-analyze this. Ten seconds."

I just gave up at this point. "Time! Now, what are the three words I read to you earlier?"

“Tree, deer, ballpoint pen, deer, bank, deer.”

The nurse wouldn't tell me how I did on the test, but she didn't send me to a retirement home either, so that is good I guess.

David LeSueur lives in Littleton, Colo., a city with many banks, lots of deer and thousands of trees (none of which is growing ballpoint pens). You can read more of David's writing at http://lesueur926.blogspot.com/

http://lesueur926.blogspot.com/2011/05/men-and-ms-spring-2011-headline-having.html

Sunday, May 15, 2011

1981 Interview with Dr. Leo Buscaglia by Don Ray (BHS '67)


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxaiR92AII&feature=player_embedded#at=1664

Don writes:
Dr. Leo Buscaglia was a U.S.C. professor who decided to teach a class about love --- about how each person can live a life of love and joy. It's a decision, he would say. In the 1980s, he was one of PBS's most popular lecturer and was soon selling millions of copies of his first book, "Love" and a number of subsequent books. I was lucky enough to interview him in 1981 and ask him the kinds of questions his followers, and critics maybe, wished that they could ask him. Shortly after this interview, Buscaglia went into the hospital for multiple bypass surgery. In 1992, he died of a heart attack. Over the years, I regularly revisit this interview so he can remind me of the principles that have helped me lead a more peaceful and satisfying life. ---Don Ray, donray@donray.com

Leo Buscaglia obituary

Don Ray's Blog

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Green Thing

Received the following in an email today and it made me chuckle so am posting it...

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.

In her day, they walked up stairs,because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.

But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks were just because they didn't have the green thing back then?

Monday, May 2, 2011

Happy Anniversary John and Marilyn Williams Peterson (BHS '65 & 67)!

Snatched this FABULOUS Foto from Facebook!!!

The Teen-Age Fair (1962 - 1972)

Here's a fun website! (UPDATE March 19, 2023 This Website No Longer Exists)
http://gogonotes.blogspot.com/2008/12/palladium-lawrence-weld-years.html

In the spring of 1962 the first of 11 consecutive Teen-Age Fairs came to the Los Angeles. 

The first Teenage fair was at POP (Pacific Ocean Park). It was held at April 13 - 23. It attracted 250,000 visitors. 

The second annual  Teen-Age Fair was held at Pickwick Recreation Center in Burbank April 5 - 14, 1963. One highlight of that fair that year was the public demonstration of a rocket belt with which a man could fly more than 100 feet. 

In 1964 the Teen-Age Fair moved to the Hollywood Palladium. 

The Teen Age Fair was a 10-day long event. It promised  hundreds of activities of special interest to teen-agers, including: surfing clinics, hot rod displays, outdoor amusement rides, midway with all the carnival booths, dance contest, a car bash and cramming contest,  yo-yo championship,  Karate exhibition, skydiving and surfing films upstairs in the balcony. The big highlight of the fair was the annual  Miss Teen U.S.A. pageant and the Battle of the Bands competition. 

This winners of the 1965 Battle of the Bands was Baimen Six from Sunnyhills High School Orange County.  




The fair was from noon to midnight. Admission was $1.50.  

Emergence of the Youth Market
In 1960's advertisers and retailers realized that teenagers had large amounts of disposable income to spend. Heavy marketing thinkers came up with their  best ideas on how to shape the youth's lifelong consumption patterns and brand identification.

Big advertisers for the fair included Pepsi, Chevrolet, Clairol, Curtiss candy, US Rubber and Coca Cola. Of course they  ran contest and games that featured their products.

Start-up companies tested new product ideas at the Teen-Age Fair such as Hobie Surfboards and Yardley of London with it's mod-look makeup. 

Kustom Kar artist such as Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth, Dean Jeffries and Van Dutch (Kenny Howard) took the LA car culture to a new level of coolness with artwork. Everyone ran out to customize their cars.

There was plenty of hi-fi gear and automotive equipment on display.  This is where Mattel premiered it's Creepy Crawlers, Incredible Edibles and Thingmakers. Other fun stuff aimed at a kids were Wham-O Frisbees, SuperBalls and Slip 'n' Slides.  

Teenagers were a huge market. The Teen-Age Fair displayed booths featuring contemporary fashions, custom cars, musical instruments and interior design. The fair was an important advertising medium for reaching the youth market. 

In 1967, the major rock n' roll stations in Los Angeles were KHJ, KRLA and KFWB. They continued to battle it out over the Number 1 position. This competition was played out with an onslaught of  publicity and promotion. 
KHJ was an RKO station that switched to pop/rock format in 1965. It was home of the fictitious Tina Delgado. KHJ was the Boss Radio - meaning anything fabulously wonderful and it's Boss Jocks such as the Real Don Steele and Gary Mack. KHJ aimed at playing the most music a possible. 

KRLA achieved high acclaim for sponsoring the Beatle concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It had the zany and successful disc jockey Dave Hull - the Hullabalooer. KRLA has All Request Radio 

KFWB was once the leader of the pack, but by now it's glory days were behind them. It had contests aimed at forcing the listeners to keep tuned to the station. 
By 1967 there were Teen Age Fairs springing up all over the country. 

In 1967 there was a psychedelic fashion show and a hair coloring demonstration by Clairol. Remember Clairol's Endless Summer?  It launched Nice 'n Easy product line aimed at a younger market. Even guys would use it.

The Times They Were a Changing
In 1967, much of the youth at this time were engaged in building a new counter-culture that wanted no part of what the establishment was selling them. 1969 was a real turning point for the fair. There was a general feeling the Fair had run it's course. 

This was all happening in the mist of and after Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Haight Ashbury, Hendrix the Airplane Joplin, 1967  Summer of Love, the Democratic Convention of 1968, the growth of the counter culture, Woodstock and the generation gap. The Vietnam war was taking its toll on the country.  There was the emergence of the civil rights movement. The youth were much more politically aware. They developed new modes of dress and new life styles.

In the late 1960's Hollywood was a very different place - and the youth were in a very different place than they were in 1961. Most were not buying into the products being marketed at them.  

In 1969 the Teen Age Fair became Pop Expo '69.  The entrance fee was now $2.00.

There was still the usual bombardment of  games, tents, carnival booths and rides. This time there was a psychedelic whale ride, a loud motorcycle pit and a psychedelic light show.

The fair tried to bill itself as a Celebration of Life  and  Renaissance of the Arts.  Amongst all the strobe lights and loud rock music,  teenagers could  learn about the Peace Corps, watch abstract student films, track their personality, and test their knowledge about VD. 

There was a rock festival featuring Mama Cass, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Dr. John the Night Tripper. There were nightly jam sessions where people like Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa would showed up. The annual Battle of the Bands was now called a Pop Rock Tournament. 

Across the street Hair played at the Aquarius Theater (former Earl Carroll's Theater).

In 1969 the Pop Expo fair attracted 288,635 paying attendees. The record attendance was 301,000 set in 1967. The promoters noticed. But this may be due to the rain on the final two days of the fair. 

In 1970 the Fair struggled ahead. But by 1970 the youth market boom was passe. Teens weren't spending like they were before. Even the new owners (Filmways) were in financial trouble.  

This time the Palladium was all decked out with a hip, striped psychedelic facade. 
This annual teenage spring fling included the usual amusement rides, games, booths and lots of natural and fattening food shops for teens to spend money on. However, the music was now mind blowing and ear piercing. There was the usual carny feel about the whole thing. Or was is just cheesy? Been there done that. 

Now the most popular section of the Fair was the occult section - especially any booth offering free information in astrology or tarot cards

Another popular  area was where were young artisans were selling pottery, multi colored frangrant candles, leather goods and other hand made wares.

Inside the Palladium hall there was highly powered music playing while fashion shows were going on.  Amateur films were being shown up in the balcony. 

1972 was the 11th and final year of the TeenAge Fair (now called Pop Expo). 
This time there was an Environment Center with ecological exhibits and a Health Happening Exhibit that emphasized natural organic foods. Kids weren't buying into it like they did before. 

There was the annual Miss Teen USA beauty contest, the carnival style midway, and cosmetic oriented Beauty Clinics.  But it was obvious that the Teen-Age Fair was out of style with the interest of the current batch of teenagers. 

Presidential Appearances

In December 1961 President Kennedy was a guest at a $100-a-plate Democratic Party dinner at the Hollywood Palladium. The entertainment was by Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra, Nat King Cole and Ralph Bellamy. While in town Kennedy stayed at the Beverly Hilton but spent time with his sister Pat, the wife of actor Peter Lawford

President Kennedy came again to the Palladium in 1963 for a $1000-a-couple plate dinner.

In January of 1962 former President Eisenhower addressed the L.A. Chamber of Commerce at the Palladium.