32650 HD " AMERICA! THE TINSEL MECCA " 1963 EPISODE HOLLYWOOD JACK DOUGLAS
Jack Douglas hosts this glitz and glam tour through Hollywood in the 1960's, "The Tinsel Mecca". Douglas worked as an early producer and host of an array of travel and adventure films designed to bring the adventure to the American viewer’s home. This episode features Grauman's Chinese Theater, Corriganville Movie Ranch, Marineland of the Pacific, Forest Lawn Memorial Park and the Academy of Magical Arts. It also includes a tour of the famed wax museum; Movieland, closed since 2005. The film opens with shots of the Troubadour (:16). The Troubadour helped to set off the careers of stars such as Elton John, the Eagles and Tom Waits. Jack Douglas swings in, slim mic in hand (:22). He introduces the swank Roaring Twenties Night Club (:35). A narrow neon shot of Hollywood Boulevard follows (:50). 'Cleopatra' starring Elizabeth Taylor plays at the Pantages Hollywood Theater (:52). Tom McCue; the film’s producer and director, and Jack hop into a helicopter in Hughes field (1:09). The pair pass over downtown LA (1:54) capturing the LA Memorial Sports Arena (2:00), LA Memorial Coliseum (2:03) and Dodgers stadium (2:17). A game was set between the Yankees and the Angels. Blue pools accommodate every home (2:31). Prayers pass; a highway mess follows (2:49). Some of the major studios appear (3:05); Jack notes most were concentrating on television production during this time period. Corriganville; a prop western town was opened by Crash Corrigan, a Hollywood stuntman, in 1949. The camera swings over Silvertown (3:42) used in numerous motion pictures. Stuntman put on a western brawl (4:13) and a gunfight at the Okay Coral (4:46). Disneyland is captured in an aerial shot (5:49). Movieland's Wax museum (6:15) housed the stars and history of Hollywood’s Golden Era in wax. The 1955 golden Rolls Royce stands outside the entry (6:21). Clark Gable and Vivian Lee stand in a scene from ‘Gone with the Wind’ (7:07). Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart appear from ‘The African Queen’ (7:13). Gary Cooper (7:23), Bridgette Bardot (7:37) and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein (7:41) follow. The final wax sculpture is of Rudolph Valentino; a tragic star (8:15) perished at 31 and was laid to rest at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. A small marble statue stands in the park erected to commemorate Valentino (8:37). Grauman’s iconic Chinese theater (8:59) squats on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. The theater opened in 1927 housing such great films as 'The King of Kings' and 'Star Wars' released in 1977. Fans put hands near Joan Crawford's signature in the star studded cement (9:10). Marilyn Monroe's 'I prefer blondes' appears scrawled in the sidewalk (9:13). Marineland of the Pacific (9:18) entertained marine fans in La county from '54 to '87 (9:18). An aerial shot captures the expanse of the watery amusement park (9:29). A snorkeler blows bubbles in the fishbowl (9:54) home to over 100 different species. The Sea Arena sparkles from above (10:30). One of the dolphins; Flipper (12:40) gets a special highlight as he willingly jumps from the water to dry land. The Academy of Magical Arts (15:05) is featured, a private club of amateur magicians. Guests play on a trick piano (16:18). The great Blackstone sits in the bar area (17:12). A dealer spills out cards in the card room (17:36). Magician Dick Zimmerman plays a rope trick (18:12). A new Ginza club is visited (19:13) in downtown LA. The Troubador rock cafe is toured (20:49). Peter Evans plucks at strings on stage (21:11). David Bernard plays a rolling Israeli tune (22:28). Bouncing brass ring from the Roaring Twenties (24:34). The manager welcomes guests in (24:49). Ladies swing from the ceiling (25:03) and guests fire off rounds in the shooting gallery (25:11). Showgirl waitresses drop down on poles (26:10). A jazz quartet bangs a tune in the speakeasy (26:58).<p><p>Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below.<p><p>This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com