Things That Were, and Things That Never Were

As we approach the end of the year, the newspapers are bringing a number of stories of things that were, or in some cases, never were…

• Clint Eastwood. No, Clint is still alive. However, his plywood cutout has gone missing. It’s actually an interesting story. The cutout was created and placed on trails in the Glendale hills by Justin, a 31-year-old Glassell Park resident. There were similar cutouts of John Wayne and Gene Autry. After Clint disappeared the first time, the cutout was replaced in memory of a child whose organs were donated. But recently, someone cut down Clint again… and they are looking for him.
• Sierras. In 1969, a new branch of a Mexican restaurant, Sierras, opened in Canoga Park. The restaurant has remained open since then serving food to shoppers and scientists alike (as it was across the street from Rocketdyne). Well, Sierras (and Mission Burrito next door) is closing on New Years Eve to make way for “development”. Yet another long-time establishment disappears.
• Frank Beardsley. You may not recognize the name, but you’ll recognize his story. Frank Beardsley, the patriarch of the clan portrayed in Yours, Mine, and Ours, has died at age 97. Many of us remember the original movie (Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Van Johnson), and the remake (Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo) less fondly. The original was close to the true story. What I didn’t know was that it really took place in Carmel, and that Beardsley actually taught at Naval Postgrad.
• Projects in Los Angeles. This goes in the category of things that never were. A kickstarter has begun to raise funds for an exhibition of major projects in Los Angeles that never happened. This ranges from well-known things, such as Disneyland in Burbank, to lesser known projects, such as a chain of parks across the city, or a Los Angeles International Airport at Roscoe and Balboa. More details on the Kickstarter page.
• Larry King. No, not that Larry King. The other Larry King … specifically, Larry L. King, the author of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas“, has died. I remember when the original story was published in Playboy (which was well known for its stories and articles, in addition to the photos).

Music: Butterfly (Barbra Streisand): “Jubilation”