John Fitch at the wheel...
Carrera Panamericana

 

When I first got my GTO, I was going to school at night studying film courses that were taught by Peter Gibbons who was head of the camera department and Elliott Bliss who was head of the sound department at CBS Cinema Center on Radford in Studio City. I wanted to take classes that were instructed by industry professionals rather than English teachers looking for extra credit.

One of the benefits of this decision was having access to the sound stage and mixing board at CBS with which to practice and learn. One of our assignments was to remove the sound of a barking dog from a fire chief's recorded speech. I accomplished this removing every one of them and for extra measure, I strung all the dog's barks together at the end of the speech. I think the dog ended up having a longer speech than the chief.

Another benefit of studying with these men was it allowed me to be absent during final exams. Family friend and director Paul Stanley hired me onto the CBS TV movie Sole Survivor which called for me to be out in the California desert for about a month while shooting on El Mirage dry lake bed with a B-25 bomber. Having professors who were directly involved with the production allowed me to take my finals exams while on location.

James Crabbe (Rocky, Karate Kid 1 & 2) was the director of photography on that production and he was always interesting to watch as he did his job effortlessly and with unparalleled equanimity. Nothing seemed to bother him. Steve Shagan (Save the Tiger, The Formula) was the executive producer. Steve was also a writer who wrote novels on which some of the films he produced were based.

My most frequent dinner companion during that month was actor Alan Caillou who had been with the Palestine Police in the 1930s and joined the British Army's Intelligence Corps during World War II. He operated behind enemy lines in Libya and Tunisia which resonated with the story of the movie we were making. Alan drove a cycle-fendered Bentley wearing goggles and I had often seen him driving around the San Fernando Valley. His stories recounted to me over dinner and margaritas in the dining room of The Green Tree Inn were quite vivid and memorable. Though I drank one for every two of his margaritas at these dinners, all I can say is it was a good thing I could walk back to my room at the end of the evening.

Being the director, Paul was able to have his car--a pristine, 1959 fuel-injected Corvette--on the location and did some high-speed runs on El Mirage on weekends. My GTO remained at home obliged, as I was, to use studio transportation. When I wasn't being regaled by Alan, I was usually having dinner with Paul who would fill me in on the behind-the-scenes developments of the production. Steve Shagan and Richard Basehart, one of the movies starring actors, would stop by the table for a few words.

I managed straight As in all my cinema courses and also in my Italian class. As for the rest of the curriculum, I couldn't be bothered. I took what I needed and left the rest behind. And so it was that, on some evenings, I didn't attend classes choosing another form of education in its place--one that has continued to serve me well, if truth be told.

What did I do instead of going to class? I drove the GTO to one of three different nearby drive-in movie theaters in the Valley where I would see a double bill featuring movies that inform my taste to this day. You could say I was taking supplemental cinema courses.

Would that I could take the GTO to a drive-in today.

 

Packard's end...Do you have a caption?
Carrera Panamericana

 

Elysée Wednesday tonight--"Had an argument with a cement wall on the way over. Goodbye the Ferrari."

Look for us Wednesday evenings on the patio from 8 pm (or shortly thereafter) until about 11pm at Caffe Primo, 8590 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Underground parking on Alta Loma just east of the Cafe and south of Sunset (with partial validation from Caffe Primo) or on the street.

No need to RSVP; just join us if you can.

 

Elysée Wednesday tonight--We will be joined by Marc Sonnery who wrote the book on the Ferrari Breadvan...


Look for us Wednesday evenings on the patio from 8 pm (or shortly thereafter) until about 11pm at Caffe Primo, 8590 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Underground parking on Alta Loma just east of the Cafe and south of Sunset (with partial validation from Caffe Primo) or on the street.

No need to RSVP; just join us if you can

 

Last night was a special occasion at Elysée Wednesday. Marc Sonnery, author of Rebel, Rebel (the book about the Ferrari Breadvan) joined us and it was the first time I've seen him since I interviewed Marc in Paris and we visited my former GTO at the Louvre where Ralph Lauren had it on display with other cars in his collection.

The local 'inner circle' of Ferrari enthusiasts from a golden era congregated to catch up on unheard anecdotes and other chicanery. Ed Niles (former Breadvan owner and Ferrarista Emeritus), Matthew Ettinger (former Breadvan owner and raconteur extraordinaire), Peter Helm (who shot the GTO footage I narrated of us on Mulholland and at Willow Springs) and I have spent time with each other over the years but it was the first time we had been together in the same location since Matthew crashed one of his Ferraris back in the day. Larry Crane (Automobile Quarterly) is an EW member who has also bridged the time gap with his remarkable photos of my GTO taken at Riverside Raceway in the sixties and his appearance in Elysée Wednesday: Drive! piloting Scott McClure's magnificent Dino.

Marc signed everyone's copy of Rebel, Rebel and anyone missing this opportunity will have another chance in two weeks. His new book on Maserati promises to be an important look at the brand. Marc, by the way, is partial to the Maserati Khamsin.

It was fun to see the reaction of Elysée Wednesday regulars to this somewhat historic event and to see them connect with a magical moment in time.

 

After Marc Sonnery's recent visit to Elysée Wednesday, he invited me to visit the Riverside International Automotive Museum which is owned by his friend Doug Magnon. Riverside Raceway played a large part in my formation as a racing enthusiast but I had never visited this museum and was glad for the opportunity.

We met for a delicious lunch at Magnone Trattoria after which we made the short drive to the museum where race cars and memorabilia are on display. What I did not expect to see was the interesting array of Maseratis in evidence. I have owned and driven a number of Maseratis and this is the first time I've seen a museum that is dedicated to the brand to such a degree. One can actually see an active restoration in progress with a Maserati Sebring being brought back from a neglected condition on the day of my visit. This shouldn't have come as too great a surprise as Marc is a dyed-in-the-wool Maserati aficionado having owned and loved a Khamsin so who better to conduct the guided tour? His newest book is on the subject: Maserati - the Citroen Years 1968 - 1975.
Eau Rouge Publishing · Eau Rouge Publishing

The museum can accommodate group events and catering lunch or dinner on the premises is not uncommon for car clubs looking to stage a special event. It occurred to me that it would make an interesting drive for Kenny Lombino to make on one of his Ferrari Club of America drives.
Welcome to the Riverside International Automotive Museum

 

Nice photos and classics.

 

Elysée Wednesday tonight--Nephew, they say that heroes can't imagine their own death and that's why they're heroes...

Look for us Wednesday evenings on the patio from 8 pm (or shortly thereafter) until about 11pm at Caffe Primo, 8590 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Underground parking on Alta Loma just east of the Cafe and south of Sunset (with partial validation from Caffe Primo) or on the street.

No need to RSVP; just join us if you can.

 

Elysée Wednesday tonight--But the trouble with these scientific types is they can't see the easy way out of anything...

Look for us Wednesday evenings on the patio from 8 pm (or shortly thereafter) until about 11pm at Caffe Primo, 8590 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Underground parking on Alta Loma just east of the Cafe and south of Sunset (with partial validation from Caffe Primo) or on the street.

No need to RSVP; just join us if you can.