forAllEvents -- Alan Rossi travel tales

NEW BIO. ON TONY BENNETT

2011-07-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

FROM NEW BIO. "ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE"

Tony Bennett is 85 now. He is inevitably frailer today, he walks more slowly. He relishes the iconic status he has achieved. Still he walks alone without an entourage or body-guards through Manhattan streets he adores, usually with his little dog Boo in his arms, alive to the moment and responsive and accessible to strangers. His son, Danny Bennett said of his father, "he is one of those people who has to do what they do. He will die singing."

SINATRA'S PLANE

2011-04-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

Frank Sinatra owned four different planes in his life. One of the planes was named, ELDAGO. On board he had miniature bottles of JACK DANIELS. On label, it said, "BOTTLED FOR ELDAGO." Years later, this plan was renamed, CHRISTINA.

One of Frank's former pilots, John Spotts is still living, believed to be living in Palm Springs, CA.

ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

2011-03-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

FROM TEXT OF BOOK, "GROWING UP LAUGHING", MARLO THOMAS

My father began to build his dream of St. Jude by making a simple sketch of the hospital on a piece of cardboard that came from the cleaners with his shirt. Talk about low-tech.

His belief that he could accomplish this is astounding--that a poor kid from Toledo, with one year of high school, a nightclub comedian, would be able to build a world-renowned cancer researh hospital.

He named the hospital after St. Jude , patron saint of hopeless causes, to whom he'd prayed when his budding performing career had stalled. GIVE ME A SIGN TO HELP ME FIND MY WAY IN LIFE, AND SOMEDAY I'LL BUILD A SHRINE IN YOUR NAME. He soon found fame, and kept his promise. And he built the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, because he once read a news item about an eight-year-old black child in the South who was riding his bicycle and was struck by a car. But no emergency room in the area would take him, and he died. My father carried that clipping in his wallet for years.

WHERE "GOLDFINGER" PLAYED GOLF

2011-03-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

STOKE PARK GOLF COURSE: Moviegoers might recognise STOKE PARK, from the golf scenes in the James Bond movie, "GOLDFINGER". Especially the car parked in front of the distinctive white domed clubhouse. Bond, played by Sean Connery, was driving his Aston Martin, which was acuctioned off in a charity event at STOKE PARK, a few years ago.. ODDJOB, GOLDFINGER'S caddie, threatens Bond by throwing his steel-lined bowler like a discus and knocking the head off a plaster statue. The statue is still there because the film's producers created a duplicate for the beheading in the movie.

Connery, an avid golfer, hit his owns shots in the golf sequence filmed on the l7th hole, a par 4, that plays 4l8 yards. Goldfinger loses his ball in the rough but Oddjob drops another down his pants leg through a hole in his pocket to save his boss a two-stroke penalty.

Bond gets even on the l8th hole, a demanding 407 yard par four into the wind when he switches Goldfinger's ball. After Goldfinger putts out to win the match, Bond calls him for playing the worng ball because Goldfinger had said a the start they were playing "strict rules of golf."

STOKE PARK GOLF COURSE is located 7 miles from Heathrow Airport and 23 miles from London's West End. Other movies filmed here, "Bridget Jones Diary , and another bond film, "TOMORROW NEVER DIES" with Pierce Bronsnan.

MOST POPULAR XMAS SONG IN LAST 40 YEARS

2010-12-28T12:14:00.000-08:00

Andy Williams sings a song written especially for him, "THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR". Williams now 83 years old says, "WONDERFUL TIME", is the most popular Christmas song in past 40 years. The song was written by Eddie P., and George Wylie, who also wrote theme to "GILLIGAN'S ISLAND".

Williams lives in Branson, Ma. where he has a theater that he's built. He'll be headlining that theater with Anne Margaret in September. Williams says he sometimes feels the isolation of living in Branson, he also hates the cold, so he lives in Palm Springs, CA. Jan. thru April each year.

A VISIT TO WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

2010-10-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER 20l0
VISIT TO WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM. LOCATED IN THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.

Open Wed-Mon. l0AM to 6PM closed Tuesdays...Plenty of free parking across street..

My visit to the Disney Family Museum was on the night of museum's first year ann. Disney's family opened the museum in Oct. 2009. There are 50 employees, and each room in the building, like Disneyland itself, is spotlessly clean. Museum also has a lovely theater downstairs, on night of my visit, Disney cartoon shorts were being shown all evening long, they also used theater for special events, such as Fess Parker's family, who recently showed his "Davey Crockett" TV series, and did a Q.and A. afterwards.

Before I started on the tour, I bumped into, downstairs, ROD MILLER. Rod was a ragtime pianist on Main Street in Disneyland, starting in l969, he retired in 2006. The Disney family flew Rod up to play ragtime tunes in the lobby during the ann. weekend. Rod worked at the Carnation corner cafe on main-street, Rod told me many stories. Disney had a personal apartment above the main-street Fire House in Disneyland. He could watch people come into his park, from his private patio looking out on the town square. Apt. today is still used, by Disney executives and Walt's family. Rod use to see Disney, early in morning, in his slippers crossing street from his apt. to a Disney cafe for coffee. Rod told me Walt liked to board the MARK TWAIN boat, and go for rides, sometimes he'd dress in costume as MARK TWAIN. On more than one occassion Rod said Walt, who had a drinking problem, would get tipsy, and a special code number would be called to security staff, and they would come with a diguise costume to get Walt out, unseen by the public.

It took my nearly 2.5 hrs. (self guided tour) to visit all ten galleries in chronolgical order recounting the history of Walt Disney's life and career. I learned about Walt's childhood, youth, and early adulthood, illustrated by many family mementos, including early drawings. The tour ends when Disney died, in l966, l0 days after his 65 birthday at St. Joseph's hospital, which is locate directly across street from Walt Disney Movie Studios, in Burbank, Calif.

In one room, a wall had 348 frame enlargments and cartoon shots of ,"STEAMBOAT WILLIE", comprising of less than one minute of screen time in actual movie. The museum tells you all about Walt's success with his creation of Mickey Mouse, and other Disney cartoon characters which lead to a revolution in the art of technolgy in animation. Another part of museum explains how Walt had the idea to build an amusement park. He knew that most were dirty, not well maintained, Walt's Disneyland would always be very clean. Walt once said, "Disneyland is like a piece of clay, if there is something you don't like, I'm not stuck with it. I can reshape and revamp.

Walt Disney came to Hollywood in l923 with just $40.00 in his pocket. And look what he accomplished. Disney was very enthusiastic about everyting, he never thought things would turn out badly. He was such a creative man, how many of the kids going to the park today, actually know who Walt Disney really was? This museum, by the time you exit, you'll have learned so much about the man. I highly rec. this museum, so much to see, you'll have to go back again.

AN EVENING WITH TONY BENNETT

2010-09-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

TONY BENNETT IN CONCERT SEPTEMBER 2l, 20l0 WELLS FARGO CENTER FOR THE ARTS SANTA ROSA, CALIFORIA

I got to see the world's most boyish octogenarian and an international treasure in this intimate l,600 seat theater, no seat is more than 75 feet from the stage, providing a level of intimacy between artist and the audience unlike any other in Northern California.

OPENING ACT: Tony's daughter started the show, sang 3 songs, and dedicated one , "YOU'RE A LUCKY GUY", to her father. Later , Tony had her come out to sing a duet , "LIVE UNTIL YOU DIE".

Tony came on stage approx. 8:l5PM and never left stage until 9:45PM, not bad for a man 84 years old. I noted that unlike any other performer I've seen, Tony had no water bottles on stage, he did his entire act without a sip of water. His first song was, "WATCH WHAT HAPPENS", with only a 4 piece band behind him. As I watched what was happening I thought it was incredible, the number of songs Tony sang that night, and no prompter showing him the lyrics to the songs. He told audience, "I've been singing for 60 years, I love it so much." Sometimes during a number, Tony would spin around, or do a short tap dance, and the crowd would go nuts!

Tony Bennett is orginally from Queens, N.Y. A son of Italian immigrants who ran a grocery store. His father as a child had a wonderful singing voice, his father use to sing from the hilltop to his Italian village below.

Bennetts big break came in l949 when Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village. As Bennett explained to us, "Bob Hope came down to check out my act. He liked my singing so much that after the show he came back to see me in my dressing room and said,'Come on kid, you're going to come to the Paramount and sing with me.' But first he told me he didn't care for my stage name, (Joe Bani) and asked me what my real name was. I told him, 'My name is Anthony Dommick Benadetto, and he said, "We'll call you Tony Bennett. And that's how it happened--a new Americanized name."

Few artists can claim such popularity in both the l950's and the 2,000's as Mr. Bennett can. Tony told us, "they say I'm making some sort of come-back, comeback? I never went away." During the show, while singing a slow song, in middle of number, someone from the audience sneezed very loudly, and Tony, without missing a beat, said, "bless you," and continued right back to the song.

A wonderful moment occurred when Tony told us his wife was in audience, and he dedicated, "BECAUSE OF YOU," to her. During his concerts, as is his habit, he sang one song a cappella and without amplification. That song was, "FLY ME TO THE MOON," when got to the line, "IN OTHER WORDS, I LOVE YOU," he pulled his arms staight out to the audience, saying to his fans, he truly appreciated us.

TONY THE PAINTER: Tony is the rare person who has two great gifts. He is a wonderful painter. Tony doesn't own a house, (never has) he currently lives in an apt. that over-looks Central Park. "I always dreamed of having a place that would catch the afternoon light so I could paint the park over and over.

CLOSING OF SHOW: After Tony finished his final song, the crowd exploded, sprang to it's feet, and the night was done.

PARTIAL LIST OF SONGS TONY SANG:

"SIN YOU SINNERS."

"I WANT TO BE AROUND"

"BLVD. OF BROKEN DREAMS" (his first hit, l950)

"THE GOOD LIFE", (he joked, "this is for Lady Ga Ga")

"WHEN YOUR SMILING"

"RAGS TO RICHES"

"SMILE" ("Charlie Chaplin who wrote it, called me and said my version was his favorite")

"ONCE IN MY LIFE" ("Stevie Wonder wrote it, and no song has been sung by more singers than this one")

"I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO" (This was not the closing song)

"THE BEST IS YET TO COME".

JOHNNY CARSON'S GUEST HOSTS

2010-06-09T15:41:00.001-07:00

By end of the l970's, Johnny Carson work week began to get shorter and more guest hosts filled in. In the 60's, Jerry Lewis and Joey Bishop were deputized, hosting frequently. Singer Jimmy Dean was the first guest host for Johnny in l963. Joey Bishop hosted a record ll7 times before landing his own talk show on ABC. Joey Bishop had Shelley Winters on one time. She was scheduled second, but the first guest was late coming. I asked if Shelly was here and they told me 'yes' and without thinking, I said, 'Ladies and gentleman, let's welcome Shelley Winters. "She was in her dressing room naked," Bishop says, "So she threw on a fur coat and came running out. I said, 'Shelley, it's a beautiful coat, but you're not going to wear that for the whole interview..." Winters nodded her head yes, "If I take this off, this place will be a garage. I'm naked underneath." Bishop couldn't believe it, so the actress walked Bishop upstage and opened her coat with her back to the audience. The audience cheered her on. "I got a good look and I turned to the audience and siad, "Yes, she's naked."

NATE AND AL'S DELI

2010-06-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

NATE AND AL'S deli is the most famous deli in L.A. Located in Bev. Hills, family owned, since l945. Al bought Nate out but kept the name. Mark and David, Al's sons run it. Some of the waitresses have waited on tables here over 40 years, until they could no longer drive a car to work. Waitresses worked for Mark and David's father, and grandfather. .

Many famous celebs. come here. Larry King comes here often, sits at same table, with same three friends. King tips his waitress with an annual free expensive paid vacation to Paris each year. Doris Day once came here for an order to go, in her bath robe. Johnny Carson would come often, on his way to his show in Burbank. Actress Jodi Foster is a reg. as is James Garner. I have eaten here once with my friend Ramona Flood for a first hand exp. of this landmark.

GLADYS GOODDING-EBBETS FIELD

2010-01-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

GLADYS GOODING:

The first organ installed in a major leauge ball field, was at EBBETS FIELD, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Glady Gooding began her musical career as a piano player for silent movies, and also played organ for ice-hockey games in the old Madison Square Garden. When the final game played at EBBETS FIELD, was completed, a very tipsey Gladys Gooding, played aund lang syne, and the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, CA.

SINATRA'S VALET REVEALS THINGS HE KNEW ABOUT FRANK, (but you didn't)

2010-01-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

SINATRA'S VALLET GEORGE JACOPS REVEALS THE CHAIRMAN'S SECRETS:

l. He was a neat-freak who showered and changed four times a day.

2. He had an enormous penis, which he concealed by earing custom-made undergarments.

3. He depised Marlon Brando, whom he called, "mumbles". Brando called him "baldie."

4. He always got laid the night before a recording session.

5. He rewarded himself with a hooker the night he almost nailed Pat Kennedy Lawford.

6. He stood five-foot seven and wore lifts in all his shoes.

7. He loathed Elvis but studied his records to see if he could understand the king's magic.

8. He talked liine a gangster in bed and hated sexy lingerie.

9 He set fire to Peter Lawford's clothes.

l0 THINGS THE VALET KNEW ( BUT YOU DIDN'T) ABOUT FRANK SINATRA

2010-01-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

GEORGE JACOPS REVEALS THE CHAIRMAN'S SECRETS.

l. HE WAS A NEAT FREAK WHO SHOWERED AND CHANGED CLOTHES FOUR TIMES A DAY.

MOTION PICTURE CREDITS

2009-12-16T15:58:00.000-08:00

Reading the credits these days, after viewing a movie can take almost as long as the drive home, if one lives near the theater. Credits today, go on and on. Small print, whote over black, travelling so fast.

It's interesting to see a movie at Lucas Digital Arts screening room, in San Francisco. or Pixar Animation studios, in Emeryville. No one, I mean no one dares to get up at these film studios, until most of credits have rolled by, which is certainly understandable.

My favorite film credits to watch, the best work ever, was the late, great, Saul Bass. During the 50's and 60's, Sau was the greatest graphic artist in show biz. Ever see his work, at opening of "North By Northwest?" The credits appear sideways, across the U.N. Building.

DEAN KNOCKS THE BEATLES OFF THE CHARTS

2009-11-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

June l964.

Dean Martin's song, "EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY", (l964) knocked the Beatles off the charts. Song was written by his long time piano player, Ken Lane, and song title is on Martin's gravestone.

Telegram from Dean Martin to his friend Elvis Presley JUNE, l964

"DEAR ELVIS, IF YOU CAN'T KNOCK THE BEATLES OFF THE CHARTS, I'LL DO IT FOR US."

RAT PACK AT VILLA VENICE

2009-11-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

JOHN MCDONOUGH
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, DOWN BEAT

The Villa Venice was a neglected grand dame of a restaurant located alongside an eastern bend in the Des Plaines River at 2855 Milwaukee Ave, a no-man's land of unicorporated Cook County where the only law was the relatively forgiving and usually remote county shriff. Since it's heyday in early 50's, it had lapsed into a kind of shabby gentility, getting by mostly on private banquets, weddings and bar mitzvahs. So when the news broke on Sept. l8, l962, that the biggest stars on earth would be comming to this remote surburban outback, even the locatl show biz cognoscenti were caught by surprise.

Knowing what I know now, I'm amazed at how easily
I secured a reservation. I was no high roller, merely a third year college student. Yet, I just called up and gave my name. "Tues. first show," the man said. Cover and minimum was $25.00, which was serious cash in l962.

We arrived early and faced only a small traffic backup on Milwaukee Ave. A long driveway lit by the glow of gas lamps let to the entry portico where a valled took my parents, Chevy. Inside we joined 40 or 50 others behind a rope waiting to be seated. Some men were in tuxes. The makeup on the women blared like an AM radio with the volume up too loud.

A waiter escorted us through the carpeted showroom to a tiny table , (diameter, about two feet), which we
shared with two other people. As we ate our steak dinners, which arrived almost as soon as we sat down, we carved from our wrists with shoulders hunched in, lest a stray elbow poke the worng person at a neighboring table.

The lights went down shortly after 9. A white blade of light cut through the smoky air and caught Dean Martin in a brilliant column of brightness.

FRANK SINATRA SAVED MY LIFE- Shecky Greene

2009-10-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

FROM NEW BOOK, "Moon River and Me", by ANDY WILLIAMS

Frank Sinatra certainly showed his darker side at times to me. The comedian SHECKY GREENE saw that side of Sinatra and was brave and unbowed enough to joke about it in his nightclub act. "People say a lot of bad stuff about Frank Sinatra," Shecky would begin a routine, "but I won't hear a word against him because once Frank saved my life. Three hoods were beating the crap out of me in the parking lot of the FONTAINBLEAU HOTEL, in Miami one night when Sinatra walked past and said, 'Okay, boys that's enough'. That line always go a big laugh, but as he told me when were chatting one night, the story was actually true. The incident occured after Sinatra took a fancy to Shecky's girl-friend one night and took her up to his suite. Shecky objected to this and started banging on the door, so Sinatra phoned down to the parking lot. Three hoods waited for Shecky in the parking lot and worked hom over pretty good.

DEAN MARTIN'S BIGGEST INFLUENCE

2009-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Many people think singer Dean Martin modeled himself on Bing Crosby or Perry Como, but his real model was HARRY MILLS, the Mills brother baritone. If you listen to any Mills Brothers song where Harry solos, you'll her the resemblance right away.

VERBAL TIC

2009-06-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of people, many of them very bright. A few of these people, including very intelligent friends have to use the verbal tic, 'YOU KNOW', often when speaking. Professional athletes especially used this phase repeatedly. Even Caroline Kennedy uses the phase dozen of times when speaking, which is partly why she is not in politics.

"KING OF THE ROAD" / ROGER MILLER

2008-06-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Singer/song writer Roger Miller once said to some friends, "one day I'm going to write a song so big they'll play it at ball games." Today, the song is played everywhere, we've all heard it some place, some time. "King Of The Road" was the first of eleven gramy awards for Roger. The song was written on the back of a credit card application form. Miller only got one verse down and got stuck. Later, at an airport he saw a picture of a hobo and that gave him the inspiration for the rest of the song.

I had the pleasure of seeing Roger perform, at a casino called KINGS CASTLE, in Lake Tahoe area. I remember his wonderful wacky songs, and his wacky sense of humor. "Will Rogers never met a man he didn't like. Unfortunitly, my ex wife never met a man she didn't like either," said Roger at concert. Roger left us too soon, but his songs, especially, "King Of The Road" will always be heard some place, some time...

SYDNEY POLLACK

2008-06-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

I was sad to hear that Sydney Pollack had passed. I have always felt their is more talent behind the camera than in front of the movie camera. Directors have so much to do on a movie set, before the filming, during, and post filming. Directors have to massage the egos of many of the stars they work with. Directors have to cut cost in any way they can think of, and they get very creative at it. Pollack could direct any type of story, drama, or comedy.

I read in the review journal, (Las Vegas) that he was filming in a Las Vegas casino. Robert Redford's character had to ride a white stallion off stage and through the casino in the movie, "THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN". "Stallions are know to be high-strung so we spent months training him," said the Hollywood director. "We played a tape recording of slot machine sound for hours in his stall," said Pollack. "He behaved better than the actors."

ON THE SET OF "PERRY MASON"

2008-05-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

A lot of people watched the old "Perry Mason" show, with Raymond Burr, and a lot still do across the globe, watching reruns. When the show first started shooting, they did 39 episodes, per year, l7 more episodes than today's one-hour TV dramas. The budget was $l00,000.00 per show, a lot in those days, (late 50's, early 60's).

Not many of you know that Raymond Burr was first envisioned in the Hamilton Burger role. Burr only agreed to audition for Burger, if he could also audition as Perry Mason. When showing the screen tests, writer of the show, Gardner liked Burr so much that he made sure producers saw Burr's Mason screen test first. Gardner said, "Burr had the authority, this is what I wanted most in my Perry Mason character."

During first two seasons Burr would sleep at the studio. It was easier to sleep on the lot instead of driving one hr. home each night to Malibu, then getting up early next day for another hour drive back to work. Burr would wake up each morning at 3:30AM, make a pot of coffee and study his lines, Mason character was in 90% of each show. The show filmed 6 days a week, 9 months a year, a rough schedule. After the first two seasons, they installed three teleprompters around the courtroom so Raymond could read them, and not have to remember pages and pages of dialogue, during long courtroom scenes.

RAY COLLINS, you might remember played Lt. Arthur Tragg. What most of you don't know is that Collins began the show at age 67.

WILLIAM HOPPER: He played Perry's private dick, Paul Drake. Hopper chased an acting career, but did so half heartedly. "I became an actor because it was the easiest thing to do, but it stunk," said Hopper. Hopper was the son of powerful gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Hedda had payback in mind when it came time to cast Paul Drake. Hedda had done a lot for Raymond Burr's career, and helped keep Burr's double life, a secret. Burr didn't want people to know he was gay.

PALM SPRINGS CELEB. TOUR - Part Two

2008-05-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite homes that I saw on the tour was the last home Liberace lived in, (he died their). Located just a block from North Palm Canyon Drive, on Alejo Ave. Kitty corner from this home, (Lee's favorite of all his homes) is a church, this is church where Liberace's memorial service was held. The home, which looks like a Mission, was bought in l990 for $800,000. You can't miss it, huge Candlelabras are on the garage doors. Speaking of his garage, it was converted to master bedroom and music room, during last years of Lee's life.

We were shown a home that Liz Taylor owned, but never lives in. The home is only for her furs, that are kept in cold storage. Drove by Jack Benny's Palm Springs home, our guide said Benny had the very first lighted Tennis courts in P.S. As we went be Lily Tomlin's home, a sign on gate said, "Lily's Pad". The height of our bus allowed us often a good look over the walls/gates of the stars. Ann Miller's home and property are beautiful. Guide pointed out a dog house, and told us it was air conditioned and heat conditioned. One of the nicest homes, made of stone, situated by itself up a mountain, was home Sly Stallone bought for his mother.

COMEDIAN PHIL SILVERS

2008-04-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Sinatra songs was written by comedian Phil Silvers. The song, "NANCY WITH THE LAUGHING FACE" became a hit song for Frank.

At a party in spring of l944 Phil Silvers cracked a joke tht had Bing Crosby's favorite lyricist wife, Bessie, in fits of laughter. Silvers coined the phase, "BESSIE WITH THE LAUGHING FACE" which songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen thought was a good song title. Silvers wrote the lyric to Van Heusen's music himself, in only 20 minutes, changing "BESSIE" to "NANCY" to mark the 4th birthday of Sinatra's daughter. It's been said that Sinatra's conversational phrasing gives the song the rhythmic ebb and flow of a proud father.

In l98l Sinatra sang a specially adapted "NANCY" (with the Reagon face) to the first Lady at Rong Reagans inaugural gala.

PALM SPRINGS CELEBRITY TOUR - Part One

2008-04-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Palm Springs I did something always wanted to do in this town, take the 3 hr. plus celebrity tour...Our driver, Chuck was wonderfully entertaining, and has played in small band at some of the stars homes, like BOB HOPE, whom he met when playing in a Dixieland Band in Disneyland the year park opened. Hope went over to Chuck and said, "hey, do you work pirvate partys?" Chuck said Hope made good money as an actor, and kept buying useless land in L.A. and Palm Springs area at $2.00-$3.00 an acre. Hope estate is worth currently 860 million dollars, Chuck said he owns the land that the Hollywood sign is on, and rents this land, for $6,000,00 a month to city of L.A. The Hope estate owns three homes in Palm Springs, the huge estate located on top of South Ridge Rim is just a party house, that can take care of 900 guests, Hope never lived in this house.

Chuck's favorite celebrity was FRANK SINATRA. Chucked stopped the bus across the street from Sinatra's former compound, where he lived between l952-l995. The home was 22,000 square feet, "everything was bright orange, doors, carpets," (Sinatra's favorite color). Chuck also said, "Mr. S. had a quick temper, you just had to know how to handle it." He gave all his party guests unlimited access to his home. Many streets in Palm Springs have names of celebrities, such as Monty Hall, Gene Autry, and Dinah Shore. However, only Sinatra actually lived on the street, (FRANK SINATRA DRIVE) that was named in his honor. The new owner of the Sinatra compound is the man who owns SAVEMORE markets, his wife had the painters in as soon as she could, and only one room, (card room) remains painted orange.

Sinatra tried in vain for many years to get his mother, Dolly to move to Palm Springs from her New Jersey home. After Frank's dad passed away, Sinatra finally got her to come for visit, providing that he'd have a Cath. Church for his mother to attend on Sundays..The St Louis Church in Cathedral City has been called Dolly's Church, because of the many things she did for the church. Dolly loved this church.
Our tour made a stop on Frank Sinatra Drive, we got out,to explore lovely small park, Wolfson Park. The Sinatra estate still funds this park, and it is well kept up, lovely landscaping, and mountains in distance. Chuck dialed a number on his cell phone, and we heard Frank's voice come out of a speaker on ground, telling us how he came about creating this park. A city counsel member, (blind gentleman) it was built in his honor, and every sign in park in written in braille, in honor of his friend Mr. Wolfson.