FILM STARS RETREATS IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

BUILDING A GREAT MUSEUM FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

       Now, in mostly gated communities, film and television stars still make their homes across the San Fernando Valley. In a world of intrusive paparazzi, few well known performers live within easy public access. Before the freeways gave visitors easy access to Valley locations, things were quite different. One could drive through Toluca Lake and see Bing Crosby playing with his dog on the front lawn, Jimmy Cagney might be seen overlooking his Granada Hills horse ranch or Carol Lombard and Clark Gable waiting for their driver in Encino. 

      Carol Lombard and Clark Gable at their Encino home.

        In just a few days, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley will be setting up our Library of San Fernando Valley Entertainment Industry History at our exciting new Northridge location. It will feature books, magazines, playbills and much more about our film and television studios and the thousands of artists who make their living in them.

Bing Crosby in the back yard of his Toluca Lake home.

     Think about the number of artists it takes to create a motion picture, animation or television production? The Museum of the San Fernando Valley believes their stories deserve to be preserved as essential elements in our heritage. 

      Editors, story board artists, casting directors, actors, costume designers, model makers, writers, set makers............. your Museum celebrates their genius, histories and inspiration.

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The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 

Plaza De La Cordillera

18860 Nordhoff Street 

2nd Floor 

Northridge, CA 91324

Jimmy Cagney overlooking his Granada Hills horse ranch.

 Movie being made at Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth.

CALL TO PRESERVE HISTORY OF THE VALLEY'S RANCHES

Historic flyer for Iverson Ranch event - permission to use on the blog of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley given by Darlene Estes 2008
All of us who seek to preserve the artifacts of the past and to piece together the history of the San Fernando Valley, know how quickly priceless records and treasures can be lost. Just recently the death of Danton Burroughs closed the door to his amazing knowledge of our city. After the great Northridge earthquake things of immeasurable value vanished. The Museum Community, for example, is very concerned over the historical house records of Orcutt Ranch. Your Museum joins with historians from the northwest Valley trying to locate these important papers.
Museum advisor Steve Falk is working to bring together the history of the horse ranches of Northridge and Granada Hills. When the great ranches were sold in the 1950s and 60s, their owners often moved to where horses were more welcomed - and, with their departure, the history of the ranches disappeared.
West Hills resident and Valley history preservationist, Darlene Estes calls our collective attention to the history of Iverson Movie Ranch. The great stuntmen and women who worked on the ranch once met regularly here (we think at the Sportsmen's Lodge). Will their histories vanish, along with the Sportsmen's Lodge itself?
Those interested in our Valley's ranch history or our entertainment industry history are urged to contact The Museum quickly. (818) 347-9665