Road Kings Of Burbank: Legendary SoCal Car Club

 Arguably one of the longest standing organizations in Burbank is the Road Kings – a Rodders and Racers car club. They are the oldest car club in Southern California, established in 1952.

If you have ever been by Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake on a Friday night, you have likely seen some of the members displaying their beautifully restored and maintained classic cars. Their members and cars show up at many local community events as well.   

While the Road Kings membership greatly enjoys the camaraderie of their shared interest in classic cars, behind the scenes, the organization does a lot of fund raising for many charitable purposes. They have raised funds in excess of $500,000 in the last decade alone, 99% of which has gone to the causes they have supported.

Among the groups and organizations supported are the Boys and Girls Club, the Boy Scouts, and the Burbank Youth Summer Jobs Program.    They have also funded scholarships for students interested in pursuing the industrial arts.   

The Road Kings will be involved in a couple of upcoming 2017 events in Burbank.

On June 11th, they will be holding a Classic Car Show at Johnny Carson Park in Burbank. Admission is free to visitors.   There will be food vendors, music, raffles, and a silent auction. Funds raised at the show will go to support local charities.  

On August 5th, they will be participating in a car show on San Fernando Road in downtown Burbank.     

You can check their website, www.roadkingsburbank.com, for more details on the Classic Car Show on June 11th and more stories and information about the group.

We are happy to share the Road Kings story with you and spread the word about a great group with incredible longevity and a big heart in supporting local community needs.   

Marvin Robinson 2017 Interview! Music Industry Icon.

 Marvin Robinson has been involved in the music business for over 40 years. He’s work

with some legendary performers and is currently the lead entertainer at the historical

Smokehouse in Burbank. We sat down with Marvin to get some of his history and we

think you’ll agree; he’s got a LOT of history to share.

Marvin Robinson with the O'Jays

How did you get started in music and how long have you been singing?

I started singing in my church as part of a gospel group when I was in my teens. Not long

after that, I joined the Young American Singers. We were a group of about 30 young

people who performed as openers for some of the biggest names of the day.

We opened for Bob Hope, Al Hurt, Englebert Humperdinck and many others. Once I

joined those guys, I never looked back.

What types of songs and music did the group perform?

Basically, what you would call the Great American Songbook. Classics going back to the

40’s, but with a large focus on the 60’s.

Did you tour often?

We toured almost non-stop. We went to Japan twice, which was incredible. Imagine a

young kid going to Japan as a singer! We were in Las Vegas a lot. We would go to Vegas

for month-long stretches of 7 day a week performances. We opened for people like

Debbie Reynolds, Harry James and even Monty Hall!!

Who are some well-known celebrities you’ve performed with?

I mentioned a few, but one of the highlights of my career was being able to open for

Frank Sinatra. Our group, The Kids Next Door, was invited to perform as part of a

benefit concert in San Jose. The concert had Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, and Don

Rickles, among others. It took me a lot of nerve, but I did ask Frank for a photo and he

was happy to oblige.

Marvin Robinson & Herb Alpert

Have you always been a singer or did you work in the music industry in other

capacities?

I worked at Capitol Records in marketing and merchandising. I wanted to know what the

other side of the business was like. I had a chance to meet a lot people. Paul McCartney,

Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and many more.

How did you connect with The Smokehouse to become their live entertainer?

Well, I went in as a customer because I heard it was a low-key and classy place to have

dinner and a drink. Trish Turner was singing at the time and I was amazed by her talent.

As time went on I started becoming a regular and eventually was singing duets with

Trish. When she moved on, the restaurant asked if I wanted to take the entertainment on

solo and the rest is history! I’ve been there for 10 years and it’s been incredible. I get to

perform songs that I love and songs that belong in a classy and traditional setting like The

Smokehouse.

What does the future hold for you?

I’m going to continue to perform for seniors. I give folks the chance to relive their

younger days by singing the songs they grew up with and fell in love with. I love to

promote harmony and good vibes through music. I’m working on a Lou Rawls Tribute

that I’m going to be performing in casinos in Southern California. I’ve always had a

connection with Lou Rawls and I want to honor that connection by keeping his music

alive.

Any last words or stories?

Elvis gave me a ring! Our group was on a flight back from Hawaii and Elvis was on the

same flight with his family. As it turned out, our choreographer had worked on several of

his movies so they knew each other. He came back to meet our group and talk to us and

he noticed me admiring one of his rings. He said, “You admire it more than I do so I want

you to have it”.

I still have the ring.

Follow Marvin on Facebook: 

Find him on the web: 

The House of Secrets 2017 Interview! Comic Book Legends.

 Comic books were once considered entertainment for kids. They could go into the local convenience store, spend $2.00 and get hours worth of entertainment. Super heroes, masked villains and aliens from other planets were all within your grasp for just pocket change.

Today comics books are a 1.03 billion dollar a year industry. Comic book movies dominate at the box office. Network television has programs based on comic books almost nightly. The success of The Walking Dead opened the doors to a whole new reading population.

With the popularity of comic books rising we thought we would talk to the owner of The House of Secrets in Burbank, one of the oldest comic book stores in the LA area.  Situated between Marvel Studios and DC Comics, they’re at the center of the current comic book universe. We talked with owner Paul Grimshaw and got a State of the Union!

How long have you been in Burbank?

We’ve been here for 19 years. We started as House of Mystery on Magnolia and then moved to our current location on Olive and became House of Secrets.

How has the landscape of the comic industry changed in those 19 years?

There are far more comic companies these days. Marvel and DC used to be the only two publishers of note. Image Comics started as a schlocky cousin in the 90’s with Spawn, but have since become the powerhouse third wheel to Marvel and DC. There are also fewer comic book stores nowadays.

Do you have a typical or specific type of customer?

Yes, those with good taste and thick skin!

What are your biggest sellers?

The Walking Dead and Saga are top sellers (both from Image), and the current Star Wars titles are very popular

Movie studios surround House of Secrets; you have to have celebrity customers!

Yes, however if I started name-dropping, I don’t think they’d be shopping here much longer. Come in and see for yourself!

What does the future look like for the comic book industry?

I think the future looks good for comics. Talk of digital death is a bit far fetched. People still need paper in their life. The touch and feel of comics is a unique experience, one I think will stick around for a while.

It’s worth noting that House of Secrets also publishes their own comic books under the Art of Fiction brand.

House of Secrets

1930 West Olive Ave

Burbank CA 91506

www.artoffiction.com

818-562-1900

Decorated Director Mark Kirkland: 2017 Interview!

 We got a second to sit down with legendary Los Angeles director Mark Kirkland to ask a few questions about life, work & what the new year has in store. Read our exclusive interview below!

Favorite Show You've Ever Worked On? 

The Simpsons (I've directed 81 episodes)

What's something about you that your fans & supporters might not know?

Besides directing for The Simpsons, I also write, produce and direct my own short live action films, which have appeared in over 25 film festivals and won 10 awards. I am just finishing a film, "Bud's Odyssey" a 26-minute documentary about a WWII B-17 pilot who had an incredible survival story.  "Bud's Odyssey" will premiere at The Pasadena International Film Festival, 2:30 pm, March 12, 2017.

Favorite Spot to eat in Los Angeles?

1) My house.  2) local coffee shops Tally Rand and Hillstreet Cafe.  3) Bella Vista on Magnolia

You've done quite a lot. What's your favorite role when it comes to a TV show or film?

I've enjoyed a long career as a director.

Best Advice for someone who dreams to work in the film industry? 

Be realistic. Realize it's a competitive business and study the skills you will need to achieve your goals. Also, work on your portfolio, scripts, pitches, etc and promote yourself.

Best moment of 2016?

Seeing a Simpsons episode I directed with a my co-workers and hearing them laugh.

Goals for 2017?

Work hard and stay positive.

Anything else to add?

I also want to stay healthy and spend time with my family and friends.

 Read more on Mark Kirkland here!

Smoke House: The Storied History of the Classic Restaurant

 

The Smoke House – a vintage restaurant still going strong!

If you ever drive from Burbank around Warner Brothers and head to Hollywood on Barham Boulevard, you know where the Smoke House is located.  It is hard to miss.

And many people still “don’t miss it” when planning a nice meal out, some weekend entertainment, a quick lunch or any other occasion.

As part of a continuing series of stories that acknowledge key parts of Burbank and its history, we took the time to meet the General Manager of The Smoke House, Manny Munoz. We wanted to get an inside look at the restaurant and its history, so we went to the best source.

Manny is 31 years old, and has been with the Smoke House since he was 15.    He has done everything in the restaurant and knows it inside out.     When the General Manager position became available a year or so ago, the owners saw that he was the best person to lead the team, and he of course accepted the position.

Here are some of the things we learned from our visit with Manny:

The Smoke House goes all the way back to 1946. It was originally located at Pass and Riverside, and moved to its current location three years later. They recently celebrated the 70^th anniversary. Long time for a restaurant to be around!

The restaurant can now seat over 500 guests in a number of dining areas, including a lounge/bar area, the traditional dining area, and an outside patio.    There are a number of remodeling and decoration upgrades in progress, as the restaurant insures that it remains a very attractive dining destination.   

During warmer times of the year, the outdoor patio is also a popular hangout for the younger crowd for happy hour/after work enjoyment. 

Over the decades, many movie and other entertainment celebrities have frequented this landmark.    The walls have pictures of many of the famous stars of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and more current actors and actresses. George Clooney loves the restaurant so much that he named his production company, Smoke House Productions, after the restaurant.    

Given the celebrity presence, the staff have worked out how to acknowledge the needs for some element of privacy and allowing the well known guests to enjoy their dining experience without being disturbed.     That said, in our conversation with Manny, it became obvious that the Smoke House regards all of its patrons as being important and treats them all with care and respect.     There are many guests who like to request their “favorite” tables.    Manny has to sometime juggle  things to accommodate everyone’s requests, but he usually makes it work.

The Smoke House has been used for film shoots on many occasions, including the recently released and highly acclaimed musical, La La Land.  Its rich décor and traditional restaurant design makes it a great location for location shots.   

Like any eating establishment, once in a while people can “overindulge” on drink.   We were very impressed with the caring attitude Manny insures that the staff have toward all their guests.    He reflected on times when the valets have very tactfully not given the car keys back to a patron who obviously should not be driving.   Rather, they will have the patron come back in to the restaurant until he/she is more able to drive, or help the person get a cab or an uber car and work out coming back for the car the next day. 

So, not only does the Smoke House look after its celebrity guests, they have a very high standard for caring for all of their visitors.      

As far as “celebrity sightings” are concerned, given that many of the guests come over from Warner Brothers, located just across the street, sightings are more common during the lunch hours, when the actors and actresses are getting a bite when they are working on the lot. 

What parts of their menu are the most well known? Without hesitation, Manny said the garlic cheese bread, the prime rib and home made “secret recipe” barbecue sauce are standouts.    

We asked Manny how the future looks for a restaurant with this much history and tradition.   Will the younger generations still keep coming?

He is quite confident of that.     The tradition of the Smoke House continues to be “handed down” from one generation of locals to another, with parents and grandparents bringing their children and grandchildren to share a meal.     The younger crowd appreciates the experience as much as the older.     They have over 6000 followers on Facebook, and Manny utilizes other social media platforms to keep in touch as well.

It is great to have a local business with this much tradition and culture still going strong after 70 years. Congratulations to the Smoke House!

Visit their website here! http://smokehouse1946.com

Mike Vosburg Interview: Comics, Art & Los Angeles Life!

 Mike Vosburg is a legendary artist. He's one of our favorite customers, for good reason! He's been innovating & elevating artistically for 50+ years. We sat down with the penciling & inking icon for a few exclusive questions that goes deeper than comics.

Do you remember the first piece of art you made?

I remember as a youngster I was always doodling…but it wasn’t until I was

in sixth grade that I met a friend who go me into drawing my own home made

comics. We’d trade them back and forth and had our own little company.

It taught me the basis of storytelling and was great fun.

Favorite comic book art you've ever done?

My Lori Lovecraft series was certainly my favorite; I’ve always preferred

doing my own creator owned projects. There really isn’t much of

anything I was overly fond of in commercial comics that I did.

Tell us about your role in the Chronicles of Narnia Movies.

It was a very low time in my career as  all my regular avenues of work had seemed

to have dried up. I met another friend  serendipitously and he suggest I drop

a portfolio off at the film he was working on. A couple months later I was working

on The Lion,Witch and Wardrobe, and my connection to the series kept me

working for years. It was the first time I worked storyboarding on a live action film.

They were very happy with me, and I was ecstatic working for Walden and their

folks. 

Favorite place to eat in Los Angeles?

A local place on Foothill called Everest. When I walk in everyone calls me Mikey.

Comics is very low on my list of favorite things. Much prefer film, sports, movies,  books,etc.

Best moment of 2016?

Traveling in Arizona and stopping in Jerome and visiting Taliesan in Phoenix.

What are your plans and goals for 2017?

Keeping enjoying life and doing what I do as well as I can.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I am really thankful that I live in sunny Southern Calif. and that I’m in a vibrant

city surrounded by lots of super creative folks. What a fun and exciting life.

Check out more updates from Mike at his blog!

Burbank's Convergence of Aerospace & Entertainment: The Story of Lockheed

 A big part of Burbank history was the presence of Lockheed as a major aerospace manufacturer. From before WWII and in to the 1980’s, the company had a large presence in Burbank. At its peak, in 1943, Lockheed employed around 94,000 people. Part of the property occupied by Lockheed is the current home of the Empire Center, a retail hub. The large signs locating that center have various airplanes gracing their tops. Younger people may not know why that theme for the signs came about. Consider it an acknowledgment of the Lockheed history.  

Today, Burbank is home to major entertainment studios and hundreds of other businesses that are part of the media industry. While there are still some smaller aerospace companies here, that industry is largely gone.    

During WWII, the then "relatively new” entertainment industry and Lockheed were connected by a very vital project.   

Lockheed and other companies in the area were a big part of the wartime effort to supply the planes needed to fight the war. In February of 1942, a Japanese submarine fired upon an oil facility in nearby Santa Barbara. Concerned that the enemy could enact further attacks on the West Coast and endanger the manufacturing of military hardware, the Army Corps of Engineers took action.

The goal was to protect Lockheed from being located and attacked. The “bright idea” was to camouflage the facility so it would not be visible from the air and subject to attack. To accomplish this, set dressers, painters and artists from the local studios were hired to create coverings that would show a rural landscape of trees, fields, farm houses and other imagery.

Imagine a massive manufacturing facility covered by canopies with rural scenery painted on top, complete with the placement of small farm buildings and trees to create a full three dimensional appearance.   That is exactly what occurred. From the air, there was no visible evidence of a wartime manufacturing facility. Someone in a plane flying a few thousand feet above would essentially see rural farmland, of no interest to an enemy wanted to attack production facilities. 

So, we have the economic engine of Burbank from decades ago being assisted by the world of entertainment, which is of course a major part of the business base in the Burbank of today. Interesting convergence, isn’t it?

For more of this history, you can check this link:

www.militarystory.org/how-the-military-hid-the-lockheed-burbank.html