Lisa Burks - Edna Purviance Grandview article

Los Angeles writer, Lisa Burks, who has been writing about Grand View Memorial this pass year, just posted her story about Edna Purviance at Grand View.

It is true that we like to move Edna out of Grand View. It would be most fitting if we can return Edna back to the place she originally wanted to be, Forest Lawn. I have received some information on this and will be looking into this matter.

We like to thank you (our readers) for you continued interest. Lisa will be continuing to write about Grand View in the coming year. Lisa's blog link is under Edna's Place links. We like to extend our special thanks to Lisa for all her work. Edna's Place will continue to update on Grand View in 2007.

What president did Chaplin picture in his films?

We hope your New Year holiday weekend starts off well! When I first started Edna's Place I use to place a question of the day. So to stay on the president theme I started in the last posting:

'Do you remember what US President was pictured in the background in a few of Chaplin's films?'

As before you can post in the comments or email.
Happy New Year Everyone!

The Day I met former President Gerald Ford

Photo by Linda (Wada) February 1977 - Bob Hope Classic
It seems not to fail that well-known people pass during the holiday season. Singer James Brown joins Charlie Chaplin for passing away on Christmas Day.

This evening, I read the BBC news and saw that former president Gerald Ford passed away at the age of 93. I remember meeting Gerald Ford just after he left office in 1977.

My father took us to see the Bob Hope Golf Classic in Palm Springs, California in February 1977. Oddly enough, I spent part of this Christmas cleaning a storage area that had items from Christmases past, and one of the items was the program from that Hope Classic. It has a few autographs tucked away inside I gathered that day on the course.

During that February day we got to walk with the 'stars of the day' like Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr, Andy Williams, golf-pro Arnold Palmer, Flip Wilson, Lawrence Welk, and many more.

At one point, I walked up to a fairly tall man standing next to the ropes wearing a blue shirt and white pants. I didn't know who he was at first, but as he turned his head I could see it was Mr. Ford. Well, it is not everyday you can stand by a former president of the United States and not have anyone else around. So without really thinking about it, I tapped Mr. Ford on the shoulder. He turned around.

Mr. Ford was very nice and as we exchanged names, he shook my hand. We talked for a little bit when he was called away to take his next shot in the game. Later, I took the photo seen here on top with Mr. Ford in the crowd. I didn't vote for Mr. Ford in November 1976 (my first election), but again, it is not everyday you meet a president. In later years, both former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter became good friends.

Gerald Ford was the longest living president at age 93. He became president after Mr. Nixon resigned over the Watergate scandal. Mr. Ford is not the only president I have seen in person. I got to photograph Ronald Reagan for a photo shoot at a college I was working for in the mid-80s.

Happy New Year!

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Looking forward to 2007 with news to bring and our first book.

More to come...

THE SEA GULL - WIN A COPY - featuring Edna Purviance & Charlie Chaplin

Have a chance to WIN a copy of the upcoming book "The Sea Gull" (A Woman of the Sea). Sign up for our FIRST TO KNOW the release date list. We will place your name in a special drawing to win a copy of this first ever book about Edna Purviance and the lost Charlie Chaplin production, 'A Woman of the Sea', directed by Josef von Sternberg.
Open to Edna Purviance and Charlie Chaplin fans WORLDWIDE! See this LINK for full details!

You should receive an email back within 24 hours after we get your entry.

Hommage A Charlot - French Tribute to Charlie Chaplin

Dominique Dugros just sent this very fun link showing a French dancer impersonating Charlie Chaplin. And very well, I must say! So for our French readers, the following:

Hommage A Charlot - Charlie Chaplin sur roller
"Charlot sur des patins ? Bien sûr ! Je n'ai rien inventé... Chaplin, très bon patineur, réalisa en 1916. "Charlot patine", puis fit récidiver son personnage dans "Les temps modernes" (1936), dans cette inoubliable scène de gardien de nuit au grand magasin... La prestation est une évocation du personnage, de ses comportements et de ses émotions avec, à l'appui, quelques clins d'oeil à des scènes mythiques de Charlot."

To see the video available through YouTube, just click on this link HOMMAGE A CHARLOT. Than click on the YouTube video image on the bottom of the page. I found it best to let the video fully load and than watch it again. Video is about three minutes.

Special thanks to Dominique...
Also here is the FRENCH LINK to the Edna video shared earlier:
CHARLOT CHEZ SPIELBERG

New Brief Glimpse - Happy New Year!

Update December 31, 2006: I hope you enjoyed our special holiday message at Brief Glimpse. I placed a brand new special Brief Glimpse to start the new year!

Some Water Back to the Owens Valley

"There it is... it's yours!" were the words said this week in the Owens Valley as gates were open to send water down the Owens River once more.

In our Hollywood Cinecon Report I touched upon the water issues in Los Angeles County and how The Owens Valley had their water taken for LA County use in 1913. Yesterday, a bit of that water has been 'returned' to the Owens Valley after decades of legal battles.

It's not going to return the Owens Valley back to pre-1913 era, when the water was 'aqueduct' away to LA, but will bring life back to a river long dried up. The residents can watch a rebirth of a river.

You can listen to the story at National Public Radio. Having been to the Owens Valley and Lone Pine area a few times, it was very welcome news to wake up too.

Slapstick 2007 - January 11-14 Bristrol, UK

January 11-14, 2007 - Bristol, UK - It is time to mark your calendar for Slapstick 2007 in Bristol! This year's event features guest Paul Merton (known for his successful BBC TV series 'Paul Merton's Silent Clowns'). He will be presenting Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.'

Our Gang star, Jean Darling, will be a special guest for the program 'A Date with Jean Darling', talking about her years in films. Other featured films included Harold Lloyd's 'Get out and Get under" and Laurel and Hardy 'That's My Wife'.

Tickets are available through Slapstick 2007 website. So head to Bristol for a weekend full of fun and laughter!

Grand View - Gag Order Withdrawn

December 4, 2006 - Glendale News report that "Attorneys for Grand View Memorial Park withdraw a motion to restrict speech of opposing lawyers". If this was in place, attorneys would have been kept from speaking publicly about the case.

In other GV news, the LA County Corner's said they will 'announce' the cause of Marsha Howard's death in about seven weeks.

I recently have been in contact with LA writer Lisa Burks. Lisa has taken a personal interest in the happenings at Grand View, since she lives near GV. Her in-depth stories have appeared in LA Daily News and on her blog at valleynews.com.

Lisa has some photos at Grand View. One shows the Edna picture and rose fan Mark McKenzie left for Edna. There are many other GV photos as well.

In the meantime checkout Edna's special page for links and for a time line of the happenings at Grand View. See Lisa's link in Edna's Place Links for reports. Also check back for more updates.

Special Announcement about Edna January 17th, 2007

On January 17th, I will be making a special announcement of a major find about Edna Purviance. That is all I have to say, until the 17th of January.

UPDATE: January 17th LINK

Meridian Radio FM

November 24, 2007 - Meridian FM - BACK ON AIR LIVE until December 22 - For our England visitors, just letting you know Meridian FM is back on the air live 24 hours each day until December 22, 2007. Check MERIDIAN website for the latest news and programing.

Meridian FM - BACK ON AIR APRIL 22nd, 2007 - For our England visitors, just letting you know Meridian FM will be back on the air Sunday April 22nd. Check MERIDIAN website for the latest news and future programing.

Fan Comment about Edna Purviance

From the Edna Purviance Hollywood Walk of Fame Petition:

"I have always been a fan of Edna, and she should have this great moment of glory, over 40 years after her death. I just wish there was any film of the woman in real life, to see footage of her talking, for instance would be incredible. I have just found out more about Edna thru this website, like her being a great musician. I can not wait for the books and films to come out about her, so that the world can remember and again fall in love with this wonderful young lady. May she finally be honored." - Michael J. McGettigan

To Michael and all of Edna's fans,
Stay tuned... If you keep wishing, maybe someday it might just come true... - L
NOTE: Edna Purviance (born October 21, 1895 in Paradise Valley, Nevada) died January 13, 1958 at the Motion Picture Country Hospital at Woodland Hills, California. She was being treated for cancer during the 1950s, before dying from throat cancer. Her grand niece helped take care of her in the early 1950s. Edna's funeral was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, but she was interred at Grand View Cemetery in Glendale, California. more>

Grand View Cemetery Costs adding up

November 27, 2006 - The Glendale Press reports the cost of operating Grand View Cemetery for its limited 4 hours on Sunday has cost $31,000 since the last week in August. The list is long of all services that have to be paid to keep it open (street-sweeping, tree trimming, staff, portable restrooms, etc.) One would think insurance would be in that list as well.

The City plans to take their findings and reconsider their options in keeping the cemetery open for even fewer hours or even few days a month, or just shut it down altogether. Meanwhile all the lawsuits are still in play, even after the owner's death. The future of Grand View Cemetery is very unclear at this stage.

More about Edna Purviance and Grand View
Here is a link to City of Glendale with information and PDF files about Grand View.

March 30, 2007 - UPDATE

Edna's Sixth Year

News Update! The Sea Gull was released January 13th, 2008. It is now available. See more at ednapurviance.com.

November 25, 2006 - Edna starts her sixth year on the web! Edna had a record year again, with October the best ever. We are pleased with the visitors and interest Edna is getting worldwide.

We never expected it when we started in November 2001, when Garen Ewing of than The Chaplin Society and Chaplin UK, was the very first to link us in the worldwide web! It has been a great adventure that we thank Mr. Ewing and all the fans who have helped and visited Edna ever since!

Edna is not a modern day star, so huge numbers are not what we expect, but we have been helping the Facebook group this year in helping them gather signatures to help Edna get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This year brought more additions too with our project 'The Angel from Nevada' video (with Lita Hill) premiering in Hollywood and a new story about how Charlie Chaplin could have found Edna Purviance called Chance and Speculation.

We had a successful give away this last spring of the Charlie Chaplin Essential Film Music Collection with Carl Davis, so watch for another project along that line in the future.

Update: January 2008. The Sea Gull was released in January 2008. See ednapurviance.com or our latest Edna's Place entries for details.

We have a few new projects including the second section of Chance and Speculation coming in 2007 (see section one), more Chaplin Library additions from Dominique Dugros throughout 2007, and a surprise or two in store...

Much more on all of this as Edna enters her sixth year on the web! We like to thank all of Edna's visitors these past five years!


OH, I did say I planned a little something for today. Well, it is a little something, but this is no little train... But a special locomotive that ran for few years, just before trains were pass by for freeways.


Even in the early 1940s with cars and airline flights, Edna would travel at times by train to San Francisco from Los Angeles. One of the trains that traveled that route was called the 4449. This Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive traveled along the Coast Daylight Route between LA and San Francisco.

This year, I got to see the 4449 as it traveled on a special tour route in the Pacific Northwest. I only had a video camera and no tripod at the time, for it was a chance meeting of a great train from not so long ago.

I will place a special post for the 4449, but here is a peek at the video I took as it passed by one day. (The cars and 4449 Locomotive you see are all original and fully restored.)

March 2007 update: The caretakers of the 4449 are currently hoping to find a permanent home for the SP4449 engine. The current home, The Brooklyn Roundhouse, has an uncertain future, so a new home is being searched for in the Portland, Oregon area at this time.