La Cañada History: Documentary chronicles 60-year friendship of Disney animators, La Cañada residents
Ten Years Ago
The La Cañada High School Music Parents Assn. announced its eighth annual dinner show in support of the school’s instrumental department would be held Feb. 10 and had been given a “California Dreamin’” theme. The association had previously staged two major fundraisers a year, the dinner show and an on-campus carnival, but had recently dropped the carnival.
Twenty Years Ago
The Lanterman Historical Museum Foundation and Walt Disney Pictures announced there would be a one-time La Cañada Flintridge showing of the documentary that depicted the 60-year friendship of local residents Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston and their collaboration as Disney animators. For the event, the Theodore Thomas Production film would be screened at the UA Theater on Verdugo Boulevard, followed by an ice cream and cake social. In addition to their shared Disney workplace, Thomas and Johnston were next-door neighbors on Flintridge Avenue.
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Thirty Years Ago
Chris Valente, then executive director of the La Cañada Youth House and part-time instructor at St. Francis High School, was reelected to a sixth term as chairman of the Los Angeles County Youth Commission.
Forty Years Ago
A team of thieves dropped into the Sport Chalet ski shop through its roof and attic on a Friday night in January 1977, ransacked offices and the sales floor and scooped up approximately $34,000 worth of ski equipment and apparel. The store, located in the 900 block of Foothill Boulevard, had an armed burglar alarm that was not triggered during the crime. But it was apparent to investigating deputies that the suspects realized they could not exit from one of the store’s doors, so they carried all their loot — including 43 pairs of skis and 38 pairs of ski poles — back up through the attic and the roof to escape.
Fifty Years Ago
An 11-year-old La Cañada boy who dashed into the street while playing in his frontyard on Verdugo Boulevard was struck by a passing car and was pronounced dead from his injuries 30 minutes later at Glendale Adventist Hospital. At that time, Verdugo Hills Hospital had not yet been built. The car’s driver was not cited in the incident.
Sixty Years Ago
A La Cañada engineer, Robert F. Hurt, was appointed to serve as one of 25 official timers for national and international aircraft record attempts along the Pacific Coast for the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Hurt, who lived on Hampstead Road, was chief tool engineer for Lockheed Aircraft’s California division.
Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.
