Neighbors’ Complaint Leads to Porn Arrests

Two actors shooting a pornographic movie in a residential neighborhood were arrested after neighbors complained that they saw naked people having sex around a hot tub, Los Angeles police said Friday.

Mark Goldberg, 34, of Sherman Oaks and Lottie Rumble, 24, of New York City were arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct in the 22300 block of Dolorosa Street about 12:15 p.m. Thursday, according to Sgt. Stephen Merrin.

Each was released on $250 bail, Merrin said. The movie being filmed was titled, “The Milkman Delivers,” he said.

Neighbors on one side of the house said they saw the actors and a film crew through a large hole in the hedge separating their backyards, Merrin said. The neighbors complained they could not let their children go into the yard.

Neighbors told police that it was the second time they had seen a crew and actors at work on a pornographic film at the house. The first incident occurred during a backyard birthday party a few weeks ago, police said.

The director of the film and two residents--who rented the house to the film crew--were cited Thursday for lack of a permit, Merrin said. Although going naked and having sex in a well-concealed private place is not illegal, Merrin said, it is illegal to perform lewd conduct if people who object can see it.

Complaints of porn filming are not uncommon in the San Fernando Valley, Merrin said. Last year, one film company bought more than 100 earthquake-damaged homes in the Los Angeles area--most of them in the Valley--to use for filming pornographic films, he said.

“This is the porn capital of the universe, so to speak, here in the Valley,” Merrin said. “A lot of the producers and whatnot are out here.”

Texeira is a Times staff writer and Torres is a correspondent.