Bridging an L.A., Long Beach Gap

The 50-cent toll on the Vincent Thomas Bridge will be abolished at the end of the year, restoring some semblance of pride to the city of Long Beach. You see, the toll was charged only for westbound motorists, those going from the Long Beach side into San Pedro. You had to pay for the privilege of entering L.A.

But for those going eastbound, toward unassuming Long Beach, there never was a charge.

DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN AT CANNES? Smogdance, Pomona’s low-budget film festival, had its problems this year.

“We shelled out $44 to rent an aberrant popcorn machine that blew out every circuit we plugged it into,” spokesman Dan Dobrin said. “We finally had to borrow our popcorn from Stan’s Snack Shop down the street.”

And popcorn is one of the big draws for the independent and often amateur filmmakers (they get all they want, for free).

Though the festival itself was well attended--tickets were $3 apiece--”not a SINGLE CONTESTANT appeared for the awards ceremony,” Dobrin said. “Ticket taker Joanie Weldon accepted on behalf of all prize winners.”

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE LINE’S BUSY? Regarding the item here about the new trend of people speaking on cell phones at burial services, writer Lee Harris says: “Let us not forget the L.A. urban legend that evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson was put in her Forest Lawn crypt with a live telephone beside her.”

DEVIL OF AN ADDICTION: The poor Angels. They’ve never been able to escape the shadow of the Los Angeles Dodgers. And one big reason is they can’t resist Dodger leftovers.

The latest example is new manager Mike Scioscia, the fourth former Dodger to hold that job for the Angels.

Countless Dodger players have finished up their careers with the Angels. In the front office, the Angels hired former Dodger exec Buzzie Bavasi (and later Buzzie’s son, Bill). They even signed a former Dodger, Don Drysdale, as a broadcaster.

My suggestion to the Angels: Establish your own identity. If you’re offered a an ex-Dodger, just say no. (Or, “I think Knott.”) And get rid of the Angels nickname, which referred to the team’s beginnings in L.A.

Call yourself the Anaheim Mickeys, the Anaheim Brens, the Anaheim Anteaters (or has that been that taken?), the Mighty Oranges--anything but the Angels, for heaven’s sake.

TAKE THE HUNTINGTON BEACH FREEWAY TO THE BEVERLY HILLS FREEWAY: UC Irvine’s Orange County Annual Survey found that 24% of those polled recommended “more freeways.” They would love the state’s 1958 master plan for freeways (see map).

Had it been carried out, Orange County would have added the Huntington Beach, Yorba Linda and Pacific Coast freeways, while lengthening others.

L.A. County would have added the Beverly Hills Freeway, the Reseda Freeway, the . . . but you don’t want to hear it.

Think of all the freeway numbers you would have to memorize to understand the traffic reports from the thousands of helicopter pilots who would be buzzing in the sky.

miscelLAny:

Lorilyn Hart contributed a holiday favorite--some “real” plastic snow (see photo). Reminds me of Oscar Levant’s line about Hollywood:

“Strip the phony tinsel off Hollywood and you’ll find the real tinsel underneath.”

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com