Lawmaker’s House Grabs Its Share of the Limelight

Before he became a state assemblyman, Bob Hertzberg thought it would be fun, fun, fun to rent out his San Fernando Valley home as a set for movies like an upcoming TV miniseries on the Beach Boys.

But now that he is in line to be the next speaker of the California Assembly, the Sherman Oaks Democrat is getting some bad vibrations.

“It totally turns your life upside-down,” said Hertzberg. To accommodate the movie makers, the state politician and his family had to move to a hotel and as a result, Hertzberg said, he may drop the house from location listings.

Still, it hasn’t been all bad. There’s the $34,000 in fees Hertzberg received for the ABC movie and for an H&R; Block commercial shot there in November.

The lawmaker says that he will use part of the proceeds to build a fence around his Brady Bunch-style home, which is on a heavily traveled, tree-lined street in a prosperous neighborhood.

The movie people say they were not even aware of Hertzberg’s elected position; they just liked the look of the 1960s-era house. They say it fit the time frame of the film, which traces the beginnings of the Beach Boys from their early days in Hawthorne.

“The house is actually perfect. It’s classic ‘60s--a very California house,” said Jeff Bleckner, who is directing the project from Columbia TriStar Television.

Several years ago, Hertzberg listed the house, which features high ceilings and plenty of decorative wood. He didn’t receive any firm rental offers, however. The two-term lawmaker said it is strictly coincidence that he’s had back-to-back film shoots in recent months just as he is poised to assume one of the state’s top political offices.

In November, Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa said he would back Hertzberg as his successor and scheduled an Assembly vote for later this month that the Sherman Oaks attorney is expected to win.

Last year, Hollywood unions unsuccessfully pushed for legislation that would give tax incentives to keep productions from fleeing to places where filming is cheap. Those efforts are expected to be renewed this year.

Hertzberg, who strongly backs proposals to stem “runaway” film production, said he decided to give his house a star turn only after he was beseeched by location scouts knocking on his door. Hertzberg said the house is well-known because it’s on a busy street, and both he and the previous owner have held many events there.

In 1996, Hertzberg, a successful attorney before winning election, listed the house with Toni Maier On Location Inc. Dea Brawley, a spokeswoman for the agency, said that typically movie companies don’t even know the name of the owner of a house sought for filming but are simply shown numbered photographs when scouting locations.

“They looked at a lot of houses before they chose this one,” Brawley said.

In mid-November, Hertzberg said he received $14,000 for two days of shooting for the H&R; Block tax preparation firm. He said it was sheer chance that it was selected again for the Beach Boys filming that took place this week and for which he received $20,000.

Production executives say the fee for each set rental is determined on a case-by-case basis. It can range from $1,000 to $10,000 or more a day, depending on how much of the house is needed, whether the residence has been used before and if neighbors complain.

Hertzberg said he hasn’t received any complaints about noise, traffic or accompanying hubbub along his block. He said many members of the production crew live in his district and “I’m putting them to work.”

This week the area around the Hertzberg residence was turned into a full-fledged movie set with huge trucks parked on the street.

One neighbor contacted by The Times said crews have been “helpful, clean and cooperative,” but voiced displeasure to see them back so soon after the November shoot.

“The film [permit] board--they let them come right back,” said the man, who asked not to be identified. “I think that’s putting a strain on the neighborhood. There’s a zillion houses out here, and they have to use the same one twice.”

But Morrie Goldman, a spokesman for the firm that promotes local filming and issues permits, said: “It’s good to see our public officials being accommodating to filming. . . . We want to encourage ways to keep filming in Los Angeles.”

Gladstone reported from Sacramento and Cuza from Los Angeles.