Live to Ride, Ride to Live

The enchanting calliope of organ music and the stampede of all-original wooden horses beckon admirers from near and far to the Griffith Park merry-go-round. Built in 1926 for San Diego’s Mission Beach pier, the carousel also whirled in Balboa Park for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition before moving to its current home in 1937. We asked some merry riders to explain what makes the world go round.

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Bob McFalls, 43,

with daughter Grace, 2

Los Angeles

Assistant editor on Fox TV’s “Cracking Up”

Why ride today?

I wanted to see my daughter’s reaction. She was going, “Again! Again!” We rode four times.

What animals would you put on your carousel?

A safari with lions, tigers, monkeys and gorillas. Let’s go with a theme.

Your favorite amusement ride?

As a kid, I loved [Disneyland’s] Pirates of the Caribbean in the early 1970s. It was scary and yet had an unusual atmosphere.

What public places need a carousel?

The Grove. It’s closer to my house.

Is life a carousel?

There are ups and down.

Both have a beginning and an end. And you hope they don’t ring the bell too soon.

Was your horse a girl or a boy?

Oh, geez. Didn’t check.

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Sherry Zigmond, 59,

with grandson Joey Wagner, 6

Toluca Lake

Children’s social worker

Why are you here today?

Sherry: I take him and his sister about once a month. We ride the ponies and the train and the merry-go-round. I brought his mother when she was little too.

Which is better, real horses or carousel horses?

Sherry: You’re asking a 59-year-old! I’ll take this any day.

Joey: Real ponies.

Your next favorite amusement ride?

Joey: The log ride that goes in the water.

How old is too old for the carousel?

Sherry: Oh, 90, maybe. As long as your knees work, you’re not too old. As long as you can get on the horse.

Was your horse a boy or a girl?

Joey: I don’t know.

Sherry: I think it was a boy.

Is life a carousel?

Sherry: Oh, please. You just keep going around and around.

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Paula Myers, 40, and Darren Myers, 41

Plano, Texas

Administrative assistant and business services coordinator

Why ride today?

Paula: I’ve always been fascinated by carousels. We’re in L.A. for the weekend. There’s four carousels in the area so we’re going to try to visit all four. We went to Santa Monica Pier yesterday. There’s one in Burbank in the Media Center and one in Riverside.

What do you love about carousels?

Paula: They’re unique pieces of art. Each one is hand carved.

Your next favorite amusement ride?

Paula: Roller coasters, because I like speed.

Darren: We went to Sandusky, Ohio, and spent the whole day just riding roller coasters.

Your favorite horse on this carousel?

Paula: I like the real horsehair tails, which a lot of them don’t have anymore.

What was your horse’s name?

Paula: Starlight. It had its head up in kind of a gazing position.

Is life a carousel?

Paula: It definitely has its ups and downs. Sometimes it seems like you’re spinning in circles but you can still enjoy the ride.

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Warren Deasy, 68

Studio City

Griffith Park Carousel co-owner

Why are you here today?

Overseeing the carousel. And getting happy seeing the kids.

What’s the best carousel music?

I have thousands of selections. I like “Yes, We Have No Bananas.” But I like Strauss waltzes and Sousa marches.

Your favorite horse on this carousel?

There’s a pair carved around 1907. They’re two of the 12 that Charles Looff did. They’re the ones he wanted to look mean or sinister. We think they’re haunted.

Are carousels addictive?

Once in awhile I get a kid and he’s never seen a merry-go-round and he’s frowning and holding on tight. The bell rings and it starts, and the light goes on in his eyes. Then you have a merry-go-round fan.

Which are the best horses to ride?

I like the outside row. They go faster.

How do you tell the girl horses from the boys?

Some carvers, I am told, when they worked for someone they didn’t like, carved organs on the horses. But I don’t think the horses in Griffith have anything like that.

Why be a lifetime carousel rider?

It’s wonderful for the soul. With every revolution you get a little younger.