Fred Willard
The mere sight of Willard, 69, brings a smile to our face. And luckily for us, his career shows no signs of slowing down: From “Fernwood Tonight” in the ‘70s, to any of Christopher Guest’s big-screen spoofs, to the current Fox sitcom “Back to You,” the guy is just funny. He and his wife, Mary, live in L.A.
SWINGER AT HEART I love going to the baseball batting cages at Sherman Oaks Castle Park on Sepulveda. I’m hitting over .400, which is not bad for a guy my age. Taking those cuts helps keep me in shape for the team I play with on Saturdays in the Valley. The team doesn’t let me play outfield anymore, but I can still pick up the grounders pretty well. RAMBLER MAN My wife and I are fans of smaller theaters, like the Falcon on Riverside Drive in Burbank. Always a great show, and you can eat at the Bob’s Big Boy across the street. It’s one of the originals from the 1950s. I get a cheeseburger and shake and don’t feel a bit guilty. Sometimes they have classic car shows there on Friday nights. I have a 1967 Rambler convertible, and if I ever get it into shape, I’m going to enter it. GAME HUNT For dinner we like Jar on Beverly Boulevard. Great American cuisine. I’ve seen Clive Davis, Sidney Poitier -- famous folk seem to like it. For a major event we’ll go to Saddlepeak Lodge, up in the hills in Calabasas. It’s like a hunting lodge, as if maybe people will shoot a deer and then bring it in to have it cooked. My son-in-law ordered elk the last time we were there. I just had a steak. BIG FAT GREEK DINNER We have a place in Malibu and I go swimming in the ocean as long as I possibly can. I could wear a wetsuit when it’s cold, but it always makes me feel as if I should be carrying a knife in my teeth. Then we’ll go to Taverna Tony for a nice Greek meal. Sit away from the music or you’ll get swept up in one of those “Everybody dance!” moments. LAUGH TRACK There’s a club called Bang Improv Studio on Fairfax. They put together some of the most unusual shows, and I’ve always loved improv. That’s how I got started. And as long as you’re on Fairfax, it’s a good excuse to eat at Canter’s Deli. It’s looked the same for years, which is how I like it. If they ever change, I’ll stop going.
-- Mark.Sachs@latimes.com