ACCELERATED REVIEW PROCESS - E

Offce of the City Engineer

Los Angeles,

To the Honorable Council SEP 0 5 2006 Of the City of

Honorable Members: C. D. No. 13

SUBJECT:

Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street - Walk of Fame Additional Name in Terrazzo Sidewalk- MILT & BILL LARSEN

RECOMMENDATIONS:

A. That the City Council designatc the unnumbered location situated one sidcwalk square nortberly of and between numbered locations 73k and 12K as shown on Sbeet 19 of

Plan D-13788 for the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the installation ofthe name of Milt & Bill Larsen at 693 I Hollywood Boulevard.

B. Inform the Hollywood Chambcr of Commerce of the Council's action on this matter.

C. That this report be adoptcd prior to the date of the cercmony on Septembcr 15, 2006.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT:

No General Fund Impact. All cost paid by permittee.

TRANSMITTALS:

I. Unnumbered communication dated August 15, 2006, from thc Hollywood Historic Trust

of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, biographical information and excerpts from the minutes of the Chamber's meeting with recommcndations. City Council - 2- C. D. No. 13

DISCUSSION:

The Walk of Fame Committee ofthc Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has submitted a request for insertion into the Hollywood Walk of Fame the name of Milt & Bill Larscn. The ccremony is scheduled for Friday, September 15, 2006 at 9:30 a.m.

The communicant's request is in accordance with City Council action of October 18, 1978, under Council File No. 78-3949. Following the Council's action of approval, and upon proper application and paymcnt of the requircd fee, an installation permit can bc secured at 201 N. Figucroa Street, 3rd Floor, Counter "23".

Respectfully submitted, W01~Pc~ ÇD Lem:;l~~aco, P.E. Central District Enginecr

Burcau of Engineering

511: Larsen.02 (213) 482-7055 cc: Construction Services Center, Counter "23" Bureau of Street Services Administration .. 'k

.uOLLVWOOD WALK 01= I=AMto

August 15, 2006

Mr. Gary L. Moore Public Works Engineering Aii: Lemuel Paco 201 N. Figueroa St., 3'd Floor, M.S. 503 Los Angeles, CA 90012

Dear Mr. Moore:

The Walk of Fame Committee of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has approved the below listed name for insertion into the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

MILT & BILL LARSEN (Category -LIVE THEATRE) Requested star location to be 6931 Hollywood Boulevard, north side ofthe street near the Grant Lot and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The star for MILT & BILL LARSEN will be placed in the second row next to the usual row closest to the lot in the second row next to a blank space (2ND ROW) which has no number. The star will also be located next to those located in the original row and previously dedicated to PAUL WILLIAMS which is numbered 73k to the west and JON HALL which is numbered 12K and faces the east. According to sheet #19 plan 13788, MILT & BILL LARSEN'S star has no designated number. The dedication ceremony is scheduled for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15,2006 at 9:30 a.m. Thank you for your cooperation in this request. I look forward to a response from your office soon.

The following materials are enclosed: MILT & BILL LARSEN'S bio and the Board of Director's Min tes.

na Martinez-Holler Vice President, Media Relations cc: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Leron Gubler Johnny Grant Sgt. Mike Arminio Carmine Goglia Insp. R. Gladden T apher Best Michael Kantor Sally Castro Top End Canst. Ralph Pipes --.J'U''''.J ., ...."- __i-...... Il,~...... __...... ~.. ~~

BOAi ,OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, June 15,2005

MINUTES

Directors Attending: Anstrong, Arslanian, Artura, Briggs, Dudas, Farrar, Gajda, Gallagher, Grant, Larsen, Lestz, Massie, Fanaticr, Peterson, Robertson, Rosenthal, Rouze, Schultz, Schwartz, Scott, Smith, M-J, Taylor, TroDson, S.

Directors Absent: Barnes, Briggs, Bond, Dailey, Dankberg, Diehl, Durante, Folb, Green, Judd, Kay, Larsen, Papadaki, Rosenberg, Salamone, Smith, T., Spero, Swift, Tillman

Staff: Dearth, French, Gubler, Kiecker, Lindgren

Guests: Laurie Golden

1. Call to Order a. Briggs called the'meeting to order at 4:04' p.m.

d. Walk of Fame 1. Grant reported that the following individuals are nominated to

receive a star on the Hollywood Vlalk of Fame: i. Motion Ficture Category a. Annette Bening b. Matthew Broderick c. Holly Hunter d. Willam Hurt e. Nathan Lane f. Steve Marin g, Charlize Theron 2. Television a. JimHill b. Judge Judy c. David Milch d. Robert Osborne e. Ray Romano f. VaDua \Vite 3. Recording a. Lou Adler b. Alejandro Fernandez e. Motley Crue d. Isaae lIayes 4. Live Theatre a. Shceky Greene b. Milt and Bill Larsen 5. Radio a. Dan A vey

b. Wink Martindale c. Mark and Kim 6. Posthumous a. Jack Cassidy b. Leonard Goldcnson

11. Grant moved to support the Walk of Fame Committee's list of Inductees. Seconded by Dudas. MSP. Milt Larsen abstained from voting on the motion to accept the inductees.

V. Briggs adjourned at 5:43 p.m. '- Ro,,,"'"' "",mm,,,, W ai~/ 04 0 Milt & Bill Larsen- Hollywood's Walk of Fame

Magic has been the key element to the "Larsen Family of Magicians" and to the world of Hollywood. Hollywood's mystique and glamour encapsulates the intriguing aspects of shown in theatre, radio, movies, and television Milt and the late Bill Larsen Jr. have dedicated their lives' work to magic by entertaining magic lovers throughout the decades. Both men have carried on their families' tradition of the love for magic. Wiliam Larsen Sr. was a prolific writer in magic, while his wife Geraldine later became known as the "The Magic Lady" on television. Milt and his brother Bill Jr. were instilled with the love of magic early in life when they toured with the family magic show as children By the time Milt and Bill finished high school magic was already incorporated into their lives. Milt's early association with magic gave him a natural ability for audience participation and was hired as a writer for the television show called "Truth or Consequences," ajob which lasted for eighteen years and a record 6,000 shows. In 1956, Milt produced his first "It's Magic!" stage show, creating a Southern California theatrical institution which became known as the most prestigious event in magic and continues to play annually. Milt and his late brother, Bil, in 1963 resurrected their father's unfulfilled dream of a club for magicians. Milt leased an old Gothic-Victorian mansion on the hillside in Hollywood and started the restoration on what was to become the most famous and successful magic enterprise in the world, The ". Milt used his sense of audience participation to create a fun environment for people to enjoy and started the physical restoration of the building with his amateur carpenter skills. While Milt was building the Magic Castle his brother, Bill, used his executive talents from his days as an associate producer at CBS TV to form the nonprofit Academy of Magical Ars, Inc., and oversee the elub operations as President. The Academy now has 5,000 active magician and non- magician members and entertains patrons from all over the world every night of the year at the world's most unique clubhouse, The Magic Castle".

Unfortnately, Bil Jr died at an early age and could not continue to work on his life's passions, but his impact on magic and The Magic Castle" is still influenced by his innovative ideas and love for magic.

Milt's other accomplishments include dozens of television and stage writing, producing credits, and over i 00 published comedy songs. He was elected to two terms on the Board of

Governors of the National Academy of Recording Ars and Sciences representing the field of comedy. In 1973, Larsen leased and restored an old vaudeville theater in Santa Monica and renamed it the "Mayfair Music Hall" where he wrote and produced British style shows for a record eight years. He also founded the Society for the Preservation of Variety Arts and the Variety Ars Center theater complex in downtown Los Angeles. Milt is a renowned expert in the field of vaudeville and magic.

As a writer, Milt Larsen is a member of the Writers Guild of America and Broadcast

Music Inc., and as a performer, he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and The American

Federation of Radio and Television Artists. He is an honorary member of London's prestigious Magic Circle with the highest degree as Member of the Inner Circle with Gold Star. His books include "Milt Larsen's Magic Castle Tour," a comedy book titled "The Great Hockmann Exposes Himself," and "Magic Castle: A Hollywood Ilusion." He has been a technical director in the field of magic and vaudeville for such shows as

Circus of the Stars and Murder She Wrote. He created the idea and was the magic consultant for the fifty milion dollar "Caesars Magical Empire" at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which opened in 1996. He recently was Co-Executive ProducerIWriter of the "Magicians Favorite Magicians" special for CBS Entertainment. Milt Larsen and Armand Grant have produced three magic specials for CBS and one for ABC. Milt Larsen is a popular speaker at service groups and for corporations; he has had the honor of lecturing on magic throughout the world. He is also heard weekly on his own "Music Museum" shows on the Yesterday US.A. Network and "Hear Them Again" on KZBN-AM, the Bob Newhart station in Santa Barbara. Larsen has his offces at the Magic Castle Hotel and

actively meets with his staff daily, oversees the operations of the Magic Castle, works on new "gimmicks" in his workshop, and still finds time to produce and write TV, stage, and fim projects

In the year 2000, Mr. Larsen was named "one of the 100 people who most influenced the

ar of magic in the twentieth century" by the readers of Magic Magazine. Both Bill and Milt Larsen were masters oftheir craft and have "oohed and aahed" audiences since 1 963. Larsen

shared his love for magic with the world by encompassing every aspect of Hollywood from

directing and writing to performing and establishing The Magic Castleoo. He is one of the few

living magicians recognized in the Society of American Magicians "Hall of Fame" and is an

Honorary Life Member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Milt and Bil Larsen expanded the domain of magic, and it is clear from their hard work and dedication that without them, the world of magic would not be what it is today.