| Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of and is pleased | | | | disappointing house--at least for a celebrity |
| to have as our guest, author William | | | | of his magnitude--belongs to Jack Nicholson. |
| A.Gordon.William has authored: The Ultimate | | | | He has a very modest ranch house, although he |
| Hollywood Tour Book: Shot On This Site: | | | | does own other homes for his children and |
| Four Dead In Ohio: and The Quotable | | | | exes.Norm:If you were to choose 5 Hollywood |
| Writer.Good day William and thank you for | | | | venues for a wedding, provided the venue was |
| agreeing to participate in our | | | | available to rent, which ones would you |
| interview.William: I am very happy to do | | | | choose and why?William:* If you are into |
| it.Norm:Could you tell us about yourself, and | | | | castles, there is a castle known as the |
| when did your passion for writing begin? What | | | | Friedman castle on Hollyridge Drive in the |
| kept you going?William:I started writing when | | | | Hollywood Hills. It is sometimes been rented |
| I was eight and was pretty prolific in my | | | | out for weddings, as is the "Dynasty" house |
| pre-teen years. I used to study the "Hardy | | | | in Pasadena. It's also rented out for |
| Boys" novels and then wrote a couple of my | | | | corporate parties and been in quite a few |
| own. I was a big TV fan, and not only wrote | | | | movies.* There are also a few hotels, |
| mock-up scripts, but used to plan what were | | | | including the Bel-Air Hotel, which has a |
| then 39-week seasons with plotlines and | | | | storybook quality to it, and both of the |
| everything.I guess I was an aspiring producer | | | | Ritz-Carltons in Pasadena and Marina del |
| in my teeny-bopper years. I gave up writing | | | | Rey.Norm:How have you used the Internet to |
| for a number of years, and then returned to | | | | boost your writing career?William:The |
| it in college, where I wrote for the UCLA | | | | Internet really helps my publishing career as |
| Daily Bruin. I subsequently transferred to | | | | opposed to my writing career. The publishing |
| Kent State and wrote my first book on the | | | | listservs I belong to give me some visibility |
| 1970 shootings and trials. It took me almost | | | | and I do like giving advice to writers who |
| eight years to write the book, and another | | | | are in the same boat I was in. I hate to see |
| nine to get it published, but after that | | | | people make the same mistakes I did when I |
| things fell into place, and I wrote three | | | | first started out.Norm:Why are people so |
| more books.Norm:Two of the books you authored | | | | interested in visiting celebrity homes, and |
| are The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book and Shot | | | | why do they want to see where films have been |
| On Site. Why were you interested in writing | | | | shot?William:People are fascinated--in fact, |
| these books? Can you explain some of your | | | | probably a little too fascinated--with |
| research techniques, and how you found | | | | celebrities and their lifestyles. Looking at |
| sources for your books?William:I wrote these | | | | homes owned by celebrities is probably no |
| books after Four Dead in Ohio was published | | | | different than visiting presidential homes or |
| in 1990. I needed to do something radically | | | | libraries. It's the closest most people ever |
| different, and more appealing to the general | | | | get to power, and being a celebrity is a form |
| public. And since I always loved driving | | | | of power.As for the movies, I always get a |
| around L.A. (L.A. is my Paris), I wrote the | | | | kick out of seeing places I've lived near, |
| tour book almost on a lark. That one that | | | | being featured on the silver screen. And so |
| jump-started my career, and Shot on This Site | | | | do a lot of people. However, if you visit |
| was essentially a spin-off book. It covered | | | | some of the sites after the fact and see them |
| movie locations throughout the United States, | | | | close-up, you can come away disappointed. The |
| whereas the Hollywood book pointed tourists | | | | big screen does wonders for conventional |
| toward movie and TV sites in L.A., among | | | | homes.Norm:Could you indicate to our readers |
| other attractions.Having a background in | | | | 5 venues such as hotels, parks, etc where |
| investigative journalism prepared me to segue | | | | celebrities have been married and who were |
| into investigative sightseeing. I'd interview | | | | these celebrities?William:The better known |
| real estate agents and Hollywood historians | | | | celebrities tend not to get married in houses |
| to find out who lived where when; and browse | | | | of worship |
| through celebrity biographies to get more | | | | |
| background information on the stars and their | | | | anymore--at least not in Los Angeles itself. |
| homes.I'd also go to the county assessor to | | | | They seem to be getting married more and more |
| confirm property records, and the L.A. permit | | | | at large private homes (Jennifer Lopez and |
| office to find records of who was permitted | | | | Britney Spears are two recent example), and I |
| to film where in L.A. Plus I had friends in | | | | think the reason for that is to protect their |
| the entertainment industry who would take me | | | | privacy. The Bel-Air Hotel is a popular venue |
| to some of the places tourists never found | | | | for those who are on the "B" list, as is the |
| out. My favorites include some of the sites | | | | Beverly Hills Hotel . . .Norm:Do you |
| that inspired songs and the so-called "Flying | | | | recommend other writers find a niche or |
| Saucer" house in the Hollywood | | | | specialty? What have been the rewards for |
| Hills.Norm:What celebrity owns the largest | | | | you?William:Yes, and I think not having a |
| house in L.A.? The most expensive: The most | | | | niche has not helped my career. My tastes are |
| disappointing?William:* The largest house is | | | | too eclectic, and that is not necessarily a |
| owned by Aaron Spelling, the producer who | | | | good thing.Norm;What is next for William A. |
| brought is "Charlie's Angels," "Dynasty," | | | | Gordon and is there anything else you wish to |
| "Melrose Place," and lots of schlock. He | | | | add to our interview.William:At the moment I |
| bought the old Bing Crosby estate for $10 | | | | am in between books, but I still sell my |
| million, tore it down, and then built a | | | | "Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book" year in and |
| 123-room, 56,000-square-foot, $40 million | | | | year out, and I am happy that "Four Dead in |
| mansion on the site. It's larger than the Taj | | | | Ohio" has been adopted in a number of college |
| Mahal or roughly 31 times the size of the | | | | courses. Right now I am selling databases to |
| average American home.* He does not own the | | | | publishers and publicists and looking for my |
| most expensive house in L.A., though. That | | | | next project.Norm:What is your web |
| distinction belongs to David Geffen, one of | | | | site?William: |
| the founders of DreamWorks. He bought the old | | | | |
| Jack Warner estate for $47.5 million. | | | | * and good luck with all of your future |
| Ironically, he spends most of his time at his | | | | endeavors.Norm Goldman is the Editor of the |
| beach house in Malibu, where he just lost a | | | | travel site, and the book reviewing site, |
| fight with environmental activists who had to | | | | is also a travel writer and together with his |
| sue him to live up to an agreement whereby he | | | | artist wife, Lily, they meld words with art |
| would allow beachgoers access to the public | | | | focusing on romantic and wedding |
| beach next to his house.* The most | | | | destinations. |