No, it wasn't shot in Santa Clarita ... so what is the SCV connection to this
cult classic? Why, its "biggest" star, of course: Tor Johnson. He's an "eternal" resident
of Newhall. Visit him sometime, a few paces down the hill from the mausoleum at Eternal Valley Memorial
Park and Cemetery.
In life, Johnson was no stranger to the SCV, having left us with the
horribly unforgettable "Beast of Yucca Flats" which, we're sorry say, was shot here.
ABOUT E.J. STEPHENS
An Indiana native, E.J. Stephens has lived in Southern California for 30 years. He wed his passions for history and film together in his first book, Images of America: Early Warner Bros. Studios. A second book, Images of America: Griffith Park, describes the fascinating history of one of the largest urban parks in North America. E.J. has worked for much of the past 15 years for Walt Disney's Imagineering division, and more recently for Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where he and his wife still docent for the Warner Bros. Museum. E.J. recently added the role of Warner Bros. Studio Tour Guide to his list of accomplishments. He has been published in several newspapers and magazines throughout Southern California, and his blog, "Deadwrite's Dailies," can be found at deadwrite.wordpress.com.
E.J. has visited all 50 states and 40 foreign countries, circled the globe, bicycled across the United States, and reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. He is a director of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society in Newhall, where he hosts a classic film series and teaches a class on the rich film history of the Santa Clarita Valley. E.J. lives in Canyon Country with his wife Kim and their two children, Mariah and Dylan, plus six cats, a dog, and a rabbit named Hoss.
ABOUT BILL WEST
Bill West is a movie nut who serves on the board of Friends of Hart Park, gives tours of the Hart Mansion and maintains the Friends' website.
In his spare time, Bill writes software for Walt Disney Imagineering, where he has contributed to Star Tours, Toy Story Midway Mania, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and other attractions. Previously, he wrote software at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Bill enjoys lounge music and he plays the drums for pickup bands. He lives in Santa Clarita with his Realtor (his wife Liliana) and their son Josh. Pets include Maya the Mutt, Luigi the Canary, and a cat whose name he can't pronounce but is Polish for "kitty."
