Cruising The Past Cruise News

Los Angeles used to have a public transit system that covered about 25 percent more track mileage than New York City’s current subway system. In its eco-heyday in 1945, LA had more than 900 hydro-electric Pacific Electric “Red Cars” that covered more than 1,100 miles, from Pasadena to downtown LA, ... Read More »

Along with The Daily Kos, I was party to a significant decision for bloggers and free speech rights. The 2007 U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) found that political blogs and bloggers are media for the purposes of U.S. Electoral Law. Suddenly blogs were media and for the past thirteen years, ... Read More »

West Hollywood’s Chasen’s was a glamorous world – “Celebrity chefs” will never replace stylish hosts and personalities such as Dave Chasen or Vincent Sardi or Mike Romanoff. I had dinner at Chasen’s many times. First, with my parents and then later on when I had become a producer. Dinner with ... Read More »

One of the great hotels of the world. Berlin was a port of call by train in 1929 — after sailing from New York to Germany aboard the SS BREMEN. Upon arrival, tourists enjoyed a quick train ride from Hamburg to Berlin and then accommodations at the world famous Adlon ... Read More »

The RMS TITANIC has been the subject of many films. From the Cinema to TV to Broadway. From Nazi produced Titanic to James Cameron’s over the top Titanic. The Titanic List – Movies, TV and Broadway Here is a list of Titanic movies, TV movies, documentaries and musical – including ... Read More »

The Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles was a movie palace opened in January 1923 as Grauman’s Metropolitan Theatre. Elvis Presley appeared in person at the Paramount. Tab Hunter and Natalie Wood on the gigantic screen in “The Girl I Left Behind.” It was built by impresario Sid Grauman, who had ... Read More »

Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr.’s twin interests in baseball and Catalina Island – he bought Catalina in 1919 and gained a controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs in 1921 – dovetailed nicely when he made the decision to have the Cubs train on Catalina starting in 1921.  In doing ... Read More »

From the 1930s until his death in 1966, a self-proclaimed hedonist, he was the image of a celebrity. An author, journalist, historian, raconteur, gourmet, and bon vivant extraordinary – this amazing personality was one of the first gay men to have a publicly open relationship.   Columnist Walter Winchell called ... Read More »

Elvis’ love for Hawaii ran deep, and during his lifetime he visited often. Whether it was to perform concerts and benefits, film a movie, or just to vacation, the islands would always draw him back. Elvis sailed to Hawaii from Los Angeles aboard the SS Matsonia on November 5, 1957. ... Read More »

The familiar faces of Beatle Ringo Starr and actor Peter Sellers caused quite a stir at Southampton Docks almost fifty years ago, back in May 1969, when the pair were among 570 passengers boarding the second voyage of the QE2 at Southampton. The pair were going to the United States ... Read More »