Hollywood's magical island : Catalina
(DVD)

Special features: Theatrical trailer (2 min.); Interviews (12 min.).

Director of photography, Bill Totolo ; editors, Josh Jordan, Jean Michael Finholt, Skylar Smith ; music composed and conducted by Christopher Lennertz, guitar compositions, Omar Torrez ; archival consultant, Jessica Berman-Bogdan ; historical advisers, Kathryn Abbott, Chuck Liddell.

Narrator, Peter Coyote; commentators Ada Wrigley Schreiner, Bud Smith, Larry Harris, Patricia Anne Moore, Chuck Liddell, Richard Keit, Bob Salisbury, Peggy Moran, Kathleen Quinlan, Gregory Harrison, Dick Dale, Les Brown, Jack LaLanne, Tony Dow, A.C. Lyles, Mike Farrior, Kathryn Abbott, Art Good, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Mary Kennedy, Del Breckenfeld.

In 1542, the native Pimungans greeting their first European visitor, and by 1602, the Spanish had renamed the island Santa Catalina. As a part of Spain's Mexican holdings, Americans, Russians, and Aleuts who hunted, trapped, and introduced cattle and sheep visited Catalina. Prior to the US takeover of California, Thomas Robbins received the island as a land grant. Avalon, the island's largest city, was founded in 1887, and vacationers enjoyed sailing, sport fishing, and golf. In 1919, William Wrigley, Jr. bought the island, and began to transform Santa Catalina into the unique resort and nature preserve it is today. This film explores the islands history during the 20th century, its discovery by the Hollywood elite, and the construction in 1929 of a Catalina landmark, the beautiful Art Deco dance hall called the Casino.

DVD.

For private home use only.