>> "VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.
[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] Huell Howser: WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY.
I'M HUELL HOWSER.
GET READY FOR AN ADVENTURE.
ACTUALLY, WE'RE ON AN ADVENTURE RIGHT NOW HERE ON THE SIDE OF FIGUEROA.
WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, I CAME HERE AND PARKED MY CAR, WENT ON SOME BUSINESS, CAME BACK, AND REALIZED THAT I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON, SO MY BATTERY'S DEAD.
I NEED TO JUMP-START MY BATTERY.
MY BATTERY IS DEAD AS A DOORNAIL.
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE MADE A PHONE CALL, AND HELP IS ON THE WAY.
AND HERE COMES HELP!
HELP IS ON THE WAY...
HISTORIC HELP IN A HISTORIC VEHICLE.
MATT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE?
BOY, THIS IS SOMETHING OUT OF THE ARCHIVES RIGHT HERE.
>> THAT'S A 1932 CHEVROLET TOW TRUCK.
Huell: NOW, DID YOU CALL THEM TOW TRUCKS BACK THEN OR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE VEHICLES?
>> I THINK IF YOUR CAR WAS BROKEN DOWN, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
Huell: OK. NOW, THAT GOES BACK TO THE 1930s.
THIS IS JUST PART OF THE COLLECTION OF OLD VEHICLES, HISTORIC VEHICLES THAT THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS, RIGHT?
>> YES, HUELL.
WE HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN OF THEM, INCLUDING A THREE-WHEEL MOTORCYCLE.
Huell: AND WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THESE OLD THINGS?
'CAUSE, NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS KIND OF A SETUP.
MY CAR'S BATTERY DIDN'T REALLY GO DOWN.
WE JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS A CREATIVE WAY TO START THE PROGRAM.
WHAT DO YOU NORMALLY DO WITH A VEHICLE LIKE THIS?
>> COUNTY FAIRS, OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.
WHEN THERE'S RACES OUT AT POMONA OR FONTANA, OUR GUYS ARE USUALLY THERE OUT IN THE TRUCKS.
PEOPLE LOVE THEM, JUST LIKE YOU.
THEY WANT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED WITH THEM.
THEY, YOU KNOW, RECALL ANOTHER ERA.
THEY'RE A FUN THING TO DO.
Huell: WELL, IT DOES TAKE YOU BACK TO ANOTHER ERA.
IF WE HAD BEEN STANDING HERE ON THE SIDE OF FIGUEROA BACK IN THE THIRTIES, THIS IS WHAT WOULD HAVE COME TO HELP US IF WE BROKE DOWN.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
Huell: MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WERE HELPED BY A VEHICLE LIKE THAT.
THE AUTO CLUB HAS BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
WHEN DID IT START?
>> WE STARTED IN 1900.
Huell: SO, YOU'RE OVER-- WELL, 110 YEARS OLD, BASICALLY.
>> YES, SIR.
Huell: ALL RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ADVENTURE IS ALL ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB--LET'S STAND OUT OF THE WAY SO WE CAN GET A NICE SHOT HERE-- THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALIVE AND WELL AND GOING STRONG AT 110.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY NOW.
WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT IT STARTED BACK IN 1900.
WHAT WAS IT WHEN IT STARTED BACK THEN?
>> IT WAS ORIGINALLY A SMALL GROUP OF WELL-TO-DO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE AMONG THE FEW CAR OWNERS IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY LOS ANGELES.
Huell: WHY DID THEY BAND TOGETHER?
>> WELL, IT WAS KIND OF A SOCIAL CLUB.
AND THEY WERE ALSO WANTING TO ADVOCATE FOR BETTER ROADS TO DRIVE THEIR CARS ON.
Huell: AND THAT STARTED EARLY ON, THIS ADVOCATING ALMOST IN A QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL WAY FOR BETTER ROADS.
DIDN'T THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB ACTUALLY PUT UP ROAD SIGNS-- >> YES.
Huell: ON THE SIDE OF HIGHWAYS?
>> THAT STARTED VERY EARLY, WHEN THEY TURNED TO A MISSION OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
THEY STARTED PUTTING THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS UP BEFORE THERE WAS A GOVERNMENT ROLE FOR THAT.
IN 1908, THEY STARTED PRODUCING THE MAPS.
THE MAGAZINE COMES IN 1909, INSURANCE, 1912.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH SET UP THE CHARACTER OF THE ORGANIZATION Huell: AND IN THOSE EARLY DAYS, IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO GET OUT ON THE OPEN ROAD.
AND YOU WERE KIND OF, IN MANY CASES, GOING IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY, WEREN'T YOU?
>> WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY EXACTLY UNCHARTED, 'CAUSE THERE WERE THOSE AUTO CLUB MAPS.
BUT WE CAN SHOW YOU THE FIELD NOTES OF THE ORIGINAL MAP CREATORS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT "THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION" AND, YOU KNOW, "DON'T TURN HERE BECAUSE IT'S 100 MILES WITHOUT ANY WATER" AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YEAH, IT WAS A REAL ADVENTURE.
THERE WERE RISKS INVOLVED.
Huell: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WILD WEST, THE FRONTIER, YOU KNOW, BLAZING NEW TRAILS OUT ACROSS CALIFORNIA.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
Huell: OK.
SO, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB WAS AN ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT?
I MEAN, PROMOTING BETTER ROADS, BETTER ROAD SAFETY, MAPS, PLACES, SUGGESTIONS WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO ON VACATIONS, INSURANCE, ALL OF THIS SORT OF THING.
>> IT WAS VERY ORIENTED TOWARD SERVICE.
AND AS FAR AS THE ACTIVISM GOES, THE FIRST LOGO, WHICH APPEARED A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED, HAS THE WORD "GOOD ROADS" RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
Huell: YEAH.
>> THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE ABOUT.
Huell: ABSOLUTELY.
NOW, WE'RE STANDING HERE RIGHT OFF FIGUEROA IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COURTYARD OF THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.
TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS BUILDING, 'CAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE CLASSIC BUILDINGS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
>> IT'S AN L.A. CITY LANDMARK OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1923 AS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB.
THEY HAD RENTED QUARTERS IN FIGUEROA AND OTHER SPOTS DOWNTOWN.
AT THAT TIME, THIS AREA, WEST ADAMS NEIGHBORHOOD, WAS THE SUBURBAN FRINGE.
Huell: AH.
THIS WASN'T DOWNTOWN AT ALL.
>> NO, IT WASN'T.
IT WAS ON THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN.
Huell: AND IT MUST HAVE MADE A HUGE IMPRESSION WHEN IT OPENED UP.
>> IT DID.
THERE WAS A BIG CEREMONY.
AND, OF COURSE, THE SPANISH COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE.
AND IT WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY AS THE AUTO CLUB HEADQUARTERS.
THE FIRST PART OF THE BUILDING WAS THAT FRONT PART THAT YOU SEE FROM FIGUEROA.
AND EVENTUALLY, THE COURTYARD WAS ENCLOSED AS THE ORGANIZATION GREW AND MORE PEOPLE JOINED AND THEY BUILT MORE BUILDINGS TO CREATE THIS COMPOUND.
Huell: HAVEN'T I SEEN SOME WONDERFUL OLD FOOTAGE OF-- >> OH, RIGHT.
IN THE 1930s, IT WAS AN ANNUAL EVENT CALLED THE OUTING SHOW.
AND VENDORS OF OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT LIKE TENTS AND FISHING RODS AND SO FORTH WOULD SET UP BOOTHS.
AND THEY WOULD GIVE FLY-CASTING DEMONSTRATIONS AND SET UP TENTS.
AND THEY USED TO HAVE A THEME.
"THE CALL OF THE OPEN ROAD" I THINK WAS WHAT THEY CALLED IT.
OH, AND CAR DEALERS WOULD, OF COURSE, BRING THEIR NEW PRODUCTS.
AND THEY JUST PACKED THE PLACE.
Huell: WE FORGET NOW WHAT AN ADVENTURE IT USED TO BE JUST TO GO OUT IN YOUR VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN ON ONE OF THESE TRIPS.
>> A LOT HAS CHANGED.
[LAUGHS] Huell: YES, A LOT HAS CHANGED.
BUT A LOT HAS STAYED THE SAME.
AND I'M STANDING HERE HOLDING WHAT HAS STAYED THE SAME, REALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU GET WITH YOUR AUTOMOBILE CLUB MEMBERSHIP.
I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OVER 20 YEARS.
I'VE GOT A--WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY A GOLD PLATINUM...[CHUCKLES] CARD, BUT IT'S JUST THE SAME OLD WHITE CARD I'VE ALWAYS HAD.
>> AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
Huell: YES.
BUT HERE IT IS-- "WESTWAYS MAGAZINE, THE MAGAZINE FOR AUTO CLUB MEMBERS."
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS ADVENTURE IS ALL ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE THE VERY RICH HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE, "WESTWAYS."
IT'S BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
OK. NOW THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGINS.
WE HAVE COME INSIDE THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB, THE OLD HEADQUARTERS HERE ON FIGUEROA.
AND WE'VE MET UP WITH ANOTHER FELLA FROM THE--YOU'RE FROM THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT HERE AS WELL.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, HUELL.
I'M MORGAN YATES.
I'M THE ARCHIVIST FOR THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB.
Huell: OK. NOW, YOU KNOW WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT "WESTWAYS."
>> RIGHT.
Huell: AND WE ARE STANDING IN-- THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING ROOM.
WHAT IS ALL OF THIS?
>> WELL, WE CALL THIS THE VAULT, KIND OF EUPHEMISTICALLY.
AND THIS IS THE STORAGE ROOM FOR ALL OF THE COVER ART THAT WE HAVE IN THE COLLECTION THAT APPEARED ON THE COVER OF THE CLUB'S MEMBER MAGAZINE OVER THE YEARS.
Huell: OK, COVER ART, BECAUSE FROM THE EARLY DAYS, IT STARTED OFF BEING CALLED "TOURING TOPICS" AND THEN QUICKLY BECAME "WESTWAYS" MAGAZINE.
THIS MAGAZINE PRIDED ITSELF ON WHAT WAS ON THE COVER.
EXPLAIN THAT TO US.
>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
I THINK WHEN ANYONE WHO'S BEEN IN THE CHECKOUT LINE AT A GROCERY STORE, THEY LOOK AT THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE FIRST.
AND THE CLUB KNEW THAT.
AND THE EDITOR OF THE MAGAZINE, A GUY NAMED PHIL HANNA, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMISSIONING ARTISTS TO HAVE THEIR WORK APPEAR ON THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE.
Huell: BUT THIS WASN'T JUST SOME CATCHY MARKETING PLOY.
THIS IS SERIOUS BEAUTIFUL ART THAT HAS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME.
>> IT HAS.
THESE WERE ARTISTS THAT WERE DOING FINE ART-- OIL ON BOARD AND VARIOUS OTHER MEDIA.
AND THEY WERE VERY WELL-KNOWN AT THE TIME.
AND THEY KNEW, HANNA KNEW, THAT HE NEEDED TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION AND ALSO TO KIND OF GRAB A SENSE OF THE EMERGING CULTURE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND HE THOUGHT THAT COVER ART WAS A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.
Huell: ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THAT EMERGING CULTURE.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO...START.
>> WELL, YOU COULD START ALMOST ANYWHERE, BUT-- Huell: I'M GOING RIGHT OVER HERE.
WHAT ABOUT THIS?
>> WELL, THAT PAINTING IS A PHOTO--OR, IT'S A PAINTING BY JOHN FROST THAT APPEARED ON THE COVER OF "TOURING TOPICS" MAGAZINE IN 1928.
AND THIS REALLY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE CLUB'S COVER ART PROGRAM UNDER HANNA.
Huell: SO, WHAT IS THIS AND WHO WAS IT BY?
>> JOHN FROST IS THE ARTIST, AND IT'S--I BELIEVE IT'S A VIEW OF MOUNT SAN JACINTO.
AND YOU CAN SEE DOWN IN THE CORNER THAT HE SIGNED IT TWICE, WHICH IS A LITTLE ODD, AND WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHY HE MAY HAVE DONE THAT.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN MATTED ONCE AND THEN MATTED AGAIN.
SO, ANYWAY, IT'S AN UNUSUAL LITTLE DETAIL OF THIS PARTICULAR PAINTING, BUT IT DOES MARK A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY LANDSCAPES THAT HANNA LOOKED FOR TO PUT ON THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE.
Huell: EARLY LANDSCAPES AND THEN--OH, LOOK AT THIS ONE.
I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE JUMPING UP IN TIME.
>> JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Huell: HA HA HA!
>> THIS APPEARED ON THE COVER OF "WESTWAYS" MAGAZINE IN JANUARY 1966 BY THE ARTIST CHARLES WYSOCKI, WHO WAS KNOWN FOR HIS PRIMITIVIST WORKS.
AND THIS IS A SCENE OF A CITRUS ORCHARD IN PALM SPRINGS, OF ALL PLACES.
WYSOCKI IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR THE CALENDARS OF HIS ART.
HE WAS VERY PROLIFIC, AND HE WOULD HAVE HIS ART APPEAR ON CALENDARS, ON CUPS.
AND A LOT OF THE ART CRITICS REALLY DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF HIS WORK, BUT THE PUBLIC LOVED IT.
Huell: WHAT ARE ALL THESE FLAGS HERE?
YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE SERIES OF FLAGS.
>> THEY ARE.
THESE ARE 3 OF THE COVERS THAT APPEARED ON THE MAGAZINE IN 1937.
THIS WAS ANOTHER BRAINCHILD OF PHIL HANNA.
HE LOVED CALIFORNIA ART.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE THOUGHT TO DO WOULD BE TO DEPICT SCENES FROM CALIFORNIA ART FOCUSING ON A DIFFERENT FLAG.
SO, HE ENDED UP WITH 12 FLAGS THAT FLEW OVER CALIFORNIA, EVERYTHING FROM THE SPANISH FLAG, THE MEXICAN FLAG, THE FLAG OF RUSSIA, AS WELL AS THE BEAR FLAG REPUBLIC AND, OF COURSE, THE STARS AND STRIPS.
Huell: SO, IT WASN'T ONLY LANDSCAPE.
IT WAS HISTORY AS WELL.
>> HANNA'S INTEREST WAS WIDESPREAD.
HE LOVED EVERYTHING FROM WINE AND FOOD.
HE WAS INTERESTED IN MEXICAN HISTORY.
HE WAS INTERESTED IN JUST THE GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPES OF CALIFORNIA--THE VARIETY, THE MOUNTAINS.
AND SO, THIS WAS HIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HIS LOVE FOR THE CALIFORNIA CULTURE AND PUT IT ON THE COVER.
Huell: LOOK AT... WELL, LOOK AT BOTH OF THESE.
THEY REALLY JUMP OUT AT YOU.
>> THEY DO, HUELL.
WE'RE SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COLLECTION.
THESE ARE ALSO 2 EARLY PAINTINGS.
THE ONE ON THE TOP, DONNA SCHUSTER, WAS ONE OF 10 WOMEN ARTISTS.
THEY HAD THE COVERS FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE ISSUES.
Huell: WOW.
>> AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE CLUB DID FOLLOWING, I THINK, 10 PROMINENT MEN ARTISTS THE YEAR BEFORE.
SO-- Huell: WHEN WAS THIS?
>> THIS WAS 1929.
AND THE-- Huell: REALLY?
SO, THEY WERE VERY KIND OF AHEAD OF THEIR TIME ON A LOT OF THIS.
>> THERE WERE A LOT OF VERY PROMINENT WOMEN ARTISTS-- Huell: YEAH.
>> SO IT WASN'T HARD TO COME UP WITH 10.
AND THEY'RE REALLY SOME GEMS.
DONNA SCHUSTER-- THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
IT'S VERY COLORFUL-- Huell: WHERE IS THIS?
>> IT'S ACTUALLY A VIEW OF L.A. HARBOR, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT.
Huell: REALLY?
DOWN IN SAN PEDRO?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND IT'S HER RENDITION OF IT.
IT'S VERY COLORFUL.
AND IT'S, AGAIN, ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
Huell: NOW, WHAT IS THIS?
THIS IS A BEACH, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHERE.
>> YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE LA JOLLA COVE.
Huell: OH, OK, LA JOLLA.
>> AND THE ARTIST HERE IS A GENTLEMAN NAMED ALSON CLARK.
AND HE PAINTED THIS FOR THE MAGAZINE IN 1928.
HE'S ONE OF THOSE 10 MEN ARTISTS THAT APPEARED THE YEAR BEFORE DONNA'S PAINTING.
AND-- Huell: THIS IS LIKE A MOVE THROUGH TIME.
>> IT IS.
IT REALLY DOES-- Huell: THERE'S NOT A CLUNKER IN THE BUNCH HERE.
HA HA HA!
>> AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
Huell: WHAT ARE THESE?
>> NOW, THESE, YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE A VISUAL THEME, AND IT'S ALL BY THE SAME ARTIST--PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS ARTIST THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COLLECTION-- MAYNARD DIXON.
HE DID ALL THE COVERS, 12 COVERS, IN 1930.
AND HE DID IT ON THE THEME OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO, THE JANUARY ISSUE, FOR EXAMPLE, HE STARTS AT THE BEGINNING WITH INDIAN BURDEN BEARERS.
AND THEY HAD--CARRYING, BENT OVER, BASKETS ON THEIR BACKS.
AND HE PROGRESSED THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES OF TRANSPORTATION HISTORY, CULMINATING IN THESE 2, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER-- Huell: I LOVE THIS.
>> HERE'S THE TRUCK, THE IDEA OF COMMERCE.
AND THEN IN DECEMBER, THE PINNACLE OF TRANSPORTATION AT THE TIME, 1930, THE AIRPLANE.
Huell: SO, THIS REALLY CREATED A SENSE OF EXCITEMENT AS TO WHAT WAS GONNA BE ON THE COVER EVERY MONTH WHEN THE MEMBERS WOULD GET THEIR MAGAZINES.
>> I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M SURE THERE WAS SOME ANTICIPATION AS TO WHAT WOULD APPEAR NEXT.
Huell: DID THEY HAVE ANY IDEA THEN--I MEAN, MAYNARD DIXON IN 1930 WAS WELL-KNOWN-- >> HE WAS.
Huell: BUT NOT LIKE HE ENDED UP BEING.
>> RIGHT.
HE WAS WELL-KNOWN AT THE TIME.
BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ARTISTS WHO-- DONNA SCHUSTER, FOR EXAMPLE.
THIS WAS EARLY ON IN HER CAREER.
A NUMBER OF THESE ARTISTS WERE EMERGING ARTISTS.
AND HANNA HAD A WAY OF FINDING THESE ARTISTS AND GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR WARES TO A VERY BROAD AUDIENCE.
Huell: DO YOU THINK THEY HAD ANY IDEA THAT THEY WOULD END UP BEING WHAT THEY HAVE BECOME TODAY OVER TIME?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO WONDER IF THEY FIGURED THAT THE EXPOSURE ON THE MEMBER MAGAZINE CERTAINLY WOULD HELP THEIR CAREERS.
AND I THINK IN MANY CASES, IT REALLY DID.
Huell: WOW.
THIS IS--THIS IS A WONDERFUL COLLECTION.
WHAT DO YOU--YOU DON'T KEEP THESE HIDDEN BACK HERE AWAY FROM PUBLIC VIEW, DO YOU?
>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE'RE REALLY JUST THE STEWARDS OF THIS ARTWORK.
IT'S BEEN PART OF THE CLUB'S HISTORY FOR SO LONG, AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT IN GOOD SHAPE TO SHARE WITH THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.
SO, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY WE TAKE SERIOUSLY, TO TAKE REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT.
THAT MEANS STORING IT IN CONDITIONS LIKE THIS, BUT WE DO LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH THE PUBLIC.
Huell: THIS IS A WHOLE NOTHER LOOK OVER HERE.
>> WELL, WE'RE JUMPING AHEAD TO ALMOST THE END OF THE COVER ART PROGRAM.
HUELL, THIS IS BY AN ARTIST NAMED JAN SAWKA, WHO'S A POLISH IMMIGRANT WORKING IN NEW YORK.
FOR A WHILE, HE CAME OUT TO LOS ANGELES AND DID THIS WORK FOR US.
PEOPLE MAY REMEMBER THE KIND OF WILD COLOR POSTERS OF THE SEVENTIES.
THIS KIND OF FITS WITHIN THAT THEME.
Huell: YEAH.
WHAT IS THIS, SUNSET BOULEVARD OR SOMETHING?
>> IT'S SUNSET BOULEVARD.
IT'S ONE OF THE PAINTINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT ACTUALLY HAS THE NAME OF THE MAGAZINE IN IT.
MOST OF THEM DIDN'T, BUT THERE WERE A FEW-- Huell: THIS WAS FROM-- >> OCTOBER 1978.
Huell: SO, YOU COVER THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF TYPE OF ART, PERIODS OF ART-- >> MEDIA OF ART.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT WATERCOLORISTS THAT WERE PROMINENT IN THE PRE-WAR PERIOD AND THEN ALSO AFTER THE WAR--THE EARLY OILS.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THIS KIND OF POP ART THAT APPEARS LATE IN THE RUN OF THE COVER ART PROGRAM, WHICH RAN INTO 1981.
SAWKA IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
Huell: THIS IS LIKE A HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA IN ART.
>> IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
AND WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE THAT THE PROGRAM LASTED AS LONG AS IT DID, BECAUSE IT DOES CAPTURE THE UPS AND DOWNS, THE VARIETY OF WHAT WAS POPULAR IN CALIFORNIA ART AND AMERICAN ART, REALLY.
Huell: OK. NOW WE'VE COME INTO THE RESEARCH ROOM OF THE AUTO CLUB ARCHIVES.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE WERE THESE--WELL, BASICALLY 5 SHELVES OF THESE BEAUTIFULLY BOUND VOLUMES, BEAUTIFUL LEATHER BOUND VOLUMES OF WHAT?
>> WELL, THOSE ARE ALL OF THE MAGAZINES, ALL ON ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT SHELVES.
THE AUTO CLUB MAGAZINE STARTED AS "TOURING TOPICS," SO WE HAVE THE VERY FIRST ISSUE ALL THE WAY TO THE CURRENT ISSUE.
Huell: I HAVE THE VERY FIRST ISSUE RIGHT HERE-- "TOURING TOPICS," FEBRUARY 1909.
NOW, THAT'S NOT A BEAUTIFUL COVER, BUT BACK THEN, IT WAS A PRACTICAL COVER FOR A PRACTICAL MAGAZINE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THE CLUB WAS INTERESTED IN COMMUNICATING TO ITS MEMBERS THE TRAVEL CONDITIONS OF THE DAY.
AND SO, YOU HAVE A LOT IN THERE ABOUT WHAT ROAD CONDITIONS WERE LIKE IN VARIOUS ROUTES.
AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE ROAD SYSTEMS WERE NOT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
AND AUTOMOBILES WEREN'T AS CAPABLE AS THEY ARE TODAY.
AND SO, IF YOU WERE OUT TAKING A DRIVE, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN ADVENTURE.
Huell: YEAH.
WELL, THIS WAS MORE PRACTICAL.
THIS WAS A VERY PRACTICAL MAGAZINE FOR OWNERS OF THESE NEWFANGLED THINGS CALLED AUTOMOBILES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
Huell: HA HA HA!
>> YOU'D HAVE MAPS IN THERE AND PLACES THAT YOU HAD TO WATCH WHERE THE ROAD WAS WASHED OUT.
Huell: YEAH.
>> WE'D GATHER THAT INFORMATION AND PROVIDE IT TO MEMBERS THROUGH THE MAGAZINE.
Huell: ALL RIGHT.
NOW WE COME WHERE IT'S STILL CALLED "TOURING TOPICS," AUGUST 1931.
AND THIS IS WHEN THIS COVER ART REALLY STARTS KICKIN' IN.
>> BY THEN, HANNA HAS BEEN THE EDITOR FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THAT PARTICULAR ONE YOU'RE HOLDING UP WAS DONE BY AN ARTIST WHO DID ALL OF THE YEARS THAT YEAR-- ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT YEAR.
Huell: YOU KNOW EVERY SINGLE COVER OF EVERY SINGLE ISSUE, DON'T YOU?
>> I'VE PROBABLY AT ONE TIME HAVE AT LEAST LOOKED AT IT.
Huell: WHAT DO Y'ALL DO?
JUST SIT AROUND AND TALK ABOUT COVER ART ALL THE TIME?
>> WE DO WHEN WE KNOW YOU'RE COMING.
Huell: HA HA HA!
ALL RIGHT.
NOW, LET'S LOOK INSIDE.
WHEN YOU LOOKED INSIDE THE "TOURING TOPICS" AS IT PROGRESSED AND THEN BECAME "WESTWAYS," THE MAGAZINE GOT MORE INTERESTING, DIDN'T IT?
IT BROADENED OUT TO WHAT IT ORIGINALLY HAD BEEN.
>> IT DID.
BILL HENRY, WHO LATER WENT TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF AT THE "L.A. TIMES," WAS THE EDITOR.
HANNA TAKES OVER.
HE REALLY BROADENS THE EDITORIAL SCOPE.
Huell: SO, WHEN YOU OPENED UP A MAGAZINE, IT HAD A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IN IT.
>> AND THE READERS CAME TO EXPECT THAT.
AND HANNA, I THINK, LIKED TO TRY TO SURPRISE PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT ASPECTS, A DIFFERENT ANGLE, ON CALIFORNIA HISTORY, ON LITERATURE, THE ART THAT WE'VE SHOWN HERE, FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY.
HE LIKED TO PUT IT ALL IN THERE.
Huell: OK. LET'S OPEN UP ONE OF THESE BOUND VOLUMES--1928.
NOW, THERE'S THE BACK OF ONE OF THE MAGAZINES.
IT'S GOT AN AD FOR ZEROLENE GASOLINE FROM STANDARD OIL.
SO, EVEN THE ADS ARE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT.
>> THEY ARE.
AND THE CLUB WAS ABLE TO DO COLOR, WHICH WAS RELATIVELY NEW AT THE TIME, ON THE BACK COVERS AND ON THE INSIDE COVERS, 'CAUSE THEY'D DO COLOR FOR THE ART.
Huell: 25 CENTS A QUART.
HA HA HA!
>> NOT A BAD DEAL.
Huell: OK.
HERE'S THE COVER OF APRIL 1928, "TOURING TOPICS," THIS BEAUTIFUL WATERCOLOR.
AND THEN YOU GET INSIDE--AN AD FOR CYCOL MOTOR OIL.
SO, THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT COVER AND THE BACK OF THE MAGAZINE WERE THE BIG ADS.
THEN YOU HAVE THE NEW STUDEBAKER AD.
>> RIGHT.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, OBVIOUSLY, IS KIND OF A THEME, AUTOMOTIVE-RELATED THEME.
THESE WERE ADS TARGETED TO AUTO CLUB MEMBERS, SO IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
Huell: THERE'S THE BRIDGE IN PASADENA RIGHT THERE IN THE BACKGROUND.
>> THE COLORADO STREET BRIDGE.
Huell: YEAH.
FISK TIRES.
THEN YOU GET MORE OF THE ADS.
YOU COULD JUST ALWAYS SPEND A WHOLE DAY LOOKING AT THE ADS.
BUT YOU GET DOWN TO THESE ARTICLES.
HERE'S ONE--"THE VALUE OF CALIFORNIA'S GAME RESOURCES."
>> SURE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CLUB WAS PROMOTING WAS AUTO TOURISM.
AND SO, GETTING OUT INTO THE WILD LANDSCAPES OF CALIFORNIA WAS SOMETHING THE CLUB PROMOTED.
THIS IS KIND OF BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND THINGS THAT THEY THOUGHT THE MEMBERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
Huell: "DESERT PROPHETS"-- THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE JOSHUA TREES OUT IN THE DESERT.
HERE'S ONE ON "THE FIRST PACIFIC STEAMSHIP."
>> SO, YOU SEE SOME-- Huell: WOW.
>> GREAT VARIETY IN THE SUBJECTS THAT WERE COVERED IN THE MAGAZINE.
Huell: A LOT OF ACTION HERE.
AND THEN YOU GET OVER TO THIS-- LOOK AT THIS.
"NEW ZEALAND."
>> WELL, YOU COULDN'T DRIVE YOUR CAR TO NEW ZEALAND, BUT IT WAS AN EXOTIC PLACE, JUST AS IT IS TODAY TO AMERICANS, MOST OF WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN THERE.
AND SO, YOU GET SOME GREAT PICTURES OF AN EXOTIC LAND.
Huell: KIND OF A TRAVEL-- >> A TRAVEL LOG, YEAH.
Huell: AND THEN LOOK AT THIS.
CLOSEUPS FROM NEW ZEALAND TO "'CLOSE UPS' OF OUR OWN HIGH SIERRA."
>> RIGHT.
THE AUTHOR THERE, NORMAN CLYDE, WAS A GREAT MOUNTAINEER AND DID A NUMBER OF ARTICLES FOR THE MAGAZINE ON THE SIERRA.
Huell: MONO LAKE.
LOOK AT THIS.
AND THEN HERE ARE THESE WONDERFUL PICTURES, THE GRAND CANYON, AND POETRY.
>> SURE.
JOHN RUSSELL McCARTHY-- KIND OF A LONG FORM POETRY.
AND YOU SEE HERE THE PICTURES-- OR, THE PAGES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THIS IS THE ROAD REVIEWER SECTION, WHICH WAS A WAY OF PRINTING PHOTOGRAPHS THAT REALLY KIND OF STOOD OUT.
AND THAT WAS IN EACH ISSUE AS WELL.
Huell: "THE MYSTERIOUS DESERT PALM."
NOW, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT ONE MAGAZINE.
>> YOU COULD PICK UP JUST ABOUT ANY MAGAZINE, AND YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME GREAT VARIETY.
Huell: "SONORA CALLS THE MOTORIST."
AND THIS IS WRITTEN BY PHIL TOWNSEND HANNA.
>> HE WAS THE EDITOR AT THE TIME.
AND AS I MENTIONED, HE HAD A GREAT LOVE FOR THE HISTORY OF MEXICO.
AND HE'S SHARING IT WITH THE READERS HERE.
Huell: SO, YOU GO FROM MEXICO TO COACHELLA--"THE ANCIENT FISH TRAPS OF COACHELLA"-- >> SHOWING A LITTLE VARIETY IN SUBJECT MATTER.
Huell: TO ROME.
>> WELL, WE CAN'T LEAVE OUT EUROPE.
Huell: JOHN ANSON FORD.
IS THAT THE-- >> THE FORD THEATRE?
HE WAS--HE DID A NUMBER OF ARTICLES FOR THE MAGAZINE.
THEY KIND OF SENT HIM OUT AS A ROVING TRAVEL WRITER.
Huell: BOY, THERE IS SO MUCH IN HERE.
AND HERE'S A SHORT STORY.
HERE'S ANOTHER SHORT STORY UP HERE, "HER SUMMER: A SHORT STORY" BY MARGARET TODD.
>> RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, A NUMBER OF WRITERS--KIND OF LIKE THE ARTISTS--A NUMBER OF WRITERS, SOME OF WHICH WERE WELL-KNOWN, OTHERS WHO WERE NOT AS WELL-KNOWN, GETTING SOME GREAT EXPOSURE IN THE MAGAZINE.
Huell: BOY, THIS IS-- YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AMAZING.
I MEAN, THESE ARE TREASURES UP HERE.
DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING RESEARCH, COME UP HERE TO JUST SIT AND READ THESE THINGS?
>> EVERYTHING FROM FOURTH-GRADERS DOING THEIR CALIFORNIA HISTORY UP TO DOCTORAL STUDENTS HAVE MADE USE OF THE MAGAZINE.
AND AS YOU'VE SEEN, YOU CAN--THE VARIETY IS REALLY TREMENDOUS.
AND IT ALSO CAPTURES THE VIEW OF THE CULTURAL HISTORY AS IT WAS SEEN THEN.
Huell: AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME IN CALIFORNIA-- IT'S A SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
>> IT WAS.
IN MANY CASES, ROMANTICIZED, PERHAPS, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY POPULAR.
Huell: BUT I BETCHA EVERYBODY WAS OPTIMISTIC, WEREN'T THEY?
>> WELL, EVEN THROUGH THE DEPRESSION YEARS, WHEN THE MAGAZINE HAD TO CUT COSTS AS WELL, HANNA WAS ABLE TO KEEP IT ON AN EVEN KEEL, KEEP A LOT OF THE THEMES THAT HE HAD IN THE MAGAZINE THROUGH THE BOOM YEARS OF THE TWENTIES, STILL INTO THE THIRTIES.
AND SO, I THINK PEOPLE SAW THAT CONTINUITY AS A SENSE OF COMFORT, KNOWING THAT EACH MONTH WHEN THE MAGAZINE ARRIVED, THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING OF INTEREST THAT THEY COULD KIND OF LOSE THEMSELVES IN.
Huell: YEAH, AND REINFORCE THEIR LOVE OF THIS PLACE CALLED CALIFORNIA THAT THEY ALL CALLED HOME.
>> HANNA WAS THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB, AND HE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB AT IT.
Huell: WHO WAS READING THIS MAGAZINE?
I MEAN, MEMBERS WERE, BUT I MEAN, THE SUBJECT AREAS COVERED FROM A TO Z--I MEAN, FROM SKUNKS TO THE MISSIONS TO ROME TO POETRY TO SHORT STORIES.
>> I THINK THERE'S A COMMON ELEMENT IN IT, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE DID IN THEIR LEISURE TIME.
THERE WAS TRAVEL, AND THE WILDLIFE WAS PART OF-- WILDLIFE VIEWING WAS PART OF ENJOYING THE LANDSCAPE AND GETTING OUT TO NATURE.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL WAS PART OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO RESTAURANT REVIEWS.
THERE'S ARTICLES ON HOW TO USE A CAMERA.
IT'S KIND OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD DO TO KIND OF ENTERTAIN YOURSELF IN YOUR OFF HOURS IN TERMS OF TRAVEL AND HOBBIES AND ENJOYING YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
Huell: WOW.
THESE MAGAZINES REALLY--JUST THE ONES I'VE SEEN TODAY, I'VE GOT A LOT OF SUBJECT MATTER FOR FUTURE STORIES I CAN COME IN HERE AND DO RESEARCH ON, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A TREASURE-TROVE.
>> WE'RE GLAD YOU SEE IT THAT WAY.
THE ARCHIVES ITSELF IS A RESOURCE FOR THAT KIND OF WORK, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU IN HERE DOING RESEARCH ON THOSE TOPICS.
Huell: WELL, I GOTTA TELL YOU, IT'S AN AMAZING HISTORY.
THE AUTO CLUB STARTED IN 1900.
"TOURING TOPICS" STARTED IN-- >> 9 YEARS LATER.
Huell: 1909.
AND BOTH ARE STILL GOING STRONG.
>> YES, SIR.
Huell: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BOY, THIS HAS BEEN-- YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHEN WE CUT THE CAMERAS OFF, I THINK I'M JUST GONNA STAY HERE AND READ UP ON SOME OF THESE OLD MAGAZINES.
I EVEN LIKE THE ADS.
THEY ARE INSTRUCTIVE AS WELL.
>> WELL, THE ADS ARE A GREAT WINDOW INTO THE COMMERCE OF THE DAY.
Huell: YEAH.
>> AND THE GRAPHICS THEMSELVES ARE A WHOLE STORY.
AND SOME OF THE MAJOR ARTISTS IN CALIFORNIA WERE COMMISSIONED TO DO THOSE ADS.
THERE ARE SOCIAL MORES EVIDENT IN THE ADS--THE KIND OF CLOTHING, THE PEOPLE WEARING THEM AND SO FORTH.
YEAH, THEY'RE A GREAT DOCUMENT.
Huell: OH, IT'S A TREASURE-TROVE.
I'M GLAD I'M A MEMBER.
WHERE'S MY CARD?
I CARRY IT WITH ME ALL THE TIME.
THERE IT IS.
NOW, THIS IS THE WHITE CARD.
I'VE BEEN A MEMBER HERE FOR 27 YEARS.
WHAT DID YOU TELL ME ABOUT CHANGING THE COLOR OF THE CARD?
>> WELL, YOU GOTTA GET UP TO 50--[LAUGHING] TO GET THE GOLD CARD.
Huell: SO, WHEN I'M A 50-YEAR MEMBER, I GET THE GOLD CARD.
>> YEAH.
BUT IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY ON THE BACK, IT SAYS THAT YOU'VE BEEN A MEMBER FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
Huell: YEAH, BUT I WANT THE GOLD CARD.
>> WELL, WE-- Huell: SO, I GOTTA HANG ON ANOTHER 23 YEARS, AND I GET MY GOLD CARD.
BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, "TOURING TOPICS," "WESTWAYS," THE WHOLE THING, THAT'S BEEN A GOLD CARD FOR OVER 100 YEARS NOW--ALIVE AND WELL AND STILL VERY MUCH A PART OF LIFE AND LIVING HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING] [HORNS HONKING] [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--] [BIRDS CHIRPING] >> "VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.
