FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

>> WELL, HELLO EVERYBODY.

I'M HUELL HOWSER.

IT'S A FRIDAY AFTERNOON, A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 1:00 O'CLOCK, AND WE'RE STANDING OUT HERE IN THE CITY OF PARAMOUNT.

I'M STANDING WITH A NEW FRIEND -- HI!

WITH A NEW FRIEND.

YOUR NAME IS?

>> RICHARD ZAMBONI.

>> RICHARD ZAMBONI.

AND WE ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF -- AT FIRST, IF YOU DROVE BY, YOU'D LOOK UP AND YOU'D SEE ICE SKATING, "ICELAND" THERE.

AND YOU WOULD THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER ICE RINK.

BUT THIS IS PROBABLY IN THE HISTORY OF ICE RINKS IN THIS COUNTRY -- ACTUALLY IN THIS WORLD -- ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, HISTORICAL ICE RINKS ANYWHERE, WOULDN'T YOU AGREE?

>> I THINK THAT'S SAFE TO SAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

TELL US -- TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF "ICELAND."

HOW IT GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> WELL, MY FATHER, AND A BROTHER, AND A COUSIN, UH, THEY -- MY DAD WITH HIS BROTHER HAD AN ICE MANUFACTURING PLANT.

IT WAS OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET, AND, UH, THEY BUILT THAT IN THE EARLY '30'S.

AND, UH, AS REFRIGERATION CAME ALONG, THEY SAW THE PROBLEM OF BLOCK ICE AND THE KIND OF ICE THAT REFRIGERATORS NEEDED -- OR ICEBOX NEEDED -- UH, WAS GONNA PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS AS FAR AS THEIR MANUFACTURING OF ICE WAS CONCERNED.

SO, MY DAD LOOKED AROUND, AND HE, UH, LOOKED AT THE AREA, AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ICE RINKS IN THE AREA.

AND HE THOUGHT, MAYBE WE COULD BUILD AN ICE RINK.

SO HE, HIS BROTHER WHO HAD THE REFRIGERATION PLANT, GOT TOGETHER WITH A COUSIN, AND THEY BUILT "ICELAND" IN 1939.

THEY ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED THE RINK ON THIS SIDE OF THE RINK -- OF THE STREET.

THE AMMONIA TO REFRIGERATE THE RINK CAME FROM THEIR EQUIPMENT ON THE WEST SIDE -- >> FROM THEIR ICE MAKING PLANT.

>> -- ICE MAKING PLANT ON THE WEST SIDE OVER TO THE EAST PART OF THE, UH, CALIFORNIA AVENUE.

AND THEY BUILT AN ICE RINK, AND THEY OPENED IT IN JANUARY OF 1940.

IT WAS OPEN-AIR.

THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD PROBABLY KEEP THE ICE ON IT, BUT BY MAY OF THAT YEAR, THEY DISCOVERED THEY COULDN'T KEEP ICE ON IT.

SO THEY PUT THE ROOF ON IT THAT'S THE SAME DOME TODAY THAT WAS PUT ON IT IN MAY OF 1940.

>> SO THE PICTURES WE SEE OF IT BEING AN OPENED-AIR RINK, THOSE WERE FROM THE OPENING DAYS.

ACTUALLY, IT JUST STAYED OPEN FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

>> WELL, IN THAT SITUATION IT WAS FROM JANUARY TO MAY, ROUGHLY, UH, BECAUSE THEY PUT THE ROOF ON IT IN MAY.

BUT IT WAS OPEN EVERY DAY.

I REMEMBER I WAS 7 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, SKATING UNDERNEATH THE CANVAS THAT THEY'D HAVE TO PUT OUT EVERY AFTERNOON TO PROTECT THE ICE SO THEY COULD SKATE AT NIGHT.

>> AND I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF HUGE CROWDS OUT IN FRONT OF "ICELAND," AND ALSO, IT LOOKED LIKE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF PEOPLE SKATING ON THAT OPENED RINK.

SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN VERY POPULAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

>> IT WAS, AND, UH, PARTICULARLY IN ONE OF THE PICTURES WAS THE OPENING DAY.

AND IT WAS SOMETHING NEW OUT HERE.

AS I SAID, THERE WAS A COUPLE RINKS THEN, BUT THERE -- THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST RINKS IN THE AREA.

AND PARTICULARLY YOU COULD GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST RINKS IN THE COUNTRY NOW.

>> WELL, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC RINK, OF COURSE, THE REASON WE ARE HERE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RINK ITSELF -- WELL, IT DOES IN A WAY.

BUT ACTUALLY WE'RE HERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOMETHING INSIDE THE RINK THAT MAKES THIS PLACE VERY HISTORIC, RIGHT?

>> I'D SAY SO.

>> DON'T GIVE IT AWAY YET.

>> NO, NO, NO.

>> WE'RE BUILDING SUSPENSE HERE.

>> NO, NO -- THAT'S RIGHT.

NO, IT IS UNIQUE TO THIS RINK IN THE WORLD.

>> WELL, AND WHAT STARTED HERE IN THIS RINK HAS REVERBERATED AND IS PART OF THE ICE CULTURE ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

CORRECT.

>> AND WE'VE GOT THE ORIGINAL INSIDE.

LET'S GO INSIDE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

COME ON ALONG WITH US.

OKAY.

WE HAVE COME INSIDE THE ICE RINK.

IT'S ABOUT 20 DEGREES COOLER IN HERE, RICHARD, THAN IT WAS OUTSIDE.

BUT HERE WE ARE ON THE ICE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

THE ICE.

NOW, TELL US THE STORY -- THE FASCINATING STORY ABOUT YOUR FATHER, FRANK ZAMBONI, AND THE ICE.

>> WELL, HE HAD THE RINK, AS I SAY, IN 1940, HUELL.

AND, UH, DISCOVERED REAL FAST THAT IT'S A BIG JOB.

A DIFFICULT JOB TO MAKE A GOOD SHEET OF ICE.

AND, UH, HE ALWAYS SAID, THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY HAVE TO SELL IS THE SURFACE OF THE ICE, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT.

SO, IT WOULD TAKE -- TO MAKE A GOOD SHEET OF ICE -- ABOUT 3 TO 5 PEOPLE, APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GO OUT WITH A TRACTOR AND A PLAINER AND, UH, TO SCOOP UP ALL THE SHAVINGS THAT THEY DID.

PUSH THAT OFF.

GET A HOSE AND SPRAY THE SURFACE.

SQUEEGEE IT.

MAYBE GET THE DIRTY WATER OFF.

AND THEN FOLLOW THAT WITH A NICE FILM OF WATER.

AND THEN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF ICE.

JUST MIRROR LIKE SURFACE.

BUT IT WAS -- >> SO IT WAS VERY LABOR INTENSIVE.

>> IT REALLY WAS, YES.

IT TOOK A LONG, LONG TIME.

AND WHAT HE DISCOVERED WAS HE COULDN'T DO THAT MANY TIMES DURING THE DAY.

ONLY REALLY ONCE A DAY, AND, UH, HE -- DURING THE DAY ALL YOU'D DO IS GO OUT WITH HAND SCRAPERS AND TAKE THIS SNOW THAT YOU'D SEE -- SOMEBODY WOULD PUSH THAT OFF BY HAND, GO OUT WITH A SPRAY HOSE, AND YOU'D HAVE JUST A MEDIOCRE SURFACE.

SO WE THOUGHT THERE HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY.

>> NOW, UP UNTIL THIS POINT, IS THAT THE WAY IT WAS DONE IN RINKS ALL OVER THE WORLD, WAS THIS LABOR-INTENSIVE, MANPOWER OF SCRAPING AND HOSING DOWN WITH -- WITH WATER AND ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING?

>> IT REALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN PARTICULARLY ARTIFICIALLY FROZEN RINKS.

WE HAVE ARTIFICIALLY-FROZEN SURFACE UNDERNEATH HERE.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT, YOU HAD TO NOT ONLY SHAVE AND RESURFACE, BUT YOU HAD TO KEEP THAT ICE THICKNESS DOWN.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND IF YOU DIDN'T DO THAT, THEN THE REFRIGERATION COULDN'T TAKE CARE OF THE SURFACE ON TOP.

SO YOU HAD TO DO THAT, AND ALL OF THESE RINKS DID THAT ON THAT TYPE OF THING.

>> THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

>> THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

>> BECAUSE WE SAY THE "OLD-FASHIONED" BECAUSE YOUR DAD IS THE GUY WHO CAME UP WITH A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND AFTER MANY MANY ATTEMPTS TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITH IT -- A TRACTOR PULL UNIT.

HE TRIED ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS FOR OVER MANY YEARS, AND HE FINALLY CAME UP WITH A MACHINE -- MACHINE THAT DID THE JOB.

>> UH-HUH.

AND HERE IT IS, RIGHT HERE.

THE FIRST ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

YES, THE ONE AND ONLY ZAMBONI ICE RESURFACER.

AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL UNIT THAT WE RESTORED JUST OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND IT'S JUST BEEN, UH, A THRILL DOING IT AND A THRILL TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN.

>> NOW YOU CALL THIS THE MODEL "A" BECAUSE IT TRULY WAS THE VERY FIRST MODEL OF THE ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT WAS ONLY ONE OF A KIND THAT HE -- HE LEARNED SO MUCH ON THIS UNIT HERE, HUELL, THAT THE AXLES, FOR INSTANCE, WERE OUT OF ARMY TRUCKS.

THEY WERE WAR SURPLUS THAT HE PICKED UP.

IN FACT, THIS BACK AXLE WOULD STEER AT ONE TIME.

THERE ARE COMPONENTS THAT HE HAD -- 4-WHEELED STEERING.

THEN HE FOUND OUT THAT WOULDN'T WORK WHEN HE WAS UP AGAINST THE BOARDS, AND HE COULDN'T GET AWAY FROM IT.

BUT THAT'S WAR SURPLUS.

HE GOT A JEEP SURPLUS ENGINE.

>> LOOK AT THIS.

THIS LOOKS LIKE A TRACTOR SEAT.

>> IT WAS, YES.

HE -- HE PICKED UP STUFF WHEREVER HE COULD GET IT.

THE CYLINDER THERE CAME OUT OF A DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT THAT WAS WAR SURPLUS AND SAME CYLINDER TODAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE.

>> AND HOW DID HE KNOW WHAT FOR IT TO EVEN LOOK LIKE?

HOW DID HE COME UP WITH THIS?

>> HE -- HE WANTED TO HAVE ENOUGH SNOW-CARRYING CAPACITY, AND HE WAS VERY IMAGINATIVE.

AND, UH, HE JUST KEPT AT IT, AND HE SAID, WELL, IF PEOPLE HADN'T TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T DO IT, HE PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE FINISHED THE JOB.

BUT HE REALLY AFTER MANY MANY YEARS -- IN FACT, IN 1949 HE FINALLY HAD THIS MACHINE AS YOU SEE IT HERE WORKING ON ICELAND'S RINK.

>> SO IT MADE ITS DEBUT IN 1949.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WHERE -- WELL, HE -- >> ONE OF A KIND IN THE WORLD.

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

YUP, YUP.

IN FACT, HE MADE IT ONLY FOR HIMSELF TO RESURFACE THIS RINK.

THEN THERE'S A RINK IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, THAT ASKED FOR ONE, SO HE BUILT THE NEXT ONE ON A JEEP.

AND THEN SONJA HENIE WHO HAD BEEN PRACTICING HERE WITH HER ICE TROOP, UH, SAW ONE.

SHE SAID, I'VE GOT TO HAVE ONE.

SO HE BUILT ONE ON A JEEP FOR HER.

HE DROVE THAT ONE TO CHICAGO, IN FACT, TO DELIVER IT TO HER.

>> AND THAT STARTED THIS WHOLE -- EMPIRE OF ZAMBONI ICE MACHINES.

>> YES.

IT WAS THE FIRST MECHANIZED, SELF-PROPELLED ICE RESURFACER IN THE WORLD.

>> AND HE GOT A PATENT ON IT OBVIOUSLY.

>> HE DID.

HE REALLY DID.

HE GOT A GOOD PATENT, AND, UH, IT DID THE JOB AND KIND OF KEPT SOME OF THE COMPETITION AWAY.

BUT WE'VE HAD THAT THROUGH THE YEARS, TOO.

>> YEAH.

AND THE STORY OF THIS EVEN BEING HERE TODAY LOOKING LIKE IT DOES IS A STORY IN ITSELF, CAUSE I'VE SEEN THE OLD PICTURES.

IT FELL INTO GREAT DISREPAIR.

>> IT DID.

THEY NEEDED THE SPACE AROUND, SO THEY CUT THE TOP OFF, AND THEY THREW AWAY A FEW PARTS.

AND FROM PHOTOGRAPHS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESTORE IT AND GET IT BACK INTO ORIGINAL WORKING CONDITION.

>> IT'S BEEN OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS TO RESTORE THIS THING.

>> WE -- WE TOOK IT OUT OF THE RINK JUST -- I THINK IT WAS MARCH OF 1995.

SO IT'S JUST BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS GETTING IT GOING -- '96, I'M SORRY.

IT'S BEEN THE TWO YEARS.

>> WELL, IT'S AMAZING THAT IT'S BACK.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, RESTORED -- THIS IS WHAT STARTED THE WHOLE ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE AND LITERALLY REVOLUTIONIZED THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF HOW THE HOCKEY TEAMS WOULD USE -- WOULD CLEAR THE ICE, OF HOW ICE RINKS, OF HOW IT'S DONE IN THE OLYMPICS.

ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT YOUR DAD STARTED.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

AND WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO, INSTEAD OF THAT HOUR AND A HALF WITH 3 TO 5 PEOPLE, WITH ONE PERSON IN 10 TO 15 MINUTES, MAKE A BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF ICE.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS -- WHEN WE WALKED IN AND SAW THIS THING TODAY, THIS IS ALMOST -- MAKES YOU BREAK OUT IN GOOSE BUMPS.

NOT ONLY IS IT COLD, BUT -- BUT I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRST MODEL-T FORD OR THE FIRST -- WHATEVER.

I MEAN THIS IS THE FIRST, RIGHT HERE.

>> THAT IS IT, AND WE'RE THRILLED THAT IT'S BACK WORKING AGAIN.

>> NOW, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE DEMONSTRATION OF HOW THIS THING -- I KNOW YOU'VE TOLD US THAT IT RUNS.

>> IT'S SUPPOSED TO RUN, AND, UH, WE'VE HAD IT OUT HERE DOING A LITTLE TESTING OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

BUT, UH, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN IT GOING.

>> I'M CURIOUS OF WHAT IT'S GONNA SOUND LIKE.

[ ENGINE STARTING ] >> OH, NOT TOO BAD.

NICE QUIET LITTLE JEEP ENGINE, HUH?

GOOD.

THERE WE ARE.

MAYBE JUST PULL THAT -- >> WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M GONNA PUT THAT TOWEL DOWN SO YOU CAN PUT SOME WATER DOWN AND DO THE WHOLE SHOOTING THING.

>> OKAY.

>> THEN I'LL GET IT IN GEAR.

>> OH, BOY.

LISTEN TO THAT GEAR.

>> THIS IS THE ONLY MACHINE THAT WAS EVER RIGHT-HAND DRIVE.

EVERYTHING AFTER IT WAS LEFT-HAND DRIVE BECAUSE HE USED THE JEEP TO DO IT.

SO -- VERY UNIQUE ON THIS ONE.

THERE WE ARE.

WE'RE UP AND READY TO GO.

>> NOW, ARE YOU GONNA SCRAPE THE ICE?

>> I'LL SCRAPE IS, AND SHAVE IT, AND PICK UP THE NEW SNOW.

YOU'LL SEE THE SNOW GOING INTO THAT HOPPER WHEN WE'RE THROUGH, AND THEN I'LL LAY A LITTLE WATER DOWN HERE AND MAKE A GOOD SHEET OF ICE I HOPE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE WATCHING.

THIS IS FASCINATING.

>> WE'LL LOWER THIS CONDITIONER AND GET THE BLADE DOWN WHERE IT BELONGS.

>> OH, OKAY.

SO YOU'RE GONNA SCRAPE IT A LITTLE BIT.

>> YES, YES.

SEE IF I CAN GET THAT GOING.

MAYBE I BETTER START THE CONVEYER GOING.

HERE WE GOT THE CONVEYER MOVING AROUND.

GET THE BLADE GOING.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> HERE IT GOES.

LOOK AT THAT THING.

>> MIGHT BE A LITTLE SLICK THERE WHERE I'VE BEEN, SO BE CAREFUL.

>> BOY, LOOKS OLD-TIMEY.

LOOK AT THAT THING.

OH, LOOK.

YOU COULD SEE THE ICE COMING OFF THE CONVEYER BELT -- COMING ACROSS THE FRONT.

OH, LOOK.

THERE'S THE ICE UP -- OH, THIS IS FASCINATING.

WAS YOUR DAD A -- WAS YOUR DAD AN ENGINEER?

DID HE KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING?

>> NO, HE DIDN'T PASS THE 9TH GRADE, HUELL.

HE JUST WAS INGENIOUS ABOUT THESE KIND OF THINGS.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> WELL, WE GET THE IDEA.

WHAT DID PEOPLE -- WHAT WAS THE REACTION WHEN THEY FIRST SAW SOMETHING LIKE THIS OUT ON THE ICE?

DID THEY THINK HE WAS CRAZY?

>> WELL, HE DID -- UH, PARTICULARLY EVEN TRYING TO DO IT THEY THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY.

THEY DIDN'T THINK HE COULD, BUT HE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

SO, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DOUBTED THAT HE HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.

>> BOY, THIS THING MOVES.

>> IT'LL MOVE AROUND IT ALL.

>> I'M HAVING A HARD TIME KEEPING UP WITH YOU.

>> WELL, I GOTTA KEEP MOVING OR ELSE I'LL LOSE TRACTION.

[ LAUGHTER ] [ SOUND OF ENGINE ] >> WHOA.

RICHARD, CAN YOU SLOW IT DOWN FOR JUST A MINUTE?

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS -- BASICALLY THE IDEA IS YOU'RE JUST SCRAPING -- >> LET ME TURN THIS OFF.

JUST A MINUTE, HUELL, SO WE DON'T FREEZE OURSELVES TO THE ICE.

JUST A MINUTE.

>> WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU CAN'T STOP IT THEN, CAN YOU?

>> WELL, I CAN -- AS LONG AS I TURN THE WATER OFF HERE.

THIS WILL JUST FREEZE THE ICE, AND THEN I'LL -- WE'LL NEVER GET THE MACHINE AWAY FROM HERE.

BUT WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE NOW.

>> SO BASICALLY THE IDEA IS JUST YOU HAD A SCRAPER HERE.

>> VERY SHARP BLADE.

JUST LIKE A RAZOR BLADE.

THE WHOLE WIDTH OF THE CONDITIONING UNIT.

WE CALL THAT THE CONDITIONER.

IT SHAVES THE ICE.

SAME THEORY HERE AS WE USE TODAY.

AND A CONVEYER.

THIS SCREW CONVEYER YOU SEE HERE -- >> AND IT WOULD COME UP -- >> -- GOES INTO THIS PADDLE CHAIN -- >> -- AND OUT HERE AND DOWN THERE.

>> -- INTO THIS PADDLE AND CHAIN AND THAT PUT THE SNOW IN THERE.

THEN WE FOLLOW IT WITH WATER.

>> AND YOUR DAD CAME UP WITH THIS EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT AN ENGINEER?

>> NO, NO, NO.

HE DIDN'T GET PAST THE 9TH GRADE -- 9TH GRADE DROP OUT.

BUT HE JUST HAD A GREAT ABILITY TO FORESEE THINGS AND VISUALIZE AND SAID THERE HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY.

AND HE CAME UP WITH IT.

>> NOW WE HAVE LEFT THE ICE RINK, AND WE'VE COME JUST 4 BLOCKS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WE'RE STILL IN THE CITY OF PARAMOUNT, AND WE'RE AT THE ZAMBONI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE WORLD HEADQUARTERS, RIGHT?

>> NO, THAT'S NOT IT.

[ LAUGHTER ] OUR MANUFACTURING PLANT IS BASICALLY WHAT WE CALL IT, HUELL.

>> NOW, THIS MANUFACTURING PLANT NOW MAKES ZAMBONI ICE MACHINES THAT GO ALL OVER THE WORLD, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> LET'S WALK IN HERE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT BECAUSE, HOW QUICKLY DID YOUR DAD REALIZE THAT HE WAS ONTO SOMETHING AND START REALLY SUPPLYING THESE THINGS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD?

>> WELL, IT WAS RATHER SOON THAT THIS FELLOW IN PASADENA -- CLOSE BY US, 20 OR 30 MILES FROM HERE SAID I'VE GOT TO HAVE ONE.

AND THEN SONJA HENIE, WITH HER TRAVELLING ICE SHOW, SHE WANTED ONE.

AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE HE BUILT WENT TO "ICE CAPADES," AND THE ICE SHOWS TRAVELLING AROUND REALLY MADE IT APPARENT TO PEOPLE THAT THIS COULD DO THEM A JOB AND SAVE THEM A LOT OF WORK.

AND, UH, AND MAKE A GOOD SHEET OF ICE QUICKLY.

>> OKAY.

NOW WE'VE COME IN.

THIS IS THE ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE ASSEMBLY PLANT.

>> WELL, THIS IS OUR WELDING AND FABRICATION, UH, SECTION WHERE WE'LL TAKE THE METAL THAT'S BROUGHT TO US AND FOLD IT IN BENT FORMS, AND THE FELLOWS HERE WILL WELD IT ALL TOGETHER.

AND, UH, GET IT INTO SOMETHING.

THESE ARE THE FORMED PIECES THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE VENDORS.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND WE ALSO MAKE OUR FRAMES HERE.

THAT'S THE FRAME FOR THE -- >> FOR ALL OF THIS OVER HERE?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> THESE ARE ALL FRAMEWORKS.

>> WE START THAT FROM SCRATCH, AND THEN WE JUST, UH, PUT IT ALL TOGETHER -- HAVE IT WELDED.

WE'LL BRING IT AROUND THE CORNER FROM HERE AND GO INTO OUR, UH, GRIND SHOP WHERE THEY TAKE ALL THE BURRS AND SO FORTH OUT OF IT.

AND, UH -- >> WOW, THIS IS A BIG OPERATION.

>> IT'S QUITE DETAILED BY THE TIME WE'RE THROUGH WITH IT.

WE DO IT -- TAKE CARE OF THE GRINDING HERE, AND THEN WE GO INTO OUR, UH, UNDERCOATING AND PREP-PAINTING OPERATION.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PARTS READY TO ASSEMBLE.

>> AND HERE IS -- THE FINISHED -- WELL, HERE'S ONE RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S ONE OVER HERE.

THIS IS LIKE GOING THROUGH AN AUTOMOBILE ASSEMBLY PLANT HERE.

>> WELL, IT ISN'T MANUFACTURING IN A WHOLE STRING OF MACHINES, BUT WE DO IT ONE AT A TIME.

AND WE KNOW WHERE THAT MACHINE'S GOING WHEN WE START OUT GOING WITH IT.

AND THIS IS THE DUMP TANK GOING ON THE NEW MACHINES.

IT GETS RID OF THE SNOW THAT WE PICKED UP ON THAT OLD MACHINE.

YOU SEE IT.

YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO SHOVEL IT OUT OF THAT ONE.

THIS ONE IT'S JUST SIMPLY DUMPED OUT.

>> SO THESE ARE STATE-OF-THE-ART ZAMBONIS BEING MADE TODAY.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WOULD YOU -- >> AND HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE GOING AT ONE TIME OUT OF THIS PLACE?

>> WELL, YOU ONLY REALLY START WITH TWO THERE, AND IT GOES IN DIFFERENT STAGES.

IT GOES FROM THERE, AND THEN WE DO A ROAD TEST AND BE SURE IT'S RUNNING RIGHT -- COME OVER HERE AND PUT THE TANKS AND THE FENDER WORK ON.

THEN IT GOES INTO FINISH PAINT, AND THEN THIS ONE HERE IS JUST ABOUT READY TO SHIP.

THAT ONE'S GOING TO JAPAN IN FACT.

>> NOW, LET'S GET AROUND HERE SO WE CAN GET A GOOD LOOK AT IT.

IT'S COME ALONG WAY FROM THAT -- FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS.

BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL LOOKING AT IT NOW, PAINTED UP LIKE THIS.

WHERE IS THIS ONE GOING?

>> THIS IS GOING TO JAPAN.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND, UH, IT'S ONE OF OUR ELECTRIC MODELS.

IT'S GOT A BATTERY POWERED, AND, UH, THE -- WELL, IT LOOKS NICE AND NEW, AND IT IS.

WHAT'S BASICALLY THE SAME IS THAT SHAVING BLADE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND CONVEYER THAT YOU SAW ON THAT ORIGINAL MACHINE.

>> NOW, HOW MANY OF THESE MACHINES HAD YOU MADE SINCE YOUR DAD FIRST STARTED -- I GUESS MASS PRODUCING THEM BACK IN 1949?

>> WELL, IT'S -- WE'VE GOT CLOSE TO 6500, 6000 -- 6500 MACHINES AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WE FIGURED SOMETHING CLOSE TO 60 COUNTRIES.

>> REALLY?

>> YEAH.

THEY'VE JUST GONE EVERY PLACE WHERE THEY HAVE SKATING, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO THE JOB.

AND ONE OF OUR MACHINES OR THAT TYPE OF A BROAD, EXPANSIVE KIND OF MACHINES AROUND.

>> SO, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PATENT ON IT, ANY KIND OF AN ICE MACHINE IS A ZAMBONI.

>> NO, NO.

THAT'S INCORRECT.

UH, WE -- WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY PATENTS ANYMORE THAT ARE EFFECTIVE, BASICALLY, BUT THE TRADEMARK IS A ZAMBONI.

THERE ARE COMPETITIVE MACHINES OUT THERE -- SOME IN EUROPE AND SOME IN CANADA.

BUT, UH, WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT MAKE A ZAMBONI MACHINE.

IT'S REALLY -- THE GENERIC TERM IS AN ICE RESURFACER.

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND, UH, SO THIS -- >> SO PEOPLE KNOW IT AS A ZAMBONI.

THAT'S -- IT'S KIND OF A NATURAL -- A ZAMBONI.

>> BUT, UH, THESE ARE THE ONLY ZAMBONIS.

>> YEAH.

>> AND WE REALLY, UH -- WE TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE UP -- AWARE OF THAT.

LIKE A COLA.

THERE'S SOME COLAS THAT AREN'T COKES, BUT COCA-COLA IS VERY PROTECTIVE OF THEIR NAME WHICH IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

AND WE ARE AWFULLY PROUD OF OURS.

>> WELL, LUIS WAS MENTIONING IT TO ME DRIVING OVER HERE WHAT SURPRISED HIM WAS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ZAMBONIS WERE CONCEIVED AND MANUFACTURED HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

HE THOUGHT IT WAS PROBABLY FROM EUROPE, AND MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULD.

>> WE OFTEN GET THAT COMMENT.

PEOPLE SAY THEY FIGURED IT WAS EITHER DEVELOPED IN MINNESOTA, OR CANADA, OR THE NORTH EAST, OR MAYBE ITALY.

THEY JUST WONDER IF IT CAME FROM ITALY ORIGINALLY BECAUSE THE HERITAGE OF MY DAD'S NAME.

>> WELL, YOUR DAD CAME TO LOS ANGELES IN -- ?

>> APPROXIMATELY 1920.

>> 1920.

HE OPENED UP THAT RINK IN 1940.

HE STARTED MAKING THESE MACHINES IN 1949?

>> YUP.

>> AND YOU'RE CARRYING ON THE TRADITION.

>> WELL, WE'RE PROUD TO DO IT.

WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO HAVE YOU HERE, HUELL.

AND, UH, HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME AND COME SKATING WITH US.

>> WELL, I WILL.

THIS HAS BEEN FASCINATING.

WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE PLACE.

LOOK LUIS, OVER HERE.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE.

THEY'RE WORKING ON IT HERE.

THERE'S ONE -- YOU'RE MAKING ONE FOR EDISON OVER HERE.

>> WELL, THE EDISON PEOPLE HAVE, UH, PUT SOME SIGNAGE ON THAT MACHINE, AND IT'S GOING TO IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, IS WHERE THAT MACHINE WILL BE GOING.

>> AND YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE OVER HERE, SO YOUR -- YOUR DAD WAS ON TO SOMETHING, AND IT'S CONTINUING.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

I THINK THIS HAS BEEN EYE-OPENING FOR ALL OF US.

WE'RE SAYING GOOD-BYE TO YOU BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE PLACE TO GO IN OUR ON-GOING ZAMBONI STORY.

THE OTHER THING IS I'M WEARING THIS ZAMBONI HAT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTEN INTO THE MERCHANDISING OF HATS, T-SHIRTS, SWEATSHIRTS.

>> YUP, EXPANDING INTO THAT A BIT MORE THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, TOO, HUELL.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DAD WOULD THINK ABOUT ALL THIS?

>> OH, HE'S -- HE WAS REALLY PLEASED AND PROUD AND SURPRISED, REALLY, THAT IT HAS GONE AS FAR AS IT HAS.

>> OKAY, OUR ZAMBONI ADVENTURE CONTINUES.

WE'VE GOT ONE MORE STOP.

WELL, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.

WE HAVE SWITCHED GEARS HERE.

WE'VE COME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ANAHEIM, AND WE'RE NOW STANDING -- ACTUALLY, THEY'RE GETTING READY TO OPEN UP THE DOORS, AREN'T THEY, MIKE?

>> WE'LL BE OPENING IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES HERE AND GETTING TO ROLL WITH A HOCKEY GAME.

>> OKAY, WE HAVE COME DOWN TO THE HOME OF THE MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM.

THIS IS THE "POND" HERE IN ANAHEIM.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND, THEY'RE GETTING READY TO OPEN UP THE DOORS, SO WE KIND OF GOT THE PLACE TO OURSELVES, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING OUT HERE ON THE ICE.

>> ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING INTO POSITION, AND, UH, GETTING READY TO HAVE A HOCKEY GAME.

>> HOCKEY IS BIG DOWN HERE THIS YEAR.

AND -- BUT WE'RE HERE, OF COURSE, NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE ICE, NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE DUCKS, NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE POND, BUT TO TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD ZAMBONI.

AND YOU'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE TO INTRODUCE US TO.

>> YES, WE DO.

WE HAVE OUR DRIVERS FOR THE GAME TONIGHT.

WE HAVE STEVE BIERLY.

>> HOWDY, STEVE.

>> AND JILL LAGO.

>> HI, JILL.

>> HI, HUELL.

>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS ZAMBONI BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN CONNECTED WITH THE ZAMBONI FOR A LONG TIME, HAVEN'T YOU?

>> YEAH, SINCE I WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD.

>> HOW DID THAT GET STARTED?

>> I JUST STARTED HANGING AROUND THE ICE RINK, AND THEY FIGURED THEY'D GET SOMETHING OUT OF ME SINCE I WAS SNEAKING IN THE BACK DOOR.

AND THEY PUT ME ON THE ZAMBONI, AND I LEARNED HOW.

>> YOU TOLD ME EARLIER THAT YOU HAD DRIVEN A ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE BEFORE YOU GOT YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE TO DRIVE A CAR.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND HE ALSO TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT DRIVING THIS -- TELL US THAT ONE.

>> WELL, I JUST -- WE USED TO GO DOWN THE STREET TO "JACK IN THE BOX" FOR LUNCH, AND JUST TAKE THE ZAMBONI, AND JUST SEE HOW MANY LOOKS WE COULD GET, AND THROW SNOWBALLS AT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST IN SAN DIEGO.

SO THAT WAS INTERESTING.

>> SO YOU WOULD DRIVE THE ZAMBONI ICE MACHINE THROUGH THE DRIVE-IN LINE AT "JACK IN THE BOX"?

>> YES.

>> SO, YOU CAN TELL WE HAVE SOME VERY HARD-CORE ZAMBONI DRIVERS HERE.

YOU GOT ANYTHING THAT CAN TOP THAT?

>> NO, I THINK THAT ABOUT TOPS IT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> AND I WOULD THINK, MIKE, ISN'T -- ISN'T THE WHOLE ZAMBONI WATCHING -- THE ICE BEING CLEANED AND CLEARED -- PART OF THE EXPERIENCE OF COMING TO A HOCKEY GAME TODAY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WOULD SAY THAT STEVE AND JILL PROBABLY HAVE THEIR OWN FAN CLUB IN THE STANDS ALSO, BECAUSE WE GET OUR MUSIC GOING WHEN THE ZAMBONIS COME OUT.

AND, UH, THE CROWD REALLY GETS INTO IT.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY IS INTERESTING.

WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT WITH RICHARD ZAMBONI EARLIER IN THE DAY.

MOST YOUNG HOCKEY FANS DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ANY DIFFERENT THAN SEEING A MACHINE DO IT.

AND YET THE IDEA OF A MACHINE DOING THIS TO THE ICE IS RELATIVELY A NEW IDEA JUST SINCE 1949.

>> WOW, YEAH.

THE GAME WOULDN'T BE AS -- AS FAST AND AS WELL PLAYED AS IT IS TODAY IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE MACHINES.

>> YEAH.

IT JUST SPEEDS EVERYTHING UP.

>> RIGHT.

IT GIVES US A NEW SURFACE EVERY TIME AFTER EACH PERIOD, AND IT'S LIKE STARTING OVER EACH TIME.

>> YEAH.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

WHAT'S BASICALLY HAPPENING HERE?

>> WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE PICKING UP ANY OF THE AREA NOW ON TOP OF THE ICE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SKATED AND CHEWED UP.

THEY'LL PICK IT UP HERE, AND THEN THEY'RE LAYING DOWN A FRESH ICE SURFACE RIGHT HERE.

>> LOOK LUIS, WE CAN SEE RIGHT BACK THERE AT THE BOTTOM.

IT'S JUST SCRAPING IT OFF, ISN'T IT?

>> RIGHT.

AND THEN HE'S LAYING DOWN A FRESH ICE SHEET DIRECTLY BEHIND IT.

>> SO THERE'S WATER COMING OUT OF THE BACK THERE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE ON THE -- NOW THIS IS -- THIS IS WET.

>> RIGHT.

AND THEN IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES HERE WE'LL HAVE A FIRM NEW ICE SHEET AGAIN.

>> SO YOU'RE SCRAPING OFF THE OLD -- IT WAS A PRETTY SIMPLE IDEA, WASN'T IT?

>> YEAH, IT WAS.

AND IT WORKS.

>> THERE THEY GO.

THIS IS PART OF THE HISTORY OF NOT ONLY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUT OF ICE HOCKEY AND ICE RINKS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE GOOD OLD ZAMBONI ICE MACHINES INVENTED HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BACK IN 1949, AND STILL GOING STRONG.

ZAMBONI.

♪ WELL, I WENT DOWN TO THE LOCAL ARENA ASKED TO SEE THE MANAGER MAN.

♪ HE CAME FROM HIS OFFICE SAID, "SON CAN I HELP YOU?"

♪ LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, "YES YOU CAN."

♪ HEY, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ HEY, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ YES, I DO.

♪ NOW EVER SINCE I WAS YOUNG IT'S BEEN MY DREAM ♪ THAT I MIGHT DRIVE THE ZAMBONI MACHINE.

♪ I'D GET THAT ICE JUST AS SLICK AS COULD BE, ♪ AND ALL THE KIDS WOULD LOOK UP TO ME.

CAPTIONING EQUIPMENT DONATED BY LLOYD RIGLER AND PERFORMED BY RAPIDTEXT, NEWPORT BEACH, CA.

♪ YEAH, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ CAUSE I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ YEAH, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ YEAH, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ YEAH, I WANNA DRIVE THE ZAMBONI.

♪ YES, I DO.

>> VISITING WITH HUELL HOUSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.