Birth of Venice and early years
Actors, Filmmakers and Writers in Venice live or lived
Actors, Filmmakers and Writers in
Venice
hung out
Program of the 1978 Venice Festival at the Fox Venice Theater
Tale of the Fox
(from Free Venice Beachhead)
1981 Resistance Celebration Schedule
1981 Resistance Celebration Articles
Institutions, Organizations, Foundations
Paul Tanck on
Venice-related films
Attractions
Hoppyland
Remember William Boyd, aka Hopalong Cassidy? He made movies in the ‘30s and ‘40s, and radio and television shows in the '50s . From 1951-54, Boyd was the public face of Hoppyland, called by some America’s first theme park - but others would, with more justification, reserve that honor for Venice of America. Apparently Hoppyland wasn’t created from scratch, but was a modification of the already functioning Venice Lake Park.
The amusement park, comprising 80 acres of rides and attractions, was located at Dell Avenue and Washington Street. There is a 15-minute video of the opening day ceremonies, attended by Susan Hayward, Pat O'Brian, and Richard Widmark. Trams moved the visitors to and from the parking lot. There were picnic areas, baseball and horseshoe fields, child-size race cars, a Ferris wheel and other thrilling rides, and a boating lagoon.
In later years, the property held a trailer park, and later offices and a shopping center.
Hopalong Cassidy, late 1940s
Jeffrey Stanton says, “Thirty horses and ponies were available on three tracks. There was a ring for small children that was controlled by sweeps, a track where bigger kids could ride free running mounts, and a quarter mile pony cart ride around the park's goat mountain.”