The Rise and Fall of LA's Space Age Nautical Pleasure Pier

3910 Los Feliz Boulevard,Los Angeles CA 90027

05 May, 2023

Description

Pacific Ocean Park: The Rise and Fall of Los Angeles' Space Age Nautical Pleasure Pier - Lecture and Booksigning with authors Christopher Merritt and Domenic Priore Pacific Ocean Park -- or as it was commonly known in Los Angeles from the '50s through the '70s, P.O.P. -- was extraordinary in both its glamorous rise and spectacular fall. As a family-oriented attraction in the '50s with modernist-styled rides designed by Hollywood's best, P.O.P.'s attendance briefly surpassed that of Disneyland. This illustrated lecture on the history of this Southern California icon with authors Christopher Merritt and Domenic Priore, whose spectacular book Pacific Ocean Park: The Rise and Fall of Los Angeles' Space Age Nautical Pleasure Pier (Process Media) includes hundreds of images, most of them unseen elsewhere, including original ride designs and illustrations, including Tiki-rich, space age, and nautical rides. P.O.P. was often widely seen in movies and television shows throughout the '60s. Its Cheetah auditorium hosted important early rock shows, including those by Ritchie Valens, The Doors, and Pink Floyd. P.O.P. was located at the dividing line between Santa Monica and Venice, the only spot during Prohibition-era Los Angeles where residents were allowed to dance and consort in a carnival-like atmosphere. The book also backgrounds the infamous "Dogtown" of the '70s in which surfers took advantage of big waves that rolled through P.O.P.'s rotting piers near homeless junkies. Southern California native Christopher Merritt has over 25 years of ride and show design experience creating theme park attractions and environments around the world. He has served as an Art Director and Production Designer at theme parks located in California, Florida, Tokyo, Singapore and Shanghai. In 2010, Chris's Knott's Berry Farm pictorial history, Knott's Preserved, was published to critical acclaim. 2014 saw the release of Pacific Ocean Park: The Rise and Fall of Los Angeles' Space Age Nautical Pleasure Pier along with co-author Domenic Priore. After five years of research and design, co-authoring with Pete Docter, the coffee table book Marc Davis in His Own Words: Imagineering the Disney Theme Parks is out now. Chris lives in Southern California and is currently a Senior Experience Designer with Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. Domenic Priore is a writer and television producer specializing in pop culture, sociology and music. He is the author of Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock'n'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood (foreword by Arthur Lee of Love), Pacific Ocean Park: The Rise and Fall of Los Angeles' Space Age Nautical Pleasure Pier (with Christopher Merritt, foreword by Brian Wilson), Shag: The Collected Works (introduction), Beatsville (with Martin Macintosh), Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom (with Brian Chidester, forewords by Kathy Kohner aka Gidget and Billy Al Bengston) and Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece (forewords by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks). As a result of that project, Domenic wrote the liner notes, sourced photographs and helped sequence the music for The Beach Boys: Smile Sessions box set (Capitol Records), which won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Historical Album. He did the booklet inside Penelope Spheeris' documentary box set Decline of Western Civilization and was also the primary writer of the AMC documentaries Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years 1955-1970 (narrated by Ringo Starr) and Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s (narrated by David Bowie). A Los Angeles native, Priore has returned to SoCal afterliving in New York City and San Francisco. Documentary (and film) Domenic has been involved with research-wise (and sometimes on camera) include Helter Skelter: An American Myth (2020), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind (2019), CSNY: Fifty By Four (2014), The Byrd Who Flew Alone: The Triumph and Tragedy of Gene Clark (2013), Sunset Strip (2012), Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1969-1982 (2012), Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969 (2010), Tales of the Rat Fink (2006), Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile (2004), Mayor of the Sunset Strip(2003). Following the presentation, authors Christopher Merritt and Domenic Priore will sign copies of their book on Pacific Ocean Park, available in the PRS Bookstore! Special Thanks to: Christina Ward / Feral House Ticket Price: $15 (in-person and Zoom options available) Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions. REFUND POLICIES All sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for PRS events, except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event. 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