Los Angeles Valley College - Crown Yearbook (Valley Glen, CA)

Page 97 text:

A journalism degree from Valley has proved to be the key to success for Dave Siddon, long time news- paperman in the Valley and now one of the most respected public relations men in Southern Cali- fornia. After numerous years at the Val- ley Times as business and sports editor, Siddon now operates in a public relations firm in Los Angeles, specializing in commercial corpora- tions. A burly ex-Marine Corps MP, Siddon has covered professional football for the Valley Times, where he twice a season came into contact with Don Shinnick, the venerable linebacker with the Baltimore Colts. Shinnick played linebacker and fullback for Al Hunt's squad before he went on to UCLA and then the Colts. Public relations expert Dave Siddon handles accounts for several industrial firms in the Southland. All-pro linebacker Don Shinnick makes final arrangements before his upcoming game between his Baltimore Colts and the Los Angeles Rams.

Page 96 text:

Ron Wfagenbach, former Valley College student, re- cently formed a partnership with Tim Viole, also a Valley alumnus, in the construction business. The pair, reunited for the first time since they scan! ned the Valley gridiron in 1951, have formed their business of building custom homes, apartments and of- fices in the Southern California area. Wagenbach, a journalism major here, went to San jose State, where he received his B.A. degree in journal- ism in 1954. After graduating from San jose State, Wagenbach entered the Army as an athletic director. Three years later he received his discharge and went into the business world. Advertising and public relations were his fields until recently when he left Ford Motor Company's public relations office for his new-found career. The year 1960 found English major Karen R055 in Valley College's graduating class. Miss Ross, interested in children, has the distinction of leading a Brownie troup while attending Valley. She held various student body oflices during her tenure here. In the spring of 1960 Miss Ross transferred to the University of California at Berkeley, where her major was elementary education. She was graduated from Berkeley in the spring of 1963 and is presently work- ing toward her teaching credentials at UCLA. Alumnus Ron Wagenbach heads for his office, where a full day dx.. AV Rapt attention is given to Karen Ross as she pours forth information for these eager young minds to absorb. awaits him as head of his own construction company. QW Ka 9 3 1 Q et . umja. ,Q .Q .iz Gi

Page 98 text:

The movie-makers shoot for the stars A college can place a technician or an engineer, but an actor has to make it on his own,,' said Robert Rivera, associate professor of Theater Arts, paying trib- ute to three alumni who did make it on their own . . . Sam Altonian, Bob Totten and Victor French. Sam Altonian, producer, Bob Totten, writer-direc- torg and Victor French, actor in the film The Quick and the Dead. Without money, friends or backing in the movie field - without having anything but a lot of gumption - these three have earned and reaped re- wards from their pioneering spirits and confidence. Totten, a former 10th grade drama pupil of Bob Rivera, attended the Pasadena Playhouse after graduat- ing from high school. Altonian had been a song-and- dance man, then a theatrical agent for seven years, and French had aspirations of becoming an actor. The trio, meeting for the first time in 1956, excelled in all phases of the theater-producing, directing, set design, costume design and acting. i'The Quick and the Dead, written by Bob Totten and Shelia Lynch, was the beginning of an idea for the pioneers. Sam Altonian was given the job of selling the story to a studio. The group then sat back and waited. Altonian, a salesman with his know-how of the thea- trical business, was able to talk a small Hollywood stu- dio into advancing them some money to start. The trio laid plans. They couldn't afford a studio, so they settled on Traduca Canyon near El Toro Ma- rine Base as the stage for their operations. The scenario was nature's own, and the sun was the lighting. The budget couldn't afford to pay actors, so they corralled all of the available talent at the Valley College Theater Arts Department. Bob Rivera became dialogue director and actor. Leading actor Ed lVictorl French tells theater arts mayor Joe Reale lleftl and two other students his problems in making the feature length movie. Quick and the Dead producer Sam Altonian answers a question with an interested listener, after he and other alumni conducted a panel session.