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

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.

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 99 text:

An enthusiastic, packed house applauds the crew of The Quick and the Dead after a screening of the film. Each day's production became a race against time. To get more mon- ey to keep going, they had to be ready to project their rushes every day. If the day was cloudy-produo tion stopped-if an airplane went by-it stopped again-if the birds decided to fly-production stopped. The members of the cast did not dare be sick, for the cameras had to be kept in operation if the day's shooting was to be good. The Wilton Theater was to be the first test of the movie. The pic- ture passed with flying colors. Its popularity zoomed on to new The success of the picture opened new paths for Totten and Altonian - both were offered contracts by Warner Brothers Studio. The suc- cess of these two men can be meas- ured by the five-figure salaries they now command. Spencer's Mountain, which was co-directed by Totten, led him on to the directing of other great movies. He was the unit director on Youngblood Hawke. Television also gave him a chance to direct some segments on Hawaiian Eyej' The Dakotasi' and the Gallant Men. heights and played in more than 70 major theaters throughout the Unit- ed States before giving a command performance before the Queen of England. Presently it is still playing in England and in the United States. Frenchls career rocketed into parts in television productions. He has acted in segments of Grindl, Temple Houston and the Kraft Suspense Theater. 1