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<\/a>Charlie Farrell and Dinah Shore<\/p><\/div>\n
I spent last week in the desert . . . whining & dining, the whining mostly took place on the golf course.\u00a0 Even though it was our 32nd<\/sup> year visiting our timeshare at Marriott Desert Springs<\/strong> in Palm Desert, I\u2019ve found, unlike me, it never gets old.\u00a0 But you won\u2019t be hearing about my golf game (Thank God!) or the next great place to eat in the desert.\u00a0 I have something even more mundane than that to discuss this week.<\/p>\n On our way out to the desert on Highway 10, as went by the road sign that read Bob Hope Drive<\/strong>, and it got me thinking about all the streets in this area that are named after celebrities, like Frank Sinatra<\/strong>, Burns & Allen<\/strong>, Bing Crosby<\/strong>, Barbara Stanwyck<\/strong>, Danny Kaye<\/strong>, Ginger Rogers<\/strong>, Dean Martin<\/strong>, Jack Benny<\/strong>, Liberace<\/strong> and many more.<\/p>\n And I wondered, who started all this?\u00a0 Well, a little research revealed that it was Charlie Farrell<\/strong>, the tennis playing movie star turned hotelier turned mayor and owner of the glamorous Racket Club in Palm Springs.\u00a0 He saw value in recognizing celebrities, so he and fellow actor, Ralph Bellamy<\/strong>, realized that many actors took advantage of Hollywood\u2019s \u2018two-hour clause\u2019 <\/strong>in their contracts, which stated, in the event a \u2018re-shoot\u2019 was needed, actors had to stay within two hours of Hollywood \u2013 Palm Springs is just under two-hours away. \u00a0For those old enough to remember the old television series, My Little Margie<\/em>, Charlie played Margie\u2019s father. \u00a0And yes, of course, there is a Ferrell Drive in Palm Springs.<\/p>\n Other notable ‘street stories’ . . .<\/p>\n Which door does Monty Hall live behind?<\/p><\/div>\n Monty Hall Street<\/strong> \u2013<\/em> in 2000 former Let\u2019s Make a Deal<\/em> host Monty Hall had a street in Palm Springs named after him. Tourists were encouraged to guess which house he lived in. They were asked, \u201cDoes Monty live behind door No. 1, door No. 2, or door No. 3?<\/p>\n Fred Waring Drive<\/strong> – Another interesting resident of the desert was Fred Waring, an American musician, bandleader and radio and television personality. \u00a0Many of you, who have blended a Margarita, may have used a Waring Blender, and while he didn\u2019t invent it, his name is on it because he was the money and marketing behind the product.<\/p>\n Gene Autry Trail \u2013<\/strong> The \u201cSinging Cowboy\u201d, was a movie and TV star of the \u201840s and \u201850s and a Palm Springs entrepreneur.\u00a0 He bought his first Palm Springs home in 1940, and a Palm Springs Holiday Inn<\/strong> in 1961, which he turned into the Gene Autry Hotel<\/strong>; his mid-century residence on the hotel grounds is an elegant guest suite.<\/p>\n Kirk Douglas Way<\/strong> \u2013 movie star Kirk Douglas, who passed away just four years ago at the ripe old age of 103, was a resident of Palm Springs for more than 40 years.\u00a0 His house backed up to Dinah Shore\u2019s house in the celebrity-packed Las Palmas<\/strong> neighborhood.<\/p>\n The ‘Singing Cowboy’<\/p><\/div>\n Dinah Shore Drive<\/strong> \u2013 the vivacious \u201840s, \u201850s, \u201860s singer, TV personality and avid golfer, put the LPGA on the map in 1972 when she founded the Colgate-Dinah Shore golf tournament at Mission Hills County Club (Now know as the Chevron Championship and it has moved to Houston).\u00a0 Her Palm Springs house is now owned by Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong>.\u00a0 So look for a DiCaprio Drive soon!<\/p>\n As I thought about all these stars of the past, I thought that my kids would be somewhat familiar with most of the above names, but their kids will have no idea why these streets are named after these random people.\u00a0 For me, it was an interesting trip down another street, Memory Lane; I hope it was for you too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow I spent last week in the desert . . . whining & dining, the whining mostly took place on the golf course.\u00a0 Even though it was our 32nd year visiting our timeshare at Marriott Desert Springs in … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/doors.jpg\")
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