From Helen Dennis: Octogenarian secrets from the 80′s book

Gerald Gardner and Jim Bellows wrote a great collection of stories about notable octogenarians who were thriving, and willing to share their secrets. Helen Dennis shared some of these in her recent story in the LA Daily Breeze, including secrets and tips from Ray Bradbury, Rise Stevens, and Dominick Dunne.

I think you’ll enjoy it, read her full story here.

(If you’d like to read the book, the complete stories from these celebrities and more, you can buy the book from Amazon.)

Someone the world could least afford to lose

By Ted Beitchman

It was 20 degrees and snowing in Philadelphia.

I had just returned from my first trip to Los Angeles, for the 1972 Final Four – four days of 80-degrees-plus weather in mid-March and Bill Walton’s UCLA had won the national title. Back in the East Coast deep freeze, I was determined to get a job in California.

Working on the night sports copy desk at the Philadelphia Bulletin helped me pay the bills at Penn, where I was finishing my senior year, and when I mentioned my California dream to the night sports editor, Lew King said rather matter-of-factly, “I know a guy who’s pretty high up at the L. A. Times. He ran the Herald Tribune. I’ll write him a note about you.”

Bingo.

From Mike Sohigian

I’m Mike Sohigian, and I was Jim’s stepson.

Early on the morning of February 9, 1971, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale shook Los Angeles, including the little house where my mother and I, and Jim Bellows, were sleeping. I was 7 years old, and although I didn’t realize it, that was a harbinger of the changes Jim would bring into our lives.

“The American Underdog” from Mark Sheilds

Columnist Mark Sheilds quotes Jimmy Breslin on Jim: “I didn’t know what he was saying, but I knew exactly what he meant.” Read more in Sheilds’ column:  The American Underdog.

Barefoot at the Malibu rock

Barefoot wedding, Malibu, 1971

In July, 1971 Jim and Keven were married on a rock at the beach in Malibu, in front of friends’ beach house. The family spent the rest of the summer in the house, enjoying the expanse of Malibu beach and unforgettable sunsets. The original beach house is long gone, but another friend of Jim and Keven’s now lives in a new house on the same spot. On March 12 the family, including 10 of Jim’s grandchildren, gathered on the same rock, late in the day at low tide.

Barefoot wedding, Malibu, 1971

Grandchildren at the rock

Low tide

Walking on the rock

Rock and tide pools

Keven

Low tide pools

Still a California girl

Sofia and Vivi

Mallory

Vitorio

Oona & Cassidy

James and Aaron

Time for a sand castle?

Sofia and Cassidy

Mallory and Cassidy

Mallory and Sofia

Sofia and Erik

Oona and Paloma

At Belair

2009 photos by Oona Gleeson, using Claudia Kaiser’s camera on loan for the day.

Ed Pierce of the Miami News on NPR

Ed Pierce with his daughter and grandson

What an amazing coincidence! I was drving to work this morning and heard this wonderful brief interview with Ed Pierce, former managing editor of the Miami News, on NPR’s Story Corps. Ed is now 88. My dad worked with Ed at the News and I remember him at dinners and gatherings at our house when I was a child.

“We used to put out a hurricane section…”
Retired newspaperman Ed Pierce talks to his grandson, Scott, and his daughter, Rebecca, about working as managing editor of the Miami News. Recorded in Gainesville, FL. Enjoy it!

“Let’s go to lunch in Paris”

Remarks by Mary Anne Dolan at the Memorial of James G. Bellows
Friday 13 March 2009
Westwood Presbyterian Church, 10822 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

I walked into Jim’s room last Thursday and found him nattily dressed, lounging on his bed.  He was propped up on his left side so as to watch the door.  With his right hand he was trying to fold a page of the N.Y. Times.

He looked as handsome and vital that day as I ever saw him: Neatly-pressed khaki pants, crisp blue and white button-down shirt, khaki baseball cap, “Life is Good.”

“Hey, Dolan!  You taking me to the doctor?”  PAUSE, then
“Let’s go to lunch in Paris.”