Editor:
I really enjoyed your articles about Mel Blanc's son Noel. (Giving Voice to Local History part 1 and 2). I grew up at the beach in Ocean Park and my first real job was at P.O.P. or Pacific Ocean Park. I have written quite a lot of the beach history over the years in some local newspapers. I went to the Ocean Park Pier all the time. I read Noel's account of the old pier and would like to make a couple small changes.
The old pier went from Navy Street on the south in Venice to Ashland Ave. north in Ocean Park. At 1 Navy Street was the old Aragon Ballroom with Lawrence Welk. It later became the Cheetah Club with all the great rock and roll bands of the 1960's. That south part of the pier was called the Lick Pier although it was connected to the rest of the pier. The rest of the pier going north was all in Ocean Park including the entrance and exit.
The main entrance to the Ocean Park Pier was at Pier Ave. in Ocean Park. Pier Ave. was a great business street like Main Street. There is still vestiges of Pier Ave. east of Main Street. When the pier was transformed into P.O.P. in 1958 the old entrance at Pier Ave. was made into the exit. They built an amazing new entrance at the north end where the old Municipal Auditorium was. One of the big sea horses that adorned the front entrance is now in the Santa Monica History Museum.
As Mel Blanc used to say, "That's all folks!"
Marty Liboff
Santa Monica
