Fun man and funny friend, Charles Phoenix, dropped in to talk about his latest series of appearances to promote his slide show, God Bless Americana.
About Charles Phoenix
“I’ve always been fascinated with ‘Americana’ say’s mid-20th century pop culture collector and historian Charles Pheonix.” As a kid growing up in Ontario, California in the 60’s and 70’s, I fell in love with cars from the 50’s visiting my dad’s used car lots. From there my interests grew to arts and crafts, fashion and architecture.” After making a beeline to LA and enjoying a career in fashion design, the Silverlake resident began collecting and trading classic cars. “Success with the Cars gave me the freedom to and inspired me to pursue my passion for collecting ‘Americana’ full time.” In between combing town and country for cars and other classic treasures, he painted a series of 1950’s space age coffee shop portraits called “Open 24 hours”, and wrote the tour guide book Cruising the Horn of Plenty: Modern and Roadside Architecture in the Pomona Valley, 1930 Thru 1970, and co-wrote Fabulous Las Vegas in the Fifties: Glitz, Glamour, and Games and Leis, Luaus, and Alohas: The Lure of Hawaii in the Fifties. Vintage amateur family and travel 35mm slide and 8mm home movie photography is his latest discovery. “Looking at the old slides and home movies is the greatest way for me to study ‘Americana’, it’s the real thing.” Amazed by what he found, he began having shows for friends in his living room which led to the GOD BLESS AMERICANA slide shows around LA, an appearance on CBS This Morning, and an article in The Los Angeles Times Magazine. Currently he is working on a pictorial travelogue book based on GOD BLESS AMERICANA and making plans to take the show on the road.
Music Playlist:
- Theme Song: “Miracles From Molecules” by the Sherman Brothers (Available only at Disneyland!!!)
- Calendar Song: “Sorta Blue” The Music from Peter Gunn composed and conducted by Henry Mancini
- Closing Song: “Soul Bossa Nova” by Qunicy Jones off the album “Martini Madness”
