A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

Posted on January 5, 2010 by lmharnisch
Jan. 5, 1943, Hedda Hopper  
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Jan. 5, 1943 — Hedda Hopper says: The first thing Bob Hope did when he heard that Bing Crosby's house had burned down was to phone from Arrowhead and ask the family to move in with them. But Bing's four boys are living with Bill Goodwin, a neighbor, and Dixie is at Larry Crosby's. Bing stays at a Hollywood apartment until his picture, "Dixie," is finished. It's a strange coincidence that in the picture, owing to Bing's carelessness, he starts five fires — burns down two houses, two theaters and a river boat … One of the first to reach the scene of the fire was Bette Davis. It was through the burning of a Christmas tree that she was all but marred for life.

Camarillo Street via Google maps’ street view.

Faulty wiring in Christmas tree lights was blamed for a fire that swept Crosby’s house at 10500 Camarillo on Jan. 3, 1943. The fire destroyed everything but the living room, kitchen and servants’ quarters, including a large collection of Crosby's recordings and sports trophies.

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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1 Response to A Kinder, Simpler Time Dept.: Your Movie Columnist

  1. Stacia's avatar Stacia says:
    January 6, 2010 at 3:54 am

    I guess Hedda’s weird non sequitur about Bette Davis and the Christmas tree is the old story that, when she was a little girl, she deliberately caught herself on fire while lighting Christmas tree candles, then pretended she was blind to boot. It seems kind of odd to mention it, even though Bette apparently witnessed the fire caused by a Christmas tree at the Crosby house.

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