Photo: Republic Studios President Herbert Yates marries Vera Hruba Ralston in 1952. Courtesy of Mary Mallory.
Originally ranch land that helped support the city of Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley sometimes seemed slower and a tad more old fashioned than the big city that soon subsumed it. Life revolved around work, family, and the church. With the construction of the Mack Sennett Studios in North Hollywood in 1927, First National Studios in Burbank in 1926, and finally Walt Disney Studios in Burbank in 1938, population exploded. Many churches were built to keep up with growing congregations, but with many plants establishing work shifts around the clock, those needing spiritual sustenance at odd hours seemed left out.
Child stars often face harsh realities as they age. The public doesn’t find them as cute, roles stop coming, and life can become cruel. For every talented child actor that goes on to a successful career as an adult like Shirley Temple, Jodie Foster, and Elizabeth Taylor, there are depressing stories of those who come to tragic ends, like Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer and Bobby Driscoll. Philippe de Lacy rode the rollercoaster of fame from popular juvenile performer to struggling young actor and finally to success behind the scenes as a director and producer in the heyday of Cinerama.
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