| Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of and is
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| | would allow beachgoers access to the
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| pleased to have as our guest, author
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| | public beach next to his house.* The most
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| William A.Gordon.William has authored:
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| | disappointing house--at least for a
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| The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book: Shot
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| | celebrity of his magnitude--belongs to
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| On This Site: Four Dead In Ohio: and
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| | Jack Nicholson. He has a very modest
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| The Quotable Writer.Good day William and
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| | ranch house, although he does own other
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| thank you for agreeing to participate in
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| | homes for his children and exes.Norm:If
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| our interview.William: I am very happy to
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| | you were to choose 5 Hollywood venues for
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| do it.Norm:Could you tell us about
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| | a wedding, provided the venue was
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| yourself, and when did your passion for
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| | available to rent, which ones would you
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| writing begin? What kept you
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| | choose and why?William:* If you are into
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| going?William:I started writing when I
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| | castles, there is a castle known as the
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| was eight and was pretty prolific in my
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| | Friedman castle on Hollyridge Drive in
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| pre-teen years. I used to study the
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| | the Hollywood Hills. It is sometimes been
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| "Hardy Boys" novels and then wrote a
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| | rented out for weddings, as is the
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| couple of my own. I was a big TV fan, and
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| | "Dynasty" house in Pasadena. It's also
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| not only wrote mock-up scripts, but used
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| | rented out for corporate parties and been
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| to plan what were then 39-week seasons
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| | in quite a few movies.* There are also a
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| with plotlines and everything.I guess I
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| | few hotels, including the Bel-Air Hotel,
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| was an aspiring producer in my
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| | which has a storybook quality to it, and
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| teeny-bopper years. I gave up writing for
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| | both of the Ritz-Carltons in Pasadena and
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| a number of years, and then returned to
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| | Marina del Rey.Norm:How have you used the
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| it in college, where I wrote for the UCLA
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| | Internet to boost your writing
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| Daily Bruin. I subsequently transferred
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| | career?William:The Internet really helps
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| to Kent State and wrote my first book on
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| | my publishing career as opposed to my
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| the 1970 shootings and trials. It took me
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| | writing career. The publishing listservs
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| almost eight years to write the book, and
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| | I belong to give me some visibility and I
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| another nine to get it published, but
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| | do like giving advice to writers who are
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| after that things fell into place, and I
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| | in the same boat I was in. I hate to see
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| wrote three more books.Norm:Two of the
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| | people make the same mistakes I did when
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| books you authored are The Ultimate
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| | I first started out.Norm:Why are people
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| Hollywood Tour Book and Shot On Site. Why
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| | so interested in visiting celebrity
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| were you interested in writing these
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| | homes, and why do they want to see where
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| books? Can you explain some of your
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| | films have been shot?William:People are
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| research techniques, and how you found
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| | fascinated--in fact, probably a little
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| sources for your books?William:I wrote
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| | too fascinated--with celebrities and
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| these books after Four Dead in Ohio was
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| | their lifestyles. Looking at homes owned
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| published in 1990. I needed to do
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| | by celebrities is probably no different
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| something radically different, and more
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| | than visiting presidential homes or
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| appealing to the general public. And
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| | libraries. It's the closest most people
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| since I always loved driving around L.A.
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| | ever get to power, and being a celebrity
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| (L.A. is my Paris), I wrote the tour book
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| | is a form of power.As for the movies, I
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| almost on a lark. That one that
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| | always get a kick out of seeing places
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| jump-started my career, and Shot on This
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| | I've lived near, being featured on the
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| Site was essentially a spin-off book. It
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| | silver screen. And so do a lot of people.
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| covered movie locations throughout the
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| | However, if you visit some of the sites
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| United States, whereas the Hollywood book
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| | after the fact and see them close-up, you
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| pointed tourists toward movie and TV
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| | can come away disappointed. The big
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| sites in L.A., among other
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| | screen does wonders for conventional
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| attractions.Having a background in
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| | homes.Norm:Could you indicate to our
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| investigative journalism prepared me to
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| | readers 5 venues such as hotels, parks,
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| segue into investigative sightseeing. I'd
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| | etc where celebrities have been married
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| interview real estate agents and
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| | and who were these
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| Hollywood historians to find out who
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| | celebrities?William:The better known
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| lived where when; and browse through
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| | celebrities tend not to get married in
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| celebrity biographies to get more
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| | houses of worship
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| background information on the stars and
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| | anymore--at least not in Los Angeles
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| their homes.I'd also go to the county
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| | itself. They seem to be getting married
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| assessor to confirm property records, and
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| | more and more at large private homes
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| the L.A. permit office to find records of
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| | (Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears are
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| who was permitted to film where in L.A.
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| | two recent example), and I think the
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| Plus I had friends in the entertainment
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| | reason for that is to protect their
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| industry who would take me to some of the
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| | privacy. The Bel-Air Hotel is a popular
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| places tourists never found out. My
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| | venue for those who are on the "B" list,
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| favorites include some of the sites that
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| | as is the Beverly Hills Hotel . .
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| inspired songs and the so-called "Flying
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| | .Norm:Do you recommend other writers find
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| Saucer" house in the Hollywood
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| | a niche or specialty? What have been the
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| Hills.Norm:What celebrity owns the
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| | rewards for you?William:Yes, and I think
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| largest house in L.A.? The most
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| | not having a niche has not helped my
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| expensive: The most
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| | career. My tastes are too eclectic, and
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| disappointing?William:* The largest house
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| | that is not necessarily a good
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| is owned by Aaron Spelling, the producer
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| | thing.Norm;What is next for William A.
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| who brought is "Charlie's Angels,"
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| | Gordon and is there anything else you
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| "Dynasty," "Melrose Place," and lots of
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| | wish to add to our interview.William:At
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| schlock. He bought the old Bing Crosby
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| | the moment I am in between books, but I
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| estate for $10 million, tore it down, and
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| | still sell my "Ultimate Hollywood Tour
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| then built a 123-room,
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| | Book" year in and year out, and I am
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| 56,000-square-foot, $40 million mansion
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| | happy that "Four Dead in Ohio" has been
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| on the site. It's larger than the Taj
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| | adopted in a number of college courses.
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| Mahal or roughly 31 times the size of the
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| | Right now I am selling databases to
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| average American home.* He does not own
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| | publishers and publicists and looking for
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| the most expensive house in L.A., though.
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| | my next project.Norm:What is your web
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| That distinction belongs to David Geffen,
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| | site?William:
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| one of the founders of DreamWorks. He
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| | * and good luck with all of your
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| bought the old Jack Warner estate for
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| | future endeavors.Norm Goldman is the
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| $47.5 million. Ironically, he spends most
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| | Editor of the travel site, and the book
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| of his time at his beach house in Malibu,
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| | reviewing site, is also a travel writer
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| where he just lost a fight with
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| | and together with his artist wife, Lily,
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| environmental activists who had to sue
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| | they meld words with art focusing on
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| him to live up to an agreement whereby he
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| | romantic and wedding destinations.
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