John Macardican had an idea that, on paper, made a lot of sense. It was the early 1980s, and Compton, California had a trash problem. Macardican’s solution was a $250-million waste-to-energy conversion plant that would recycle what it could and generate energy with the rest. In 1983, he founded Compton Energy Systems (“CES”) and served…
Andrew Lococo had been having a rough couple of years. In 1970 he’d been convicted of perjury — lying to a federal grand jury that was looking into horse race fixing — and sentenced to six months. Then, the following January, a second conviction: possession of a firearm as a felon, under the 1968 Gun…
Brian Wilson, co-founder of The Beach Boys and one of the most influential songwriters and producers in American music history, has died at age 82. Widely regarded as the genius behind hits like “Good Vibrations” and the groundbreaking album Pet Sounds, Wilson leaves behind a complicated but profound legacy that reshaped pop music forever. Early…
Throughout its time, the Cockatoo Inn was home to many events: anniversaries, banquets, retirement dinners, and more. We’ve uncovered awards ceremonies for local colleges, family reunions, and even political events with celebrities like Muhammad Ali. One July evening in 1961 saw the Lawndale Business and Professional Women’s Club come together for an International Relations event….
Quentin Tarantino shot some of his Jackie Brown scenes at the Cockatoo Inn, as we all know. But it wasn’t as easy as setting up shop inside the condemned building. The famed hotel was buried in bureaucracy during the mid 1990s. So how did they get in? According to an interview in LA Taco, prolific…
Andy Lococo and his prized hotel and restaurant are a big part of 20th century American history. However, this month we celebrate a somewhat forgotten figure whose important midcentury work still impact us today. Roy A. Sealey was born in 1917, one year prior to Andy Lococo’s birth. The prominent African-American architect played an integral…
Usually Super Bowls are played at neutral sites, but this year’s Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, California will be a home game for the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams. When they take on the underdog Cincinnati Bengals this February 13, 2022, all eyes will be upon SoFi Stadium, the former site of Hollywood Park Racetrack….
Love it or hate it, Facebook has made it easy to locate old classmates, no matter what town you’re from or what town you currently live. Many of those old friends are just a search away, accessible from your own home. Well, back in 1968, a group of graduates and students didn’t have the luxury…
As we slowly start to open up physical spaces, people are itching to visit places like restaurants, movie theaters and bowling alleys. That got us to remembering something we came across years ago – Andy Lococo’s Cockatoo Inn had an actual, competitive bowling team! The Cockatoo bowling club was simply known as the “Cockatoo Club”…
FEB 15, 1988 – 33 years ago today, the late Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kenneth Hahn, held a campaign brunch to run for an unprecedented 10th term. Rumors of a famous and staunch supporter arriving circulated the room. Soon, people felt the presence of Muhammad Ali at the Cockatoo Inn. Beginnings Up until that point…