10/30/02

LC021030

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> HE’S NOT JUST GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. HE’S KING OF THE FUNDRAISERS AND TONIGHT WE’LL FIND OUT WHY GRAY DAVIS THINKS HE NEEDS ALL THAT MONEY.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DOES IT BOTHER HIM THAT, AT THE MENTION OF HIS NAME, MOST PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY THINK “FUNDRAISING”?

GRAY DAVIS>> I DON’T HAVE ANY INTENTION OF RUNNING FOR ANOTHER OFFICE, SO THEY’LL GET TO SEE ME FOUR MORE YEARS IF THEY’RE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME ANOTHER TERM. HOPEFULLY, AFTER FOUR MORE YEARS, THEY’LL HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK OF.

VAL>> WE’LL ALSO LOOK BACK AT ANOTHER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE FROM FORTY YEARS AGO. EVEN THEN, THE REPUBLICAN WAS THE UNDERDOG.

FILM CLIP>> “ENTHUSIASTIC NIXONITES ARE AT HAND AND TWISTING AT THE POMONA, CALIFORNIA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS EARLY IN THE MORNING TO WELCOME BACK TO THE SITE WHERE HE STARTED HIS FIRST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON.”

VAL>> RICHARD NIXON’S CAMPAIGN IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY WE’LL SEE TONIGHT AS WE PEEK INTO UCLA’S GIANT FILM ARCHIVE.

JESS>> AND THEN THE STORY OF A CONTROVERSIAL MEXICAN ARTIST AND THE BEAUTIFUL MURAL HE PAINTED SEVENTY YEARS AGO. THE ART WAS BORN IN LOS ANGELES, BUT HAS FOUND A NEW HOME AT THE MUSEUM IN SANTA BARBARA. TONIGHT WE’LL FIND OUT HOW THIS MURAL SURVIVED WHEN OTHERS BY ARTIST DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS DID NOT.

VAL>> IT’S ALL NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. HE’S AWARE OF ALL THE JOKES AND THE PUTDOWNS ABOUT HIS LACK OF CHARISMA AND HIS KNACK FOR RAISING HUGE SUMS OF MONEY, BUT WHAT’S GRAY DAVIS REALLY LIKE? TONIGHT WE MAY FIND OUT AS WE LOOK AT A SIDE OF THE GOVERNOR THAT IS RARELY SEEN IN PUBLIC.

VAL>> AS YOU’LL SEE, DAVIS KNOWS HE HAS AN IMAGE. EVEN HIS BIGGEST SUPPORTERS ADMIT HE’S NOT EXACTLY WARM AND FUZZY. BUT AS RANDY SHANDOBIL REPORTS, DON’T EXPECT THE GOVERNOR TO LOOSEN UP ANY TIME SOON.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> THE RIDDLE THAT IS GRAY DAVIS. IF THE GOVERNOR WINS RE-ELECTION, HE WILL ARGUABLY BECOME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRATIC POLITICIAN IN STATE HISTORY, THE WINNER OF FIVE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS. SO FAR, ALL OF THEM BY VAST MARGINS. MOST SUCCESSFUL, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE LEAST LIKED, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO POLLS. VOTERS DISLIKE HIM, MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH HIM DON’T LIKE HIM, EVEN FELLOW DEMOCRATS CURSE HIM BEHIND HIS BACK.

GRAY DAVIS>> I HAVE LONG REALIZED THAT, WHILE I’D LIKE TO BE LIKED, I’D LIKE TO BE POPULAR, I WAS ELECTED TO DO A JOB, TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND TO MOVE THIS STATE FORWARD.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> IT MUST BOTHER YOU AT SOME LEVEL.

GRAY DAVIS>> EVERYBODY LIKES TO BE LIKED. I MEAN, IT’S JUST HUMAN NATURE. BUT THIS IS A TOUGH BUSINESS AND EVERYBODY IS TAKING SHOTS AT THE PERSON ON TOP IN CALIFORNIA. THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE GOVERNOR. YOU NEED A PRETTY THICK SKIN IN THIS BUSINESS.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> WE TALKED WITH THE GOVERNOR AT HIS CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS IN LOS ANGELES WHERE DOZENS OF WORKERS PLOT STRATEGY AND SENT E-MAILS TO THE MEDIA HIGHLIGHTING DAVIS’S LONG RECORD IN GOVERNMENT. IN THE 70’S, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR JERRY BROWN, AN ASSEMBLYMAN IN THE 80’S, STATE CONTROLLER, THEN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND NOW GOVERNOR. THROUGH IT ALL, AN ADVOCATE FOR GAY RIGHTS, WOMEN’S RIGHTS, ABORTION RIGHTS, GUN CONTROL AND MANY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. BUT ASK VOTERS ABOUT DAVIS NOW, THREE THINGS POP TO MIND: THE STATE ENERGY CRISIS, HIS IMAGE AS A VERACIOUS FUNDRAISER AND BORING.

GRAY DAVIS>> “WHAT’S UP?”

>> “NO, GOVERNOR, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SOUL. YOU KNOW, WAASUUUUUUP.”

GRAY DAVIS>> WHAT’S UUUUUUP?”

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DAVIS DOES HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT HIS STIFF MODERATE IMAGE. IN FACT, FOR A CHARITY ROAST TWO YEARS AGO, HIS STAFF VIDEOTAPED A TAKEOFF OF “THE WEST WING” TV SHOW.

GRAY DAVIS>> “LISTEN, GUYS. MY NUMBERS ARE IN FREEFALL. I KNOW I’M NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG, SO IT MUST BE YOUR FAULT.”

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> IN THE TAPE, TO COUNTER HIS STIFF, UNLIKABLE IMAGE, DAVIS’S STAFF AND HIS FRIEND, SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR WILLIE BROWN, ADVISED HIM TO BECOME A COLORFUL LIBERAL.

WILLIE BROWN>> “BEING A LIBERAL IS REALLY HOW YOU LOOK.”

GRAY DAVIS>> “OKAY.”

WILLIE BROWN>> “AND WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR LOOK.”

GRAY DAVIS>> “THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK I SHOULD DO? OKAY.”

>> “WHAT DID HE SAY?”

GRAY DAVIS>> “HE SAID TO LOOK LIKE A LIBERAL. WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE A LIBERAL LOOKS LIKE?”

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> HIS STAFF REMINDS DAVIS THAT THE MOST POWERFUL LIBERAL IN THE CAPITAL IS STATE SENATE LEADER, JOHN BURTON, WHO’S KNOWN FOR HIS HOT TEMPER AND FOUL LANGUAGE.

GRAY DAVIS>> “DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING INTELLIGENT TO ASK? YEAH, WHAT THE F--- DO YOU WANT?”

>> “GOVERNOR, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOUR NEW LOOK, YOUR NEW CHARISMA? THE WHOLE STATE IS BUZZING ABOUT IT.”

GRAY DAVIS>> “GO TO HELL, YOU ---WIPES.”

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> POLITICAL INSIDERS THOUGHT THE TAPE WAS HILARIOUS. LIKED THE TAPE, BUT STILL FOUND THE GOVERNOR COLD. EVEN FOUR YEARS AGO BEFORE HE BECAME GOVERNOR, DAVIS’S WIFE, SHARON, ACKNOWLEDGED HIS IMAGE PROBLEM.

SHARON DAVIS>> I WISH THEY WOULD SEE THAT HE HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR. HE REALLY DOES HAVE A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR AND I DON’T KNOW IF THAT ALWAYS COMES OUT BECAUSE GENERALLY WHEN YOU SEE HIM, HE’S PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT’S VERY SERIOUS, BUT HE IS VERY FUNNY.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> SO, AT HOME, HE DOESN’T LACK CHARISMA?

SHARON DAVIS>> NO, AT HOME HE’S GOT TONS OF CHARISMA.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> THE STORIES ABOUT GRAY DAVIS’S CONSTANT QUEST FOR CAMPAIGN DONATIONS ARE NOW ALMOST LEGENDARY IN POLITICAL CIRCLES, BUT WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IS THAT DAVIS’S VERY FIRST JOB IN POLITICS MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AGO WAS AS A FUNDRAISER. HE RAISED MONEY FOR FORMER LOS ANGELES MAYOR, TOM BRADLEY, AND OVER THE YEARS HE’S BECOME SO GOOD AT IT THAT CRITICS SAY HE’S BEEN CORRUPTED BY IT. DOES IT BOTHER HIM THAT, AT THE MENTION OF HIS NAME, MOST PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY THINK “FUNDRAISING”?

GRAY DAVIS>> I DON’T HAVE ANY INTENTION OF RUNNING FOR ANOTHER OFFICE, SO THEY’LL GET TO SEE ME FOUR MORE YEARS IF THEY’RE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME ANOTHER TERM. HOPEFULLY, AFTER FOUR MORE YEARS, THEY’LL HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK OF FROM THE DAVIS ADMINISTRATION. AND EVEN IF THEY DON’T, I DON’T LOOK TO OTHER PEOPLE FOR MY OWN SENSE OF SATISFACTION. I MEAN, I KNOW IF I’VE DONE SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT INFLUENCES ANOTHER PERSON’S LIFE AND I DON’T HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TELL ME ABOUT IT OR READ IT IN A NEWSPAPER. NICE IF THEY DO, BUT I DON’T DEPEND ON THAT FOR MY SENSE OF SATISFACTION.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DAVIS’S CHIEF POLITICAL ADVISER, GARRY SOUTH, IS KNOWN FOR COMING UP WITH COLORFUL BOLD STROKES, BUT SOUTH ACKNOWLEDGES THAT DAVIS HIMSELF IS A CAUTIOUS, PAINT-BY-NUMBERS TYPE.

GARRY SOUTH>> HE HAS A CORE OF HARDENED STEEL.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> A CORE OF HARDENED STEEL?

GARRY SOUTH>> GRAY DAVIS IS A FORMER MILITARY MAN. HE’S A FORMER ARMY CAPTAIN WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM. HE WENT TO A HIGH SCHOOL THAT WAS A MILITARY HIGH SCHOOL. IT’S WHERE YOU HAD TO WEAR MILITARY UNIFORMS, GET UP FOR REVEILLE IN THE MORNING. THAT KIND OF DISCIPLINE HAS REALLY FOLLOWED HIM THROUGH HIS ENTIRE CAREER, INCLUDING INTO POLITICS AND INCLUDING AS A CAMPAIGNER.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> DISCIPLINE, FOLLOW A PLAN, THE SEEDS OF WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PLANTED EVEN BEFORE HE WENT TO THAT MILITARY HIGH SCHOOL. DAVIS’S MOTHER SAYS THAT, WHEN HE WAS JUST A TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY, HE SENT HER A LETTER PROCLAIMING HIS LOVE AND HE SIGNED IT “GOVERNOR JOSEPH GRAHAM DAVIS”.

JESS>> THE LATEST LOS ANGELES TIMES POLL SHOWS THAT DAVIS IS HOLDING ONTO A SOLID LEAD OVER HIS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, BUT MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE SURVEYED STILL SAY THEY’RE UNIMPRESSED BY EITHER CANDIDATE AND THEY REGARD DAVIS AS THE BEST OF A BAD LOT.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, IT’S BILL SIMON’S TURN. HE MAY BE A NICE GUY, BUT IS THE LIFELONG MILLIONAIRE READY FOR PRIME TIME POLITICS?

>> WHAT DID YOU DO IN COLLEGE? HOW’D YOU DO A JOB?

BILL SIMON>> WELL, I STUDIED HISTORY AND, WHEN I GOT OUT OF COLLEGE, I WORKED IN A BANK.

RANDY SHANDOBIL>> BUT HE HAS NO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER, HAS NEVER HELD ANY OFFICE, HAS EVEN FORGOTTEN TO VOTE NUMEROUS TIMES.

JESS>> WITH ALL THE ATTENTION ON THIS YEAR’S BIG POLITICAL RACES, WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO LOOK BACK ON SOME CAMPAIGNS FROM CALIFORNIA’S NOT SO DISTANT PAST. WE’RE DOING THAT TONIGHT WITH THE HELP OF UCLA’S MASSIVE FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. THE COLLECTION INCLUDES SOME PRICELESS OLD NEWSREELS, INCLUDING RARE FOOTAGE OF THEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, JOHN F. KENNEDY, AND GOVERNOR PAT BROWN ON A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA.

JOHN F. KENNEDY>> “THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY, BUT I THINK IT CAN BE A GREATER COUNTRY. THIS STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS A GREAT STATE, BUT I THINK IT CAN BE A GREATER STATE. AND I’M NOT SATISFIED AS AN AMERICAN TO SEE US STAND STILL WHILE OTHER COUNTRIES MOVE AHEAD. I THINK IT’S UP TO US TO GRASP THE FUTURE, TO RECOGNIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OWN GENERATION TO MOVE AHEAD AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, IF I AM ELECTED IN NOVEMBER, IF I AM SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ELECTION, THAT THIS GREAT RESOURCE OF OURS HERE IN THIS STATE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY WILL CARRY ON AS IT DID ON THE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND HARRY TRUMAN.”

VAL>> THE FILM YOU JUST SAW IS PART OF THE VAST HEARST NEWSREEL COLLECTION THAT BELONGS TO UCLA, AND JOINING US WITH SOME MORE RARE MOMENTS IN CALIFORNIA POLITICS IS TIM KITTLESON. HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF UCLA’S FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

TIM KITTLESON>> PLEASURE, AS ALWAYS.

JESS>> INDEED, THERE’S A GREAT COLLECTION OF THE KENNEDY CAMPAIGN, IS THERE NOT?

TIM KITTLESON>> WE HAVE THE DENOVE COLLECTION WHICH IS VIRTUALLY HIS ENTIRE CAMPAIGN AND ALL THE POLITICAL INFORMATION AND COMMERCIALS THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT, IN ADDITION TO THE HEARST COLLECTION.

JESS>> LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE IN THAT COLLECTION, SOME THAT ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING. ONE IS A CLIP THAT SHOWS RICHARD NIXON AND PAT BROWN LAUNCHING THEIR CAMPAIGNS FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR, A RACE, OF COURSE, THAT PAT BROWN WON. LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

NARRATOR>> “ENTHUSIASTIC NIXONITES ARE AT HAND AND TWISTING AT THE POMONA, CALIFORNIA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS EARLY IN THE MORNING TO WELCOME BACK TO THE SITE WHERE HE STARTED HIS FIRST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON. MR. NIXON’S RACE FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP THIS FALL IS A STATE CAMPAIGN THAT HAS ACQUIRED FAR MORE THAN LOCAL INTEREST, FOR UPON ITS OUTCOME MAY WELL DEPEND HIS FUTURE IN NATIONAL POLITICS. HE AND MRS. NIXON PROMISE AN ALL-OUT DRIVE FOR VOTES IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.”

NARRATOR>> “IN CALIFORNIA, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR EDMUND G. BROWN, CAMPAIGNING ON THE RECORD OF HIS LAST FOUR YEARS, HAS RETURNED TO OFFICE BY THE BLOOMING STATE. HE DEFEATS RICHARD M. NIXON AFTER ONE OF CALIFORNIA’S LONGEST, HARDEST AND MOST BITTER CAMPAIGNS. THE MAN WHO LOST THE PRESIDENCY ONLY TWO YEARS AGO BY THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS SEES HIS POLITICAL COMEBACK IN RUINS WHEN HE FAILS TO WIN THE GOVERNORSHIP OF HIS HOME STATE. MR. NIXON BIDS FAREWELL TO PUBLIC LIFE WITH AN ANGRY DENUNCIATION OF THE PRESS. HE CALLS IT HIS LAST PRESS CONFERENCE.”

VAL>> NOW THIS ARCHIVE IS FANTASTIC, BUT WHO USES IT? WHO COMES TO YOU? WHO NEEDS IT?

TIM KITTLESON>> THERE’S TOTAL ACCESS TO EVERYTHING IN OUR COLLECTION THROUGH OUR RESEARCH AND STUDY CENTER ON THE CAMPUS AND POWELL LIBRARY, SO IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OR A FACULTY MEMBER OR RESEARCHER, YOU CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND LOOK AT ANY OF THIS NEWSREEL FOOTAGE.

VAL>> NOT ANYBODY CAN. YOU HAVE TO BE A STUDENT OR --

TIM KITTLESON>> -- YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PURPOSE OR, IF YOU’RE A WRITER, A SCREENWRITER, AN ENTERTAINMENT PROFESSIONAL, AND YOU HAVE A PROJECT, YOU GIVE US A CALL, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AFTER YOU’VE SEARCHED OUR ONLINE DATABASE IN THE UNIVERSITY REFERENCE SYSTEM, AND WE’LL JUST LET YOU SEE IT.

VAL>> IT’S FANTASTIC. NOW YOU DIDN’T JUST DO CALIFORNIA POLITICIANS. THE CLIP WE’RE ABOUT TO SEE IS FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT ON A CAMPAIGN TRIP TO LOS ANGELES. THIS IS FROM 1932. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT>> “MY FRIENDS AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, I HAVE BUT ONE ANSWER ON THIS SUBJECT. JUDGE ME BY THE ENEMIES I HAVE MADE. NEVER SHALL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PART WITH ITS SOVEREIGNTY, PART WITH ITS CONTROL OVER ITS GREAT POWER RESOURCES WHILE I AM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”

NARRATOR>> “NEXT STOP, LOS ANGELES, FOR A RIDE WITH HIS SON AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH CHEERING CROWDS ON THE SIDEWALKS, AND THEN ON TO THE GREAT HOLLYWOOD BOWL WHERE, IN THE CAPITAL OF MOVIELAND, THE DEMOCRATIC STANDARD BEARER GETS ANOTHER SAMPLE OF THAT FAMOUS CALIFORNIA HOSPITALITY.”

VAL>> THAT IS FANTASTIC STUFF. WHAT WAS HE TALKING ABOUT IN THE FIRST CLIP ABOUT --

TIM KITTLESON>> -- WELL, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. HE WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT POWER RESOURCES IN THE WEST, ENERGY.

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) IT WAS NOT A FIRESIDE CHAT, BUT HE SPEAKS WITH GREAT FIRE.

TIM KITTLESON>> HE DOES. A MAN OF FEW WORDS, BUT VERY WELL DELIVERED.

VAL>> THE NEXT CLIP HERE. THIS IS FROM -- WHAT IS THAT, JESS?

JESS>> THIS IS FROM 1938 AND THIS IS WHEN THEN LOS ANGELES MAYOR, FLETCHER BOWRON, WAS SHOWING THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHARISMA-CHALLENGED TOO WHEN IT CAME TO THE CAMERA. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

FLETCHER BOWRON>> “THE RECALL ELECTION IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES HAS, IN NO OFFENSE, BEEN A PERSONAL TRIUMPH FOR ME. I HAVE MERELY BEEN A PART OF A MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY WHO WANT HONEST GOVERNMENT. I NOW PLEDGE MYSELF TO DO THE VERY BEST I CAN WITH WHATEVER TALENT THAT I MAY HAVE TO GIVE THEM GOOD, CLEAN, HONEST, EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT.”

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) HE HAD A LITTLE NECK THING GOING THERE.

TIM KITTLESON>> NO POLITICAL MEDIA CONSULTANT TODAY WOULD ALLOW THE HEAD-BOBBING, BELIEVE ME (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MUCH CLOSER SHOT THAN THAT TOO.

TIM KITTLESON>> GREAT MAYOR, THOUGH. FIFTEEN YEARS.

VAL>> IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS THINK OF TOM BRADLEY. YOU DON’T REALIZE THE FELLOW BEFORE HIM.

TIM KITTLESON>> MASS TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC HOUSING, POLLUTION CONTROL, ALL THE POST WORLD WAR II GROWTH WAS UNDER HIS WATCH.

JESS>> YEAH. FOLLOWED BY SAM YORTY.

TIM KITTLESON>> RIGHT. WELL, WHEN HE WAS FINISHED BEING MAYOR, HE WENT ON TO BE AN L.A. SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE.

VAL>> DESPITE THE --

TIM KITTLESON>> -- HEAD-BOBBING.

VAL>> VERY GOOD. OUR NEXT CLIP IS FROM 1966. THIS IS RONALD REAGAN AS HE WINS THE CALIFORNIA’S GOVERNOR’S RACE, A CLASSIC MOMENT. HERE IT IS.

RONALD REAGAN>> "SEEMS A LONG WAY BACK, THE MANY MONTHS AGO TO WHEN THIS STARTED. THE PLEDGE WE ALL MADE THEN IS STILL TRUE AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT PLEDGE, AND THAT IS TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT WILL BE OF THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. PARTISANSHIP ENDS AS OF TODAY."

JESS>> A MAN WHO CLEARLY KNEW HOW TO USE THE CAMERA.

TIM KITTLESON>> ABSOLUTELY. NO HEAD-BOBBING (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> THAT'S RIGHT. NOW IS IT MY IMAGINATION OR DID THE CANDIDATES REALLY SEEM TO HAVE MORE CHARISMA? YOU GOT KENNEDY, YOU GOT ROOSEVELT, YOU GOT REAGAN. THEY WERE PRETTY STUNNING.

TIM KITTLESON>> I THINK IT WAS A SIMPLER TIME. YOU KNOW, THERE WEREN'T SO MANY MEDIA CONSULTANTS, THE CROWDS WEREN'T AS VAST. IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT TIME IN POLITICS.

VAL>> BUT THEY WERE ALL DISCOVERING THE POWER OF TELEVISION AND NEWS FILM. THE CAMERA WAS VERY --

TIM KITTLESON>> -- FOR SURE. I THINK KENNEDY WAS THE FIRST ONE TO REALLY GET ON THAT.

JESS>> LET'S GO BACK CONSIDERABLY BEFORE TELEVISION AND TAKE A LOOK AT -- FROM 1928.

TIM KITTLESON>> THE EARLIEST CLIP.

JESS>> PRESIDENT-ELECT HERBERT HOOVER ON A STOPOVER IN PALO ALTO WHERE THE HOOVER NAME, TO THIS DAY, IS STILL VERY SIGNIFICANT. STANFORD UNIVERSITY, THE HOOVER INSTITUTE.

TIM KITTLESON>> MOTORCADE. NO SECURITY, YOU'LL NOTICE.

VAL>> OH, THAT'S RIGHT. AND NO SOUND WITH THIS PARTICULAR FOOTAGE?

TIM KITTLESON>> NO, THIS IS AN OUTTAKE. THIS IS A "B" ROLE.

VAL>> OH, I SEE. NOW WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE? HE WAS PRESIDENT-ELECT, JUST ON A -- HE WASN'T CAMPAIGNING PER SE?

TIM KITTLESON>> THAT'S THE FAMILY. DAUGHTER, MARGARET, HER CHILDREN, MRS. HOOVER.

VAL>> DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF IDEA WHAT THE VALUE OF THIS POLITICAL ARCHIVE IS?

TIM KITTLESON>> OH, IT'S PRICELESS. NOW THIS IS INTERESTING. THIS IS WHAT NITRATE DOES WHEN IT DETERIORATES. THIS IS THE SCARIEST THING THAT WE SEE WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH OUR COLLECTION. THAT'S HISTORY. YOU'LL NEVER SEE THAT. I MEAN, WE CAN'T PRESERVE IT, CAN'T SAVE IT.

VAL>> WELL, THAT'S FANTASTIC STUFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TIM KITTLESON, FOR BRINGING THAT BY FROM UCLA'S FILM AND TELEVISION ARCHIVE. FOR MORE ON THE COLLECTION OF RARE FILMS THERE, YOU CAN LOG ONTO THE ARCHIVE'S WEBSITE. IT'S WWW.CINEMA.UCLA.EDU.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> TONIGHT A STORY OF SURVIVAL AND IT'S ALL ABOUT A GREAT WORK OF ART THAT GOT ITS START IN LOS ANGELES BACK IN THE EARLY 30'S. IT'S A VERY SPECIAL ONE-OF-A-KIND PORTRAIT OF MEXICO BY THE GREAT MURALIST, DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS. HE CAME TO LOS ANGELES TO ESCAPE POLITICAL PERSECUTION AND ONLY ONE OF HIS MANY WORKS, THIS MURAL, SURVIVED INTACT.

VAL>> BUT RECENTLY, THE SIQUEIROS MASTERPIECE WAS MOVED FROM A PRIVATE HOME IN LOS ANGELES TO THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART WHERE IT IS ON PUBLIC DISPLAY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. JOINING US NOW IS THE WOMAN WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE, THE MUSEUM'S CURATOR, DIANA DUPONT. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

DIANA DUPONT>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

JESS>> MS. DUPONT, THIS IS CLEARLY A GREAT TREASURE FOR THE MUSEUM, BUT ALMOST AS INTERESTING AS THE PRODUCTION OF THE PIECE WAS HOW YOU MOVED IT FROM PACIFIC PALISADES. IT'S A MURAL. IT'S ON A WALL.

DIANA DUPONT>> YEAH, IT'S BEEN UNBELIEVABLE. IT WAS REALLY A REMARKABLE PROCESS. WE WERE VERY SCIENTIFIC. WE LOOKED AT ALL ASPECTS AS TO HOW TO DO IT AND THE REALLY MOST SAFE WAY TO DO IT WAS TO LIFT THE ENTIRE BUILDING INTACT. THAT WAS THE SAFEST WAY TO DO IT. WE DID IT, BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF LIFTING AN ENTIRE BUILDING IN WHICH A PAINTING HAS BEEN CREATED. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER BEEN DONE.

VAL>> WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE PICTURES OF THAT IN A MOMENT, BUT FIRST, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT SIQUEIROS, HERE'S A LITTLE CLIP THAT WILL TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM. HE WAS A PHENOMENAL ARTIST AND VERY, VERY CONTROVERSIAL. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTARY THAT ACCOMPANIES THE MURAL. HERE IT IS.

NARRATOR>> "DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS, ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE PAINTERS OF HIS TIME AND ONE OF THE CREATORS OF THE FIRST ART MOVEMENT TO COME OUT OF THE AMERICAS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. MURALIST, HUGE, BOLD, IDEALISTIC. IT WAS ART WITH PASSIONATE POLITICAL PURPOSE AND SIQUEIROS'S POLITICS WAS SO INTENSE THAT, WHEREVER HE WENT, HE IGNITED CONTROVERSY.

DURING A PERIOD OF ENFORCED EXILE IN LOS ANGELES, HE PAINTED TWO BRILLIANT MURALS. "STREET MEETING". ITS SUBJECT MATTER INFURIATED MANY PEOPLE AND IT WAS DESTROYED. ANOTHER EARLY MASTERPIECE, "AMERICA TROPICAL". IT TOO AROUSED GREAT RESENTMENT. IT TOO IS LARGELY GONE, WHITEWASHED IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC PRESSURE. AND THAT'S IT. A BLANK WALL AND A GHOST IMAGE ARE ALL THAT REMAIN OF OUR LEGACY OF PUBLIC ART BY THIS MODERN MASTER, OR SO MOST PEOPLE BELIEVED.

IN THIS QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA OF LOS ANGELES, IN ONE BACK YARD, STOOD AN INTACT, UNSPOILED SIQUEIROS MURAL. CALLED "THE PORTRAIT OF MEXICO TODAY", ITS SECLUSION HAD SAVED IT FROM BEING DESTROYED LIKE THE OTHER TWO PAINTINGS. BUT IT MEANT THAT THE PUBLIC FOR WHOM SUCH WORKS WERE INVENTED AND INTENDED COULD NEVER SEE IT. THEN ONE DAY, THE CURATOR OF MODERN ART AT THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART GOT A REMARKABLE PHONE CALL. "MEXICO TODAY" WAS COMING TO LIGHT."

VAL>> AND YOU ARE THE PERSON THAT GOT THAT PHONE CALL. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A MOMENT. WHAT HAPPENED?

DIANA DUPONT>> WELL, AFTER THAT, WE WENT AND LOOKED AT THE MURAL. THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM, ROBERT FRANKEL, AND MYSELF WENT TO LOOK AT THE MURAL. IT WAS JUST INSTANT. WE KNEW THAT, IF THERE WAS ANY WAY THAT WE COULD SAVE THIS WORK AND MAKE IT PUBLIC, THAT WAS OUR MISSION AND WE TOOK FIVE YEARS TO DO IT.

JESS>> WHAT A SHOCK TO FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS IN A PRIVATE BACK YARD, SEEN BY FEW PEOPLE, I WOULD ASSUME.

DIANA DUPONT>> INDEED, INDEED. ALTHOUGH THESE FOLKS WHO OWNED THE MURAL KNEW THAT IT BELONGED IN A MUSEUM AND WE WERE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEM DONATE THE MURAL TO THE MUSEUM. THEN WE HAD TWO ADDITIONAL ANGELS WHO CAME TO THE MUSEUM WITH THE SUPPORT TO MOVE IT BECAUSE THE MOVING, TRANSPORTATION AND CONSERVATION OF THE MURAL WAS A WHOLE OTHER FACET OF THE PROJECT.

JESS>> BUT THIS WAS A POLITICAL STATEMENT BY SIQUEIROS. THIS WAS NOT A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART JUST FOR THE SAKE OF BEAUTY.

DIANA DUPONT>> A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF BEAUTY, YES.

VAL>> BUT YOU MENTIONED WHAT AN INCREDIBLE PROJECT IT WAS TO MOVE IT AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT ANOTHER CLIP FROM THE DOCUMENTARY THAT OUTLINES THAT PROCESS. HERE IT IS.

NARRATOR>> "THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE COULD ONLY BE TWELVE FEET SIX INCHES WIDE AND NO MORE THAN FOURTEEN FEET HIGH TO FIT UNDER BRIDGES ON THE FREEWAY, SO THEY REMOVED THE ROOF AND BRICK FLOOR. THEY COULD NOT, AT ANY POINT IN THE PROCESS, USE HAMMERS OR NAILS FOR FEAR OF VIBRATION DAMAGING THE PAINTING SURFACE. THEY RELIED EXCLUSIVELY ON DRILLS AND SCREWS. AT DAYBREAK ON A BRIGHT, SUNNY OCTOBER MORNING, A CROWD GATHERED ON AMALFRI DRIVE WAITING FOR THE MOMENT "PORTRAIT OF MEXICO TODAY" WOULD LIFT OFF THE GROUND AND BEGIN ITS PERILOUS JOURNEY TO A NEW HOME."

JESS>> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

VAL>> AND YOU MUST HAVE BEEN SO RELIEVED THE MOMENT THAT IT ARRIVED AND YOU OPENED IT UP AND IT WAS INTACT.

DIANA DUPONT>> OH, IT WAS THRILLING, IT WAS THRILLING. I MEAN, WE WERE ECSTATIC, YEAH.

JESS>> WAS THERE ANY HISTORY TO GO -- HAS ANYBODY ELSE EVER DONE A PROJECT LIKE THIS?

DIANA DUPONT>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER BEEN DONE THAT A MURAL WAS MOVED INTACT IN A BUILDING.

VAL>> AND OVER THE L.A. FREEWAY TOO (LAUGHTER).

DIANA DUPONT>> ISN'T THAT THE GREATEST? I LOVE THAT. THE 405 CONNECTION WITH SUNSET BOULEVARD. I LOVED THAT SHOT, YEAH. THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

VAL>> I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE SIGALERTS OF "SIQUEIROS MURAL" (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> I HAVE TO ASK. THAT HAD TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU, GETTING IT THERE MUST HAVE COST A LOT.

DIANA DUPONT>> THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL ANGELS THAT CAME TO THE MUSEUM AND HELPED US BRING THIS MURAL TO SANTA BARBARA. YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE THE DONORS OF THE MURAL AND THEN THERE ARE DONORS THAT HELPED US DO THE MOVING, THE TRANSPORTATION AND THE CONSERVATION. IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY CONSERVATION EFFORT. I MEAN, WE HAD AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF CONSERVATORS HEADED BY PERRY HUSTON OUT OF DALLAS.

VAL>> AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE DETAILS ON THE MURAL ITSELF. THIS FIGURE HERE IS ACTUALLY ELIAS CALLES, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO. HE'S DEPICTED AS A TRAITOR.

DIANA DUPONT>> INDEED, BECAUSE HE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY GENERAL AND HE WAS IN SUPPORT OF THE REVOLUTION, TRYING TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO. BUT AS TIME PROGRESSED, HE BECAME MORE CONSERVATIVE AND MORE UNDER THE THUMB OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE AND ESSENTIALLY SUBJECT TO CORRUPTION.

VAL>> WE'RE SO SORRY TO HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF THERE.

JESS>> DIANA DUPONT, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US AND CONGRATULATIONS.

DIANA DUPONT>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> A REAL COUP.

JESS>> THE SIQUEIROS MURAL, "PORTRAIT OF MEXICO TODAY", IS ON PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART. MORE DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE, SBMUSEART.ORG, OR YOU CAN CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.

[805-963-4364]

VAL>> TAKE CARE. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

JESS>> GOOD NIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT’S PROGRAM.