The VHM Oral History Project — celebrating Venice’s diverse cultural heritage through the first-hand stories of our community members.
The Venice Heritage Museum's Oral History Project is an initiative to document, showcase, and nurture Venice’s diverse historical legacy by collecting memories and commentaries of historical significance through professionally recorded interviews.
To know where we are going, we have to know where we’ve come from. To that end, this storytelling initiative is a valuable tool for VHM to preserve our city’s internationally renowned history — alongside physical artifacts and other museum objects. The VHM Oral History Project will serve as a permanent resource to educate, engage, and inspire present and future generations.
Since launching the project in April 2022, we have recorded 60+ interviews, which are in the process of being edited into short- and long-form versions with transcriptions for historians, students, and the public to enjoy.
To know where we are going, we have to know where we’ve come from. To that end, this storytelling initiative is a valuable tool for VHM to preserve our city’s internationally renowned history — alongside physical artifacts and other museum objects. The VHM Oral History Project will serve as a permanent resource to educate, engage, and inspire present and future generations.
Since launching the project in April 2022, we have recorded 60+ interviews, which are in the process of being edited into short- and long-form versions with transcriptions for historians, students, and the public to enjoy.
Introductory Sizzle Reel. Debuted at VHM Film Festival, August 2022
Sample Interview with Harry Perry, iconic Boardwalk musician. Debuted at VHM Film Festival, August 2022
Sample Interview with Joan Huff, niece of one of Venice’s founding African-American residents, Irving Tabor (Chauffeur and confidante of Abbot Kinney). Debuted at VHM Film Festival, August 2022
Interviews recorded to-date:
Bob Zaugh | Printer for the radical Peace Press; Vietnam Resistance
Christina Schlesinger | Photographer & muralist; Co-founder, SPARC; Member of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s
Daniel Samakow & James Evans | Owners of Danny's and James Beach; Venice Pride contributors; LGBTQIA+ community members
David Hertz | Renowned architect; Worked for Light & Space Movement artists
David Scott & Littlejohn Jagodowski | Photographer; Wrote "Moon Over Venice" song; Members of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s-'80s
David Weissman | LGBTQIA+ community of the 70s and 80s
Dolores De Luce | Performer with "The Cockettes", a gender-queer performance theater troupe
Elayne Alexander | Venice Historian and Author; VHM Board Historian Emeritus
Francisco Letelier | Chilean-born Venice muralist, poet & activist
Gerry Fialka | Venice Film and Literary Historian; Cultural Curator
Ginger Drinkwater | Widow of famed African-American Venice photographer, Harry Drinkwater
Grant Francis | Retired Venice High School Shop Teacher (35 yrs)
Hal Frederick | Proprietor, Hal's restaurant
Harry Perry | Iconic musician performing for 40+ years on the Boardwalk
Henry Diltz | Renowned Rock & Roll Photographer; Photographed The Doors on Venice Beach
Jack Hoffmann | 40+ year real estate entrepreneur
James "Rusty" Smith | Lead singer of local iconic punk band, No Reaction!; Oakwood native
Jason Sugars | Culture bearer of the Black Arts Movement; 4th generation Oakwood native
Jataun Valentine | Descendent of Irving Tabor, Abbot Kinney's chauffeur; Oakwood community leader
Joan Huff | Nonagenarian niece of Irving Tabor
Josh "Bagel" Klassman | Venice Underground Photographer of the 1980z Dogtown scene
Karen Rosenhoover | Owner, Moe's Greens and Things; Member of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s
Laddie John Dill | Renowned artist of the Light & Space Movement
Lance Diskan | The Voice of the 1970s Fabulous Fox Theatre
Larry Bell | Renowned artist of the Light & Space Movement
Lennon Family | Members of the band VENICE; Descendants of the Lennon Sisters; Family came to Venice in 1910s
Linda Azuzerta | Resident of the Venice Canals from birth, 1940s to today
Linda Lucks | Community rights activist since the 1960s
Louichi Mayorga | Founding member of seminal punk bands, Suicidal Tendencies and Luicidal; 3rd generation Oakwood native
Mark Booker | Firefighter & 3rd generation Oakwood native
Christina Schlesinger | Photographer & muralist; Co-founder, SPARC; Member of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s
Daniel Samakow & James Evans | Owners of Danny's and James Beach; Venice Pride contributors; LGBTQIA+ community members
David Hertz | Renowned architect; Worked for Light & Space Movement artists
David Scott & Littlejohn Jagodowski | Photographer; Wrote "Moon Over Venice" song; Members of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s-'80s
David Weissman | LGBTQIA+ community of the 70s and 80s
Dolores De Luce | Performer with "The Cockettes", a gender-queer performance theater troupe
Elayne Alexander | Venice Historian and Author; VHM Board Historian Emeritus
Francisco Letelier | Chilean-born Venice muralist, poet & activist
Gerry Fialka | Venice Film and Literary Historian; Cultural Curator
Ginger Drinkwater | Widow of famed African-American Venice photographer, Harry Drinkwater
Grant Francis | Retired Venice High School Shop Teacher (35 yrs)
Hal Frederick | Proprietor, Hal's restaurant
Harry Perry | Iconic musician performing for 40+ years on the Boardwalk
Henry Diltz | Renowned Rock & Roll Photographer; Photographed The Doors on Venice Beach
Jack Hoffmann | 40+ year real estate entrepreneur
James "Rusty" Smith | Lead singer of local iconic punk band, No Reaction!; Oakwood native
Jason Sugars | Culture bearer of the Black Arts Movement; 4th generation Oakwood native
Jataun Valentine | Descendent of Irving Tabor, Abbot Kinney's chauffeur; Oakwood community leader
Joan Huff | Nonagenarian niece of Irving Tabor
Josh "Bagel" Klassman | Venice Underground Photographer of the 1980z Dogtown scene
Karen Rosenhoover | Owner, Moe's Greens and Things; Member of the LGBTQIA+ community of the '70s
Laddie John Dill | Renowned artist of the Light & Space Movement
Lance Diskan | The Voice of the 1970s Fabulous Fox Theatre
Larry Bell | Renowned artist of the Light & Space Movement
Lennon Family | Members of the band VENICE; Descendants of the Lennon Sisters; Family came to Venice in 1910s
Linda Azuzerta | Resident of the Venice Canals from birth, 1940s to today
Linda Lucks | Community rights activist since the 1960s
Louichi Mayorga | Founding member of seminal punk bands, Suicidal Tendencies and Luicidal; 3rd generation Oakwood native
Mark Booker | Firefighter & 3rd generation Oakwood native
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Mark Rosenberg | Co-founder, seminal roller skating rental shop, Cheapskates
Mary Goodfader & Kristen Archival | Co-founder, Sidewalk Cafe + Small World Books & General Manager, Sidewalk Cafe
Mary Nomura | Orphaned Venice native known as "The Songbird of Manzanar" during WWII
Dr. Mayer Davidson | Co-founder, Venice Family Clinic
Mickey Gallagher | Retired LA County Lifeguard Section Chief
Dr. Naomi Nightingale | Scholar; Civil rights activist; Original Save Venice & Oakwood community leader
Oscar Galan | Founder of the renowned Hecho En Venice brand
Paul Tanck | Graphic artist; Founding member, Venice Heritage Foundation
Phyllis Hayashibara | Founding member, Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument Committee; Retired Venice High School History Teacher
Rhoda Huffey | Author
Rhoda Makoff | Octagenarian member of the Shul on Beach
Rick Massie | Venice surfboard shaper; Founding member, Mexican Surfing Association
Robert Huff | Great nephew of Irving Tabor; 3rd generation Oakwood native
Roger "Mona" Webster | Commercial real estate owner since the 1960s
Sandy Bleifer | Renowned contemporary artist; Activist who led the preservation of the Venice Walk Streets
Sheila Goldberg | Co-founder, Venice Art Walk
Solo Scott | Original Dogtown Z-Boy skateboarder & surfer; Local realtor
Stanley Mitchell | Documentarian; Oakwood native and lifelong resident
Stephen Pouliot | Writer; LGBTQIA+ community member; Founding member, Venice Heritage Foundation
Steven Ehrlich | Internationally renowned architect with creative roots in Venice
Suzy Williams | Venice jazz songstress; Cultural curator
Terrell Ferguson | Renowned Boardwalk rollerskater from the 80's onward
Thom Mayne | Internationally renowned architect with creative roots in Venice
Tom Sewell | Venice historical collector & artist; Co-creator of "Fantasy by the Sea" film & book w/ Tom Moran
Tony Bill | Writer, director, producer, business owner, and longtime Venice resident
Victor Rideau | 3rd generation Oakwood native and community fixture
Victoria Ramirez | Co-owner of Venice legacy business, Mars Body Shop
Viva Vinson | Musician; Grew up on Ocean Front Walk; Daughter of Dolores DeLuce
William McNally aka "Sweet William" | Historian; Author of "Venice of America: The American Dream Come True" (1976)
*We are actively seeking funding to support the post-production and public distribution of this essential library of first-hand Venice heritage and history!
If you are interested in supporting the VHM Oral History Project, please reach out to Project Director, Carol Levy at carol@veniceheritagemuseum.org*
Mary Goodfader & Kristen Archival | Co-founder, Sidewalk Cafe + Small World Books & General Manager, Sidewalk Cafe
Mary Nomura | Orphaned Venice native known as "The Songbird of Manzanar" during WWII
Dr. Mayer Davidson | Co-founder, Venice Family Clinic
Mickey Gallagher | Retired LA County Lifeguard Section Chief
Dr. Naomi Nightingale | Scholar; Civil rights activist; Original Save Venice & Oakwood community leader
Oscar Galan | Founder of the renowned Hecho En Venice brand
Paul Tanck | Graphic artist; Founding member, Venice Heritage Foundation
Phyllis Hayashibara | Founding member, Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument Committee; Retired Venice High School History Teacher
Rhoda Huffey | Author
Rhoda Makoff | Octagenarian member of the Shul on Beach
Rick Massie | Venice surfboard shaper; Founding member, Mexican Surfing Association
Robert Huff | Great nephew of Irving Tabor; 3rd generation Oakwood native
Roger "Mona" Webster | Commercial real estate owner since the 1960s
Sandy Bleifer | Renowned contemporary artist; Activist who led the preservation of the Venice Walk Streets
Sheila Goldberg | Co-founder, Venice Art Walk
Solo Scott | Original Dogtown Z-Boy skateboarder & surfer; Local realtor
Stanley Mitchell | Documentarian; Oakwood native and lifelong resident
Stephen Pouliot | Writer; LGBTQIA+ community member; Founding member, Venice Heritage Foundation
Steven Ehrlich | Internationally renowned architect with creative roots in Venice
Suzy Williams | Venice jazz songstress; Cultural curator
Terrell Ferguson | Renowned Boardwalk rollerskater from the 80's onward
Thom Mayne | Internationally renowned architect with creative roots in Venice
Tom Sewell | Venice historical collector & artist; Co-creator of "Fantasy by the Sea" film & book w/ Tom Moran
Tony Bill | Writer, director, producer, business owner, and longtime Venice resident
Victor Rideau | 3rd generation Oakwood native and community fixture
Victoria Ramirez | Co-owner of Venice legacy business, Mars Body Shop
Viva Vinson | Musician; Grew up on Ocean Front Walk; Daughter of Dolores DeLuce
William McNally aka "Sweet William" | Historian; Author of "Venice of America: The American Dream Come True" (1976)
*We are actively seeking funding to support the post-production and public distribution of this essential library of first-hand Venice heritage and history!
If you are interested in supporting the VHM Oral History Project, please reach out to Project Director, Carol Levy at carol@veniceheritagemuseum.org*
