Browse Items (1892 total)

John Sherwood surfs at Topanga Beach, 1970s

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John Sherwood surfs at Topanga Beach on a Paul Lovas custom board.

Toni Dragon smiles and John Kane smokes a cigarette

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Toni Dragon smiles and John Kane smokes a cigarette outside the Sherwoods' Topanga Beach house.

Aerial view of Topanga Beach, circa 1979

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Aerial view of Topanga Beach, circa 1979.

CLOSE-UP 1
The dirt lot was created by a fire and by the demolition of beach houses.

CLOSE-UP 2
The Malibu Feed Bin and Gulf gas station were at the intersection of Topanga Canyon Blvd. and…

Dogs Dede and Gogo carry the same stick in their mouths

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John Sherwood's Sheltie dogs Dede and Gogo carry the same stick in their mouths on Topanga Beach.

The Sherwood house, 18638 W. Topanga Beach Rd.

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The Sherwood house, at 18638 W. Topanga Beach Rd., previously belonged to the Saenz family. Foster Sherwood planted a bougainvillea on the road that still grows there. John Sherwood's room was on the top left. Foster's room was below. Their…

Flood driftwood lines the beach to The Point restaurant

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Flood driftwood lines Topanga Beach houses to The Point restaurant.

People with umbrellas run through the rain by a stormy sea

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People with umbrellas run through the rain by a stormy sea in front of the Sherwoods' Topanga Beach house. The catamaran belongs to Bob Barrow, who lived two houses west.

Herb Thacker, John Puklus, Carl Pollard, and Danny Evelyn

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South Shore Surf Club members Herb Thacker, John Puklus, Carl Pollard, and Danny Evelyn sit on the fence of John's Topanga Beach house, in this ad for Foss Foam Company surfboards.

Eden Craig, Melanie and mother Carol, and Matthew Craig

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Eden Craig, Melanie Onofrio, Carol Onofrio (her mother), and Matthew Craig (Eden's brother) wave by the rocks at low tide. They used to housesit every summer for the house behind them, at 18762 W. Topanga Beach Rd.

Lou Onofrio stands in the yard of a Topanga Beach house

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Lou Onofrio stands in the yard of the house at 18762 W. Topanga Beach Rd., surrounded by a white picket fence, that his family would housesit every summer. At right is a stairway leading up the bluff.

Frances Fitzpatrick sits in her backyard at Topanga Beach

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Frances Fitzpatrick sits in her backyard at 18658 W. Topanga Beach Rd.

Jan-Michael Vincent stands on driftwood by his wife Bonnie

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Actor Jan-Michael Vincent stands on driftwood by his wife Bonnie Poorman Vincent at Topanga Beach.

Actor Jan-Michael Vincent kisses his wife Bonnie

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Actor Jan-Michael Vincent kisses his wife Bonnie Poorman Vincent while they walk horses on Topanga Beach.

Topanga Bombers group photo, 2/3

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Topanga Bombers surf club members goof off at Topanga Beach.

Danny Bernstein (cut off on the left side), Denny "Wally" Waldman, Bart "Box" Loy (unknown person behind him), Juan de la Cruz Saenz, Woody Woodward, John Roberts grabbing Michael…

Topanga Bombers group photo, 1/3

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Topanga Bombers surf club members pile on top of each other at Topanga Beach.

Juan de la Cruz Saenz screams. Bart "Box" Loy stands in front. Chuck Gates and Micky Mills are behind them. John Roberts presses down Denny "Wally" Waldman's head.

Siblings Joey, Felix, Nicky, and Liza Saenz row a boat

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Siblings Joey, Felix, Nicky, and Liza Saenz row a rowboat on the sand in front of their Topanga Beach house.

Liza Ann Saenz and her brother Juan de la Cruz

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Liza Ann Saenz and her brother Juan de la Cruz walk out on the rocks at low tide to the Topanga Beach surf break.

Brothers Joey , Felix, and Juan de la Cruz Saenz

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Brothers Joey , Felix, and Juan de la Cruz Saenz pose with surfboards at Topanga Beach.

David H. Stern holds up a surfboard at Topanga Beach

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David H. Stern holds up a surfboard at Topanga Beach. He founded the Greebe and Moommy Surf Club in 1962, and co-authored the "Surfing Guide to Southern California" in 1963 .

Bob Feigel, Jim "Fitz" Fitzpatrick Sr., and Jim Fitzpatrick Jr.

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Bob Feigel, Jim "Fitz" Fitzpatrick Sr., and Jim Fitzpatrick Jr. show off their Greebe & Moommy Surf Club sweatshirts at Topanga Beach.

Surfers sit on the porch of David H. Stern's beach house

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David H. Stern (co-author of the "Surfing Guide to Southern California," 1963) rented this Topanga Beach house in February 1962. Sitting on the porch, with their surfboards, are lifeguard Larry Kraus (in speedos), and Jason Kniss's father (smoking).…

Proposed freeway from Santa Monica to Topanga Beach, 1/2

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The "Sunset Seaway" was a proposed causeway that would have extended the Santa Monica 10 Freeway over the ocean to Topanga Beach. The plan included the creation of marinas, high-rise apartments, and a terraced hillside.

Woody Woodward hangs ten at Topanga Beach

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Surfer Woody Woodward hangs ten on a wave at Topanga Beach

"Muscle Beach Party" film behind the scenes, 1/2

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In "Muscle Beach Party" (1964), surfers Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello discover that bodybuilders have taken over Topanga Beach.

A behind-the-scenes photo shows a Rolls Royce driving down Topanga Beach Road, past a trailer, surfboards, and…

Topanga Bombers surf club shirt

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The Topanga Bombers Surf Club formed at Topanga Beach in the winter of 1962-63. That summer, they threw a fundraising party to raise money for their club shirts. The Bombers were active until a big marijuana bust, around 1966.

David H. Stern and…

Dale Newman holds a red umbrella, 2/2

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Dale Newman holds a red umbrella in a neighbor's yard on Topanga Lane.

Dale Newman holds a red umbrella , 1/2

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Dale Newman holds a red umbrella beside his sister April in a neighbor's yard on Topanga Lane.

Andrea, Dale, and April Newman eat ice cream

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Siblings Andrea, Dale, and April Newman eat ice cream in their neighbor's yard on Topanga Lane.

Children have a party on Topanga Lane

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Children have a party on Topanga Lane. In front are John Baum, April Newman, Dale Newman, and unknown. The girl drinking from a cup is Sappho, a Venice family friend.

A woman sits on her couch on Topanga Lane

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A woman (Alison?) sits on her couch on Topanga Lane, where she lives with her husband and baby.

Bodybuilders Dave Grossman, Rick Corman, & Stan Silberg

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Bodybuilder friends Dave Grossman, Rick Corman, and Stan Silberg rented the white house above, on PCH at Topanga Beach. A girlfriend holds a towel.

The Topanga Lagoon looks like a gap between beach houses

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From the ocean, the Topanga Lagoon looks like a gap between beach houses. At center is a glimpse of La Mer restaurant.

Sue Lilley’s car is parked on Topanga Beach Rd.

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"Topanga Sue" Lilley’s Pontiac LeMans car is parked on Topanga Beach Rd. Her Phil Edwards model, Hobie surfboard is strapped to the roof.

Victoria Woodward rides a Makaha skateboard at the beach

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Victoria Woodward, the sister of skateboarding world-champion Woody Woodward, rides a Makaha skateboard on their paddle-tennis court at Topanga Beach.

Mary Woodjack Cleary and Doris Ollestad sunbathe

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Mary Woodjack Cleary and Doris Ollestad sit on beach chairs by surfboards left in front of the Yellow House.

Surfboards lean against the porch of the Yellow House

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Surfboards lean against the porch of the "Yellow Submarine" beach house.

Four dogs sit in front of Topanga Beach houses

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Four dogs sit in front of Topanga Beach houses. At left is Jim Fitzpatrick's dog Pat.

Topanga Bombers confront non-local surfers, 1/2

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Topanga Bombers prevent non-local surfers, "Vals," from sneaking onto the beach through the Topanga Lagoon by Joseph J. Lilley's house.

Teenage surfers gather at Topanga Beach point

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Teenage surfers gather at Topanga Beach point: Tom (surname? in yellow trunks), Jocelyn Jones (in red shirt), Tim Roach (shirtless blond), Rick Hodgson (blond in springsuit), Liza Saenz (in green shirt), Sue Lilley (in dress).

Tom was a Ventura…

Composer Joseph J. Lilley's beach house had a volleyball net

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Composer Joseph J. Lilley and his family lived in this Topanga Beach house with a volleyball court by the lagoon, 18726 W. Topanga Beach Rd.

Topanga Bombers confront non-local surfers, 2/2

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Topanga Bombers throw rocks at non-local surfers, "Vals," sneaking onto the beach through the Topanga Lagoon. The beach house on the bluff belonged to surf photographer and dentist Dr. Don James in the 1960s-70s.

"Topanga Sue" Lilley stands in front of her beach house

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Surfer "Topanga Sue" Lilley holds a surfboard in front of her Topanga Beach house by the lagoon.

Composer Joseph J. Lilley's living room at Topanga Beach

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Composer Joseph J. Lilley and his family lived in this Topanga Beach house, 18726 W. Topanga Beach Rd. The living room has a fireplace.

Claudia Lasky stands on her white horse Petulia

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Claudia Lasky stands on her white horse Petulia in a corral surrounded by arundo in the Rodeo Grounds that belonged to Chuck and Liz Sayer. At one time, the Sayers built a cross-country course in the creek, with the fallen trees making all the jumps.

Children set in a circle on a Topanga Beach volleyball court

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Children set in a circle on a volleyball court at the Lasky house on Topanga Beach.

The dog Goomba plays with owner Brandy Lasky

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The dog Goomba, an Afghan Hound, plays with owner Brandy Lasky (1956-1975) at Topanga Beach.

Dina Lasky walks on a driftwood bridge across the lagoon

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Dina Lasky walks on a driftwood bridge across the Topanga Lagoon. Her beach house is in the background.

Makaha skateboard, top and bottom

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A Makaha Skateboards ad features team riders Joey Saenz, Danny Schaefer, Torger Johnson, and Woody Woodward.

Venice lifeguard Larry Stevenson (1930-2012) designed and manufactured the first commercial skateboards in 1961, under his brand Makaha,…

A Makaha Skateboards ad features team riders

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A Makaha Skateboards ad features team riders Joey Saenz, Danny Schaefer, Torger Johnson, and Woody Woodward.

Venice lifeguard Larry Stevenson (1930-2012) designed and manufactured the first commercial skateboards in 1961, under his brand Makaha,…

Daniel Wenger Cube at Topanga Beach

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The Daniel Wenger Cube was a furniture sculpture designed in 1970 to hold a hammock. "Sunset Magazine" published an article about the Wenger Cube in 1979. Daniel also designed a studio using this truncated hexahedron shape.

Jim Fitzpatrick surfs Topanga Beach in an Iron Cross helmet

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Jim Fitzpatrick, of the Topanga Bombers, surfs Topanga Beach in an Iron Cross helmet.

Jim: "This photo has caused me some consternation. It was simply making an anti-establishment statement. For me, it wasn't political. Subsequently I've…

The shipwreck of "Jeane Taggert" rests on Topanga Beach

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A 67-foot, commercial, fishing boat, the "Jeane Taggert," rests on Topanga Beach after being stripped of all its useful gear. The boat hit the rocky point in the fog when its electronic navigation malfunctioned on August 5, 1969, at about 6:25 p.m.…

Actress Sara Russell Lane is stranded at home during a flood

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Actress Sara Russell Lane, 3839 Topanga Lane, is stranded at home with a cat during a flood.

Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood, 3/3

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Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane.

Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood, 2/3

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Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane.

Sara Russell Lane and Ingrid Lindquist, stranded during flood

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Actress Sara Russell Lane and Ingrid Lindquist (in bathrobe) are stranded with horses and a dog during a flood on Topanga Lane.

Sara Russell Lane checks on her horse during a flood

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Actress Sara Russell Lane checks on her horse during a flood on Topanga Lane

A goat walks by a Topanga Lane house damaged by the flood

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Ingrid Lindquist's goat walks by her Topanga Lane house that was damaged by the flood.

Ingrid: "I had two goats that survived the flood... just barely. I had put them in my horse trailer for the night because their pen was deep with mud. When my…

Two girls pull themselves over Topanga Creek in a basket

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Two girls pull themselves over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane after a flood. A dog stands nearby.

Renate Sprickman crosses a bridge over the creek

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Renate Sprickman crosses a plank of wood over the creek, taking bags of her possessions and her dogs away from her flood-damaged home on Topanga Lane.

Children are rescued from the flood

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Children are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane.

Actress Sara Anderson Lane is rescued from the flood

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Actress Sara Anderson Lane is rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane.

Driftwood from the flood clutters Topanga Beach

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Driftwood from the flood clutters Topanga Beach. An arrow points to a Volkswagen van (VW van) that was carried there by the creek.

Deputy sheriffs rescue residents from the flood

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Deputy sheriffs rescue residents of Topanga Lane and The Rodeo Grounds from the flood by pulling them over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Victoria Woodward investigates a wrecked VW van

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Victoria Woodward, 9, investigates a Volkswagen van that was carried to Topanga Beach by the flooding creek.

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 3/7

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Teacher Wes Armand, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, is rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 4/7

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Teacher Wes Armand and his daugther Thea, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 5/7

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Teacher Wes Armand and his daugther Thea, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Mike Saenz and Rick Hodgson stand on a wrecked VW van

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This Volkswagen van was carried to Topanga Beach by the flooding creek. Mike Saenz, 18638 W. Topanga Beach Rd., and Rick Hodgson, 18702 PCH, climbed on top of the wrecked car.

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 2/7

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Teacher Wes Armand and his son Kurt, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood, 1/3

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Actor Rusty Lane is rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket at Topanga Lane.

Mike Payne nearly drowns in Topanga Creek flood

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Mike Payne, 21, begins to slip under the raging Topanga Creek waters as he tries to cross from his home at 3727 Rodeo Grounds to safety. Mike Gray (in hat) and Roark McGonigle (behind Gray) rush to save him while a third man charges into the water…

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 6/7

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Teacher Wes Armand and his daugther Thea, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Wes Armand is rescued from the flood, 1/7

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Teacher Wes Armand and his daugther Thea, 3833 Topanga Canyon Lane, are rescued from the flood by being pulled over Topanga Creek in a basket.

Aerial view of Topanga Beach, 1964

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Aerial view of Topanga Beach, Old Malibu Road, Topanga Lane, The Rodeo Grounds, Sunset Mesa development, and the Topanga Auto Court motel.

"Muscle Beach Party" film behind the scenes, 2/2

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In "Muscle Beach Party" (1964), surfers Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello discover that bodybuilders have taken over Topanga Beach.

A behind-the-scenes photo shows the surfboards that the Topanga Bombers allegedly stole from the set.

Construction site for Topanga waterline

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The waterline to Topanga Canyon is installed at Topanga Canyon and PCH.

Malibu Feed Bin ad, 1961

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The Malibu Feed Bin is located at 3931 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd. at PCH.

Ruben's Shell Service gas station ad 2/4

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Ruben's Shell Service gas station was at Topanga Canyon Blvd. and PCH. The advertisement shows a man on a date telling the attendant: "Just give me a half-gallon of gas... I use the car mostly for parking...."

Ruben's Shell Service gas station ad 1/4

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Ruben's Shell Service gas station was run by Bob Ruben and Bob Plant at Topanga Canyon Blvd. and PCH.

Unknown, Jan Michael-Vincent, Ronne Troup, Jim Ganzer

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Unknown, Jan Michael-Vincent, Ronne Troup, and Jim Ganzer share snacks and a jug of wine at Topanga Beach.

A man rides a tire swing over the creek at Topanga Lane

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A man rides a tire swing over the creek at Topanga Lane after a flood.

The creek cuts off Topanga Lane and the Rodeo Grounds

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Topanga Creek cuts off Topanga Lane and the Rodeo Grounds after a flood.

Bill Cleary balances a skateboard deck on his toes

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Bill Cleary balances a Makaha skateboard deck on his toes in his Topanga Beach house, owned by Dr. Schweiger. Mary Cleary curls up in a chair. George Van Noy stares out the window.