'Gone in 60 Seconds' chase through South Bay was really neato
Long before we ever knew about the real police chases they show on TV these days, the greatest pursuit to make its way through the South Bay is in the original 1974 version of "Gone in 60 Seconds."
More than 90 cars are wrecked in the 40-minute movie chase that begins in Long Beach, heads over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, rides through Carson and into Torrance and Redondo Beach.
The acting is horrific, but most of the people in the low-budget flick are the producer's friends and family. Real cops and firefighters participated, along with Carson's mayor at the groundbreaking of the city's sheriff's station.
I remembering seeing this with my brother at the Americana 5 in Panorama City. I was 11 and it was awesome.
So here's a good portion of it in three parts. You'll see the bridge, the Harbor Freeway, the Goodyear Blimp and a couple of Torrance car dealerships:
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About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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Great "remember when" story Larry! I was a high school kid in the crowd gathered on Flagler & 190th & Beryl to watch the big crash/jump scenes. I remember the carnage at Moran Cadillac. And, I remember when there was so much open space and wonderful fields in the South Bay. Thanks for the great memories!
Larry, I love to watch that movie just to remember what the south bay looked like back then. There is a really interesting story about the guy who created and starred in this movie as well. He actually was accidentally killed while performing a stunt in another movie of his.
My aunt was the receptionist in the Moran Cadillac Dealership who kept paging her boss as the carnage was happening outside. That was her real job, they just asked her if she would like to be in the movie.