Rhymin’ L.A. (cont.):In our search for lyrics...

Rhymin’ L.A. (cont.):

In our search for lyrics to pair with “Los Angeles,” we shocked Ellen Berkowitz by failing to mention “the quintessential Los Angeles rhyme from Arlo Guthrie.”

Of course, Berkowitz admits, Guthrie “had to pronounce it ‘Los Angeleez,’ but it worked.” The immortal lines:

Comin’ into Los Angeleez, bringing in a couple a’ keys, don’t touch my bags if you please, Mr. Customs Man.

This brings up an interesting point. Perhaps Kevin Mitchell’s “Songwriters’ Rhyming Dictionary,” for which we’re conducting this research, should have selections for each of the different pronunciations of El Lay, from Los Angeleez to Los Ang-guh-less (favored by former Mayor Sam Yorty) to the more common Los An-je-lus.

Speaking of the last version, Kay Waters of Glendora points out that “Los Angeles” rhymes with “scandalous.”

Does it ever.

THE (FILL-IN-NAME) THEATER: Remember the former Chevy Chase Theater on Sunset Boulevard, site of the comic’s short-lived, not-so-funny talk show? That was only one of the identities of the 58-year-old building, which has also been called the Aquarius Theater, Kaleidoscope, Hullaballo, Moulin Rouge and Earl Carroll’s Vanities. Now it’s the Sunset Theater, but we notice that the name is displayed on the marquee’s movable-letters sign. Makes sense. This way the owners can change the name of the theater as easily as the name of a show.

MUST BE DIFFICULT TO DROP THE TICKET ONTO THE WINDSHIELD: The cops at Cal State Dominguez Hills evidently have an air force, judging from the parking permit that graduate Vicki Momary of Manhattan Beach shared with us. (see accompanying)

Before we pull out of this item, we should mention that Phil Proctor of Beverly Hills snapped an unusual warning sign for drivers in a studio parking lot in, where else, Studio City. The latter apparently does not have airplane surveillance, though. (see photo)

LIST OF THE DAY: After the talk-show host known as Mr. KFI moved to another radio station and became Mr. KABC, The Times unmasked him as Marc Germain. Mr. Germain is just one of many personalities in the radio biz who have worked under other names, often assigned by their bosses.

Some on-air celebs, with the names they used elsewhere, as gleaned from Don Barrett’s “Los Angeles Radio People” and other sources:

* Michael Jackson (KABC/AM): Michael Scotland.

* Rush Limbaugh (KFI/AM): Jeff Christie, Rusty Sharpe.

* Ken Minyard (KABC/AM): Ken Crosby.

* Jay Stevens (KRTH/FM): Steve Jay.

* Bobby Ocean (now a producer): Ray Farrell, Johnny Scott.

* Joe Crummey (KMPC/AM): E.J. Hilliard.

* Gary Owens (voice-over announcer): Gary Altman (his real name).

* Charlie Tuna (KIKF/FM): Art Ferguson (his real name).

* Johnny Hayes (KRTH/FM): Danny Daye.

* China Smith (KACD/FM): Wayne Thomas (his real name: Thomas Rorabacher).

ARMY ALERT: Daily Variety columnist Army Archerd, who has come up with plenty of industry scoops, phoned KNX radio’s Dona Dower to give her a different type of tip--a sighting of a freeway traffic accident. On the Hollywood, of course.

miscelLAny

Donald Lehti of Los Angeles heard a newscaster say that the first inmates in the Twin Towers facility would be “breaking in” the jail. Which, Lehti observes, is probably preferable to their “breaking out” of the jail.