A little celebrity

Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach has been and continues to be home to several

celebrities.

The folks at Catalina Passenger Service have made a business of

that since the 1960s. An important part of their harbor cruise is a

viewing of celebrity homes and yachts, which is always a strong

allure for tourists, company spokeswoman Betsy Sturgeon said.

“We were one of the first in the area to start doing these tours,”

she said.

As the boat, the “Pavilion Paddy,” cruises around the harbor, the

captain points to famous houses and yachts and other local landmarks.

The harbor has long been a favorite vacation spot for Hollywood

celebrities. Tyrone Power is said to have honeymooned on Lido Island

in 1958 and sailed his sloop, the Black Swan, in the bay with actors

Rock Hudson, Claire Trevor and Sterling Hayden.

The biggest attraction is probably John Wayne’s waterfront home on

Bayshore Drive, which was demolished earlier this year. Other

favorites on the tour include the longtime home of actress Shirley

Temple and the former homes of James Cagney and Robert Burns.

Then there is the home where Marie Callendar, founder of the

restaurant chain, lived for many years. There’s also the home owned

by the Gillette family, which founded the company that makes razor

blades.

“These tours are so interesting because of the history,” Sturgeon

said. “I’m surprised every time I go on the tour, because I learn

something new.”

These tours also give visitors “a feel for Newport Beach,” she

said. “It’s a perspective you don’t get from the boulevard.”

Gary Cate, captain of the Pavilion Paddy, a 36-foot boat he

brought from Port Hueneme 16 years ago, said the tours give visitors

a glimpse of old-world charm.

“A lot of the celebrities are gone,” he said. “And the younger

actors live in Malibu. But this is still interesting because of the

history.”

Cate said he also shows his passengers fancy yachts such as John

Wayne’s Wild Goose, the 137-foot convertible yacht docked at

Mariner’s Mile.

Some celebrities like to be part of the tour, others don’t.

“We’ve had people ask us why don’t you point to our homes,”

Sturgeon said. “They like to wave out to the tourists from their

backyard or boat. But others ask us not to. It’s interesting.”