25 Fun and Random Things About Grosh Backdrops and Drapery

1. Let’s start with Disney. Down the street on Hyperion Ave is Gelson’s Market. In the parking lot, on one of the light posts, is a plaque that says that this was once the site of Disney Studios. Because the studio was so close, Walt Disney himself used our paint frames many times to design backdrops for his Disneyland project.
2. During one of Disney’s visits, he was walking between Paint frames 2 and 3 when they began to lower frame 3 and raise frame 4. The movement in his peripheral vision caused him to lose his equilibrium, and he almost fell to the floor. Once he regained his balance, he looked to the man who was with him and said, “I’ve got to build a ride like this”!
3. Much of the scenic backdrop work at Disneyland in Anaheim was designed and painted by the Grosh artisians back when the park opened on July 17th 1955.
4. When Jimmy Stewart was getting started in his career, he befriended Robert Grosh. Robert offered him the loft above the back scenic office. He used it as his sleeping quarters until his acting career took off.
5. Britney Spears: Because I love her and am glad she is making a comeback! Our circus banners can be seen throughout her Circus video.
6. Salvador Dali: Grosh once owned a backdrop (desert scene) which was designed by Salvador Dali for the dream sequence in the movie Spellbound.
7. Grosh used to own a building on Commercial Street in Glendale, and in the back of the building was this backdrop rolled on a tube and slid into another. We were selling the commercial street building, and the new owners were moving in, and they wanted it removed. Eric, our CA Warehouse Manager, hired a large truck to make the move, and we hung it on frame #5 to see what it was. It was painted by a man named Frank Tenny Johnson. His signature was at the bottom right corner of the drop. We invited a historian in to tell us if it was worth anything. He told us it was the fire curtain that hung in the McCarthy Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, and appeared in the movie Gone with the Wind. It was a picture of a family on their covered wagon being pulled by two oxen. The historian said its title was “The Pioneer Crossing of the Donner Pass”. Eric was told that it was appraised at a million and a half dollars; whether that was an accurate number or not we don’t know. The historian asked if there were any more old items in the building. We pulled out our catalogs, and he glanced through them and found three that were painted by Salvador Dali. I don’t know what they were appraised at.
8. Grosh Backdrops has “gone green” in the following ways: We recycle paper, boxes, and plastic bags, converted to paperless faxes, an e-file and documenting system, and interoffice communication, and we no longer use Styrofoam cups, plates, etc.
9. Every year for Halloween, Grosh holds a costume contest at work. Last year, the winner was Sandra, our wonderful Administrative Coordinator. She dressed up as Amy Winehouse.
10. In 1952, Paramount Pictures (down the road on Melrose and Vaness) produced a movie called “The Stooge” starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The movie was about a Vaudeville act where one performer (Dean Martin) took advantage of the talents of Jerry Lewis (the stooge). ES0212 and ES0213 were used as the front curtain on the stage that the two performed in front of in the movie. If you rent the movie, you can see the drop as plain as day. Just look behind them as they perform on stage.
    Grosh invites you to rent it to see for yourself.

11. *NSYNC: Because they have a tie to Britney, and we love Britney: Bye Bye Bye video opening marionette scene showcases our green and gold drapery.

12. Weeds, Heroes, House, CSI New York and Las Vegas, 90210, Ghost Whisperer, Brothers and Sisters, The Ellen Show, and the Late Night with Conan O’brien (as recently as his show on 08/06/09, S2799 and S5035) are just a few of our clients.
13. Laurel and Hardy. Why these two clowns came in here, I don’t know, but Eric, our CA Warehouse Mgr, was told that they would purposely park across the street on Sunset Blvd and the skinny one (Laurel) would step out and stop traffic while the fat one (Hardy) would cross the street.
14. For the past few years, country singer Tanya Tucker has toured with a variety of our backdrops for her various concerts in Canada, Mississippi, Vegas, and her Christmas and Valentine’s shows.
15. Boys II Men toured with a Grosh Backdrop in the early 90s.
16. Some scenes in the famous 1959 movie “Imitation of Life” with Lana Turner showcase our Painted Gold Travelers S0916 and S0917.
17. Every month, we highlight a Customer of the Month and include a nice write-up about them in our blog and newsletter, as well as post it on our social networking sites.
    ***If you would like a chance to be highlighted as an upcoming Customer of the Month, then please email us some Hi-res images and/or send us a video showcasing our backdrops and drapery***
18. Our Grosh Scenic Artists have also done custom work for artists Amy Winehouse, 30 Seconds to Mars, Meatloaf, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, White Snake, and Aerosmith, just to name a few.
19. Andrew Bernstein, from Bernstein Associates Photography, is a big fan of our drapery. Since 2005, he has been renting drapery for various NBA photo shoots, particularly those involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Laker Girls.
20. Noted photographer Autumn de Wilde is a local client who has been renting from us since 2007. Her portfolio is magnificent. To check out more of her work, go to her website.
21. – 25. So many to list, it counts for 5! Some of the famous people to walk the halls of Grosh Scenic Rentals: Debbie Reynolds, Madonna, David Copperfield, musical groups: “Toto”, R.E.M, Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weird Al Yankovic, Nine Inch Nails LEAD Singer Trent Reznor, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Love from the Beach Boys, and Billy Zane from Titanic.