Michael Wayne:
CLASS OF 1978
Kern Valley High SchoolClass of 1978
Lake isabella, CA
Venice High SchoolClass of 1978
Los angeles, CA
Wallace Junior High SchoolClass of 1973
Lake isabella, CA
Mark Twain Junior High SchoolClass of 1973
Venice, CA
Walgrove Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
Venice, CA
Michael's Story
Life updated: 11/27/08
I was born and raised in Mar Vista, California. Went to Walgrove Elementary K-6, and one year at Mark Twain Junior High School. Played for 4 years up at North Venice Little League before moving up to Lake Isabella, California. Graduated from Kern Valley High in 1978 and moved back down to L.A. to go college.
After H.S. I ended up in the San Fernando Valley, like no way! Went to college, tore up my left knee (ACL tore in half and was removed) so I had to retire from football. After college I went to work for Hughes Aircraft in El Segundo. I worked in the data center for the F-18 radar systems (The F-18 at the time was the brand new Navy Fighter Jet). After a few years I couldn't take sitting behind a desk anymore...and the 2 hour commute each way to and from work in heavy L.A. traffic just got to be too much.
I started my own business in '82 cleaning swimming pools and worked it for 3 years until the constant Santa Ana winds of the Valley got the better of me. I did however always have a great tan! In '85 I went back in-doors and started my own little sign business, hand lettering and using the airbrush in my designs.
Nothing really eventful happened until Feb. '89 when I went to work for a company in North Hollywood called, MovieArt, Inc. We made signs & props for movies, T.V. and commercials...which changed my life for the better! There I learned to design and make signs using computer graphics. I'm sure you have seen much of my work not knowing it, the signs and props for: ("Back to the Future 2&3"; "Terminator 2"; "Rocky 5", "War of the Roses"; all of the graphics for the Academy & Emmy Award shows, Super Bowls '89-90;'91-92, to name a few). I did love it, everyday was something different to design and make for some new production. But it usually was 7 days and over 100 hours a week, and at least one day a week around the clock to meet a deadline...needless to say it took it's toll. The money was great but I had no life.
In 1993 my Mother became seriously ill and I pulled up stakes and moved back to the Lake to help my Father take care of her. Looking back I am really glad I got the chance to spend the last years of her life at her side and was there when she passed on the morning of September 21, 1995. I decided to stay and help my Father get on with his life.
From 1994 to 2000 I was a Coach at Kern Valley High School. One year in Football and 6 years as a Track coach. I specialized in Shot-put and Discus until 2000.
I retired from Coaching and re-opened my old sign shop and updated it with computer graphics. I presently have a small sign shop at my residence in Bakersfield. So since I have a home based biz I play Mr. Mom with my daughter and wouldn't change it for the world!
During my time in Holl...Expand for more
ywood, my wife, whom I did not meet until 1997, was a "Page" at NBC. A funny thing was that back in 1988 we did meet during the taping of the game show "Classic Concentration". I was there supporting my good friend Dan Fadling (who won on the Grand Prize) who was on the show. We both had forgotten that day and didn't realize this until last year when I showed her the tape of the show and she remembered that taping. Small world. She moved on from being a "Page" to working on the Television show "Golden Girls" as a production assistant to Estell, Bea, Rue and Betty. She has nothing but good things to say about all of the ladies on the show.
After the show she went on to Therapy School to become a Physical Therapist. That is her present profession which she dearly loves! She is also a graduate from Colorado State University and was a cast member of the group, "Up with People" where she got to travel around the world, singing and dancing for 2 years. She said it was an amazing experience. Oh, and she's a "Jersey Girl"...born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey.
I thought I'd add that in 1992 for a short time I was a stand-up comic. I performed 4 times at the "IMPROV" in Santa Monica. (Where they filmed the TV show "Evening at the IMROV") and the "ICE HOUSE" in Pasadena. It was nerve racking but once I got on stage and started my set the butterflies went away. I was also featured in the "Julie Brown comedy night at the IMPROV" show and had a blast! Somewhere I have the video tapes of the shows. I got to meet some great people and some funny comics.
Some from KV may remember that I was always telling jokes, most of them bad...I learned to write my material taking a class on comedy writing at Loyola Marymount University in Manchester, Los Angeles. My class was a featured news story at KTLA channel 13 News for being the first of it's kind at any University.
I moved out of L.A. and had to give up the comedy. I still write whenever the mood strikes me and who knows, maybe one day I'll get back into it. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LAUGH!!!
Presently we are looking at houses up in Tehachapi California, the air in Bakersfield is just getting to bad and the neighborhood is deteriorating, so the fresh air and the smaller community of the mountains is very appealing. I noticed there is a restaurant up there that has an open mic night for poetry, readings and...COMEDY. I just might have to check it out!
Also, I have played Unlimited Arc Slow-Pitch Softball off and on for over 20 years as a power-hitting first baseman. I haven't played for 10 years but am trying to get back into shape to play again if my knees cooperate. I do miss the competitiveness of sports.
I guess you could call this the Reader's Digest version story of my life....Quick and Simple.
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