 Family Theater presents Leo Carrillo, Robert Bailey, and Eugene Biskaluz. Mutual network in cooperation with Family Theater Incorporated transcribes a salute to the city of Los Angeles on her 168th birthday. Starring Leo Carrillo and Robert Bailey, we bring you Queen of the Angels. You introduce the drama, your host, Sheriff Eugene Biskaluz. A city is many things to many men. To some it is only an animate concrete and wooden steel, laid out in geometric patterns on a piece of land. To others it's a fluid, ever-changing place of terror. It's streets and miasmic, fear-filled trails of some awesome jungle. To still other men, a city is a happy, gay, and carefree place, for one may live with other men under the sunny skies of peace and contentment. Yes, a city is many things to many men. But a city is more than these things, for its life is partaken of the lives and deaths of the humans who have dwelled in it. To share their fears and their hopes and their dreams and their prayers. And its immortal soul, like theirs, must be founded on faith. Faith in the goodness of mankind, faith in one's God. Tonight we bring you the story of a city, Leo Carrillo as the Padre. And Robert Bailey as Jim are the stars who will tell it to you. Listen as they bring you the story of the Queen of the Angels, the story of the city known as Los Angeles. Out of the muck and the mire of a muddy river bottom, up from the tinder-dry brown hills, out of pain and time, sun-baked valley and holy dreams, out of cactus patch and selfless devotion to God, was born a city. El pueblo de nuestra senora la reina de Los Angeles de Portiuncola. The city of our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of the Portiuncola River. So you'd like to know something about Los Angeles, huh? Well, believe me, you've come to the right guy. There's nothing about this town I don't know. Every nightclub, airplane, factory, movie studio and tarpon. From the oil derricks out on Signal Hill to the chicken farms in the San Fernando Valley. But then I ought to know him. I'm practically a native son. Lived out here for 10 years now. So if you want to know anything about Los Angeles, just ask Jim. I too know something of this city, of the Angels. Not of its nightclubs, factories perhaps, but of its soul. Of the things that went into creating it. Of its conception and the arduous travail of its birth. For I too might be called a native son. I came to this city over 150 years ago. My name? Well, just call me Padre. If I'm going to tell you about this town of LA, maybe a better start at the beginning. When the place really came to life. That was a long time ago, 38 years to be exact. Way back in October of 1911. Three men came into town one morning from the east. They were Dave and Bill Horsley and Al Christie. They rented a buckboard and started driving around. So this is Los Angeles. I can't say I think much of it. Well, maybe it's not too pretty, Dave. But you've got to admit that sun is sure of them burning down all morning. Back east we'd be shivering in our overcoats. Maybe getting soaked in the rain right now. Yeah, I guess that's right, Bill. And sunshine's what we're interested in. Plenty of it. Maybe this is the spot for our business. What do you think, Al? I think we found what we're looking for, boys. Wait, Dave, wait. Stop the buckboard. What is it, Al? Look, look over there. See that building? You mean that old taboo? Yeah, yeah. Take a good look at it, boys. That big barn in the rear particularly. Looks pretty good to me, Al. It's far enough out in the country so we'd have room to work in. Well, all right. Let's go in and rent it. And we'll get started tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning? Not wasting any time, are you, Al? Well, we can't afford to. We only have $2,500. That's really not too much money to make a couple of motion pictures with. Yeah, if you ask me, that's when Los Angeles was really born. When the Blonto Tavern in Hollywood was turned into the Nestor Studios and they began to shoot their first picture, the Law of the Range. Why, within 20 years, the payroll of the picture industry was over a million and a half a week. That original $2,500 a capital grew to over $2 billion. It takes big industry to make a city live. Big industry? Invested capital? Surely those are terms that were unfamiliar to me in my time. But if you wish to speak of the birth of a city in those terms, what more important industry than that which devotes itself exclusively to the welfare of mankind? What capital can be better employed than that of compassionate heart in the well-being of the bodies and the souls of one's fellow men? What investment can bring greater profit than that of a lifetime spent in the devotion of God? I, too, would mark the beginning of the city by the meeting of three men in the month of October. But the year I have in mind is that of 1768, for it was then that José Galvez, visitador general of New Spain, territory later to become Mexico, summons to his present Don Gaspar de Portola, governor of Lower California and Padre Juniper Ocerra, president of the Holy Franciscan missions in that territory. The three men met in the city of Santana, New Spain. My dear friends, I have asked you to meet with me to discuss a problem of the utmost import. I have been commissioned by his royal majesty, King Carlos III, to take immediate steps to occupy the territory of California. The occupation of California, General Galvez? The commission of the gravest import, indeed. Yes, Don Gaspar. Which is why I wish you to take personal command of the occupation forces. Such an expedition has been my fondest dream, General. I accept with the most heartfelt of thanks. And what reason did you have for calling me here, General Galvez? What responsibility do you intend to place in my hands? The gravest responsibility of all, Patricer. The responsibility for the spiritual well-being of our conquering forces and the salvation of the souls of our subject peoples, the Indians of California. Will you accept, Pari? No, General Galvez. I cannot accept you. You cannot accept, Pari, but I do not understand. One cannot enforce salvation with sword and musket. Nor can there be much hope for the spiritual well-being of those who speak in terms of conquest and subject peoples. No. I cannot accept, General. You realize, Patricerra, that you are defying the wishes of the king of Spain? Should his wishes then take precedence over those of the king of hosts? Patricerra, I know that you, as well as I, have dreamed of a great work to be done in the territory of California. Surely then you must have some plan as to how it may be accomplished. I have, Don Gaspar de Portora. But they do not include forts or conquest. The weapons would not be sword and musket, but rather kindness, humility. And the strength of the word of God. What do you propose then, Pari? Allow me to accompany Don Gaspar and establish a chain of missions in California. And I shall accept with humble thanks the responsibility you proffered me. The plan was accepted by General Galvez and Patricerra's dreams of the chain of missions in California came true. And on September the 8th in 1771 was founded the mission of San Gabriel Archangel. The mission of San Gabriel, which is to become the mother of El Pueblo, de Nuestra Señora, la Reina de Los Angeles de la Porciuncula. Yes, there is San Gabriel on September the 8th in 1771 was the city of the Queen of the Angels in reality conceived. What is this business of trying to tie in some place by the name of San Gabriel with Los Angeles? Oh, sure, I've heard of the place, all right. Some little spot out of town where they grow oranges or something. But Hank, if you're going to talk about little towns around this city, why not pick on some like Santa Monica or Malibu with their deep-sea fishing and wonderful beaches, or Beverly Hills with its movie stars and swag shops and restaurants, or Pasadena with its Rose Bowl, or for laughs, a couple of towns almost anybody knows who's listened to the radio. Now, get this, folks. Here's the punch of room. Then Pat says to Mike, Pat says, well, when the nurse told you that you were the father of twins, what did you say? And Mike says to Pat, Mike says, what could I say? I told her to name him Azusa and Cucamonga. Now, there's a couple of towns that mean something to the people of LA, Azusa and Cucamonga. Yes, sir, the finest laugh-getters in radio outside of Brooklyn. But San Gabriel, who ever heard of it? Why, Hank, I don't even know how to get there. It's not difficult to get to San Gabriel from the city of Angels today, my friend. It lies but 10 miles away, with many broad payu-therapher as leading to it. But when padre Pedro Benito Gambon and padre Ángel Somera left San Diego on August the 6th in 1771, in order to establish that mission at San Gabriel, their destination lay 130 miles away. 130 miles of travel along the El Camino Riel, the King's Highway. 130 miles of sun-brown hills and stubble-filled valleys, fire-burned prairie, with faith and hope and prayer for the task that lay ahead. But one day, the two Padres came upon a river. The loam was rich, black from the silt of the water's overflow. A clump of cottonwoods grew, brave and green upon the banks. And within the trees stood hovels of mud and reed called hacaales, ugly dwellings, crude and primitive. It was an Indian village. Padre Gambon held up his hand and the horseman stopped. Do you recognize this place, Padre Somera? Yes, Padre Gambon. It looks exactly as Padre Crespi described it in his diary. It must be the village of Yangna. Yes, Yangna. And Padre Crespi was right when he said its soil seemed capable of producing every kind of fruit and grain, that its terrain promised all the requisites for a large settlement. Would you think then that this would be the place for us to establish our mission? Oh, no. No, that has already been ordained for us. The mission will be dedicated at the river San Miguel. But let us not forget this village of Yangna. Someday, a procedure may arise here. Even a great city, perhaps. Here on the banks of the real porcincula. Now, that's a lot of background, Dope, on Wentwin Island, California, 168 years ago, all right? And some of its pretty interesting stuff too. But that's all dead and buried by now. This town is big and alive and busting out all over with health and enthusiasm and beauty. Those are the things to talk about now. The things that make Los Angeles a real queen of cities. As for that little mudhole, the porcincula river, say this town couldn't wash its hands for one meal on that tiny stream. Why, by 1980, the engineers say over a billion gallons of water a day will come into this area. Now, that's what I really call water. Padre Cabón and Padre Sumera knew of water too. The holy water with which they blessed the land upon which the mission of San Gabriel was founded. The water of the perspiration so freely given by their bodies as they toiled unbelievable hours to erect their buildings and till and plant their land. And early in the year 1781, a proclamation was issued by Don Felipe de Neve, governor of California, a series of new regulations for the administration of the territory. And Governor Neve's Regimento said in part, In addition, provision shall be made for two pueblos, one at San Jose and another to be established on the Rio de Pocioncola and called D'Ouestra Senora de Los Angeles. Settlers for these regions shall be recruited from the older provinces. What was that about recruiting settlers? Why, people keep pouring into Los Angeles today almost faster than we can handle them. And why not? Where else in the middle of winter can you pick oranges out of your backyard for breakfast, play golf or go swimming in the morning, then drive for an hour and go skiing or bobsledding in the afternoon? Recruit settlers? It looks like our job out here will be trying to drive them away. And there's wealth out here too. Plenty of that big industry we were talking about a while back. Now, wonder settlers keep flocking in here. They think there's another cold rush on, only this one's in 1949 instead of 1849. If you wish to speak of wealth in the city of the angels, why don't you speak of your libraries and parks, your planetarium, your great universities, your churches, what of the wealth of the lovely flowers and the warmth of the sun, of your great symphonies and theatres, your scientists, artists, musicians and writers, of the sprawling acres of woodland and verdant valleys where there's room to live and breathe and bring up strong healthy suntan children. These are the things of wealth that truly make the city of the angels. Well, you'll get no argument from me there, Padre, but you can't take all those other things I've mentioned and throw them out the window. Oh, of course not. They all play a part in the making of a city, but settlers look for more in a city than yellow gold. They seek something else, just as did Jose Moreno in his family. Jose Moreno? Who's he? Where does he come in? Oh, he comes in as you put it, my son, on the morning of September the 4th, 1781. A small body of men was preparing to leave the mission of San Gabriel Arcangel and a young man approached a friar who was supervising the activity. Padre, may I speak with you a moment? Of course, my son. What is it? I am Jose Moreno, Padre. I have here a copy of the Reglamento of Gobnador de Neve. I have no education in reading, Padre, and well, I wish to be certain I am to receive this wealth they have promised. Wealth? You speak of wealth, Jose? Uh, yes, yes. The wealth they say will be mine. Padre, please read it to me. Very well, my son. It says, Jose, that each settler shall receive the annual sum of $116 for two years and the sum of $60 annually for the next three. There is the wealth you are to receive. What is it, Jose? You seem downcast. Padre, I do not wish to go to the new settlement now. Do not wish to go? No. Why not, Jose? Is not the goal that is promised enough for you? That goal means nothing to me, Padre. That is not the wealth I was speaking of. No, no, no. They promised me that here if I work hard and till the soil and raise my crops, build my home, tin my cattle, they promised that the land I work for and earn would be mine, that then I would be a free man in this free land. That, Padre, is what I meant by wealth. I'm sorry, Jose. I misunderstood. Of course, there will be land for you if you work for it. Livestock, improvements, and seeds also. And you mean, Padre, that if I work hard and long and strive for the blessing of God, this will really be mine? For me, my wife, my children? Yes, my son. For by the sweat of your brow, you may call for yourself a new life here in this new land. Oh, thank you, Padre. Thank you. That is all I wish to know. But I was truly being given an opportunity to make for myself and family this new life. For that, Padre, that is all the wealth any man needs in this world. And so on September the 4th, 1781, a little cavalcade started out from San Gavriel mission. Through sun-brown hills and stubble-filled valleys and over the verdant loam and the rich black mud of the river bottoms, it made its way to the real Panciuncula. And there, in a little clearing was made, and the holy water was sprinkled over the bowed heads of those brave new settlers. The men, women and children who asked nothing more but the opportunity to make for themselves a new life in this new land. And so with God's blessing was born a city, the city of the angel, Mosang Hillet. I think you've made your point, all right, but I think I've made mine too. Maybe this place was born 168 years ago, but by golly, it's still a long way from being grown up. It's a bright, happy, up-and-coming youngster, filled with excitement and love of life. One minute like teenagers in the sentimental stage of a puppy love, and the next like those same two kids tearing the joint apart to a jukebox tune. Hey, wait a minute. Speaking about music, that reminds me, I got a record here that some kids brought over. They seem to think it's sort of expressed the modern Los Angeles, and by golly, maybe it does. Let's put it on and hear for ourselves. Well, Fana, what do you think? Would you like to nominate that as a theme song for the city? Well, but what it is, my son, it's a good song, for it represents the feelings of a certain group of people about this city at a certain period of time. But music truly representative of a city must be more than merely a song. It must come from the heartbeat and the soul, from the hopes and the longings, and the faith of the people who dwell therein. It must be music such as was sung on the verdant banks of a river over a century and a half ago, music such as sustained those early settlers through the trials and tribulations of a city's birth, music that in good times or bad through heartbreak and happiness can sustain and uplift, heal the wounds and bring comfort and renewed hope to the wounded. Yes, my son, the only music that can truly represent the soul of a city is the music of God, immortal, eternal and everlasting. Out of the muck in the mire of a muddy river bottom, up from the tinder-dry brown hills, out of pain and time, sun-baked valley of the holy dreams, out of cactus patch and selfless devotion to God, was born a city, El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Los Angeles de la Porciuncula. The city of our lady, the queen of the angels, Los Angeles. Thank you, Leo Carrillo, mi muy buen amigo y pariente, and Robert Bailey for bringing to our family theater audience the story of the city of Los Angeles. I'll bet even the people of San Francisco enjoyed it. No matter how fast a city grows or how great it becomes, should never forget its beginnings. Look at almost any city and you'll find it was found in the dreams and ideals and sacrifices of a few men. They were usually men of faith, able and confident, but not too proud to ask God's help and blessing. It's a rare city in this country which did not have a church as one of its first permanent buildings. Building a family is a lot like building a city. A family is founded on ideals and sacrifices and faith, and a family too needs God's constant help and protection. A family needs prayer as a city or a nation needs prayer if we are to make this world a better place to live in. That is why we of family theater urge you to find out for yourselves in your own homes that the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Here as transcribed the story of the Queen of the Angels, starring Leo Carilio and Robert Bailey, with Sheriff Eugene Bescaluz as your host. Others in our cast were High Aberback, Pedro de Cordova, Larry Dobkin, Herbert Butterfield, Jay Nevello, Bill Gray, and Tony Barrett. Queen of the Angels was written by Sidney Marshall with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Jaime Del Valle. These Family Theater broadcasts are made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars from stage, screen and radio who have so unselfishly given of their time and talents to appear on our Family Theater stage. This is Gene Baker inviting you to join us next week at this same time when your Family Theater will bring you Henry Wattsworth Longfellow's Unforgettable Poem, Evangeline, starring John Lund and Virginia Gray. Join us won't you? 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