calikid

I worked at Sony Studios (the old MGM studios) for more than 10 years. There is no respect for Houston as a film town. The people in Austin have bad mouth the bayou city to the point that must film makers don't even consider filming here, they head for Austin. Don't even try to get money for a great project, it is almost impossible. I have a friend who has tried for the last several years to sell a movie based on Candance Mossler. The last time I spoke to him he was still trying to line up backers and trying to sell the deal to one of the cable channels. He was totally into the Candace Mossler thing, which I never heard of until he brought in a stack of old newspapers clipping, I can not image why this was never a big Hollywood movie, could it be the Houston location? It had everything, Huge creepy River Oaks mansion with servants spying on everyone, young wife, old husband, nephew sleeping with uncle's wife, adopted kids picked from newspaper story, old man killed off, wife and nephew charged with murder, showcase trail led by Percy Forman, trail ending with young widow kissing all the male jurors who let her off and the best ending in a movie, young widow suffocates herself while asleep. Oh yea! I should call my buddy and become his first backer on this film.

In response to some of the questions concerning my bad experience trying to buy a home in River Oaks. My wife and I confronted the agent . She of coursed denied any wrong doing, Her response was she was doing us a favor trying to find us the best home possible and she felt that we were limiting ourselves by not looking in other areas. At this moment we informed her we needed to find another agent. We found a wonderful agent and continued to look in the area, but after meeting some of the residents we both decided on a new home in an integrated area with great schools and a better class of neighbors. In our new community there are many mixed couples. There is also a great mix of professionals ranging from Doctors, Athletes and several local TV personalities.It reminds us a lot of our old "WE HO" , I can actually stand on my lawn and chat with a famous footballer before Sunday's game or wave across the street to a well know local TV star. Our kids play together and no one cares who mommy and daddy are. I think we made the right decision to move here. We are helping set the new standard of acceptance, not trying to conserve the old enclave. This was my first experience with prejudice and it was an eye opener, it was so smooth and gentle you didn't know what was coming your way until it hit you. But We still love Houston and things can only change for the better!

Recently, I went house hunting in River Oaks with my wife who happens to be African American. We have just relocated from the WE HO area of LA a very integrated and forward thinking area. When I arrived first and started to look for homes on my own with my chosen agent everything was nice and polite and the agent was virtually kicking in doors of homes that were not "officially" on the market when she was informed this was going to be a cash sale and my price range was in the 7 figures. When my wife joined me to complete our house hunting all those not "officially" on the market homes disappeared, my agent wanted us to look at homes in Royal Oaks, Riverside Terrace, Braes wood , Meyer land. All of a sudden the homes that were of interest to us in River Oaks were being described as old,needing lots of updates,or owners reconsidering selling. I am fully aware that we were being discouraged from living here, when it was discovered that an interracial couple wanted to move in. We finally decided on a new home in Sienna Plantation. I would never step foot in this "hood" ever again. They are racist, but very nice!