My career has covered over 32 years, for the most part in and around Beverly Hills, California and Southern California. That says it all! I had lots of great guidance and assistance one of those who I have spoken about several times is, Armand Keosian, Esquire. Armand gave me my first most incredible office in Century City, California and it was an office with one hell of a view. It was of the The Los Angeles Country Club, this was my view all from my office window over looking Wilshire Blvd in Century City! All because this wonderful man, Armand Keosian thought I needed a little help and boy did he ever give me a start. Imagine a relatively new private investigator and I had a real address in Century City, it got no better than this. Armand Keosian had one of the biggest law offices I had ever seen back in those days. The office was huge and Armand had an incredible carved desk that screamed success! The law library alone was as big as some lawyers entire office suites. I will always be thankful to Armand, Helen, Greg and Chris they were always good to me and asked for nothing in return, it was a blessing. Back in those days, to just park in the building for a month was a lot of money and I had my own assigned space! Armand is gone now and I am still talking about what a great man he was.
For all the obvious reasons I was also blessed to be associated with people like Neal Hersh and Joe Mannis who allowed me to work with some of their very very famous celebrity clients. Keep in mind that Neal and Joe were magnets for many of the biggest names in the entertainment industry and still are to this day. Al Pacino was just one of Neal Hersh’s clients and when “Al” had a need, I was called. To this day, I can remember sitting in the living room of Al Pacino’s home on Beverly Boulevard in Beverly Hills. While I was waiting I had a conversation with one of Pacino’s assistants aka ‘Gate Keeper’, every celebrity seems to have one or two. Some of them are legit in their concerns and many are just empty suits, often feeling very important with the authority they have and having no real purpose other than to answer the phone or door as directed. Odd, as it seems, I always get along with the “help” and love spending time in the kitchens much of the time waiting and having coffee.
The next thing I know Al Pacino walks into the room, he looked pretty much what you and I have seen on the big screen, and the voice! To say it was a life event, it really was! Very cool to meet in person one of my big screen heroes would have been an understatement. Immediately he wanted to know if I was comfortable and if I needed anything. I always had the ability to ignore pretty quickly the celebrity and see just another regular person, who was in need of my services. As we spoke I took the liberty to mention that one of my favorite movies of his was, “Scent of a Women” a movie that was released in 1992. Al looked at me and said, “the godfather did not work for you?” Of course, I had all the VHS movies and on DVD’s of The Godfather in my personal collection. Of course, I loved all of Al Pacino’s movies, but that movie, “Scent of a women”, was just incredible to me and still is to this day.
It has always been my policy to never work with or for any famous person and ask for pictures or autographs…. never. Having been with Mr. Sinatra, Mr. Martin, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, Britney Spears, Courtney Love, Vin Diesel and so many others, never did it….. (never mind presidents and heads of state). It made those I worked for feel comfortable that I was not drooling over them as “celebrities”, but dealing with them and their problems as people who needed my help and desperately so, in some cases. My memories and those of my family who met with many of these folks in the course of long relationships was enough. My kids hung out with Elizabeth Taylor in her bedroom, formal dinners at Miss Peggy Lee’s home, traveled on private jets with Paul Anka and on and on. Some, were super generous and gave gifts to my boys and to my nephew in the form of items they were comfortable in giving, nothing was ever asked for, ever.
My first encounter with Miss Peggy Lee, Doris Duke and Nancy Reagan will be discussed in other upcoming articles, all I can say is there will never, ever be anyone or anything close to these women. I loved these three women so much, just reflecting and writing about them can bring a tear to my eye, such a blessing.