Tim Morgon signed a recording and management deal with Nikas. Though Nikas owned The Prison of Socrates and other local clubs (Golden Bear, Rouge et Noir, Cosmos), he had no experience in the record industry. What’s more, Morgon’s deal with Nikas was for seven years. Before Morgon signed, he showed the contracts to his mother and a friend in the music industry. Both of them told him he 56 He took a job headlining at the Ice House in Pasadena. His hair was longer, but he still sang mainstream pop – “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” Former Paradox owner fills in some blanks by Juanita Lovret Reprinted courtesy of the Tustin News (Read the original article by clicking here.) In attempting to answer the question, “Where was the Paradox in Tustin?” being asked by those who read Steve Martin’s new book, “Born Standing Up,” in Remember When on Feb. 7 I fell flat on my face. Because Martin mentioned the Paradox being in Tustin twice, on pages 66 and 70, I assumed it was correct. Research on the Internet turned up additional references to Tustin as well as to Jamestown Village. Since the Village Theater had closed, it seemed likely that the Paradox had taken over that location. A call from Janet Hampton proved all this wrong. Janet, who appeared at the Paradox as a singer when she was only 15, thinks that after some 40 years Steve Martin confused the town of Tustin and the Tustin Ave. location of the Paradox. She was able to give me the names of the owners as well as the correct address in Orange. Then Hank Fisher, who was one of the owners, sent a wonderful e-mail which really ended the confusion. “Since your article last week my wife Cordi and I have received several calls informing us about it. Since there was much confusion about where it (the Paradox) was and when it was, I thought you might like some help in filling in the blanks. “My partner, Bob Sheffer, our wives and I opened the Paradox at 225 S. Tustin Ave. (just south of Chapman) in the city of Orange in June of 1965. We closed it in May of 1968. All of the entertainers that you mentioned in your article plus others appeared at the Paradox and most got their start there. “The comedian Pat Paulson lived only a few blocks away and used to drop by regularly just to hang out. It was during this time that he became a regular on the Smothers Brothers TV Show and his fame spread far and wide as he became a perennial candidate for president. “Another regular who would stop by from time to time to just jam with other regulars after closing was Jose Feliciano. Other popular entertainers who also appeared at that time were Hoyt Axton, Brownie McGee and Sunny Terry, The New Lost City Ramblers, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, The Pair Extraordinare, Jimmy Fielder, Tony Duecy and Steve Gillette. “Of course, there were many, many others whose names I have forgotten. “Coincidentally, this past year several of our alumni decided it would be nice to have a 40-year (roughly) Paradox reunion for all those able and interested. “Our ex-partners Bob and Helen Sheffer bought 8 acres in the Grass Valley/Nevada City area about 15 years ago and moved there from Santa Ana . Many former entertainers have moved north as well. The Sheffers’ 8 acres were perfect for an outdoor songfest and so it was held there over this past Labor Day weekend . The reunion was well attended and many of those who couldn’t attend phoned, including Jackson.” I am grateful to hear from those who could correctly answer the question, ”Where was the Paradox?” I am sorry that they didn’t turn them up in my original research, but I appreciate their kindness in getting me on the right track. Thank you! © Tustin Area Historical Society; 395 El Camino Real; Tustin, CA 92780 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (Read the follow-up article by clicking here.) Steve Martin’s memoir, “Born Standing Up,” describes the early days of his career, his work at the Bird Cage in Knott’s Berry Farm and how he turned his magic act into a comedy routine. He also mentions several folk music coffee houses that operated in Orange County during the 1960s including Prison of Socrates on Balboa Island, the Mecca in Buena Park, the Paradox in Tustin and Rouge et Noir in Seal Beach. The idea of Steve Martin entertaining at a coffee house in Tustin has raised a lot of questions. What and where was the Paradox? Almost no one in Tustin today remembers the coffee house, which took over the Jamestown Village Theater location after its final curtain. C. T. Gilbreath, a builder of fine homes and the Jamestown Village shopping center, was a theater buff and included a small theater at the rear when he planned the shopping center. Audiences sat in red director’s chairs arranged in a semicircle around the stage. Opening in 1963, the playhouse attracted full houses in its early years, but eventually interest waned and the little theater closed around 1968. The Paradox, which opened soon after this, gave many Orange County musicians their start. Steve Noonan, Greg Copeland, and Jackson Browne, all from Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, interned there. As both a performer at the venue and an emcee at the club’s hootenanny nights, Noonan worked with Tim Buckley, Penny Nichols, Mary McCaslin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jennifer Warnes, Kathy Smith, and Jimmie Spheeris as they were launching their careers. Earl Scruggs, probably the best banjo player who ever lived, was another Paradox alumnus. He invented (or at least popularized) the threefinger picking style used in bluegrass music. He also wrote what is probably the second-most-famous banjo tune ever, “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” which was featured in the Bonnie and Clyde movie. He also wrote and performed the theme for The Beverly Hillbillies TV show, and appeared as a guest star on the show a number of times. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gave its first performance at the Paradox before going on to bigger and better things including the Johnny Carson show. Some 40 years later in 2007 they were recognized with a Grammy Award. Margaret Pottenger, proprietor of The Jabberwocky, a popular shop for teenage girls, is one of the rare people recalling the theater, only because she held fashion shows there. However she has no recollection of the Paradox. Stephen Gilbreath, son of C. T. and manager of Jamestown Village today, doesn’t recall ever going to the Paradox even though he was a Tustin High School student during its heyday. Apparently Tustin High School students were not into folk jazz. Today, no sign of either the Village Theater or the Paradox remains in Jamestown Village. The location at the rear on the south side of the complex is occupied by a beauty salon and spa. Other popular Orange County folk jazz coffee houses suffered similar fates. Prison of Socrates is now a pizzeria while the Mecca became Aloha Family Billiards.