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RE: Abalone JOE.
In the 1950s there number of characters who populated or were frequent visitors to Catalina Island especially Avalon. John Caradine, father of the actors, who would have a few drinks then entertain the visitors with his magnificent voice reciting Shakespeare -- hours and hours of Shakespeare..the actor John Wayne and all his cronies; Ward Bond, Bill Holden, Bruce Cabot were known to have tipped a few...I recall setting next to a 1950s heartthrob Jeanie Crane chatting about diving... so many moons ago
However I am interested in information on "Abalone Joe."
He was foreign born had a Scandinavian accent - I some how recall he was from Denmark. He lived in a small home in San Pedro but would row his boat standing up all the way to the island to the west end quarry where he could use the same docking facilities made many generations before for the epic B&W Silent movie "Birth if a nation" by the great director D. W. Griffin.
He was famous for rowing his boat up and down the island using a look box to locate and a long hook to pull off the then plentiful green, pink and occasional white abalones. He would then , shuck, pound the abalone and row among the yachts to sell them. The F&G never objected of his enterprise and they certainly must have known about him...
Some time around the late 1950s perhaps early 1960s he disappeared from the Catalina scene.
I realize all this was prior to your intro to diving and probably long before many of you took your first terrestrial breath, but I am researching some one that so little is known and nothing has been written, therefore I would like to obtain some information about him to wit;
His birth name?
His nationality?
His date of departure from this earth
And any and all information I can glean.
I some how suspect Dr. Bill might have the answers but then some of you might recall your parents who also knew him, up close and personal as I did or as a Legend of Catalina island which he certainly was.
I appreciate any and all assistance..sdm
In the 1950s there number of characters who populated or were frequent visitors to Catalina Island especially Avalon. John Caradine, father of the actors, who would have a few drinks then entertain the visitors with his magnificent voice reciting Shakespeare -- hours and hours of Shakespeare..the actor John Wayne and all his cronies; Ward Bond, Bill Holden, Bruce Cabot were known to have tipped a few...I recall setting next to a 1950s heartthrob Jeanie Crane chatting about diving... so many moons ago
However I am interested in information on "Abalone Joe."
He was foreign born had a Scandinavian accent - I some how recall he was from Denmark. He lived in a small home in San Pedro but would row his boat standing up all the way to the island to the west end quarry where he could use the same docking facilities made many generations before for the epic B&W Silent movie "Birth if a nation" by the great director D. W. Griffin.
He was famous for rowing his boat up and down the island using a look box to locate and a long hook to pull off the then plentiful green, pink and occasional white abalones. He would then , shuck, pound the abalone and row among the yachts to sell them. The F&G never objected of his enterprise and they certainly must have known about him...
Some time around the late 1950s perhaps early 1960s he disappeared from the Catalina scene.
I realize all this was prior to your intro to diving and probably long before many of you took your first terrestrial breath, but I am researching some one that so little is known and nothing has been written, therefore I would like to obtain some information about him to wit;
His birth name?
His nationality?
His date of departure from this earth
And any and all information I can glean.
I some how suspect Dr. Bill might have the answers but then some of you might recall your parents who also knew him, up close and personal as I did or as a Legend of Catalina island which he certainly was.
I appreciate any and all assistance..sdm
