Three Days With Yvonne De Carlo

Robert Wagner

In the 1950s, actor Robert Wagner was an upcoming star, a teen heartthrob, and quite the ladies man. Before his long on-again-off-again relationship with Natalie Wood, Wagner was making the rounds with the women of Hollywood. Some were young starlets and some were already notable stars. On one occasion in the 1950s, Wagner had a brief fling with the star actress Yvonne De Carlo. 

Yvonne De Carlo

De Carlo had already made a name for herself in films like Criss Cross and Brute Force. She was still a few years away from starring in her most famous role, that of Lily Munster, in the 1960s television show, The Munsters.

Sometime in the 1950s, Wagner was on his way to the Santa Monica drive-in restaurant, Jack's at the Beach.  When Wagner pulled his 1950 Ford convertible into the restaurant parking lot he noticed in the car next to him was De Carlo. He looked her over and she nodded for for him to come over to her. Wagner then parked his car in the back of the restaurant and hopped into De Carlo's car. According to Wagner, in his book "Pieces of My Heart," their exchange went like this:

"I'm Robert Wagner."

"I know. I'm Yvonne De Carlo."

"I know. I'm such a fan of yours."

The two left Jack's at the Beach and headed for De Carlo's house. It wasn't until three days later that Wagner went back to get his car.

Wagner doesn't exactly say what happened over those three days, but like watching early movies, we can use our imagination.

A week later Wagner ran into fellow actor and playboy, Tony Curtis.  According to Wagner, Curtis said, "You can't imagine what just happened to me. I pull into Jack's at the Beach. Yvonne De Carlo pulls up next to me! She looks at me, I look at her. Well, to make a long story short..."

Jack's at the Beach (1975)

Photo: Santa Monica Public Library

Jack's at the Beach was a restaurant that started in 1917, in Venice, California, by Jack Compselides. In the 1940s, he teamed with Til Hecht, and the restaurant relocated to the Pacific Ocean Park Pier in Santa Monica, where it stayed until March 1975. Above is a photo from the Santa Monica Public Library image archives showing the restaurant as it appeared in 1975. 

Criss Cross (1949) - Film Locations

Criss Cross (1949) (C) Universal International Pictures

In the 1940s noir film, Criss Cross, Burt Lancaster plays Steve Thompson, a man still deeply in love with his ex-wife, Anna, performed by the alluring Yvonne De Carlo. In the film, Lancaster returns to Los Angeles to rekindle his relationship with De Carlo, however, there is one major problem - De Carlo marries mobster Slim Dundee. Despite the threat of the mob, Lancaster and De Carlo carry on an affair.

When the mob discovers Lancaster and De Carlo together, Lancaster attempts to avert the mob's attention to another matter - an armored truck heist. What the mob considers to be an impossible robbery, suddenly becomes possible after Lancaster reveals to the mob that he is an armored truck driver and he could be their inside man. Not until the robbery is midway does the mob realize they've been criss-crossed by Lancaster.

There are some great Los Angeles locations used in the film. Most notable are locations in what used to be the Bunker Hill neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles and Union Station. Here are a few of those locations:

Lancaster gets off trolley at Hill Street Tunnel near Temple Street

Temple @ Hill Street, (c) 2011 Google

The Hill Street Tunnel was demolished in the 1950s.

Lancaster walks up stairs along Hill Street Tunnel

Lancaster inside Union Station, Los Angeles

Information booth inside Union Station.

De Carlo enters Union Station

Restaurant entrance, Union Station

Lancaster spots De Carlo entering Union Station.

Information Booth, Union Station, Los Angeles

Lancaster leaves Union Station.

Entrance to Union Station

Lancaster walks up sidewalk in front of Union Station.

Outside Union Station

Lancaster at entrance to Union Station near

Alameda Avenue. City Hall in Background.

Alameda Avenue in front of Union Station.

Tip of Los Angeles City Hall in background.

Lancaster leans against Union Station Sign.

Union Station Sign on Right.