In 1915, Fatty Arbuckle and Mable Normand made 3 films in quick succession. The one most everyone knows is "Fatty and Mabel at the World's Fair." "Wished on Mabel" was shot in Golden Gate Park. The film "Mabel's Wilful Way" had a running title of "The Idora Park Story." I was told by someone at the S.F. Historical Society that Idora Park might have been a section inside the Golden Gate Park at one time. There presently is a street called Idora in the city. Does anyone have anymore information?

-- Bill Cassara (bcmpatrol@aol.com), August 25, 2002

Answers

There was an Idora Park in Oakland at that time on a rhomboid site between Telegraph and Shattuck and 56th and 58th streets. The park had a large roller skating rink, a slide, a roller coaster, a scenic railway, a merry-go-round, several other rides and midway attractions, an ampitheater, a movie house, a large restaurant, and "auto race course" which was also, apparently a ride. I derived this information from the 1912-1913 Sanborn map for Oakland. I can't lay my hand on the quote just now, but I've heard Idora Park described as "Idora Park of fond memory."

bob bardell

-- bob bardell (bbardell@pacbell.net), August 29, 2002.

Idora Park was in Oakland and did have a roller rink that was used for speed-skating events. My grandfather was a champion speed-skater there. I have some documents and a photo of him dressed in his speed skating outfit.

-- Kathleen Arnold James (Djkaijah@msn.com), September 23, 2002.