Goddard, Jerry

Jerry Goddard – Interviewed July 23, 2005
Disc 1

Born in 1943, Jerry Goddard was the Redondo Beach City Attorney for 12 years.

Prior to being the City Attorney, Jerry held jobs as a teacher, a policeman in Hermosa Beach and a Disneyland Rider Operator. One of the most responsible jobs he held at Disney was securing Tinkerbell for her nightly flight. Tinkerbell was a 71 year old Czech woman.

He arrived in Redondo in 1946. His dad worked for the Los Angeles Police Department where his yearly salary was $2,600. Jerry’s mom managed the Bijou Theater in Hermosa Beach. While Jerry was growing up in Redondo he remembers the open fields beyond Prospect and at Alta Vista where a Japanese family owned a farm. He also recalls that the city dump was located where Dominguez Park is today.

Jerry shares with us his memories of school life being like “American Graffiti” when his hang outs were the Foster Freeze at Knob Hill, the old Clancy’s Burger joint (where Albertson’s is now on PCH), where one could buy a burger for nineteen cents, and when gas cost nineteen cents a gallon. While growing up in Redondo Beach, Jerry enjoyed many a night cruising and racing hot-rods!

In 1960, the American Legion sponsored a program for Boys State and Girls to go to Sacramento for a week. It was his first trip from home and was a watershed event in his life.

Jerry was interviewed on July 23, 2005 at the Main Redondo Beach Library.

1. Disc 1 of 3 – 1hour 2 minutes 2 seconds