We turn left up here at the stop sign.
Was the fire already bad by the time you left?
You know, I left as Roger’s Park was burning.
Ah, okay. And it hadn’t jumped up the canyon yet?
Mhm, and we left just in time. So far, everything looks okay.
Oh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy. Wow. Wow. Wow. Look at that. It’s all burned down.
Man… oh my God. Wow.
A lot of memories here, huh?
45 years, man. I didn’t think it would hit me this much.
This was your garage, right?
This was the garage right here.
(Music)
Eric, what are you thinking about?
I’m devastated, man. I’m devastated. All the memories… I don’t want my family to see this.
No, no. Boy, oh boy.
I’ve seen a lot of coverage on television over the last few days and never imagined this. I never imagined this.
It’s hard to explain to people…
The decimation and devastation that’s happening.
We used to have parties here—my son’s high school parties. A lot of parties here, up to 200-250 people sometimes. And I… opera would sing Christmas songs.
You know, I grew up during the Second World War, and we were bombed every day and every night. It was kind of different, but the destruction was the same, really.
(Music)
Having lived here for all these years, I always thought, if that hillside over there, where Roger’s M is, goes aflame, then it could easily jump. And it never has. In 45 years. And now, it did.
When you watch TV and see all these news coverages of people losing their homes—what do you understand now?
It’s such a feeling of loss, man. Indescribable. It leaves you totally disoriented.
You know what’s interesting? It’s a sense of community because you can rattle off all your neighbors and you know them.
Next to me, the Grays—gone.
But, you know, like after the Second World War, you rebuild.
That’s what I was going to ask you. You’ve got to rebuild.
You’ve got to rebuild. You’ve got to rebuild.
Gotcha.
That’s why I worked out all the time.
This was your garage, right?
Right there. There was a heavy bag here.
Yeah, look at that view.
I mean, as far as you can see—the hills are burned.
This is one of the most peaceful areas. How is your son? How is he processing this?
He’s in London right now. He was there for the opening of Den of Thieves.
And you haven’t shown him any of the pictures?
No, not yet. He’s coming home, I think, today or tomorrow.
Den of Thieves is opening today?
Yeah, today was supposed to be the LA premiere.
That’s awesome. Dad is representing—that’s love.
All for my boy. Yeah, very proud of him.
What does it mean to you when your children succeed?
Everything. More important than your own life. Your children and grandchildren.
Your grandchildren are doing well?
Yeah, Oxana and Angelica—they’re doing very well.
Let me ask you something: when you rebuild this house, will you eventually pass it on to them?
Yeah, that’s the intention. That’s why you have to rebuild.
We had my son’s high school parties here. That’s the talk among his friends, you know?
I presided over the German-American Cultural Society, where we cultivated German-Jewish dialogue. We had many meetings and parties here.
Yeah, this brings back nothing but wonderful memories. My wife always organized everything—250, 300 people sometimes. She loved this house.
She built it?
She built it. She’s ready to build another one.
But you’re getting on in age. What did you take with you when you left? How did you choose?
We took passports. We didn’t think it was going to come here. Someone had called the emergency line and said, “Don’t worry about it. The wind is driving everything toward the ocean.”
So, we didn’t reckon with it coming here at all. That’s why we lingered on and only packed at the last hour.
What did you take?
I forget. Passports, some pictures, some papers.
But my God, you know, going through this—I’m sure one would find some pieces here and there. But it’s too dangerous right now.
Yeah, I’m sure once it’s safe to go back in there, there are keepsakes in there.
I didn’t realize how far this property extends.
My goodness, this is a spectacular property.
It is.
When I came here about 45 years ago, I’d been looking online for about five years.
We looked at 30 different homes. I drove down the street to the cul-de-sac at the end, came back, and saw a “For Sale” sign, barely visible in the hedge.
I said, “Let’s go.”
She said, “I don’t think we can.”
I said, “Let’s go.”
The broker happened to be the only one here. Other people had left.
This house used to belong to a writer for Seinfeld?
Yeah, I didn’t know that until later.
One of the shows I admire most. Anyway, I looked through the front window, saw the backyard, and thought, That’s it.
You knew instantly?
I knew it instantly. No hesitation at all.
