ONE FOOT FROM STARDOM
You may not be aware, but one of our Northglenn neighbors spent much of her career rubbing elbows with some very famous movie stars. Robert Mitchum, Ann Margret, Bob Hope, Mike Connors, and Clint Eastwood to name a few! But when it comes right down to brass tacks, Elaine Dunbar is just a regular gal with a fondness for cats.
Elaine worked in the movie industry for 50 years. Not in Hollywood mind you, but right here in Denver. She began her career in the Denver office of Warner Brothers and then for the lion’s share of her working life, she worked for a local motion picture equipment company that sold movie theatre equipment all over the Rocky Mountain region. That job led Elaine on regular field trips to Las Vegas where at the movie industry distribution conventions she was privileged to meet the stars.
Her late husband, Bill, was a master pipe fitter working for Sterns and Rogers. They met at a donut shop downtown. If he ever gave her a hard time about her weight, she’d give him a look like “I’m not sure why you are complaining,” and then say to Bill “you picked me up at a donut shop!” He wasn’t always happy with a working wife that traveled. But for his 50th birthday, Elaine arranged a private screening for him and their friends of the movie “Middle Aged Crazy.” They had the whole theatre to themselves including the snack bar and all the drinks and popcorn they could eat.
Elaine is a cat lover. She misses her cat, Patches, who was extremely social. She felt Patches would be happier with someone in a larger place who could give her the attention she needed when she came to Northglenn. Fortunately, her friends were able to give Patches a great home. As for Elaine, she is enjoying Crossroads at Northglenn. She likes the small homey atmosphere and enjoys Shawna doing her hair at the beauty salon.
Next time you see Elaine, be sure to ask her about Bob Hope and the others. It’s nice to have someone nearby who rubbed elbows with the stars.