1950s #1 Updated 4/29/22: 1950 Census. Gardena. Move to San Fernando Valley. Ned LaRocca. Recording Industry LA. Leith Stevens.

San Fernando Valley abbreviated SFV. The newly released 1950 census gives us more information about the LaRocca/Cotterell family unit: listed at a residence in Gardena. Joseph’s occupation, Radio Orchestra Manager, Virginia, Christian Science Practitioner, Donna has an empty box for occupation, Head of House granddaughters Constance S is listed as 7 years and Diana L as 5 years. With this new information I now…

Family History#2. Great Depression. Move To LA. Frank. Radio Row. Radio City. Sunset and Vine. KNX. CBS. Tom Breneman. NBC Building. Jane Harker. Warner Brothers.

Frank LaRocca, brother of Diana’s grandfather and defacto father Ned, was a violinist and music director in Decatur, Illinois. 1930 Ned and Virginia are listed in the census as living in Peoria, Ill. Ned a musician and Virginia a housewife. Phone directories list a Frank LaRocca and wife Rose in Los Angeles. The couple resided at 2303 Gatewood.   1934 Ned, his wife Virginia…

Family History#1: Teens, 1920s Vaudeville. Joseph And Roxy LaRocca. Peoria, Ill. Virginia Young. Salt Lake City. The Great Depression. Jane Harker. Warner Bros.

Family Background: Census records, military records and local directories show that Joseph Ned LaRocca (Diana/Paige’s grandfather) was born in 1894 in Peoria, Illinois and grew up there. Known as “Ned,” he was a harpist in a family of several brothers, oldest brother Roxy show above and below. The brothers were all musicians and many of them toured with the major vaudeville circuits like Orpheum…