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Bubbles redux: Marineland, closed for nearly 4 decades, recalled in new podcast

October 6, 2023

Marineland of the Pacific closed its doors nearly 37 years ago, but there are lasting memories for those who worked or played there.

When he was a child growing up in the South Bay, Tod Perry visited the home of Orky and Corky, a pair of killer whales that were the park’s main attraction.

While the popular tourist attraction in Rancho Palos Verdes closed when he was around 10 years old, he still has vivid memories of the place.

“It almost felt like the animals were part of the community, like Orky and Corky were your personal pet whales and you could go see them,” said Perry, who now resides in Long Beach.

Perry brought together former employees to share some of the memories of the park that was open for more than three decades, from 1954 to 1987, in his new podcast “LA’s Own Marineland.”

The 12-part podcast, 10 hours in length, traces Marineland’s history, from its development to its closure.

At first, said Perry, the podcast was going to focus solely on the closure.

“When I started talking to people who worked there, that people had such a love for the park, there was such a passion, (they were) heartbroken about the closure,” Perry said. “I thought, okay, we’re going to tell the whole story.”

Perry used social media to gather interviews for the podcast including the “I worked at Marineland of the Pacific” Facebook page.

He received many responses to a Facebook post — from trainers to those who wore character costumes — to talk about their time at Marineland. In total, he interviewed about 20 people associated with the park.

One of those interviews was with head marine mammal trainer Larry Clark, who died in August at 85 years old.

Clark was one of the first trainers at Marineland, said Perry, so it meant a lot to get the interview with him.

Perry does not shy away from some of the controversial aspects of Marineland such as the issue of marine mammals in captivity, or the safety of those that care for the animals including trainer Jill Stratton, who nearly drowned while working with Orky in 1978.

There was also the controversial sale of Marineland to SeaWorld while the park suffered declining attendance and financial hardships.

Orky, a giant killer whale leaps out of the tank as part of a daily show at Marineland of the Pacific in 1972. Tod Perry chronicled the history of Marineland by the Pacific in a new podcast ‘LA’s Own Marineland.’ (AP Photo)

Trainer Bob Poorman, at Marineland in Los Angeles, rides the back of Orky, a giant killer whale as part of a daily show in this 1972 photo. Around his neck is a whistle used to signal the three killer whales in the tank. (AP Photo)

Marineland from the air in 1981, six years before its closure. (Daily Breeze file photo)

MARINELAND
Orky
photo: Brad Graverson

This undated photo depicts Bubbles the pilot whale at Marineland, which closed in 1987, in the Portuguese Bend area of Rancho Palos Verdes. Tod Perry chronicled the history of Marineland by the Pacific in a new podcast ‘LA’s Own Marineland.’ (Photo courtesy of the Palos Verdes Library District Local History Collection)

Tod Perry chronicled the history of Marineland by the Pacific in a new podcast ‘LA’s Own Marineland.’ Perry is pictured at Terranea Resort, the former location of Marineland. (photo courtesy of Tod Perry)

Postcard image shows view of Marineland of the Pacific entrance with fiberglass statue of Bubbles the pilot whale and friends sometime in the 1980s. Marineland closed in 1987. (Photo courtesy of the Palos Verdes Library District Local History Collection)

This March 6, 1987, photo shows the Bubbles whale statue at the entrance to Marineland of the Pacific being removed. (Daily Breeze file photo)

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The luxury resort Terrenea was completed in 2009 and now makes it home at the Marineland site.

During the opening minute of the podcast’s first segment, Perry said “rightfully so” there has been a “sea change in public opinion,” on the topic of marine mammals in captivity since Marineland closed.

“Throughout the course of this podcast, I hope to deal with these issues with honesty and sensitivity, while also acknowledging the tremendous awe, joy, and respect these animals have inspired in millions,” said Perry in the podcast.

That awe was first inspired in Perry, a Torrance native, during his first visit to Marineland when he was around 4 years old.

He remembered clearly the murky ocean water that filled the killer whale tanks.

“You sit there and as a kid you don’t really know what to expect and then suddenly, Orky comes up, who’s 14,000 pounds, and it’s thrilling and frightening,” Perry said. “I think it was probably such an intense experience that it really left a huge impact on me.”

Perry said because of that Marineland had more of an impact on him as a child than did Disneyland.

So, when the park closed, it affected him deeply, said Perry.

Years later, Perry began his career in media at 97.1 KLSX, as a “lackey” from 2002 to 2007, according to his website marinelandpodcast.com.

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From there he co-created and hosted “Low Budget FM,” a comedy show on iTunes, and began his podcast career in 2011 with radio’s Brian Whitman. That was followed by “What’s This Tao All About?,” a podcast on Eastern philosophy. Perry is currently the host of the “Upworthy Weekly” podcast with Alison Rosen.

Along with the spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean from the park, Orky and Corky were a main attraction for Marineland visitors along with dolphin shows and Bubbles, a star pilot whale.

In recent years there has been an effort by residents, Marineland fans, as well as the city of Rancho Palos Verdes to restore and find a new home for one of the last remnants of Marineland, Bubbles, a 26-foot fiberglass statue of the famed pilot whale that had marked the entrance of Marineland.

Jon Sansom launched the “Preserve Bubbles the Whale!” GoFundMe page, there was an anonymous $40,000 donation from a RPV resident in January, and the city voted to include $75,000 in its 2023-24 budget for a new request for proposals for an updated estimate, if needed, to design a monument on which the Bubbles statue would sit.

City staff plans to meet with the fundraising group and Bubbles supporters to determine next steps, said city spokesperson Megan Barnes in an email on Oct. 2.

Perry said the podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

For more information, see marinelandpodcast.com.

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Orange County Register

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Bubbles redux: Marineland, closed for nearly 4 decades, recalled in new podcast

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