Malibu, California

Malibu is an affluent city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population is 12,575.

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Malibu is an affluent city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population is 12,575.

The city of Malibu is a 21-mile (34 km) strip of Pacific coastline; a beachfront community famous for its warm, sandy beaches, and for being the home of countless movie stars and others associated with the Southern California entertainment industries. Most Malibu residents live within a few hundred yards of Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1), which traverses the city, with some residents living up to a mile away from the beach up narrow canyons; the city is also bounded (more or less) by Topanga Canyon to the east, the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south, and Ventura County to the west. Its beaches include Surfrider Beach, Zuma Beach, Malibu State Beach and Topanga State Beach; its local parks include Malibu Bluffs Park (formerly Malibu Bluffs State Park) and the planned Legacy Park, with neighboring parks Malibu Creek State Park, Leo Carrillo State Beach and Park, Point Mugu State Park, and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and neighboring state beach Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, that was once part of Old Malibu (before Malibu became a city), and better known as pristine beaches, El Pescador, La Piedra and El Matador.

Signs around the city proclaim "27 miles of scenic beauty". The "27 miles" refers to old Malibu's length (27 miles) before becoming incorporated (21 miles).

History

Malibu was originally settled by the Chumash, Native Americans whose territory extended loosely from the San Joaquin Valley to San Luis Obispo to Malibu, as well as several islands off the southern coast of California. They named it "Humaliwo" or "the surf sounds loudly." The city's name derives from this, as the "Hu" syllable isn't stressed.

Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo is believed to have moored at Malibu Lagoon, at the mouth of Malibu Creek, to obtain fresh water in 1542. The Spanish presence returned with the California mission system, and the area was part of Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit — a 13,000-acre (53 km2) land grant — in 1802. That ranch passed intact to Frederick Hastings Rindge in 1891. He and his widow, Rhoda May Rindge, guarded their privacy zealously by hiring guards to evict all trespassers and fighting a lengthy court battle to prevent the building of a Southern Pacific railroad line. Few roads even entered the area before 1929, when the state won another court case and built what is now known as the Pacific Coast Highway. By then May Rindge was forced to subdivide her property and begin selling and leasing lots. The Rindge house, known as the Adamson House (a National Historic Site and California Historical Landmark), is now part of Malibu Creek State Park and is situated between Malibu Lagoon State Beach and Surfrider Beach, beside the Malibu Pier that was originally built for the family yacht.

In 1926, in an effort to avoid selling land to stave off insolvency, Rhoda May Rindge created a small ceramic tile factory. At its height, the Malibu Potteries employed over 100 workers, and produced decorative tiles which furnish many Los Angeles-area public buildings and Beverly Hills residences. The factory, located one-half mile east of the pier, was ravaged by a fire in 1931. Although the factory partially reopened in 1932, it could not recover from the effects of the Great Depression and a steep downturn in Southern California construction projects. A distinct hybrid of Moorish and Arts and crafts designs, Malibu tile is considered highly collectible. Fine examples of the tiles may be seen at the Adamson House and Serra Retreat, a fifty-room mansion that was started in the 1920s as the main Rindge home on a hill overlooking the lagoon. The unfinished building was sold to the Franciscan Order in 1942 and is operated as a retreat facility, Serra Retreat. It burned in the 1970 fire and was rebuilt using many of the original tiles.

Malibu Colony was one of the first areas inhabited after Malibu was opened to the public in 1929 and it is one of Malibu's most famous districts.[] It is located along Malibu Road, westward of the Pacific Coast Highway, on the opposite shore of the Malibu Lagoon State Beach and adjacent to the Malibu Bluffs Park (former state park). Initially May Rindge kept control of Malibu Beach, allowing a few wealthy Hollywood stars to build vacation homes. Nearly a decade later, money woes forced Rindge to sell the land, and the Colony was born. Long known as a popular private enclave for wealthy celebrities, the Malibu Colony today is a gated community, with multi-million dollar homes on small lots. The Colony commands breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, affording a spectacular coastline view stretching from Santa Monica to Rancho Palos Verdes to the south (known locally as the Queen's Necklace) and the bluffs of Point Dume to the north.

High technology in Malibu: the first working model of a laser was demonstrated by Dr. Theodore Maiman in 1960 in Malibu at then Hughes Research Laboratory (now known as HRL Laboratories LLC). In the 1990s HRL Laboratories developed the FastScat computer code, for frequency domain algorithms and implementation, recognized as perhaps the most accurate code in the world for radar cross-section calculations.[] TRW built a laboratory in Solstice Canyon without any structural steel to test magnetic detectors for satellites and medical devices.

Celebrity anecdotes abound: Cat Stevens had his famous near-death experience there in 1976, when he nearly drowned while he was swimming. The accident led him to embrace Islam in 1977 and change his name to Yusuf Islam. Actor Martin Sheen was named honorary mayor in 1989.

Incorporation: in 1991 most of the old Malibu land grant was incorporated as a city to allow local control of the area (as cities, unlike townships, are not subject to county government oversight). Prior to achieving municipal status, the local residents had fought several county-proposed developments, including an offshore freeway, a nuclear power plant, and several plans to replace septic tanks with sewer lines. The incorporation drive gained impetus in 1986, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved plans for a regional sewer that would have been large enough to serve 400,000 people in the western Santa Monica Mountains. Residents were incensed that they would be assessed taxes and fees to pay for the oversized sewer project, and feared that the already-capacity Pacific Coast Highway would be needed to be widened into a freeway to accommodate growth that they did not want. The Supervisors fought the incorporation drive and prevented the residents from voting, a decision that was overturned in courts.

The city councils that were elected in the 1990s were unable to write a Local Coastal Plan (LCP) that preserved enough public access to satisfy the California Coastal Commission, as required by the California Coastal Act. The state Legislature eventually passed a Malibu-specific law that allowed the Coastal Commission to write an LCP for Malibu, thus neutering the city's ability to control many aspects of land use. Because of the failure to adequately address sewage disposal problems in the heart of the city, the local water board ordered Malibu in November 2009 to build a sewage plant for the Civic Center area. The city council has objected to that solution.

Malibu Bluffs Community Park and Malibu Bluffs Recreation Area

The former Malibu Bluffs State Park ownership changed hands in 2006 after the California Department of Parks and Recreation transferred the park's 93 acres (380,000 m2) control to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, They established the Malibu Bluffs Recreation Area, an Open Space Preserve of 90 acres on the bluffs between the Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Road, directly opposite of Pepperdine University and Malibu Canyon Road. The 100-foot bluffs rise above Amarillo Beach and Puerco Beach across Malibu Road. Five public stairways (which adjoin private property) lead down to the shoreline from the base of the bluffs.The trails begin from the spacious lawns in Malibu Bluffs Community Park

The Malibu Bluffs Recreation Area surrounds the six-acre Malibu Bluffs Community Park, whose 10-acre (40,000 m2) parcel the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy sold to the city. It consists of the Michael Landon Community Center, baseball diamonds, soccer fields. Home of the Malibu Little League (MLL), once the largest youth team sports organization in Malibu. (That honor was wrested in the 1990s by Malibu AYSO, a youth soccer organization that shares park space (practice fields).) For over 20 years, the State Parks had tried to kick out Malibu Little League's baseball diamonds and tall baseball fences, with the intention of returning the land to its native wetlands and vegetation. A rider to a California state law was written specifically in the 1950s to allow baseball, with its attendant field accoutrements, to continue being played in the state park. Several generations of Malibuites worked to keep Malibu Bluffs Park for baseball and soccer.

Malibu Legacy Park Project

Adjacent to the Malibu Country Mart was a vacant, 20-acre (81,000 m2) plot of land owned by billionaire Jerry Perenchio and sold to the City of Malibu in 2005 with strict deed restrictions prohibiting any further commercial use.

The City at this site is building Malibu Legacy Park. The City hopes that a state-of-the-art water treatment plant already built will use stormwater runoff that accumulates at the park, making it into an environmental cleaning machine that will end the City's stormwater pollution contribution to Malibu Creek, Malibu Lagoon, and the world-famous Surfrider Beach. The Malibu Legacy Park Project responds to critical issues: (1) bacteria reduction by stormwater treatment, (2) nutrient reduction in wastewater management, (3) restoration and development of riparian habitats, and (4) the development of an open space area for passive recreation and environmental education. In addition, the Project will be linked by a “linear park” to neighboring Surfrider Beach, Malibu Pier, Malibu Lagoon, and Malibu Bluffs Park.

The park is located east of Webb Way, and between Civic Center Way on the north and PCH to the south. It was the site of the annual Labor Day Weekend Kiwanis Club Chili Cook-Off from 1982-2009 (the fair will be moved to nearby streets and parking lots in 2010, the city says). Further back, it was agricultural land, planted in geraniums, other flowers and vegetables by the Takahashi family since 1924.

Natural disasters

Malibu lies on the fringe of an extensive chaparral wilderness area, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Various environmental elements collectively create a recipe for natural disasters: the mountainous terrain, at least three large, deep gorges and canyons, where seasonal water causes vegetation growth, seasonal dry Santa Ana winds and a naturally dry topography and climate that creates abundant combustible material.

Wildfires

See also: California wildfires of October 2007

Malibu has seen dozens of wildfires over its entire existence, before and after cityhood. Notably: Malibu Time Article

  • 1929/10/26 - Malibu Colony, 13 homes burned.
  • 1930 - "Potrero," Decker Canyon Road Corridor, 15,000 acres, accidental blaze caused by walnut pickers in Thousand Oaks area.
  • 1935/10/23 - "Malibu" or "Latigo/Sherwood," Kanan/Decker Corridor, 30,000 acres.
  • 1938/11/23 - "Topanga," Topanga Canyon, 14,500 acres.
  • 1943/10/20 - "Las Flores," Malibu Canyon, 5,800 acres.
  • 1943/11/6 - "Woodland Hills (Las Virgenes)," Kanan/Decker Corridor, 15,000 acres.
  • 1956/12/26 - "Newton," Kanan/Decker Corridor, 26,000 acres, 100 homes, one death, Frank Dickover.
  • 1958/12/2 - "Liberty," Malibu Canyon, 18,000 acres, eight firefighters injured, 74 homes destroyed (17 in Corral Canyon).
  • 1961/11/6 - "Topanga," Topanga Canyon, 8,000 acres.
  • 1970/9/25 - "Wright," Malibu Canyon, 28,000 acres, 10 deaths, 403 homes destroyed.
  • 1973/10/30 - "Topanga," Topanga Canyon, 2,800 acres.
  • 1978/10/23 - "Kanan," Kanan/Decker Corridor, 25,000 acres, 2 deaths, 230 homes.
  • 1982/10/09 - "Dayton," Malibu Canyon Corridor, 44,000 acres, 15 homes in Paradise Cove destroyed.
  • 1985/10/14 - "Piuma," Las Flores area, Topanga Canyon, 4,700 acres.
  • 1985/10/14 - "Decker," Kanan/Decker Corridor, 6,600 acres. Both arson-caused; six homes destroyed; $1 million damage.
What follows are accounts after Malibu incorporated as a city.

In 1993, from November 2 to 11, Malibu experienced one of the largest fires in its history, which burned more than 16,516 acres (67 km2). The 1993 fire storm was comprised of two separate fires, one ravaging most of central Malibu/Old Topanga, and another, larger fire affecting areas north of Encinal Canyon. Three lives were lost and 739 homes destroyed in the central Malibu/Old Topanga blaze. 18,949 acres (77 km2) were torched in the north Malibu fire, with zero lives taken and few homes lost in the less densely populated region. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials announced suspicions that the fire was started by arson. The fire and widespread damage to properties and infrastructure resulted in the City of Malibu adopting the strictest fire codes in the country.

  • 1996/10/28 - "Calabasas," Malibu Canyon Corridor, Brush fire ignited by arcing power line, 13,000 acres; 10 houses destroyed.
  • 2003/1/06 - "Trancas", Trancas Canyon, 759 acres.

On January 8, 2007 at approximately 5:00 p.m. a fire started in the vicinity of Bluffs Park, south of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The fire hit near the Colony area, burning down four houses on Malibu Road, including the oceanfront home of Step By Step star Suzanne Somers. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials announce that a discarded cigarette stub started the blaze.

On October 21, 2007 at approximately 5:00 a.m. a fire started off of Malibu Canyon Road. As of 1:00pm there were 500+ personnel on scene. 1,200+ acres burned with no containment. 200+ homes have been evacuated. Five homes confirmed to have been destroyed, with at least nine others damaged. Two commercial structures were completely destroyed. Castle Kashan and the Malibu Presbyterian Church have both been destroyed. Los Angeles County Fire Department officials announce that the fire is still under investigation.

On November 24, 2007, the Corral Fire destroyed 53 homes, damaged 35, and burned over 4,720 acres (19.1 km2), forcing as many as 14,000 people to evacuate. Damages from the fire were expected to reach more than $100 million. The blaze was believed to have started as the result of "human activity," but investigators have yet to determine whether it was deliberately set.

Mudslides

With fires raging through Malibu periodically, the countryside is depleted of vegetation that retains the soil during periods of heavy precipitation. The resulting disaster is mudslides, where wetted earth and water moves quickly down mountainsides, or slices of mountainside come pouring down.

With the 1993 wildfire stripping the surrounding mountains of its earth-hugging chaparral, torrential rainstorms in early 1994 caused a massive mudslide near Las Flores Canyon that closed down the main artery, Pacific Coast Highway, for months. Thousands of tons of mud, rocks, and water rained down on the Pacific Coast Highway like it was a sluicebox. The destruction to property and infrastructure was exacerbated by the narrow constriction of the road at that point, with beachside houses buttressing the highway with little or no frontage land acting as a buffer to the mudslide. Another large mudslide occurred on Malibu Canyon Road, between the Pepperdine University campus and HRL Laboratories LLC, closing down Malibu Canyon for two months. Yet another behemoth slide occurred on another main canyon road, Kanan-Dume Road about one mile (1.6 km) up the canyon from the Pacific Coast Highway. This last road closure lasted over a period of many months, with Kanan finally fixed by the California Department of Transportation (Cal-Trans) over a year after the road collapse.

Storms

Friday, January 25, 2008, during a large storm for the SoCal area, a tornado came off the shore and struck a naval base's hanger, ripping off the roof. It was the first tornado that struck Malibu's shoreline in recorded history.[]

Geography

Malibu is located at (34.030450, -118.778612).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 261.5 km² (101.0 mi²). Thus, Malibu is one of the largest cities in California and the United States in terms of land and water area. 51.5 km² (19.9 mi²) of it is land and 210.0 km² (81.1 mi²) of it is water (the city boundaries extend three miles (5 km) into the ocean). The total area is 80.32% water. Malibu has a population density of 632.9 persons per square mile of land area.

Malibu's dry brush and steep clay slopes make it susceptible to fires, floods, and mudslides. Poor grading practices and over-irrigation or leaking pipes exacerbate the tendency for landslides.[]

Carbon Beach, Paradise Cove, Escondido Beach, Surfrider Beach, Broad Beach, Pirate's Cove, Westward Beach, Zuma Beach, and Trancas are places along the coast in Malibu. Point Dume forms the northern end of the Santa Monica Bay, and Point Dume Headlands Park affords a vista of stretching to the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Santa Catalina Island. Directly below the park, on the western side of the point, is Pirates Cove, named for rumrunners during prohibition who liked the secluded beach for offloading their cargo.[] Because of its relative seclusion, Pirate's Cove was previously used as a nude beach, but because nudity is now illegal on all Los Angeles County beaches, nude sunbathers are subject to fines and/or arrest. On the eastern side of the point is "Little Dume", a surf spot which is accessible only by an unmarked trail below Wildlife Drive which has a locked gate.[] Surfers often paddle out from Paradise Cove to the area when the waves are breaking.

Like all California beaches, Malibu beaches are technically public land below the mean high tide line. Many large public beaches (Zuma Beach, Surfrider Beach) are easy to access, but such access is sometimes limited in some of the smaller and more remote beaches. Some Malibu beaches are private, such as Paradise Cove, which charges an entrance fee to keep the crowds at bay. Although access to most all Malibu beaches can be obtained after a bit of a walk, the issue of expanded public access is continuously addressed and debated by the City. Many Malibu homeowners[] favor limited public access expansions to some beaches, claiming that many visitors are less likely than residents to respect the beaches or private property.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 12,575 people, 5,137 households, and 3,164 families residing in the city. The population density was 244.4/km² (632.9/mi²). There were 6,126 housing units at an average density of 119.0/km² (308.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.91% White, 8.49% Asian, 0.90% African American, 0.21% Native American,0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 2.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 5,137 households out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.86.

The age distribution was 19.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $102,031, and the median income for a family was $123,293. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $46,919 for females. The per capita income for the city was $74,336. About 3.2% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

Local government

Malibu residents tend to be politically left of center, like much of Los Angeles County.[] 60% of Malibu voters chose presidential candidate John Kerry in the 2004 election, compared to 39% for incumbent President George W. Bush.

Malibu is a general law city governed with a five-member City Council including the mayor and mayor pro tem. The City Council hires a city manager to carry out policies and serve as executive officer. Every even-numbered year either two or three members are elected by the people to serve a four-year term. Each April the City Council meets and chooses one of its members as mayor and one as mayor-pro-tem.

Fire protection is served by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Malibu/Lost Hills Station in Calabasas, serving Malibu.

County, state, and federal representation

In the state legislature Malibu is located in the 23rd Senate District, represented by Democrat Fran Pavley, and in the 41st Assembly District, represented by Democrat Julia Brownley. Federally, Malibu is located in California's 30th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +20 and is represented by Democrat Henry Waxman.

Malibu residents tend to be politically left of center, like much of Los Angeles County.[] 60% of Malibu voters chose presidential candidate John Kerry in the 2004 election, compared to 39% for incumbent President George W. Bush.

The United States Postal Service operates the Malibu Post Office at 23838 Pacific Coast Highway, the Colony Annex at 23648 Pacific Coast Highway, adjacent to the Malibu Post Office, and the La Costa Malibu Post Office at 21229 Pacific Coast Highway.

Education

Schools

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District serves Malibu with three elementary schools: John L. Webster Elementary School (grades K-5, located in central Malibu), Juan Cabrillo Elementary School (grades K-5, located in northwestern Malibu's Malibu Park district), and Point Dume Elementary School (grades K-5, located in northwestern Malibu's Pt. Dume district).

Private schools include: Calmont [1]Our Lady Of Malibu (Catholic)[2], Colin Mc Ewen High School, New Roads [3], and St. Aidan's School.

Malibu High School (MHS), a nationally-ranked school [4], provides secondary public education for both middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12). MHS is located in the northwestern region of Malibu.

Pepperdine University, a private college affiliated with the Church of Christ, is outside Malibu city limits and is located in central Malibu, north of the Malibu Colony at the intersection of the Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. Malibu is also served by Santa Monica College, a community college in the neighboring city of Santa Monica to the south, as well as another community college, Moorpark College in the city of Moorpark to the northeast.

Library

Malibu Public Library, a branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library system, is located in central Malibu in the old civic center building, formerly the business nexus for County of Los Angeles services in Malibu.

Arts and culture

Getty Villa, an art museum that is part of the J. Paul Getty Museum, is located just outside the city limits in the adjacent Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It is owned and operated by the J. Paul Getty Trust, which also oversees the Getty Center in West Los Angeles. The Museum at the Getty Villa houses Getty's collections of antiquities, sculptures, art pieces and cultural artifacts of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.

The Malibu Art Association, a non-profit organization to foster the arts in Malibu produces shows, demonstrations and workshops for its members, and offers art for public display throughout the community.

The Malibu Arts Festival is held annually on the last weekend in July by the Malibu Chamber of Commerce.

The Malibu Garden Club holds an annual garden tour of private, residential gardens.

Malibu High School offers musicals every spring and instrumental and vocal musical concerts every winter and spring.[]

Montgomery Art House for Music and Architecture (MAHMA) offers classical music concerts held in a house designed by Eric Lloyd Wright, grandson of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Smothers Theatre of Pepperdine University's Theatrical Drama Department offers concerts, plays, musicals, opera, and dance.

Tourist attractions

]] Malibu's beaches are the main attraction, with Zuma Beach drawing over 800,000 visitors over Labor Day Weekend in 2007.[] Surfrider Beach, adjacent to the Adamson's House and Malibu Lagoon, with its long waves draws a steady beach and surfer crowd.

California State Parks provide horseback, hiking and mountain biking options in Malibu with ocean, mountain, and canyon views.

Pacific Coast Highway is popular with road cycling enthusiasts for its vistas.

A few chartered buses filled with tourists pass through Malibu infrequently. Unlike Beverly Hills or Hollywood, Malibu's celebrity homes are often in remote locations, inaccessible by bus.[]

Adamson's House, the unused homesite of the 19th century original owners of Malibu, the Rindge Family, draws some visitors.

In late June 2008, the Malibu Pier reopened after $10 million in renovations.

There are several shopping centers in the Malibu Civic Center area including the Malibu Country Mart and the newly-opened Malibu Lumberyard. The Malibu Civic Center is well known for being frequented by paparazzi and tourists looking to catch a glimpse of local celebrities.

Businesses and organizations

HRL Laboratories LLC, formerly known as Hughes Research Laboratories, the research arm of the former Hughes Aircraft Company, was established in 1960 in Malibu. Among its research accomplishments was the first working laser. Despite aerospace industry downsizing in the 1990s, HRL is the largest employer in Malibu.

Established in 1937 in south-central Los Angeles, Pepperdine University moved to its Malibu campus in 1972. However, when Malibu incorporated as a city the boundaries were drawn to exclude Pepperdine, at the college's insistence.[]

The Surfrider Foundation was formed in 1984 by a group of surfers gathered to protect 31 miles (50 km) of coastal waters from Marina Del Rey through Malibu to Ventura County, and represent the surfing community.

Heal the Bay, a non-profit organization for environmental advocacy, was formed in 1985 to protect Santa Monica Bay, which extends from Malibu's Point Dume along the entire coastline of Malibu past Santa Monica to the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Events

The Malibu International Film Festival is held every year showcasing new films and filmmakers from around the world.

The Malibu Chili Cookoff, held every Labor Day weekend, is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Malibu. Proceeds benefit children and youth organizations.

The Malibu Nautica Triathlon is held every September. In 2007, it raised $718,000 to benefit Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

The Polar Plunge (Los Angeles) is held each year in February at Zuma Beach to help raise funds for the Special Olympics in Southern California.

National Get Organized Month is Provided by Bee Organized

Filming location

Malibu has been used as a location or setting for many films and television programs.

Surfrider Beach was home to Gidget, and surfing movies of the 1960s. Important scenes in the Planet of the Apes series were filmed at Point Dume. For an entire summer during the filming, the scale replica of the Statue of Liberty from the famous closing scene lay buried at the Southern end of Pirate's Cove. The hero's trailer in The Rockford Files was parked by the Paradise Cove Pier. Love American Style and The Mod Squad are among many TV series and commercials filmed in Paradise Cove. A 1978 film starring Suzanne Somers was entitled Zuma Beach. In the 1990s and 2000s it was the setting for MTV Beach House, Malibu's Most Wanted, and Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. In the Coen Brothers 1998 motion picture The Big Lebowski, the fictional chief of police describes it thus: "We've got a nice, quiet beach community here, and I aim to keep it nice and quiet." In the 2008 movie Iron Man, Tony Stark's home is located in Malibu.

Malibu is setting for the television series Two and a Half Men. The television series So Little Time (2001) portrayed two Malibu teens (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) who attend the fictional school West Malibu High. Fictional teen star Hannah Montana / Miley Stewart (portrayed by Miley Cyrus) and her father Robbie Ray Stewart (portrayed by Billy Ray Cyrus) live in Malibu on the Disney Channel Original Series, Hannah Montana. In the Fox TV series, "The O.C.", both the Cohen house and the Cooper homes were actually located in Malibu. Malibu Shores, a teen drama that aired on NBC, was set in Malibu. Some scenes from The Even Stevens Movie were filmed on Westward Beach in Point Dume. The small hit TV show Summerland was also filmed and set in Malibu.

Girls Aloud filmed their video "Call The Shots" on the beach at Malibu. In spring 1999, Britney Spears shot the video for the song "Sometimes" directed by Nigel Dick on the pier at Paradise Cove. Also in late 1998, Madonna shot her video for "The Power Of Good-Bye" near Silver Top mansion.

In 2006, Bravo television aired Million Dollar Listing, a real-estate related show based on million dollar listings in Malibu, as well as Hollywood, including real-life Malibu agents such as Chris Cortazzo, Scotty Brown, Madison Hildebrand, and Lydia Simon.

The MTV reality show Buzzin' (TV Series) starring Shwayze and Cisco Adler is mostly filmed in Malibu, at locations including Westward Beach, Malibu Courthouse, Pacific Coast Highway, Point Dume Trailer Park, Malibu Inn, and the outside of PC Greens.

Malibu was the setting of the 52nd installment in the Goosebumps series of books: How I Learned to Fly, it was also the setting of Alex Duval's Vampire Beach series.

There are also many music videos filmed on Malibu's beaches. Music videos for "Survivor" by Destiny's Child, "Sunshine" by Lil Flip,, "Natural" by S Club 7, "Feel It Boy" by Beenie Man featuring Janet Jackson, and many others were filmed on Westward Beach.

Local media

Malibu's local news television station, TV-26, broadcasts from Pepperdine University to the surrounding area.

Malibu's local radio station, KWVS 101.5 FM, also broadcasts on cable channel 6.

Malibu has three local newspapers: The Malibu Times, founded in 1946, the Malibu Surfside News, and Pepperdine University's student newspaper, the Graphic.

There are also three magazines in Malibu: Malibu Arts Journal, Malibu Magazine, and Malibu Times Magazine.

Notable residents

  • Herb Alpert - American musician, founder of A&M Records
  • Brody Jenner - American reality TV star
  • Angelyne - Los Angeles "Billboard Queen"
  • Rick Allen - British drummer
  • Carlos Amezcua - Los Angeles television news anchor
  • Pamela Anderson - Canadian-born American/Canadian actress
  • Richard Dean Anderson - American actor
  • Julie Andrews - British actress, singer
  • Jennifer Aniston - American actress
  • Lucinda Bassett - motivational speaker
  • Kristen Bell - American actress
  • Valerie Bertinelli - American actress
  • Halle Berry - American actress
  • Clara Bow - American actress
  • Charles Bronson - American actor
  • David Katz -American producer
  • Jeff Bridges - American actor
  • Mel Brooks - American director, producer, and writer
  • Pierce Brosnan- Irish-born actor
  • Gary Busey - American actor
  • Colbie Caillat - American singer
  • Dean Cain - American actor
  • James Cameron - Canadian-born American director, producer, screenwriter, editor
  • Dyan Cannon - American actress
  • Adam Carolla- American talk show host, comedian
  • Jim Carrey - Canadian actor and comedian
  • Johnny Carson - American talk show host, comedian
  • Cher - American singer, actress
  • Dick Clark - American television personality; businessman
  • Jackie Collins - British novelist
  • Ronald Colman - British actor
  • Robert Conrad - American actor
  • Courteney Cox - American actress
  • John Cusack - American actor
  • Bette Davis - American actress
  • Bruce Dern - American actor
  • Laura Dern - American actress
  • Roma Downey - American actress
  • Leonardo DiCaprio - American actor
  • Danny DeVito - American actor, director, producer
  • Stephen Dorff - American actor
  • Robert Downey Jr. - American actor
  • Fran Drescher - American actress, author, producer
  • David Duchovny - American actor
  • Robert Duvall - American actor
  • Bob Dylan - American singer
  • Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross - American actor and actress
  • Lawrence Ellison - billionaire; founder of the Oracle Corporation
  • Emilio Estevez - American actor, director
  • Melissa Etheridge - American singer
  • Sally Field - American actress
  • Kenny G - American saxophonist
  • Kevin Garnett-NBA basketball player
  • David Geffen - American producer, record producer, theatrical producer, philanthropist
  • Richard Gere - American actor
  • Mel Gibson - American actor, director, producer
  • Whoopi Goldberg - American actress, comedienne
  • Louis Gossett, Jr. - American actor
  • Josh Groban - American singer
  • Matt Groening- Creator of The Simpsons and Futurama Artist
  • Larry Hagman - American actor
  • Mark Hamill - American actor
  • Tom Hanks - American actor, producer
  • Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell - Americans actress and actor
  • David Hemmings - British actor
  • Henry Hill - American Gangster/Mafia Mafia
  • Paris Hilton - American heiress, celebrity
  • Dustin Hoffman - American actor
  • Anthony Hopkins - British actor
  • Kate Hudson - American actress
  • Incubus - American band
  • Janet Jackson - American singer, actress
  • Jennifer Jones - American actress
  • Tami Farrell - American; Former Miss Teen USA 2003, Miss California USA 2009
  • Jeffrey Katzenberg - American producer
  • Stacy Keach - American actor
  • Brian Keith - American actor
  • Anthony Kiedis - Frontman of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Suge Knight, American CEO of Death Row Records
  • Chantal Kreviazuk, Canadian singer and songwriter
  • Kris Kristofferson, American singer, songwriter, actor
  • Michael Landon, American actor
  • Chloe Lattanzi, American singer, daughter of Matt Lattanzi and Olivia Newton-John
  • Matt Lattanzi, American actor, ex husband of Olivia Newton-John
  • Jack Lemmon - American actor
  • Tea Leoni - American actress
  • Louis Leithold - (deceased) American scholar and author of The Calculus, a widely used high school and college Calculus textbook (2005)
  • David Letterman, American talk show host, comedian
  • Rob Lowe - American actor
  • John Lydon(AKA Johhny Rotten) - British singer; The Sex Pistols
  • Madonna - American singer, actress
  • Ali MacGraw - American actress
  • Shirley MacLaine - American actress
  • Lee Majors - American actor
  • Howie Mandel - American actor, comedian, game show host
  • Dinah Manoff - American actress
  • Shannon Marketic - Model; Miss USA 1992
  • Merrill Markoe - American writer
  • Walter Matthau - American actor
  • Reggie Miller - retired NBA player
  • Demi Moore - American actress
  • Eddie Murphy - American actor
  • Bill Murray - American actor, comedian
  • Nick Nolte - American actor
  • Olivia Newton-John - Australian singer, actress
  • Jack Nicholson - American actor
  • Carroll O'Connor - American actor
  • Tatum O'Neal - American actress
  • Brad Paisley - American country music singer
  • Kimberly Williams-Paisley - American actress
  • Jimmy Page - British guitarist; Led Zeppelin
  • Sean Penn - American actor, director
  • Victoria Principal - American actress
  • Martha Quinn - American actress, original MTV VJ and Sirius satellite radio show host
  • Prem Rawat - Indian inspirational speaker and former guru
  • Robert Redford - American actor, director
  • Linda Ronstadt - American singer
  • Axl Rose - American singer
  • Edward P. Roski - Billionaire; CEO & Chairman of Majestic Realty Co.
  • Diana Ross - American singer, actress
  • George C. Scott - American actor
  • Jane Seymour - British actress
  • Martin Sheen - American actor
  • Frank Sinatra - American singer, actor
  • Grace Slick - American singer; Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship
  • Suzanne Somers - American actress, entrepreneur
  • Britney Spears - American singer, dancer
  • Rick Springfield- Australian-born American singer, actor
  • Steven Spielberg - American director
  • Paul Stader - American actor and stuntman
  • Sylvester Stallone - American actor
  • John Stamos - American actor
  • Barbara Stanwyck - American actress
  • Rod Steiger - American actor
  • Sting - British singer and composer
  • Barbra Streisand - American singer, actress
  • Dominique Swain - American actress
  • Gloria Swanson - American actress
  • Charlize Theron- South African actress
  • Cicely Tyson - American actress
  • Dick Van Dyke - American actor, comedian
  • Eddie Van Halen - American guitarist; Van Halen
  • Vince Van Patten - American TV presenter;
  • Rachel Ward - American actress
  • Bruce Willis - American actor
  • William Wyler - American director
  • Shwayze - American singer
  • Christefano - Italian-American singer, supermodel

See also

  • Rindge Co. v. County of Los Angeles

Will Smith , Jada Pinkett-Smith: Will Smith - Actor/Rap Singer Jada Pinkett-Smith: Actress/Singer

References

External links

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Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Rachel K
8 August 2014
This is a wedding venue and corporate party machine. 4 different venues can run each night. Paddle boats, giant checkerboards and tetherball can be found on the property.
J Nadonza
14 December 2014
If coming here for wedding, come an hour early to explore and shoot pictures. Paddle boat and waterfall are nice. Definitely stop by malibu club before imbibing.
Steve Devol
1 August 2010
Cool place. No tips. But I've been there when the county firefighters throw their annual picnic. They shoot out tons of fire suppressant foam for their kids to play in. Probably carcinogenic, but fun
Anthony Matthews
20 March 2015
Come early so you can walk around and take pictures. There is also a great restaurant.
Deanna
5 May 2013
My husband and I got married here, and no we get to see our friend get married. Beautiful wedding sites. Great food
Tugba
29 July 2018
Was at the Malibu Cafe part. Such a rip off place. Ordered half Tri Rip and told them not to put pork, instead beef or chicken. Ended up w one beef slice and one chicken piece for $27!! Cheap place!!
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