First Name

Richard

Last Name At Graduation

Cassel

Current Last Name (if different)

 

E-mail address

rcassel@sbcglobal.net

Website(s)

 

Telephone Number(s) h – w - c

818-224-3710; 323-467-1244; 818-421-9154

Street Address

22322 De Kalb Drive

City, State, Zip Code

Calabasas, CA  91302

Country

 

 

 

 

Family

Married Karen in 1987; kids, Mel (Melissa) 11, Sydney 9.  Joey, yellow labrador, 2.

 

 

 

CHS Memories (Friends, Funniest story, Teachers, Events, Activities, Sports, Songs, Would like to forget…, etc.)

 

After reading Lisa’s profile, I too, now remember the trip to Michigan.  I also remember not having a place to stay and ending up trying to sleep in the back of my car.  My back still hurts 31 years later.  I learned photography in high school and had a great time shooting pictures for paper and yearbook.  I am searching everywhere for my negatives, but have yet to find them.  Memories: the party at my parent’s house our junior year where I left to go see “Let it Be” at the Varsity Theater at midnight with Andy, Robert, possibly others, and left Siegel to watch the house.  We returned around 2:00 a.m. and there were cars parked at the entrance to Polo Drive, a sight I will never forget.  Word travels fast in a small town.  Countless nights at Hartz’s playing bumper pool.  Working on cars, wish I still had the time, great therapy.  Learned to fly in high school, shot the title page aerial photo for the ‘74 yearbook.  Marty Shrader was my flight instructor and one of the most dedicated teachers I’ve ever known.  He probably spent as much time working with us after school as he did in class.  Mike Gibstine’s parents’ cars which looked like unmarked police cars.  We used to put a red flashing light on the dash board and pull over the unsuspecting, usually Michelson, Hufford or Bohn.  How we were never spotted by a Clayton cop I don’t know.  Skiing on the Mississippi with Mike G, throwing ice cubes at Robert from the back of the boat, buying beer on the Illinois side of the river.  Camping out on a sandbar with Victor, Mike and Robert so we could catch some smooth water in the early a.m., didn’t count on being eaten alive by mosquitos & flies.  My dad telling Robert that he shouldn’t play football anymore if he wanted an injury to heal and Robert looking back at me as if to say “who is he talking to.”  Dave Monaghan getting so drunk he had no memory of where he left his mother’s car.  Drinking beer with Tracy, Tina, Lisa, Tim on the Old Warson Country Club Grounds.  The anti-prom: with Lisa, Tim, Mike and Tina at Stouffers on the riverfront, actually got served liquor; I couldn’t have looked a day older than my bar mitzvah.  School: Four years of math with Earl Tidrow, another gifted and dedicated teacher.  American history at Ladue, summer ‘72 with Robert, Siegel, and Larry Levy.  Watergate.  June ‘71, the Pentagon Papers, August ‘74, Nixon’s resignation.  Frank Quiring’s “quizes;” wish I had put more into his classes, amazing teacher for high school.  Quantitative science, Burt Droste.   “Modular physics,” Lou Deall, what a terrible loss for all of us, he died so young.  Larry Baker, Frank Armstrong, history.  Chuck Lackinger, biology.  I’m not sure you really appreciate good teachers until you 1) have a bad one, 2) try it yourself or 3) see one teaching your children.

 

 

After High School (Career, Accomplishments, Favorite Activities, Message to classmates…, etc.)

Went to Emory University in fall of ‘74, but left after a year.  Worked in a factory in downtown St. Louis, traveled to California, remember visiting Jon Deex at Pomona, Andy at Boulder.  Went back to school at UMKC, finished with a B.A. in Communication Studies, Radio-TV-Film.  Hustled cheap ovenware on the East Coast with some guys from Mizzou and UMKC.  Did two years of law school in Los Angeles and started working in television post-production in 1981 where I’ve been ever since.  Continued flying, became a flight instructor in 1983 and taught for about six years as a sideline.

 

Was visiting my mom in 1985 when I met Karen (Ladue ‘78).  We dated long-distance  for several months.  Karen moved to Los Angeles in 1986, started an occupational therapy re-hab program at UCLA  and we were married in 1987.  Took great trips to Hawaii, Mexico, London-Italy, and started skiing in Utah, Mammoth and Lake Tahoe.

 

Mel, our oldest daughter was born in 1992, Sydney in 1995.  They have replaced the flying, working on cars and until recently, skiing.  We live in a great community in the West San Fernando Valley.  Our neighborhood reminds me a lot of Clayton.  Our schools are within walking distance of our house and we actually know our neighbors.  There is a good sense of community.  My commute to Hollywood is about 50 minutes, so it’s probably about the same as going from Chesterfield to downtown St. Louis.

 

I have been a colorist since our tenth reunion in 1984.  I enhance the color and set the screen position of movies on film that are transferred to high-definition video.  It takes about 3-4 days to program and record a video master of a 100 minute movie.  I have been with Technicolor since 2002.

 

Still do a fair amount of photography, kids make it easy.  Took up golf about two years ago, long learning curve.  Love making my own blends of coffee, people tell me it’s some of the best they’ve ever had.  Often think of this as a future business opportunity.

 

The reunion will be great.  Those of us who are not in St. Louis have the luxury of simply e-mailing in.  Let’s not forget how much time and hard work goes in to organizing and putting on the show.  My sincere thanks to Andy and everyone working with him.  Look forward to seeing you all in June.