Last month we were given 30 days to vacate our office of 24 years. I knew the day was coming because our landlord had passed away in 2022 and his kids had put the building up for sale. If any of you know me well, you know I'm a machine. I worked 24/7 to close up the
Dunitz & Company and get us moved out of our space at 2142 N.Cahuenga Blvd.
Most of you probably don't know that our office landlord was LQ Jones. He was a very well known character actor, and later director, who seemed to have been in every cowboy movie and television show in the 50s, 60s and 70s. He lived downstairs, and the office we occupied at street level was zoned commercial. He was a prince of a man, a true gentleman and we miss him a lot. To us he was "McQueen" which was his birth (last) name. When I first met him, he told me I was too young to know his first name. I'm guessing that was an inside joke of sorts. His name was Justice as was his father before him. And you know what? He was very just. He was always kind to people that walked by in front, including homeless. And if someone recognized him, he was always gracious. I witnessed all of this many many times. He insisted that he do all the "dirty work" around the outside of the house. He'd get annoyed if I ever took out the garbage bins. Seriously.
A couple of weeks ago, his son brought me an old coat rack I thought I could refinish (next post), and a few photos of his dad, which I'm sharing here. This framed photo hung in McQueen's home. He had lots of photos and posters hanging in his home from his years of acting. Whenever I entered his home, it felt like "Old Hollywood." This photo was snapped when McQueen was filming Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid." LQ is sitting in the chair wearing sunglasses. The dark haired man looking upward is Kris Kristofferson. I was told the man "with that familiar hat" with his back to us is most likely Bob Dylan. Dylan had a bit part in the movie.
What a smile McQueen had. Clearly this photo was snapped long before I met him. His son told me of all the photos of his dad, this was his and his sister's favorite. Cowboys were always smoking cigarettes back then. I don't think he smoked in real life. At least all those years I'd known McQueen, I never saw him with a cigarette.
I knew that McQueen's health was failing during Covid times. He was locked up inside his home and I think I only caught a glimpse of him once or twice, maybe 3 times. Crazy right? For years, we'd sit on the stoop and chat. A few weeks before he passed, I drew this portrait of him, for him. Even in his 90's he was a very good looking man. Did I say I miss him? We were blessed to have known him and have the Dunitz & Company office for so many years "just upstairs." -ND
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LQ Jones - Pin
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