News Summary
A sold-out crowd attended the premiere of ‘Sin City: Newport Beach’ at the Lido Theater, showcasing the city’s vibrant yet gritty past during the 1920s and ’30s. Directed by Ed Olen, the documentary, based on Judge Robert Gardner’s book ‘Bawdy Balboa’, highlights local history and features engaging anecdotes about illegal activities during Prohibition. The film aims to preserve Newport Beach’s storytelling heritage while emphasizing its authentic history. Future screenings are expected at the Balboa Island Museum, with Olen also working on a new project about the Newport Beach ‘Blue-Haired Mafia’.
Newport Beach – A sold-out crowd gathered at the Lido Theater in Newport Beach on Tuesday for the premiere of “Sin City: Newport Beach.” This documentary, written and directed by Ed Olen, takes viewers back to the 1920s and ’30s, a period marked by illegal gambling, bootlegging, and vibrant nightlife in the city.
The film is showcased as part of the “All About OC” category at the Newport Beach Film Festival, presenting an engaging exploration of the city’s past. Audience members showed their appreciation through laughter and applause, particularly noticing local figures such as Newport Beach Harbormaster Paul Blank, Balboa Island Ferry owner Seymour Beek, and Newport Beach Mayor Joe Stapleton.
Olen has emphasized that the era depicted in the film was “not the glamorous Newport Beach we know now.” The documentary is based on the book “Bawdy Balboa” by Judge Robert Gardner, which recounts personal experiences of community life during Prohibition. It features Nancy Gardner, the daughter of Robert Gardner and a former Newport Beach Mayor, who commended Olen’s thorough research into local history.
With a background in photography and filmmaking, Olen previously worked for the city of Newport Beach and produced segments for Newport Beach TV. His interest in local history ignited over the years as he collected stories from community leaders and residents. “Sin City: Newport Beach” uses Gardner’s book as a key resource while also including various interviews to enrich the script.
The documentary presents compelling anecdotes about a “drugless drugstore” and the illegal alcohol trade during Prohibition, showcasing how individuals cleverly marketed alcohol disguised in cigarette cartons. To compensate for the absence of historical film footage, Olen creatively re-enacted scenes using actors, animation, AI technology, and even Barbie dolls.
Additionally, Olen incorporated vintage props and materials, such as wool bathing costumes and postcards, to enhance the authenticity of the reenactments. He aimed to present an unfiltered narrative of Newport Beach’s past, refusing to sanitize the gritty realities, which included the challenges that arose due to excessive alcohol consumption during that time.
During the premiere, a humorous reenactment that involved Ken dolls in a jail cell illustrated the consequences of drunkenness, providing an entertaining yet educational experience for attendees. Olen’s earlier work, “Newport and Me: Seymour Beek,” also focused on local history and found popularity among audiences.
Following the screening, Nancy Gardner highlighted the importance of storytelling in preserving history, noting that “we remember the anecdotes” that shape communal memory. Future screenings of “Sin City: Newport Beach” are slated to be held at the Balboa Island Museum.
As Ed Olen looks to expand the narrative of Newport Beach’s history, he is currently engaged in a new documentary about a group of influential women known as Newport Beach’s “Blue-Haired Mafia.” This upcoming project promises to further illuminate the rich tapestry of stories that define the area.
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Additional Resources
- Los Angeles Times: Newport Beach’s Original Sin City
- Newport Beach Indy: Hidden Gems at the Film Festival
- Variety: Newport Beach Film Festival 2025 Lineup
- Film Festivals: Newport Beach Film Festival Lineup
- The Northerner: Newport Before Vegas
- Wikipedia: Newport Beach, California
- Google Search: Newport Beach Film Festival
- Google Scholar: Newport Beach History
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Newport Beach
- Google News: Newport Beach Sin City
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