Mom was an avid fan of the movies. She particularly liked the classic black and whites such as “Casablanca”, “Key Largo” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” So, I say I came by my love of movies naturally.

I was watching TV last night and “The Hitch-Hiker” was on. It is a true story and thriller of a psychotic escaped convict who goes on a killing spree that terrorizes the entire Imperial Valley. The movie stars Edmond O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Tallman, and it was directed by Ida Lupino who is credited as being the first female director in Hollywood. You might say it was during the golden days of the Hollywood studio system.

I recall that hitch-hiking and the movie were very worrisome for Mom. She remembered hearing about the hitch-hiker as she and Dad were raised in Imperial. The hitch-hiker murdered a family of five, a travelling salesman, and kidnapped a deputy from Blythe (in later years, Dad and Mom vacationed here at Walter’s Camp).

**Frank Lovejoy, William Talman and Edmond O'Brien in “The Hitch-Hiker.”**

The reason the movie is so memorable to me is that during the 1950’s, before they had cars of their own, brothers George, Cal, and their friends often hitch-hiked to the Pike, the Coliseum, the Atlantic Plunge, to one of the movie theatres on Whittier Boulevard, or just about anywhere they needed to go. Mom voiced her opinion and, as usual, she worried, as “boys will be boys.”

The movie portrays two longtime fishing buddies, who are family men from El Centro (this was like going downtown if you lived in Imperial), deciding to go on a fishing trip to San Felipe, Mexico.

Just south of Mexicali (and again, if you lived in Imperial or El Centro it was just over the border for great Mexican food), they picked up a hitch-hiker, and their world would be turned upside down.

The hitch-hiker outright told them that he would kill them at the end of the trip, and that his destination was Santa Rosalia. It was a hostage situation and escape seemed impossible, as the hitcher held them at gunpoint night and day, and forced them to do his bidding.

The Mexican police got wind of him being in Mexico and they started their pursuit of him. He was eventually caught; the two men survived the ordeal and were reunited with their families.

Billy Cook was put to death in the San Quentin gas chamber at the age of 25. Shortly thereafter, filming began of “The Hitch-Hiker.”

Sharon Benson-Smith a member of the writing class offered through the Cerritos College Adult Education Program. It is held off-campus at the Norwalk Senior Center.