Toolin’ Around Town: city streets, shiny cars and Mackenzie Phillips

They’re sleek, stylish and shiny.

Some have fins, rumbling exhaust pipes, chrome rims, mag wheels and tuck & roll upholstery — and they never fail to draw attention. That’s the attraction of classic autos, hot rods and muscle cars from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.

More than 400 pristine, vintage coupes, sedans and pickups will be on display in downtown Petaluma, on Saturday, May 21, when Cruisin’ the Boulevard presents its 15th annual Salute to “American Graffiti,” celebrating the nostalgic coming-of-age movie, filmed in Petaluma in 1972, that captured an era when car-obsessed teenagers tooled around town showing off their vehicles, drinking beer and looking for thrills.

Set in 1962, the film reflects on the teenage years of director George Lucas, while capturing a near mirror-image of small-town Petaluma life during that period. It’s an era kept alive by classic car shows, the heart-throbbing top-40 tunes of the ‘60s, and wholesome memories.

Highlighting the festive three-day event are “American Graffiti” stars Mackenzie Phillips, Candy Clark and Bo Hopkins, who’ll socialize with fans and sign autographs. Clark and Hopkins are familiar faces at the annual shindig, but Phillips — whose career blossomed into numerous movie, television and stage roles — returns to Petaluma for the first time in 50 years.

In a telephone conversation, Phillips reminisced about filming the iconic movie and talked about her affection for classic cars, her career and her meaningful involvement in the behavioral health field.

“It all began when I was 12 years old and living in Los Angeles,” Phillips said. “I was the lead singer in a little band in school where all the kids had family in the entertainment industry. We were playing at an open mic night at the Troubadour nightclub when Fred Ross, a talent scout, came over and asked if I’d like to be in a movie. The only previous acting experience I’d had was playing Santa Claus in a school play. I auditioned and got the part.”

She barely knew what she was signing up for, of course.

“I was a little kid,” Phillips continued. “I didn’t really understand everything, but it seemed like a cool thing to do. I’d never heard of Petaluma.”

In the movie, Phillips plays pesky Carol Morrison, the precocious but irritating little sister who ends up riding around in the yellow deuce coupe with John Milner, played by Paul Le Mat.

“When they were filming, it was quite a production,” said Phillips. “In the scenes with Paul and I in the ’32 deuce, because of the cameras, we were locked in the car for long periods. It was really a fun time. I was like the mascot on the set. It was cool. ‘American Graffiti’ was an enormous hit. I’ve watched it about 30 times.”

The movie also introduced Phillips to an appreciation for customized cars.

“I love the classic cars from the movie,” she said. “When I was a kid, my dad had a turquoise ‘57 Chevy and a ’62 Caddy convertible we called ‘Boris.’ ‘American Graffiti’ opened me up to different kinds of classic cars. It’s a very specific time for me.”

Following the success of “American Graffiti,” the door of opportunity flew open for the talented Phillips. Best remembered as Julia in the sitcom “One Day at a Time,” where she starred in 123 episodes along with Valerie Bertinelli and Bonnie Franklin, Phillips has acted in 14 movies and played 47 roles on television. She starred in 63 episodes of the Disney Channel’s “So Weird,” nine episodes of the reprised “One Day at a Time,” and six guest appearances on “Orange is the New Black.” Her past stage roles include “Grease” “The Vagina Monologues,” “Same Time Next Year” and “Annie”.

“I was 15 when I started ‘One Day at a Time,’” Phillips recalled. “I went to a Waldorf school on the set. Valerie and I were a class of two.”

She later encountered substance abuse problems and is now in long-term recovery. She chronicled her struggles in her 2009 memoir, “High on Arrival,” which debuted at No. 3 on the New York Times bestseller list and led to guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and numerous morning TV programs.

“I have a tremendously rewarding second career working in the behavioral health field as a drug counselor, and in executive management at Breathe Life Healing Center, in West Hollywood,” she explained. “I don’t actively seek out acting roles, but I wouldn’t mind playing a mommy. I pride myself on my nurturing.”

Along with the anticipation of returning to Petaluma where her acting career began, Phillips spoke of her enjoyment of autograph sessions, which offer the opportunity to meet and greet admiring fans.

“It’s always fun when people come with movie memorabilia to sign,” she said.

In 1995, the Library of Congress deemed "American Graffiti,“ the film, “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Cruisin’ the Boulevard was formed in 2005 by a group of classic-car and “American Graffiti” enthusiasts eager to pay tribute to the movie. The first two car shows were held at the Factory Outlet Mall, before moving downtown, which boosted the car count to 300.

For 2022, the limit was set at 400 entries, which was met after 11 days of registration. Currently, 88 cars remain on a waiting list.

“The car show is on the streets of Petaluma where the movie was filmed,” said Cruisin’ the Boulevard founder John Furrer. “We have the movie cars and we have the movie stars. We’ve had entries from 18 states and eight different countries. Nobody could have imagined the growth in popularity we’ve gained.”

For information and a full schedule of events check out Cruisin’ the Boulevard’s Facebook page, Cruisin’ the Blvd. Petaluma’s Salute to American Graffiti.