Burbank High Class of 1968

Mike Katzman, 1968

Dale Rubin, 1968

We recently heard from Michael Katzman, who sent along this link to old issues of Hi-Life, the newspaper of Burbank High School.

I asked him to give us an update on the Dynamic Duo, aka Mike Katzman and Dale Rubin, and this is what he wrote back:

Michael Katzman and Dale Rubin wrote “Dynamic Duo” during their senior year. The satirical feature appeared in every issue and while popular, behind the scenes it was a source of constant aggravation to Editor-in-Chief Bob Reitherman and Managing Editor Sharon Snow.  As satire, the column mocked BHS teachers, students, administrators, Burbank, Bob and Sharon, and even the infamous “PRIDE” sign.  While Katzman and Rubin declared freedom of speech and pointed to their part in raising awareness of local issues, acrimony was sometimes so great, that the staff locked them in a closet and forced them to write on paper towels.

Michael and Dale, friends since Emerson Elementary School, keep in touch, but haven’t seen each other since the last reunion.

Dale Rubin, a criminal attorney for decades, still practices in San Marino, California.  He says he is lucky that his clients never visit him; they’re all in jail.  He has four children, two already out of college.  He says his writing these days amounts to mountains of legal motions. 

Here’s a description of Dale on LinkedIn: Dale has been engaged in the private practice of criminal defense work in the Los Angeles area for almost 38 years. He is experienced in capital defense work in both state and federal court and has been qualified as “learned counsel” by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Dale has tried over 100 murder trials. He is a member of the United States District, Central District of California, Criminal Justice Appointments Panel.

Mike Katzman in a recent photo.

Michael Katzman retired from  teaching and administration after thirty-one years. He lives near Calabasas, California. He has twelve year-old twins.  He still advises principals on technology and data. He writes motivational plays for schools while finishing a book he started while in high school.

In 1989, Mike’s senior English class performed a play that he had written based on his experiences as a columnist for Burbank Hi-Life. The character names in the show, were the actual names from the characters in the class, which included Merrily Thorne, Sally Bartley, and Paul Pilson. The incident in the play with Willie Wilson running as a write-in candidate for student body president really did occur as well as the uproar in the drama department when a play review, meant only as a joke, was accidentally published. Assistant editor-in-chief Sharon Snow was really the butt of many jokes and Bob Reitherman, the editor-in-chief, was popular for a variety of talents.

For a trip down Memory Lane, here is the list of the advanced journalism students from our senior year: Bob Reitherman, editor in chief; Sharon Snow, managing editor, news edit; Paul Pilson, editorial editor; Mike Mooney, sports editor; Merrily Thorne, feature editor; Sally Bartley, exchange editor; Bill Hemmerdinger, Skip Johnston, cartoonists; Mike Katzman and Dale Rubin, make-up, copy and heads; Mark Sawyer, entertainment editor; Gene Allred, Larry Segal, Bob Elliot, sports writers; Wayne Baldaro, Marilyn Freisleben, news staff; Miss Marjorie Imbach, advisor; Willard Fredricksen, print shop advisor; Laurel Goddard, Kay Ubleman, Judy Voelker, Dorothy Raitt, Judy Geldin, Jana Jordan, contributing reporters.

Click here for Part II

Click here for Part III

On a recent FaceBook post, a former student wrote: Mr. Katzman you probably single handedly changed my life for ever when you turned me into an extrovert  Your exact words when I was a senior; “Oh my God, I think I’ve created a monster!”

Looks like there’s still a need for Dynamic Duo today! Click to enlarge text.