The lady that first jumped in 1960 finally hit the ground. The trademark neon sign of the diving lady came down in a mammoth storm that hit the valley yesterday.
Photos are at the following link:
http://hamiltonarts.zenfolio.com/p678781146
Here’s a little history on the sign that has stood for 50 years.
Starlite Motel, 2710 E. Main St. - A patron informed motel owners Pam and Bob Patel that a replica of their “diving lady” sign exists at Universal Studios in California.
The Patels said they had been only vaguely aware that their motel sign is beloved by neon buffs across the country.
So, they can’t speak to the technical brilliance that lets “the diving lady” climb to her platform every evening after sundown and execute one perfect plunge after another. What is known is that it was Millet who engineered the piece in 1960 to animate the lady in three stages, with a splash of water at the end of each sequence.
Bob Patel, who bought the Starlite five years ago, said what he knows about the sign is due in large part to visitors illuminating its history as they check in.
The Patels have removed the motel’s swimming pool; it was too much work to maintain. However, the neon diving lady remains a fixture, indefinitely.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/ent/calendar/articles/2008/07/22/20080722neontour.html#ixzz11b3uY83V
