Steve Kosareff
Steve Kosareff wears multiple creative hats due to many interests. He is an author, graphic designer, historian, screenwriter, film director, editor and producer. His first book, WINDOW TO THE FUTURE: THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, was published by Chronicle Books in 2005. The book fondly looks back at the culture of marketing and advertising television sets during the golden age of American manufacturing in the 1950s and 60s. Kosareff next wrote, produced and directed a related documentary, TV MAN: THE SEARCH FOR THE LAST INDEPENDENT DEALER about the few remaining mom-and-pop stores which sold and repaired television sets in the United States.
Also a student of film noir, Kosareff for several years considered writing a book about Los Angeles' most famous midcentury murder case. Motivated to produce a treatment for a television producer, he finally began writing the book after extensive research. The resulting true crime memoir, SATIN PUMPS: THE MOONLIT MURDER THAT MESMERIZED THE NATION will be published by WildBlue Press on February 2, 2021.
In the book, Kosareff revisits the infamous 1959 Finch-Tregoff murder case. Dr. Bernard Finch and his girlfriend and medical assistant, Carole Tregoff, conspired with others to murder his wife, Barbara Jean at their hilltop West Covina home. Kosareff was just eight years old when Finch (who also happened to be the family doctor) murdered his wife. Kosareff's personal connections to the principles and his close physical proximity to events proved to be invaluable in building the story from his point of view as a child and later as an adult looking back at contradictions that have plagued the case for sixty years. Through extensive research and conclusions based on fact, Kosareff believes he has arrived at long sought-after answers.
Facebook: @SatinPumps
Twitter: @SatinPumps, @wildbluepress, @NothingButWBP
Favorite non-reading activity?
Watching great films or television shows. I’m a big fan of classic films from the 1930s – 1970s. Among them are the Wizard of Oz, The Godfather and Vertigo. Among favorite television series are Breaking Bad, Ozark and Babylon Berlin.
What’s the oddest thing a reader has ever asked you?
One hasn’t asked yet, but I’m waiting. Hopefully, my answer will be just as amusing.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
Savory—and spicy! Over the years I’ve turned into a pretty good cook. I’m great at pot roast, leg of lamb and roast chicken and all the trimmings like stuffing, gravies and sauces. Here’s a secret about preparing a Thanksgiving turkey: Don’t. They’re the most bland foul there is; chicken is much more flavorful. But if you must prepare a turkey, or any foul or meat for that matter, use kosher salt and refrigerate it for a few days in a plastic bag to tenderize and make it juicy on the inside and crispy on top.
Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome?
No, because I’ve been vaccinated.
Vacation druthers… City or Rural destination? Why?
Just about any place in Europe, but particularly Switzerland. Can’t get enough vegetation and water, having lived all my life in semi-arid Southern California.
Do you have another artistic outlet in addition to your writing? Do you sew? Paint? Draw? Knit? Dance?
I love taking 3-D photographs on 35mm film with my classic 1950s Kodak Stereo Camera and my View-Master Personal Camera. After I have the film developed, I cut and mount the slides for viewing.
If you could create a museum exhibition, what would be the theme?
I’d like to create a WHOLE museum filled with classic television sets and related memorabilia and ephemera to the early decades of commercial television sets and culture. I own a number of sets and related memorabilia and had a book published about the golden age of marketing and selling television sets entitled, WINDOW TO THE FUTURE.
