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Close Encounters of the Steven Spielberg Kind in Arizona

JL;DR SUMMARY During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Spielberg family, including a young Steven Spielberg, lived in Phoenix, Arizona, where their encounters with clear night skies and anti-Semitic experiences shaped Steven's early years and artistic inclinations. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

HolocaustJewish IdentityWorld War IiSteven SpielbergFilmmakingChildhoodArizonaPhoenixMovie Making

Places mentioned

Phoenix, Arizona, United States
"The Spielberg siblings lived in Phoenix, Arizona, they didnt always get to sleep through the night."
Haddon Township, New Jersey, United States
"The Spielbergs moved from Haddon Township, New Jersey, to Sun Valley, Idaho for career purposes."
Sun Valley, Idaho, United States
"The Spielbergs moved from Haddon Township, New Jersey, to Sun Valley, Idaho for career purposes."
Maryland, United States
"a promotional consultant who now lives in Maryland, in an email to the Forward."
Connecticut, United States
"such as Warner Marshall, who today lives in Connecticut and still acts in church acting groups."
California, United States
"Spielbergs time in Arizona ended the day after, when his family moved to California."
Tucson, Arizona, United States
"The establishment of an air force base in Tucson during the war and the influx of people after 1945 led to further growth."
Arcadia, Arizona, United States
"They settled in the rural, middle-class neighborhood of Arcadia, which is celebrating its centennial this year."

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Cairo Item ID 84940
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2026-06-16 05:31:16 UTC
Curated 2026-06-16 08:31:26 UTC