Page 18 - Winter Breeze 2

But back to our international
“star.” In 1962 he was fea-
tured in the film “The Magic
Tide”, filmed in San Felipe by
Sombrero Pictures out of Los
Angeles, CA. Octavio was at-
tending the 4th grade in the
very first elementary school in
San Felipe, Escuela Primeria
Jaime Nuno. It was there he
says, that he was selected to
play the part. He recalls being
asked to stand with the other
boys in the class, as the producers Ralph and Bri Brooke, briefly interviewed them and
then picked Octavio! The film was shot on a state of the art 16mm Ariflex camera, and
had only two actors Octavio Ascolani and Debi Doyle. The young actress, Debi was
an American girl from Santa Monica, CA, who also was starting her career in the film
industry. The plot of the story is not unlike many Mexican-American romances that have
taken place in the sleepy, romantic beach town of San Felipe. However this story was
more about the international friendship of two children. Octavio, a native, befriends his
American co-star who is visiting Mexico with her family. Debi’s character plays a little
girl who has been stricken with
polio, which Debi also had in
real life. She blossoms under
the therapeutic environment of
sun and sea, learning to sail
and ride horses with her new
friend. Octavio’s character had
a dream of becoming a fish-
erman one day and marrying
Debi. The film is only 32 minutes
long and boasted as one of the
first films shot in 16mm color.
The charming story of a child-
hood adventure, was a success
in short subjects category, and
played in American movie theaters. After the filming of “The Magic Tide,” the young
Octavio opted not to pursue a career in the movie business, instead he went to the Unit-
ed States where he briefly attended school in Bellflower, CA where he learned to speak
English. He later went to high school and college in Guadalajara, Mexico. He returned
to his home town at the age of 23, Octavio spent 18 years working for the government
of San Felipe. Octavio together with partner Pancho Limon worked with the Tourism
Council to promote the town through out Baja California and the United States.
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