On March 20, 1954, author Louis Sachar was born. He would go on to write the acclaimed 1998 novel “Holes,” later adapted into a 2003 Walt Disney Pictures film partially filmed in Santa Clarita.

Louis Sachar was born on March 20, 1954, in East Meadow, New York. Born into a religious Jewish family, Sachar first attended Hebrew school and Sunday school as a young boy. 

After graduating from high school, he started his college career at Antioch College for only a semester. He then transferred over to the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated in 1976 with a degree in economics. 

Sachar began working on his first book, entitled “Sideways Stories From Wayside School” (1978). The short story children’s novel was about an elementary school built 30 stories high, with each chapter highlighting a student from Mrs. Jewls class. Sachar was inspired to write the book after volunteering at Hillside Elementary School for college credit.

Sachar ended up writing the book in nine months, even while working at a sweater warehouse in Connecticut. He was consequently fired and led Sachar to attend law school around the time of his first publication. After releasing “Sideways Stories From Wayside School” in 1978, it started to gather a fan base amongst young readers even though the book did not sell well.

In 1980, Sachar graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law and balanced between this part-time legal work and the continuation of writing children’s books. 

In 1985, Sachar married Carla Askew, an elementary school counselor who also inspired the counselor character in his book, “There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom” (1988). They also had a daughter together who is also an inspiration for Sachar’s books.

After writing successful books such as “Johnny’s in the Basement” (1981) and “Someday Angelie” (1983), Sachar’s books were selling well enough that he transitioned into writing full-time by 1989.

Sachar released his most prolific book, “Holes,” in 2003, about a young boy convicted of theft sent off to a correctional boot camp in a vast desert in Texas. The story interconnects the man character, Stanley Yelnats, with the other characters, touching on themes of labor, masculinity, friendship, and racism.

“Holes” was an outlier among Sachar’s usual novels, as it featured a more complex plot and elements of teen angst and mystery. The book was initially inspired by Sachar’s dislike of the heat in Austin, Texas.

Because of its immense popularity, positive critical response, and numerous accolades, “Holes” was adapted into a film of the same name by Walt Disney Pictures. Sachar translated his novel into the screenplay Disney used, and the director role was given to Andrew Davis, famous for directing “The Fugitive” (1993) with Harrison Ford.

Disney’s “Holes” starred famed actors such as Shia LaBeouf as Stanley, considered his breakout role, “Alien” star Sigourney Weaver as The Warden, and US Special Ambassador to Hollywood John Voight as Mr. Sir.

The filming of “Holes” took place at multiple locations, including Lake Casitas in Lancaster and Red Rock Canyon in Trona, but most importantly in the Santa Clarita Valley. Disney extensively used Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon for the Texas shoots. Crew members dug holes all over the ranch for filming.

Not all Disney films that are shot in the Santa Clarita Valley use The Walt Disney Co.’s own Golden Oak Ranch exclusively. Take, for instance, 2003’s “Holes” starring Sigourney Weaver, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voigt and Tim Blake Nelson, with Henry Winkler and Eartha Kitt. It used Golden Oak, but it also made extensive use of nearby Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon, where crew members dug holes all over the ranch.

“Holes” received many positive reviews from critics and audiences. Sachar also released a companion book for the film “Stanley Yelnats’ Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake”. A spin-off sequel was also created from the “Holes” universe focusing on the side character Theodore “Armpit” Johnson, published in 2006.

Louis Sachar’s books carried a generation of children who loved the quirky school-centered stories Sachar wanted to create. What started as Sachar writing a book inspired by his volunteer work at an elementary school, to having the privilege of one of his books being adapted into a successful film, Sachar’s life blossomed into a successful career with books that will last a lifetime.

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