Paul Andrew Casella

Paul Andrew Casella, 86, born on July 15, 1935, passed away suddenly in Glendale, CA, on February 15, 2022. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Casella, who created and owned the Hollywood mobile studio company Transcord Enterprises, and later was the Vice-President of Logistics at Sony Pictures for over 25 years, was a native of Burbank, CA., Casella, who worked in his parents' Glendale produce market as a teenager, started his career in the movie industry as a caterer, feeding, among others, Elvis Presley and Ann-Margaret, and was later a private chef to Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on The Sandpipers. He became a studio Teamster driver at 20th Century-Fox during the mid-1960s and early 1970s, eventually helping run their Transportation Department. After his time at Fox, he became a freelance Transportation Captain and then a Coordinator on many films. In 1973, thanks to actor Paul Newman, who was a close friend, Casella became the first person to have an onscreen Transportation Coordinator credit in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. Seven years later, on Used Cars - thanks to Producers Bob Gale and Bob Zemeckis - Casella became the first Transportation Coordinator to get a single card screen credit. During this same time, Casella and his second wife, Constance (Connie) Casella, worked tirelessly to build up Transcord Enterprises so that it had the largest fleet of mobile studio production vans west of the Mississippi. Once at Sony, Casella oversaw their new set, costume, and prop recycling programs, along with hundreds of other innovative logistic programs. Notably, he testified before Congress to help pass legislation that would help movie studios and labor unions work better together. After retiring from Sony at 80, he focused his life on running Big Cove Resort, a lakeside resort in Northern California he ran with his wife, his brothers Don and Gary, and nephews Kyle and AJ Casella. A dedicated family man and philanthropist, Casella was part of Hollywood dynasty stretching over three generations, which included studio travel agents, film set drivers, writers, directors, actors, doctors, and lawyers. He is survived by his wife Connie, his brother Don Casella (Janet Casella) and their family, his sons Martin Casella and Matt Casella, his daughters Melinda Casella and Michelle Casella Salzman (Scott Salzman), his two grandsons Ryan Salzman (Melissa Toffel Salzman) and Garrett Salzman (Jasmine Roozbanian), and his first wife Shirley Casella, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins in America, Australia, and Italy.

Instead of flowers or cards, the family requests donations to the St. Lawrence of Brindisi School, an extraordinary place run by the Casella family's friend Father Matt Elshoff. It is a co-educational Catholic elementary school in Watts, CA. https://stlawrencebrindisi.com/donate

We invite you to sign the guest book below, share memories, in addition to posting photos and videos.

A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on March 29, 2022, at St. Charles Borromeo Church in North Hollywood, CA. Graveside services to follow.

A Celebration of his life will be held immediately after at the Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank, CA.

On behalf of the Casella and Salzman Families, thank you.