Many Elsah residents already know that academy award winning actor Robert Duvall resided in Elsah while attending Principia College in the early 1950’s, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in drama. But we uncovered another entertainment industry heavyweight who you may not be aware of- former Elsah Resident Terry Melcher.  Melcher, who was the son of actress Doris Day, attended Principia in the early 1960’s. He went on to become a groundbreaking music producer in L.A and is credited with helping to shape the sound of 1960s surf music in California. He produced records for  The Beach Boys, The Rip Chords, Wayne Newton, Pat Boone, Glen Campbell, and the Mamas & the Papas, to name a few. He also was lucky to emerge unscathed from a couple encounters with failed songwriter and murderous cult leader Charles Manson. Melcher was a genius in the studio, and the legacy of his innovative production techniques continue to impact music today.