Exploring Gatlinburg With Erin Rudd
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
There was a girl, a most enchanted girl, named Erin Rudd whose path I crossed many times as a child – but as far as either of us can recall, with whom I never spoke. The first time I saw Erin was when she, along with her brother Joel, attended Discovery House day care center in the Summer of 1979. Whether she went there for a day, a week, or a month I’m not sure. The only thing I know is that she and Joel started Fairbrook Elementary that Fall. She was entering third grade, I was entering second, Joel was entering first. I recognized both of them from Discovery House and this is as far as the proof goes that they ever attended. Read the rest of this entry »
The final installment of the autograph book that I acquired from former Our Gang member Mildred Kornman in 2005, if not the most valuable third of the book, is certainly the most interesting. What is also interesting is that there are two pages at the end of the signatures that have been torn out, as well as one in the midst of the signed pages. I asked Mildred if she recalled what these might have been. It makes the imagination run wild, or some celeb might have needed a piece of scrap paper. All part of the fun and mystery of early Hollywood. 
I had always hoped to get a chance to meet Charles Martin Smith. Not just because of his ultra-memorable and hilarious role as Terry the Toad in American Graffiti. Not just because of his great part in the film version of The Untouchables. Not just for his very early appearance on The Brady Bunch. Not just because he was Carter Pike’s brother Lyman on Picket Fences. Not just because he directed the premier episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I wanted to meet Charles Martin Smith because as a teenager, he was a member of the Sons of the Desert Laurel and Hardy appreciation society. 
What follows is the second dozen signatures that can be found in the autograph book that belonged to Our Gang member Mildred Kornman (seen at right) when she was a child (began 
When my friend Jimmy and I visited former Our Gang member Mildred Kornman at her home in San Diego on October 4, 2005, one of the wonderful pieces of memorabilia that she shared with us was a little autograph book that she had had many celebrities sign during the 1930′s. 35 celebrities with 35 signatures to be exact. Mildred was the younger sister of silent Our Gang leading lady Mary Kornman and the daughter of still photographer Gene Kornman. So she had good reason to be visiting movies sets and was occasionally employed as an extra.