The Terrible Catsafterme

It was a distinct privilege to be able to meet Lucille Hardy Price, the widow of one of my two biggest idols, Oliver Hardy. I can’t say that I really ever got the chance to know her, as she passed away in 1986 before I had thrust myself into interviewing and getting to know some of the celebrites who worked with Laurel and Hardy and in the Our Gang Comedies. But I feel as if I am very acquainted with her because of the many interviews with her that I have read and seen, as well as first-hand accounts from many of my friends who certainly did know her. Read the rest of this entry »

Of all of the celebrites I’ve met who worked with Laurel and Hardy, none can really approach the magnitude of Anita Garvin. When celebrities were gathered for the Hollywood ’80 Sons of the Desert convention in Los Angeles, Anita Garvin was truly the last of the living members of the Laurel and Hardy Stock Company, an informal title applied to those performers who frequently starred in the boys’ films. Anita worked in a whopping eleven films with Stan and Babe, twice portraying Stan’s wife and once as Ollie’s girlfriend. This doesn’t even take into account her numerous appearances with Charley Chase and the Our Gang – and an attempt by Hal Roach to form a female comedy team along the lines of L&H, using Anita with Marion Byron. Read the rest of this entry »

On Tuesday morning, October 4, 2005, Jimmy and I awoke bright and early and headed from his home in San Pedro toward San Diego. The traffic was murder even at the early hour, but the destination made it all worthwhile. For it was here that Mildred Kornman resided. Mildred was the younger sister of Our Gang leading lady Mary Kornman and the daughter of Hal Roach still photographer Gene Kornman. She herself had starred in the silent Little Rascals series as a baby and grew up to be a stunning fashion model. Read the rest of this entry »

After a brief stay in Clearwater and a visit with Ira and Mildred, the eight of us (being Bill, Dottie, Lora, Robby, Dad, Mom, Denise, and me) all headed over to Orlando for the Classic Chevy International convention which was being held from July 28 – August 2. This would be the fourth and final one of these that I would attend. Mom and Dad had attended five, having previously gone to another one held in Orlando the prior year. In fact, they had visited EPCOT Center during that 1984 trip and Dad had decided that he wanted to go there again with Denise and me.

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My friend Bob Satterfield would tell you that he has now been exonerated from feeling any guilt about the big pie fight at the Hollywood ’80 convention. He would tell you that I had my chance to get into another pie fight at the 2006 Sons of the Desert convention in Augusta, Georgia, so I have no right to be sore about not being able to get into the pie fight due to my age – or lack of it. But he would be wrong – and I have never let him live down the fact that the convention organizers set an age limit well beyond my eight years required to enter the pie fight. Read the rest of this entry »