The Terrible Catsafterme

The name Hollywood ’80 had entered the common vernacular of most Sons of the Desert members – both to those who had been fortunate enough to actually attend it, as well as to those who had only heard tales of the legendary convention. So it was in deliberate reference to that Sons convention’s nickname that I named an article I did for Dante’s Info #13 as Hollywood ’95. This particular vacation to California was not a convention, but my third journey to the wild western state in a successful attempt to recapture the magic of Hollywood ’80. Read the rest of this entry »

Hollywood ’80 is distinctly emblazoned on my mind as a completely iconoclastic experience – one that stands on its own, with no ‘before’ and no ‘after’. Unlike any other typical vacation, the time I spent on this trip is seldom thought of in the context of anything else that was going on during this time. It simply is remembered as ‘Hollywood ’80,’ the single most exciting experience up to that time, and likely one of the most important trips of my life. It was my first time in California, the first time to a Sons of the Desert convention, my first time on a plane, my first time meeting any L&H and Our Gang celebrities, my first ‘non-family’ vacation (I considered it to be much more of an ‘adventure’), and, as my attention to details are demonstrated by my remembrance of this, my first ham and swiss on rye sandwich. Read the rest of this entry »

The last chance I got to spend time with Gordon “Porky” Lee before his passing in 2005 was at the Sea-Tac Sons of the Desert convention in the Summer of 2000. Although it was the second time I had met him – the first being in Minneapolis in 1996 – I still was thrilled enough to purchase an additional four photos to have him autograph for my collection. Knowing his affinity for beer, I opted to keep my streak going, and treat him to one from the cash bar as I previously had on the occasion of our first meeting. As a hardened drinker and smoker, Porky was less appealing as an adult than he was as a child, but still a very nice and friendly man nonetheless. Read the rest of this entry »

Randy Skretvedt is the author of Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies, the single greatest book on Laurel and Hardy ever written – and probably one of my all-time favorite books overall. I can still remember the excitement when this book was delivered in the Summer of 1987 via postal service. I tore through the envelope and took it to the bathroom, where I do all of my heavy reading, and mulled it over for at least an hour. I have read it repeatedly over the course of the last twenty years – and am currently in the middle of it yet again. Read the rest of this entry »

As I recall, I did not do a whole lot of autograph collecting from the celebrities in attendance at the Sea-Tac 2000 Sons of the Desert convention. I had never met Patsy Britten before so I had her sign a photo. And I had a new shot of Peggy Cartwright for her to sign – but the other three I had met on occasions in the past and pretty much had all of the autographs I needed from them – especially since they were now selling their photos at 10 bucks a pop. Read the rest of this entry »