1953 Letters
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 1111 Franklin Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN
I know Jan Rubini very well...what an impossible little Squirt he was. I would like to go over to Malibu and teach him how to drown!
June 4th.'53.
My Dear Betty [Healy]-
Thank you for your nice letter of May 6th. which amongst the news I got some good laughs. Would have answered sooner, but have had several visitors from the other side, so have been quite busy entertaining them here & there & needless to tell you they are all SOLD on California. I did a hell of a job for the Chamber of Commerce!.
The Australian trip has been postponed, we will have to wait till the Tax situation is cleared up or no use of us going. So now its back to England for a year & maybe by that time things will get straightened out for Australia. We open in London for eight weeks in Oct. then tour the provinces again.
I know Jan Rubini very well, was on the Pantages show with him a few years ago when he was with his first wife Dianne, (A French Girl - from Spokane!) before he joined our show, he had visited Charlie Chaplin at the Studio & had some snapshots taken with him. He had them enlarged & used them for Lobby display & was showing off to the rest of the acts what a big shot he was, & everything was Charlie & I etc. He did'nt know I had come to this Country with Chaplin & was his understudy & roomed with him for a couple of years, so one day I put out in the Theatre Lobby, personal pictures that Charlie had autographed to me & photos of Charlie. I on the Boat & in the show etc. You should have seen Rubini's face! he went bloody mad! & to make matters worse, after the first week, Pantages Headlined me instead of Rubini for the rest of the trip. From then on he did everything he possibly could to have me taken off the show. Dianne even accused the Girl I was working with of stealing her pocket book out of the dressing room. However it ended up, he was taken off the show in L.A. here. I'll never forget that trip as long as I live. What an impossible little Squirt he was, it would take too long to tell you of the many other incidents with him. I would like to go over to Malibu & teach him how to DROWN!.
I got a terrific laugh over the Chic Sales story, thats priceless, what a finish for an act! Pleased to note you are finally settled down in your new home, but can imagine it is a bit lonesome for you with nothing to do. Too bad you have'nt a TV, that certainly keeps you interested. Did you have a chance to see the Coronation? it was a wonderful sight & very impressive, of course being a Britisher I felt very proud & Thrilled with it all. I thought it was a beautiful job, especially after all poor Old England has gone through these past few years. I understand Bostock still has his school of acting & tells his clients ha was the one that discovered L & H & put them where they were - poor guy.
That must have been a wonderful Barbeque. I can imagine Wayne's disgust at having to perform - maybe it vas because he did'nt get any billing! You'll have to look after that next time, & send his photos in early. Anyway, I'm sure he did swell, at least, he knows what that business is all about.
I too, think you are wise in not getting too friendly with the neighbour dept. They do not understand we of the Theatre & are very apt to misconstrue our meanings & thoughts in many ways & can easily make a Mountain our of a Mole Hill.
I am busy trying to work out a new act, have a rough idea. Babe is in the Hospital, Psychopathic Case by mistake. I come to visit him & of course become involved, finishing up, the Psychiatrist Dr. turns out to be the one that is NUTS. (His name is Dr. Beserk) It sounds like it may have some possibilities for a funny sketch, however, if it does'nt pan out, I'll have to shake my head again.
All for now Betty. Kind thoughts & everything to Wayne & self. If anything exciting come along, will let you know.
Bye & God Bless:-
As ever:-
A story I just heard:-
Tallulah Bankhead is in the Ladies room at Ciro's. A French Dame comes in.
FRENCH DAME. Ah, Miss Bankhead! Did'nt we meet in CANNES?
BANKHEAD. You mean this one? or the one at the Mocambo?
CURTAIN.
Note from the Editor
Jan Rubini (1904-1989) was an actor/violinist who appeared in The Merry Widow (1934) and The Clancy Street Boys (1943).
Charles “Chic” Sale (1885-1936) was primarily a stage comedian who also appeared on Broadway as well as a handful of silent films.
Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (1902-1968) was an American actress and talk-show host. Her most famous film role was in Alfred Hitchcok’s Lifeboat (1944).
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 1111 Franklin Ave., Santa Monica, CA - HANDWRITTEN
June 6th '53.
Dear Leonid [DeModoff]:-
Introducing our Dear Friends The Ganjou Bros & Juanita. Know you will enjoy meeting them.
We expect to be in Chicago i Sept. on our way to ENgkland again - will look forward to seeing you there.
Eda joins in love & best to Self & Olga.
As ever,
MR. LEONID DE MODOFF
932, NO. RUSH ST.
CHICAGO. ILL.
Note from the Editot
The Ganjou Brothers and Juanita were a vaudeville acrobatic troupe.
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 1111 Franklin Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN
I met Shemp Howard, but didn’t get a chance to talk to him very much. I think he re-joined the Stooges again, don’t know what they are doing right now.
June 26th.'53.
My Dear Ed [Patterson]:-
Thanks yours of the 20th.inst.
Sorry to note you weren't feeling so good, but hope you are doing something about it, remember the old landladies used to say "I'll 'ave none of that in my 'ouse"! trust you have recovered by now Ed. Can imagine the money that Rank will make on the Coronation film, it should be terrific in 16mm. sales, as I am sure, those that are buying it will want more than fifty feet & mostly all of it. A great break for Rank, he got his production for nothing, & what a production! I don't recall the picture you mention "Sloppiest Days", was it with Hardy or me alone?
I made a drunk film (Silent) years ago before I met Hardy, was wondering if that was it. If it was, the title has been changed, but hardly think it possible. Funny you should mention about us doing a picture in Eng. for Balcon, he sent a fellow to see us when we played in Brighton, his name was W. P. Lipscomb, he came back to see us after he had seen the show & seemed very interested, but nothing has developed to date. What date was the issue of "Illustrated" that published the Chaplin life story? will appreciate if you will let me know, also the name & issue of the publication which included the picture of Mrs Laurel & myself. Yes, I am still a British Subject. What Ho & a bottle of rum! Never did see or hear of the script "ALL AT SEA" that was sent to the Roach Studio, otherwise it certainly would have been acknowledged.
All for now Ed. Take care of yourself.
All here join in the very best.
As ever:
Stan Laurel.
Note from the Editor
Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at a coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey in London on June 2, 1953. An estimated three million people lined the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the new monarch as she made her way to and from Buckingham Palace in the golden state coach. The ceremony was watched by millions more around the world as the BBC set up their biggest ever outside broadcast to provide live coverage of the event on radio and television.
