Letter from Stan Laurel to Ted Laker
OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                Oct.1st.'56.
Mr Ted Laker,
26,Villiers Rd.,
SOUTHSEA. HANTS. ENG.

Dear Mr Laker:
    My dear friend Georgie Wood sent me your letter in which you made kindly reference to Laurel & Hardy. Just wanted you to know I deeply appreciated your kind thought & sentiments - indeed gracious of you.
    The L&H book you mention is nearing completion & should be ready for publication in the very near future, it probably will be titled "Mr Laurel & Mr Hardy", I trust you will enjoy the contents.
    Am enclosing you a little picture of L&H, thought you might like to have one as a souvenir.
    My thanks & kindest regards.
                Sincerely always:
Stan Laurel Signature                 Stan Laurel.



OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                October 2nd.'58.
Dear Mrs [Marie] Hatfield:-
    Thanks your welcome letter, Sept.29th.
Enjoyed hearing from you again & to know alls well & happy. Yes, my mouth trouble has all cleared up & am much better in that dept. but I still visit the Dr. occasionally to have it checked, just in case.
    Note you have been playing the Barbeque circuit this summer, am sure you have had some wonderful meals - Mrs L quite envies you, thats her favourite dish - thats the only thing she misses of our house, no charcoal brazier can be used in this apt.. We did have one in Malibu, due to having a big wide open fireplace, she did most of the cooking in that & no odor on account of the chimney.
    Glad to know bob is feeling Ok & your Mother is improving. What could be fairer or squarer than that?!!
    Am expecting some friends to visit me this afternoon, they are great Fans or L&H, they are here for a few days from Syracuse, N.Y. one of them is the chief engineer for the 'Delco' manufacturing Co. back there, they make Auto accessories etc. you've probably heard of their products. Mr Kobus, has quite a collection of L&H films & has built a little theatre to run them in, in the basement of his home, I understand he has about 50 of our old films. He is bringing his movie camera to make some film of me. I only know him through correspondence, so am looking forward to meeting him in person.
    We've been corresponding for over two years now, & have created a very nice friendship - I was mistaken that he comes from Syracuse, its Rochester where the 'Delco' plant is, he lives quite close there in a little Town called Webster.N.Y.
    Think thats all for now, I must get ready to start my Home Movie career, I'll feel pretty strange being in front of the camera again.
    Mrs L. joins in Regards & best.
                Sincerely always:-
Stan Laurel Signature

STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                October 4th.'58.
My Dear Lisa [Mitchell]:
                Thank you for your sweet note.
We enjoyed so much seeing you again, it was really a pleasure, hope you will have a chance to visit more often.
    Was delighted to see you looking so well Lisa, you looked charming.
    Eda is pleased that you will be able to use the little dress, trust you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it, am sure it will be quite attractive on you. I would suggest dear, if you have a little piece of the material left over after the alteration - check it, to find out if its fire proof, try burning the piece with a match or cigarette to be sure its not inflammable. I doubt if it is, but its best to be cautious, no use taking chances - would hate for anything like that to happen.
    Glad you liked the salt & pepper set, not too good, but will serve as a little souvenir.
    Has'nt the weather been hot?!
    Bye Dear, Eda joins in love & kind thoughts to your Mom, Dad & self.
    Good luck & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
Stan Signature

OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                Oct.7th.'58.
Dear Chester Fry:-
    Thank you for your nice letter & news article, it was certainly interesting.
    I appreciated very much your kind thought & sentiments regarding my dear late Partner & myself, it was indeed gracious of you.
    With pleasure I am enclosing you a little picture of L&H, & thank you for the request.
    My kind regards & best wishes always:
                very sincerely:
Stan Laurel Signature                 Stan Laurel.


STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

I’m not in the least a bit interested in Flying —it scares me to death.

Stan Laurel

                Oct.14th.'58.
Dear Ivy Stoetzer:
                Thanks your nice newsy letter, 9th.inst. I certainly enjoyed the reminiscence of your Uncle Tom, so vividly described - what a wonderful character for a book or a Play, & too, a Screen version, am sure Noel Coward would be interested in such a wonderful character study - it's a shame you do'nt take advantage of your great writing talent & ability & put it to profitable use, I do'nt think you realize the worth of material like this, its priceless.
    Hope you had a lovely week-end at the Cottage & enjoyed the Thanksgiving Turkey with the assistance of a couple of noggins, & maybe some fresh trout for Breakfast.
    Note there is a possibility you might visit Los Angeles after New Year. I shall indeed look forward to the pleasure of meeting you, that would be a real treat for me. Incidently, my phone is EXbrook 3-5656.
    No, I'm not in the least a bit interested in Flying - have made quite a few trips, but it scares me to death, my imagination run amuck & I'm a nervous wreck. Most of my flying was during the War. Hardy & I were with a show, called the 'Flying Showboat' we were sent by the Government on army bombers to entertain the troops in all the Caribbean Bases, including Georgetown, British Guiana. The whole trip was a nightmare for me, we flew 8 hours or more every day for about three weeks & those old bombers were'nt built for comfort (B.18's) sitting on narrow wooden benches with parachutes on our backs, can you imagine if we'd ever had to 'bail out', we would'nt have known what to do, it really was a frightening experience. On that trip were the late John Garfield, Chico Marx, (Marx Bros.) Ray Bolger, Jane Pickens, Mitzi Mayfair & one or two others you probably do'nt know of. Anyway everybody was very happy when we got back to Miami - needless to tell you that was my last trip in the air, I took the slow trainback to Hollywood.
    Weather is still very hot here, 90' degrees today, we've had a wonderful summer.
    Think thats all for now Ivy. Mrs L. joins in kindest regards to Mr. S & self (she too enjoys your letters & too look forward to meeting you.)
    Bye & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
Stan Laurel Signature

Postcard from Stan Laurel to Marie Hatfield
SPECIALTY POSTCARD - TYPEWRITTEN

                OCTOBER 22nd. 1958.!!!!!
DHAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE & MANY HAPPY RETURNS. MRS L. JOINS IN WISHING YOU CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH & HAPPINESS.
    THIS IS YOUR DAY, SO HAVE A REAL GOOD CELEBRATION & MAKE MERRY.
    GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS.
                SINCERELY ALWAYS.
Stan Laurel Signature

Letter from Stan Laurel to Wayne Murray
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                Oct.25th.'58.
Dear Wayne [Murray]:
    Thanks for the picture card of Calico Ghost town, certainly interesting, I imagine it will [be] quite a tourist sight when the Knott's Berry people get through with the re-construction of it, I guess they will add more attractions to it like they did on their Farm project - have never heard of this place before, is it near you?
    You should try 7 get a job on the restoration, maybe you could come across a new vein of Silver - that would be something.!!
    Glad your feeling OK again & alls well & happy. Eda joins in love & best to Betty & self & good luck on your new home.
    Hope to see you one of these days.
    Bye & God Bless.
                As ever:-
Stan Laurel Signature                 Stan Laurel.

Note from the Editor

When he was a young man, Walter Knott worked the mines in Calico, an experience that stayed with him all his life. Some 40 years later he went backā€”and bought the town. Some of the buildings he moved to Buena Park, California, as an attraction to bring people in to his wife’s chicken restaurant. These buildings eventually became the center of one of the most famous tourist theme parks in the world, Knott’s Berry Farm. The buildings he left behind in Calico, however, became just as important, to him and the world. He restored the town and created a place where travelers can step back in time to experience the gold rush days, and learn how people lived during this exciting time.



CALICO GHOST TOWN POSTCARD - CIRCA 1950s
Calico Ghost Town Postcard
Reverse of Postcard

CALICO GHOST TOWN—Nine miles East of Barstow, California, off Highway 91. A general view of the largest silver producing camp in Southern California (1881-1895). Population 1890-3,500. (This is a restoration project of San Bernardino County Parks Dept.)



Letter from Stan Laurel to Betty Healy
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

Note your bedroom will be done in blue and white, that will be very attractive. Blue is my favorite color.

Stan Laurel

                Oct.29th.'58.
Dear Betty [Healy]:
                Thanks yours,24th.inst.
I sure got a big kick about the kids signing their names in blood to become members of the L&H club, wonder what on earth gave them this idea - I understand this is a Russian custom, especially among the TARTARS (Males) a couple of guys on a drinking spree will become great friends & to prove it to each other, they cut each others wrist with a dagger & both suck the blood, this they consider, makes them life long blood Brothers.
    I wonder what happens when they sober up & take a real good look at one another - they probably cut their throats.!!
    Appreciate very much the sweet thought of you & Wayne inviting Eda & I to visit your new home as guests for a week. We would really enjoy it, especially a barbeque party for the Club kids - it will depend on my health condition Betty & whether the Dr. will permit such a trip when the time comes. Anyway, I deeply value your gracious gesture, & thanks again to you both.
    Note your bedroom will be done in Blue & white, that will be very attractive, blue is my favorite color - do you have your choice of color for the other rooms? Seems to me you should have that privilege, do'nt see what difference it would make to the decorator, after all, it should'nt cost any more, no matter what color is used, the same amount is put on.
    I can understand how anxious you are to get the building started - hope by now its underway.
    Its quite cold here, & we are having some rain for a change. Eda joins in love & best to you both - will enjoy hearing how the house is progressing.
    Bye for now & God Bless,
                As ever:
Stan Signature

STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                Oct.29th.'58.
Dear Bob:-
                Many thanks your nice note.
Am certainly delighted to know of your success in San Francisco & winning the contest - this is a great tribute to your talent & am sure must be very encouraging to you - my heartiest congratulations, you fully deserve it.
    Both Mrs Laurel & I enjoyed the pleasure of meeting you & were really thrilled in seeing your accomplishment on the screen, we hold great admiration for your work & predict a wonderful future for you.
    We shall enjoy seeing you again Bob whenever convenient, maybe I could be of some help to you in discussing your future ventures - ideas, etc. my phone is EXbrook 3-5656.
    Mrs L. joins in kindest regards & every good wish for continued success.
    Good luck & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
Stan Laurel Signature                 Stan Laurel.


Letter from Stan Laurel to Marie Hatfield
STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                Oct.29th.'58.
Dear Mrs [Marie] Hatfield:
                Thanks yours, 26th.inst.
Pleased to know you had a happy time on your Birthday & celebrated at 'Dinah's' with your favourite chicken feast - your description of the place sounds very tempting.
    The card I sent you was'nt very elaborate, I came across it in my desk, had intended to send you a nicer one, but had completely forgotten to get one the last time I was out shopping. so decided this would be better than nothing. Anyway just wanted you to know we remembered.
    [It] was'nt Mr Kobus that was coming out to see me, but another gentleman that works with him at the office of the Delco Co. a Mr Millet. I just had a letter from Mr Kobus, he had'nt seen the film yet so he was waiting for it to be enlarged from 8mm to 16mm so it would fit his machine, & said he would send me a copy of it to run on my projector here - I have a Bell & Howell sound outfit, given to me on "This Is your Life" show, so am looking forward to seeing how it turned out - it may be a shock to me to see how I look now & especially Sans make-up.! will let you know later what I think of it.
    Weather here is quite hot again, 84. right now, a sudden change, it was very cold for a few days & had some rain too.
    Mrs L. joins in regards & best to Bob, self & Mother.
    Bye & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
Stan Laurel Signature                 Stan Laurel.


STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                October 31st.'58.
Dear Betty [Healy] & Wayne [Murray]:
    Many thanks your letter, 29th.inst. also the brochure & pamphlets on CALICO.
    It certainly is an interesting place - quite a history, it should be very attractive to the tourists, I enjoyed reading about it, especially your information re 'Calico Fred' embezzeling the Hundred Grand, that really gives the place a flavour of the 'WEST', just like the old movie plots.
    I imagine there is still a lot of Silver to be found there, but probably not enough to open up a big mining project again. This Fred, resembles 'Buffalo Bill' a great deal does'nt he? He was lucky that Knott did'nt press charges against him. I sure got a kick out of the horse stealing episode, I do'nt blame you Wayne for getting 'shooting' mad. Anyway am glad the horse was'nt stolen & you found it in good condition. Next time you'd better take it in the beer joint with you & tie it up at the bar & order two glasses of hay or a bucket of grain.!! I can imagine how you felt, having to walk home through the back trails with a heavy load on.! what a predicament to be in. I guess you'd like to find the guy who caused all this, it sure was a lousey joke.
    It was'nt funny for you either Betty, having to search for 'Buster', you must have been plenty mad too, walking all that distance for no reason at all, plus losing a night's sleep over it, it sure was a dirty trick.
    Thanks again for the brochure etc. much appreciated.
    Eda joins in love & best.
                As ever:-
Stan Signature

CALICO GHOST TOWN BROCHURE - CIRCA 1950s
Calico Ghost Town Brochure


Stan Watermark