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

                June 2nd.'59.
Dear Rita [Harrison]:
    Thanks your nice letter just recd.
The reason I have'nt written you for so long - was waiting to hear from you in reply to my last - remember, you asked my advice regarding your making Show Bus. a career, & I suggested you should discuss it with your Grandad? maybe you forgot about it.
    Note your Birthday was April 4th. Wish you a belated Happy Birthday & Many Happy Returns - was surprised to know you left school two years ago - have you decided yet what you are going to do or follow as a career, you'll have to give it serious thought now Rita & make up your mind - if its still Show Bus. you'll have to hurry & get started before its too late, the earlier the better.
    Glad to know you enjoyed the 'Empire' show - David Whitfield's a singer is'nt he? I've heard of him but never saw him.
    There are only a couple of post card pictures of Malibu & are not too interesting, its not a Town & the cards show only sections of the Beach & Ocean which could be anywhere, thats the reason I did'nt send you any.
    Mrs laurel & I are feeling pretty good & join in wishing you & your family all the best & trust alls well & happy.
    Our love to your Grandad when you see him again & tell him to drop me a line - he owes me one too.!
    Bye dear, good luck & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
                'Uncle'
                xxxx
                Stan Laurel.

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

                June 4th.'59.
Dear Michael:
                Thanks your nice letter of May 22nd.
It was indeed nice to hear from you & to know you enjoy seeing the old L&H films on TV
    Am enclosing you the Post Card you requested me to autogrpah, also a little picture of Mr Hardy & myself which I thought you might like to have as a souvenir.
    Thanks again for your kind thought & wishes Michael - much appreciated.
    My regards & best wishes always,
                Sincerely:
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 6th.'59.
Dear Jimmy [Wiseman]:
                Thanks yours,1st.inst.
Yes, I had a nice visit with Mack Sennett and Jacques Tati, quite interesting. I had never met Tati before, but had heard of his big success in "Mr. Hulot's Holiday" which he received the 'Oscar' for - I later saw this film on TV. here & was terribly disappointed, can't understand why he deserved this award, he most un-funny to me & I don't say that with any form of Professional Jealousy - did you see the film?
    Thank you Jimmy for your thoughtfulness in remembering my birthday - much appreciated.
    The weather hasn't been too hot here - the temperature is around 70 to 80, so very pleasant.
    I don't watch the Jack Paar often now, I got a bit tired of seeing 'Charlie Weaver' character so much, he gets very tiresome after a while and becomes boring to me, in fact there are too many repeat personalities on that show, it looks like a stock Co.
    Not much to tell you Jimmy, so all for now.
    Enjoyed hearing from you again and to know alls well & happy with you.
    My kindest regards & best                 As ever:-
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 8th.'59.
Dear Mrs [Marie] Hatfield:
                Thanks yours,May 30th.
Glad to know you finally recd. my last letter - still can't figure how I came to get the wrong number, I have no record of such a number in my book or my regular correspondents.
    Thanks for the news photo of Heather Sears - hope sometime I shall have the opportunity to see that film - my attorney saw it at a preview here & liked it very much.
    Note you saw "Oliver the 8th." film, it was run here recently on Tv, it was pretty badly cut, a great deal or it was missing, the whole first sequence in the barber shop was cut out, which explained the reason for the story, so it had no sense.
    Yes, that building project at 20th. Century is fantastic, its a small city in itself & is costing Millions, you can Imagine the huge size of that original lot, they still have room for the big studio to operate. They also have several oil wells on the property which all the Studio stock holders get the benefit of, so they get revenue from Films, Oil & the new Township. Amazing is'nt it.?
    Enclosed a few stamps for Bob - interesting to know he has such a large collection, maybe he'll need two pair of those glasses.!!
    Mrs L. joins in regards & best.
                As Sincerely always:
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 16th.'59.
My Dear Lisa [Mitchell]:
    Thank you dear for your kind thought & remembrance - so nice to hear from you again & to know alls well & happy with you.
    Delighted to note you are working at 20th.Century in "Can-Can" - congratulations - I did'nt know you were a dancer, thought you were strictly an actress - thats wonderful - wish you lots of success.
    Note you have a car now, am sure you are happy about that, its so difficult to get around without one & having to rely on other modes of transportation. Hope now we shall be able to see you more often.
    Eda joins in love & kind thoughts.
    Good luck & God Bless you.
    Take care of yourself.
                As ever:
                Stan Laurel.

POSTCARD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 19th.'59.
Many thanks [Rick and Marie Capra] for your very nice letters. Will write you all next week. With pleasure will send you another photo - was it a straight or character still? I have both. Drop me a card which you want - will foreward right away.
                In haste.
                Stan Laurel.

POSTCARD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 20th.'59.
Many thanks for copies of newspapers Walter [Shaw]. Enjoyed very much looking through them - out of Town papers are always interesting. Guess you are all excited over the Royal Family visit - I saw the first TV cable film, relayed from London Eng. Its fantastic.! Thanks again for the kind thought.
    My kindest & best always,
                Sincerely:
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 23rd.'59.
Dear Danny [Capra]:
    Thank you for your very nice letter,16th.inst.
    I am certainly pleased to hear you recd. the highest mark in your exams - congratulations on your achievement, am sure your Mom & Dad are very proud of you - you fully deserve it.
    I enjoyed talking with you on the phone - that was a pleasant surprise, so unexpected - you all sounded well & happy.
    I was delighted to note that you & Wayne have been requested by your Principal to do another L&H skit in the next Assembly, thats quite a tribute to you both - wish you lots of success, I know you must be thrilled about it - wish I were able to be there to see you perform, I imagine you are busy now preparing a new skit for this appearance - you should do something different this time - if you have any idea in mind, let me know & maybe I could help you with it - what date will the show be?
    That was very sweet of you all to suggest sending me a record player, I would'nt think of allowing you to do such a thing under any circumstances, I would feel very embarrased to accept, had you done so. I can afford to buy one Danny, but frankly I would have no use for it. I very seldom played my old one, am not particularly fond of records, they hold little interest to me, so thats the reason I did'nt want to waste money in buying a new one. However, I suddenly thought of a good idea which would enable me to listen to your records - a friend of mine is going to make a recording of them on Tape so I can play them on my machine (Tape recorder) - stupid of me not to think of that before, I could have done it long ago - anyway am looking forward to hearing them soon now & will let you all know about it later - am expecting to get the tape sometime this week or next.
    Think thats all for now Danny - my love & best to you all.
    Take care of yourself.
    Good luck & God Bless.
                Sincerely always:
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 23rd.'59.
Dear Rick & Marie [Capra]:
    Many thanks yours, 16th.ins. & your phone call, it was certainly nice to talk with you all - only hope it didn't cost too much - thats the reason I did'nt want to prolong the pleasure & go into lengthy details - thanks again for the pleasant surprise. Pleased to know you were all feeling well, you all sounded good. Glad you were able to get a print of the "Music Box" from 'Blackhawk' film Co. and in good condition - incidently, we received an Academy Award for that film, it was considered the best Short of that year, & I think the only one ever presented in that category, see you have a prize winning film. Yes, that was a tough picture for us carrying that crate up and down the steps, even without the piano it was plenty heavy & awkward to handle, I think there were over 200 steps to climb each time, it was really rough going, especially when we had to make re-takes on different scenes - had to start climbing all over again, we used to quit early, couldn't make it the rest of the day, had to rest up for the next days shooting - poor Hardy really suffered with his weight.!
    I got a laugh over your 'Heave Ho' routine, moving the furniture around. The pipe gag in "Blockheads' is no secret - I concealed a pipe bowl in my hand & had a small rubber pipe stem connected to the side of my thumb which I drew smoke out of - very simple, I use a corncob bowl, just took the regulars stem out of it & inserted the thin rubber tube, Danny or Wayne could do it very easily. Funny thing, several magicians have written & asked me how it was done & asked permission to use it in their acts.
    I believe we made over 200 films altogether, including the silents - many of the negatives deteriorated of course, due to the nitrate formula that was used those days, it becomes decomposed after several years and crumbles like dust, so many of those will never be seen again unfortunately, if new copies had been made from these old negatives in the modern process, they could have been preserved for many years.
    I frankly don't know if those 20th.Century Fox films have been released for sale on the 16mm market - I imagine they eventually will be - I have a friend out here who handles in a lot of old films, so I'll check with him on it, it's possible he may able be able to locate the one you mention ('The Big Noise') will let you know.
    I deeply appreciate your generous gesture to send me a record player, as I told Danny [Capra], I would have no use for it whatsoever, you will no doubt be reading my letter to him regarding this, & will fully understand. Regardless, I would'nt for the World take advantage of your good nature, and impose in any way - I would sure feel very cheap to say the least. I value your friendship too much & I would be terribly ashamed. Anyway, as you will note in my letter to Danny I'm having the records re-recorded on tape & will be able to play them on my recorder - it never occured to me to have this done before now - do you have a recorder? If so, I shall be happy to send you a copy of the tape - maybe you'd like to have one - let me know & I'll have one made up for you.
    Have mailed you the pictures under seperate cover - you probably have recd. them by now - Do'nt go near the Water Marie.!!
    Eda and I are feeling pretty good, but I was very upset this morning, a good friend of mine for many years - an old performer, called me from San Francisco - he is to be operated on Friday - has cancer in the throat, the Drs told him he will never be able to speak again, so he wanted to talk to me for the last time - needless to tell you how shocked I was, it was the saddest conversation I ever experienced, what a tragic situation - I'm really sick about it, we have been such close friends through the years - he said he would be coming to see me sometime this summmer but would be mute - it will be a sad meeting I'm afraid.
    Well all for now. Take care of yourselves. Eda joins in love & kind thoughts to you all.
                As ever:
                Stan Laurel.

RUBBER STAMP - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                June 29th.'59.
Dear Ricky & Marie [Capra]:
    Just to let you know I finally got to hear the Xmas records - thoroughly enjoyed listening to you all so graciously entertaining me, it was very touching indeed, I felt very honored to be given such a wonderful tribute - my deep thanks & sincere appreciation to you all for your sweet thought & kindly gesture.
    You certainly are a wholesome & talented family & are to be greatly admired for your musical ability - Danny's piano solo I thought was excellent, & amazingly professional for his age, I was really surprised. The whole show was delightful - solid entertainment a most pleasant half hour.
    I got a big kick out of the boys L&H skits, very cute. There seemed to be a similarity in their voices & anyone just listening to the dialogue, it would be confusing to know which was Hardy or Laurel - I of course knowing the dialogue was able to determine - I would suggest to the boys, next time they do these skits, to address each other by name during the speaking of their lines, so you will know who's speaking to whom, this of course would'nt be too necessary in front of an audience where people are seeing them together in make up, but in the event of a recording it has to be done, unless the voices are entirely different.
    Hope the new pictures arrived safely - why did'nt you let me know the water incident happened last Xmas time, I could have sent them to you long ago.
    I hope too that some of these days I shall have the pleasure of meeting you all & to thank you personally for all your kindness & genuine friendship.
    I noted in the recording Marie, you pronounced Eda as EDDA - her name in English is Ida, but the Russian pronounciation is EEDA, the 'I' over there is sounded as 'E' - many people call her EDDA too, so do'nt worry about it.
    Bye now, kind thoughts to you all.
    Good luck & God Bless.
                As ever:
                Stan Laurel.