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

                OCTOBER 12th.'61.
My Dear Frank [Buxton]:
    Many thanks your nice letter with enclosure of news photo of the carnival mask of me imitating Dick Van Dyke.! Very interesting.
    I can imagine you're anxious to return home after that long successful trip & I guess you badly need a rest too. Shall look forward to seeing you Frank during your stop-over in Los Angeles (now where the hell did I put that Oscar?!) glad you let me know you were coming!
    Glad you enjoyed the L&H book & found it interesting, I understand it will soon be distributed in Australia as soon as its translated into 'Cockney'.!
    All news when I see you Frank, so bye for now - wish you Bon Voyage & Happy Landing.
    Mrs L joins in kind thoughts & every good wish.
    Cheerio,
                Yer old Cobbler.!
Stan Signature                 STAN LAUREL.

P.S. Probably heard by now that 'Chico' Marx passed on (Marx Bros.)

Note from the Editor

Chico Marx, the fast-talking piano-playing brother of Groucho and Harpo, died on October 11, 1961, the day before Stan wrote this letter.



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

                OCTOBER 14th.'61
My Dear Tom [Sefton]:
                Thanks yours, 11th.inst.
I appreciate very much your kind invitation to attend your Stag party at your home on the 25th.inst. Needless to tell you how much I would have enjoyed being with you all, but frankly Tom I am in no condition to consider making such a trip - am sure [you] fully understand my situation & pardon my absence.
    Re your suggestion of my visiting the Scripps Clinic to check only diabetic ailment - unfortunately Tom, my financial circumstance doesn't permit me the opportunity to get involved with expert Medics - lets face it Tom - there's nothing can be done in my case, I've been in this Insulin dept. going on 14 years now.! anyway, I deeply value your kind thought - again my thanks.
    Had a card this AM from Ben Chadwell, he was in Monte Carlo, so far he hasn't been able to break the Bank,! but is having a wonderful time - he too says he's not going to visit London.
    Please convey my regards & best to all your guests at the party, wish you all a happy evening, but don't run the L&H films till you want them all to go home.! One picture should drive them out.!!!
    Bye Tom. Mrs L joins in kind thoughts to self & Family.
                Cheerio.!! As ever:
Stan Signature                 STAN LAUREL.


Postcard from Stan Laurel to Frank Buxton
POSTCARD - 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                OCT.14th.'61.
My Dear Frank [Buxton]:
    Congratulations on your marriage to 'Back Bush Ethel' note you too acquired a family. Well, Theres nothing like dealing with an old 'established firm'.!! the kids are sure cute are'nt they?, & Ethel is nothing to sneeze at.
    You certainly look well Frank - 'Down Under' seems to agree with you. Just wrote you a day or so ago, so not much new to tell you.
    Again our kind thoughts & good wishes.
                As ever:
Stan Signature                 STAN LAUREL.

Frank Buxton Adds

Still in Australia, I had a photograph taken of me holding several koala bears, which I sent to Stan. Thus, the reference to “Back Bush Ethel.”



Postcard from Stan Laurel to Richard Sloan
OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 OCEAN AVE., SANTA MONICA, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

The bronze plaque dedicating ‘Lake Laurel and Hardy’ is going to be given to me as a souvenir.

Stan Laurel

                OCT. 18th.'61.
Dear Richard Sloan:
    Thanks yours, 16th.inst. also for the tape recording of the Joe Franklin & John McCabe interview 'Memory Lane', not having your address, I was unable to acknowledge receipt of the tape, so had to wait till I heard from you again. Appreciate your trouble in getting the tape, am pleased to have it - again thanks Richard.
    Regarding "Days & Thrills of Laughter" film I recall the excerpts of my single films you mention, but have no idea the titles of the shorts these were lifted from, at that time I made a series of shorts for 'Broncho' Billy Anderson, but can't remember any of the titles except one called "Mud & Sand". "Frauds & Frenzies" was made at the old Vitagraph studios, it was a Larry Semon picture, I only appeared in it, but not starred at that time.
    No, I do'nt know any of the titles that Hardy appeared in before we teamed, I know he made a great many before we met. Some of his were in the days of 1/2 reel & one reel comedies made down in Florida.
    Yes, I know the old Roach studio is going to be sold in fact, the bronze placque dedicating "LAKE LAUREL & HARDY" IS GOING TO BE GIVEN TO ME as a souvenir (do'nt what I'm going to do with it frankly) its quite a large placque supported on an iron stand. I'll probably give it to someone who has a swim pool.
    Note Chuck [McCann] is trying to save the pool at the studio, maybe he wants to practice Skin Diving.!! incidently I did'nt get any stills as yet, I imagine Chuck does'nt have too much time to spare, anyway, no particular hurry.
    All for now Richard, thanks again.
    Regards & best from us both here.
    Cheerio.
                As ever:
Stan Laurel Signature                 STAN LAUREL.


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

                OCT. 20th.'61.
Thanks Tom [Sefton] for card (Sam Simeon) The dining room reminds me of my college days.!!
    Hope you fully enjoyed your trip to San Francisco. Again thanks for the kind remembrance.
    Cheerio.!!
                As ever:
Stan Signature

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM

                OCT 21 61
MARIE HATFIELD
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIE AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS REGARDS TO YOU ALL. PS- MERRY CHRISTMAS BOB.
                EDA AND STAN LAUREL


OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 OCEAN AVE., SANTA MONICA, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

The little fellow in ‘Tit for Tat’ film was Charlie Hall, sorry to tell you he died about a couple of years ago.

Stan Laurel

                OCTOBER 23rd.'61.
Dear Bob & Marie [Hatfield]:
    Sorry delay in acknowledging your letters of Sept. 25th. & 27th.inst. with enclosure of the very nice letter from your Cousin Marie Sellar.
    Our Tenant, due to being transferred to another section of the City had to move from the house, so we have been busy redecorating the interior & cleaning up generally & putting in shape for re-rental, its been vacant for about a month now, so we're hoping to get new tenants soon now.
    Glad you all enjoyed your Cousin Marie visiting with you - I enjoyed reading her very interesting letter, I remember her so well in the early days when she was known as 'Baby Marie!. I shall drop her a line soon & will address it to your place to forward it on to Alaska.
    The little fellow in "Tit for Tat" film was Charlie Hall, sorry to tell you he died about a couple of years ago - the little chap that kept taking goods out of the electrical store was Bobby Dunn, he too has since passed on also as you know [Mae] Busch & babe, so I am the only survivor, the fellow that played the Cop & the cameraman too have all departed.!!
    Hope you had a Happy Birthday Marie.
    Kind thoughts to you all from us both here,
    Cheerio & Pip Pip.!!
                As ever:
Stan Signature                 STAN LAUREL.


OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 OCEAN AVE., SANTA MONICA, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                OCT. 27th.'61.
Dear Bill Brown:
                Thanks yours.
The news of your Brother Dick being a victim of Cancer is very sad indeed, am sure it is quite a shock to you, I deeply sympathize.
    Have enclosed a little note & picture you requested for him, trust it will accomplish your purpose.
    Again my deep regrets.
    Bye Bill.
                As ever:
Stan Laurel Signature                 STAN LAUREL.


OCEANA LETTERHEAD - 849 OCEAN AVE., SANTA MONICA, CA - TYPEWRITTEN

                OCTOBER 27th. '61.
Dear Dick Brown:
    So sorry to hear about your illness - your Brother Bill asked me to drop you a little note, he thought it would help to cheer you up a bit as you had been a Laurel & Hardy Fan for a long time.
    I sincerely wish you a speedy recovery Dick, hope by now you have started to improve.
    Good luck Dick & God Bless you.
    Keep in good spirit.
                As ever:
Stan Laurel Signature                 STAN LAUREL.


HAL ROACH MOTION PICTURE STUDIO FOR SALE - 1961
Hal Roach Studio For Sale


Clowning Pays Off For Harmon

Bozo The Clown

By Philip K. Scheuer

“The way I feel about life is, just keep laughin’!”
    At 36, on the way to the bank, Larry Harman can afford to. He not only has world rights to Bozo the Clown; he practically IS Bozo the Clown. In a decade Bozo has gone from phonograph records to television to in persons; soon he will be in feature pictures. Beyond these looms Bozoworld—many Bozoworlds, all over the country, but the first one right here in north-western Los Angeles.
    Like Bozo, Harmon never stops talking a blue streak. In a single hour with me he imitated not only Bozo in English but Bozo in a half-dozen other tongues; he also became Butchy, Elvis the talking dog, Slippery Bly the international spy, Wacko Wolf, Short Biggy and Big Shorty and two newcomers to the Bozo family, Belinda and Super Sniffer. He still finds time to be the voice of Bozo on TV—and most of the other characters as well.
    “Today,” he said, lapsing back reluctantly in to Larry Harmon. “I have over 60 Bozos in the U.S.A. and over 12 throughout the world—and I trained ’em all! Bozo, on 35-mm. film and in color where there is color, is carried by 205 TV stations worldwide. We have made 104 half-hour shows and right now we are on the second 104. But our big aim is features—family entertainment! One is already on the drawing boards and two in the story-planning stage. They will cost from $600,000 to $1.2. million each.”
    An erstwhile musician and actor, Harmon heard in 1950 that TV was interested in Bozo, who in his present incarnation was created some 20 years ago by Capitol Records; Bozo at the Circus was the first album and Bozo’s picture was on it Harmon was advised to go out and cut a record of his own; if his voice sounded more like Bozo than his nearest rival he'd get the job in the pilot film. P.S.: He did.
    “Four years ago,” he declared, “I obtained the rights from Capitol and started making the cartoons myself. I borrowed $1 million and paid it back in two years. We’re out at the old California studios and we now have about 200 people working for us. We started with 125.”
    The 60 U.S. Bozos will appear with the theater features in the various cities. “Think what that will mean!” Harmon cried. “The live star of a movie, in person, at each showing!”
    He has also cleared the cartoon rights to Laurel and Hardy. They should be on your home screen by 1962 and in the theaters soon after. Harmon will be the voice of Stan Laurel”natch. The only surprise is that he won’t play Ollie too. Are you laughin’?

—Los Angeles Times
    October 9, 1961

Laurel and Hardy To Be Depicted In Cartoon Series

Laurel and Hardy Cartoon

By Val Adams

The animated cartoon shows that came on television this fall may be followed next season by another type of cartoon—those in which famous comedians are depicted by animation and their voices impersonated.
    Last week the National Broadcasting, Company announced plans for “Laurel and Hardy,” a series in which Stan Laurel and the late Oliver Hardy would be represented by cartoon characters. Some weeks earlier Screen Gems, Inc., had said it would produce “The Marx Brothers,” a half-hour weekly series featuring doll-like figures that resembled Groucho, Harpo and the late Chico.
    So far these are the only cartoons of this type announced for next season. But the large number of animated film factories concentrating on TV work are always looking for new ways to turn out a product.
    N.B.C. said Laurel and Hardy would be televised in color in prime time, although the weekly half-hour period has not been selected. Mr. Laurel, who last April received an honorary Oscar from the motion picture industry for “creative pioneering in the field of comedy” will be a creative consultant and suggest story lines for the show, the network said.
    The Laurel and Hardy cartoons will be produced by the Larry Harmon Pictures Corporation and released through Jay-ark Films Corporation.
    Recently the Columbia Broadcasting System had tried to arrange a special television show for this season that would have starred Jackie Gleason and Art Carney as Mr. Oliver and Mr. Laurel respectively. The plan has been abandoned.
    “It got very complicated when we tried to clear legal rights to the Laurel and Hardy story,” explained Michael Dann, vice president of C.B.S.-TV programs, New York. “When we found ourselves involved with more lawyers than there would have been viewers for the show, we gave up the idea.”

—New York Times
    October 22, 1961

Stan Watermark