May 2, 1962
Dear 'Goldie' [Oral Cloakey]:
Just recd. a letter from your sister Jennie telling me of your being in hospital & asking me to drop you a line.
Hope by now you're feeling much better & your trouble is under control - I can fully sympathize with you as I'm an old INSULIN Man myself - 14 years now, I get those bloodpressure routines occasionally & know how distressing they are.
Anyway, wish you a speedy recovery & a happy return home.
My kindest regards,
Very sincerely:
STAN LAUREL.
May 3, 1962
Dear Edmund [Tester]:
Thanks yours, recd. this AM.
Glad to hear from you again & to know alls well. I can fully understand your dislike to perform in a circus, with your type of act you need to be intimate, of course with your auto routine you need lots of space - Hardy & I experienced these big Barns & Auditoriums occasionally during our tours with sad results, we were lost in those big wastelands, we must have looked like a couple of midgets.!
Re the old L&H films, I've no idea who's responsible for the editing of these on TV. it is'nt the Studio I know, whoever it is does'nt seem to care as long as they get the commercial time during the running.
Yes I saw the Academy Awards - I too thought the affair very dull - no glamour or excitement - certainly not like the OLD DAYS.!
Enclosed card was sent me from N.Y. thought you would like to have it, this is probably the channel you look at every day so no doubt you've seen these puppets in action. Chuck McCann seems to he very popular with his program.
Have'nt been feeling too good, have had several spells of excessive weakness lately, Dr says it [is] fluctuation of the blood pressure - gave me some pills of course which seem to have helped me so far, these spells are a bit frightening, do'nt know whats happening, come over you without any warning. You get so weak you feel like a Fortnight.!!
Bye Ed. bestest to you all.
Take care - God Bless.
As ever:
May 8, 1962
Dear Jim Whiting:
Many thanks for your very nice letter - appreciate very much your kind sentiments so graciously expressed - happy to know the old L&H films have afforded you so much pleasure thru' the years.
Thanks for the enclosure of your drawings, the Nicholson AD strip especially applied to me, a funny gag.
Do you happen to know Al Kilgore? He made the L&H caricatures for the McCabe book, he's a good friend of me.
Again my thanks Jim.
Good luck & God Bless.
As ever sincerely:
STAN LAUREL.
May 8, 1962
Thanks Bob & Marie [Hatfield], thanks for the Anniversary greetings - trust by now you have fully recovered [from] your Flu attack Marie. A good remedy for that, when you feel it coming on, carry around a Hot Baked potato in your pocket book, then if you sneeze, add two boiled spanish onions - this is an old Gypsy custom - Bob will probably laugh at this - pay no attention to him - remember he who laughs last is some kind of a NUT.!!.
Kind thoughts from us both here to you all - sorry your Mother is still not well, hope nothing too serious.
Good luck & God Bless.
As ever:
May 8, 1962
Many thanks Jim & Irene [Heffernan] for the card - appreciate your kind remembrance. Am sure you had a wonderful time at the Seattle Fair, a sight to remember.
Trust alls well & Happy.
Love & best from us both here.
sincerely as ever:
STAN LAUREL.
May 9, 1962
Dear Bill Brown [Starkell]:
I seldom see the 'Ben Casey' series, do'nt particularly care for these medic stories - note a real Operation series is going to be aired soon, do'nt think I care much for that.
Yes my duughter is married to Rand Brooks, after the 'Hop-along' films he played in all the "Rin Tin Tin" series, which has now been dropped, he is still quite active in several other series.
Yes, I saw the Valentino biography sometime ago, last Year I think, very interesting, I was never enthusiastic over Valentino's acting, but the Women were certainly crazy over him - fantastic popularity.
The L&H cartoons have'nt been released as yet, but they are still in production, I think they make a big supply of films in advance of their release.
I have'nt seen any of our so far, so do'nt know too much about them - my only interest in them is the royalties we hope to derive, plus a share of the income from the merchandising of L&H Toys & games etc. I saw one or two of our old Films in French & in Italian during our tours in France & Italy, our voices were dubbed in both languages, an excellent job, the language did'nt bother us of course, we knew what the dialogue was all about, & the audiences laughed in the right spots.
Our TV here has 7 channels, so we have a pretty good selection to choose from.
If I come across any old negatives, will send them on to you - do you do your own printing & developing?
Bye Bill.
Again regards & best.
As ever:
STAN LAUREL.
May 9, 1962
My Dear Ben [Shipman]:
Enclosed Fan Letter, referring to the L&H game, evidently called "Monkey Business".
Thought you'd like to have this for reference.
Thanks Ben.
As ever:
May 12, 1962
Thanks Dean [Kaner] for your nice letter with enclosure of snapshots of the Madison, Capitol Bldg. & Bascom Hall, also the post card view of the Superior State College at which you are attending - all very interesting.
Pleased to know alls well with you - wish you a very enjoyable vacation.
Take care & God Bless you.
Sincerely as ever:
STAN LAUREL.
May 14, 1962
Thanks Roy your nice letter of April 25th. delay due to insufficient postage (the saucey little nippers) I too enjoyed the pleasure of meeting you - hope again on your next visit to the States. Pleased to know alls well and happy. Please convey our love and kind thoughts to Billy and Mary and Mr. Delfont and family, in which Mrs Laurel joins. Pleased to know the L&H festival so well received, goes to show you, if you do'nt save your money, you can't take it with you.!! Did the 'Zipper Cricketts' open yet?
Again my thanks Roy.
Sincerely as ever:
STAN LAUREL.
May 14, 1962
My Dear Donna Sefton:
Thank you for your charming letter.
Am indeed happy to know that my acquaintance with Tom [Sefton] has been instrumental in creating such a close & happy atmosphere at home for you & your Family - you know, it thrills me to hear that I've done something RIGHT for once.!!! (pardon my persiflage.)
I deeply value your kind sentiments so graciously expressed, trust one of these days I shall have the pleasure of meeting you all personally.
Again my sincere thanks.
Mrs Laurel joins in kindest regards & every good wish.
As ever:
STAN LAUREL.
May 18, 1962
Dear Dick Sloan:
Thanks yours, I4th.inst. nice to hear from you again & to know alls well.
Note that "Laughter, U.S.A." is to be aired again sometime this summer - re your thought of a film "Comic World of L&H" - trouble with this idea, L&H have already had too much exposure thru' the years, about 12 years on TV. & the clips in "The Golden Age of Comedy" "When Comedy was King" etc. plus the Theatres & home movies - Harold Lloyd has'nt been seen in around thirty odd years, so he is practically a new comer to this generation.
Thanks for publicity card - Chuck [McCann] sent a few of them recently - very attractive.
No, I have'nt heard a thing from Oxford re the 'Honorary Doctor of Letters' business evidently "Chump at Oxford" film is the reason.!
Not much else to tell you Dick, so au revoir.
Mrs L. joins in kindest & best.
In haste.
STAN LAUREL.
May 19, 1962
My Dear Johnny [Municino]:
Thanks yours,18th.inst.
Note Carmela heard about your trouble & being in hospital, if she calls me, I'll tell her not to worry about it, you're only in there to have your Hiatus checked, there's a lot of this going around lately, this condition is caused through doing the "TWIST" & you become allergic to 'PEPPERMINT' - you have to be put on a special diet of 'Lifesavers' & 'Wrigley's Gum' as an antidote.!
Glad to note the food is good plus the medical care - MOVE OVER.!!!
Have you seen the new Comic Jackie Mason? was on the Paar & Sullivan show several times several times - a very funny guy - he has a record out now (LP.) a 'VERVE' recording, funniest I've heard in a long time - if you have a tape recorder, or could borrow one, I'll send you a Tape copy - let me know Johnny.
Did you hear the story about the owner of a saloon, a popular Bar always big business, only had one bartender beside himself, this guy walked out on him. The Boss called to Employment agent to send over a new guy right away - the Agent said he only had one, but could'nt recommend him - had sticky fingers when making change at the 'TILL' - was a booze-hound, every time he served a drink, he helped himself to one & to top it off was a FAIRY.! The boss said send him over, I need someone right away, you can replace him tomorrow. The guy arrived, the boss took him in the office, said sit down - Now listen, you're only here for tonight - if I catch you fingering that till, I'll take a hammer & smash every finger on your hands - UNDERSTAND? the guy nodded yes. The boss continued & if I see you drinking my liquor during working hours, I'll take the bottle & bust it over your head!! GET ME? The guy again nodded yes.
BOSS: NOW KISS ME & GO TO WORK.!!!
Bye Johnny. Love & kind thoughts, to Mary, Self & Albert, from us both here.
Hurry & get well.
As ever:
P.S. Our Bestest to Chuck [McCann] if he visits you - if he does'nt - TO HELL WITH HIM.!!!! & THAT GOES FOR HIS PUPPETS TOO.!!.
May 21, 1962
Dear Bill Brown [Starkell]:
Thanks yours, 11th.inst. with enclosure of gummed Name stickers - very interesting & quite useful, have'nt seen anything like this before, a very good idea - thanks again.
Re The woman that played my wife in "Sons of the Desert", her name was Christie, do'nt recall her first name off hand, may come to me before I finish this letter, yes the other featured players were Mae Busch, Lucien Littlefield, & Charlie Chase, incidently these three have since died - & poor old 'Babe' of course.
Yes, Hardy did resemble Billy Gilbert in those early Larry Semon films - The other Big guy that worked in the Semon film you mention, I believe it was either 'Kewpie' Morgan or Frank Alexander, there were many Fat men around the comedy Lots in those Days. I made three of four films with Semon at the old Vitagraph studio, he originally was a cartoonist had good mechanical ideas, but I was never impressed with him as a comic, even tho' his films were very popular at that time.
The gag you mention - was in "Pardon Us", we were talking from different Cells {Solitary) about 'when we get out of here, we'll go to live out in the country, the sunshine, the birds, the flowers, & grow rows & rows of Watermelons' etc. Babe's (dreamingly) I can see it all now Stanley' Stan replied: 'Wish I Could - ITS DARK IN HERE.!'
Yes, the apple I ate was a real one ('Sons of Desert') those wax ones we had were solid as lead. (I guess I wo'nt get any of the famous Stew now.!!)
Re the questions:
1. 'Another Fine Mess' quote had no particular significance, we used it in many situations in variance, such as 'A nice kettle of fish you've gotten me into' etc. etc.
2. We appeared in person a couple of times in Hollywood & San Francisco at Graumans Chinese Theatre, & the Fox Theatre in S.F. We made a tour of three Months in the Mid West & some Cities back East in 1939, but never played together in Canada.
3. Have no idea what Mr Hardy's faith was, but he was a member of the Masonic Order. I am a Methodist - to my knowledge, I was raised in that belief, but I was never a NUT on religion.
4. I frankly do'nt recall what his Pet Peeves were, I guess he had several as we all do.
5. No, we never played practical jokes.
Yes, I attend to all my correspondence personally, Type - lick my own stamps etc. however, I'm not an expert typist by any means, I'm still a member of the 'Pick & peck' dept. (One hand & ONE FINGER.!!
All for now Bill. Nice to hear from you again.
Mrs L. joins in regards & best.
As ever:
STAN LAUREL.