Who’s What and What’s Where
Sue Clark Chadwick - Editor
JAMES
BACON—legendary Hollywood columnist, friend to all the
stars—author of three books on Hollywood greats—all best-sellers—was
the March luncheon Honoree. In BACON’s career
as a journalist, he covered presidents from FDR on, as well as train wrecks,
earthquakes, floods and high-profile court trials. An Associated Press
columnist for 18 years, BACON had his own column in the Herald-Examiner,
which was syndicated in 480 newspapers worldwide. President GIL STRATTON introduced
the illustrious dais, and Entertainment Chair JEANNE DeVIVIER
BROWN read missals from friends unable to attend, including SID CAESAR,
who fell shortly before the luncheon; Joannie and PETER
GRAVES, who were on their way to Australia; Marty Allen, who was on the
high seas but promised to plant a tree in BACON’s
name when he reached Ireland, and Phyllis Diller. A
clip reel (edited by PAT GLEASON) from the E Channel show “True
Hollywood Stars” showed BACON at many outstanding events with many of
his star friends—a truly fabulous
collection. On hand to sing the praises of BACON and reveal his great
contributions to Hollywood were: Academy Award winner ERNEST BORGNINE; “Mannix” star Mike Connors, who said the first person he
wanted to meet when arriving in Hollywood was JIM BACON; BACON’s son, producer Roger Bacon; HAL KANTER,
Hugh O’Brian (“Wyatt Earp”), EDIE ADAMS, PPB
Board member GARY OWENS, actor-comedian DICK MARTIN and comedian
Red Buttons.In accepting the PPB clock, BACON
expressed his gratitude for the accolades from his friends and to PPB for the
tribute which he said “was truly a great honor.” This was a day of wonderful
stories and laughter.
PPB
Founding President and Chairman of the Board ART GILMORE presented the
Diamond Circle Award with these words: “In his teens he was working. I thought
that there were child labor laws—but no,
he was a junior announcer in Pasadena. Then he got a little older—went into the Army and worked with two fellows you all know, JACK
BROWN and MARTY HALPERIN at Armed Forces Radio Service as a
sportscaster. Returning to civilian life, he enrolled at Occidental College where he worked as a newsman for two radio stations—miles apart—KREM
in Spokane, and WIND in Chicago. Then he made a wise move into the creative and
business end of radio: became VP and director of Darcy Advertising on the
Budweiser account. Probably got a case or two a week.
He then joined Foote, Cone and Belding, at that time the largest ad agency in
the country, as president of entertainment, headquartered in Burbank. It was a long tenure there as executive producer of
all the FCB client movies and specials including the famous “Hallmark Hall of
Fame.” In 1996, he left to form Highland Communications Television Productions
in San
Marino.
He has been around—founding president of
the Hollywood Radio and TV Society, chairman of the Cable Committee for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, past president of PPB (hooray).
Currently a lecturer at the USC Annenberg School of Communications, active in
the Huntington Library, PR for the Huntington Hospital—it goes on and on, so, if you call him, talk fast—he’s a busy guy. But today we welcome him to
be an official of the fraternity of the Diamond Circle. If you haven’t guessed yet—it’s JACK McQUEEN.” In accepting
the award, JACK thanked ART and PPB, and responded with an
excellent and profound commentary on Today’s Radio and Television Industry.
Nostalgia
Night co-Chairs LINA ROMAY and RAY BRIEM did it again March 25.
The guest was new member PAUL PUMPIAN. PUMPIAN says that “a funny
thing happened to me—most of my journey
through life has been propelled through laughter.” A writer in radio and
television for forty-five years, he worked with Pat Buttram
for many years, and with Milton Berle for ten years.
He also did commercials with Mel Blanc. He worked on a two-hour Bob Hope show
and the Bob Hope Bicentennial and did “Lucy Returns to NBC.” Born in Baltimore, he served in the Army in Texas and Kentucky and occupation duty in Germany. Returning to civilian life, he studied TV and motion
picture writing and production at the University of North Carolina. Migrating to New York, he worked with Woody Allen, did PR work creating
jokes for Broadway columnists and had three national magazine short stories
published. Then on to Las Vegas as PR for the Flamingo Hotel. Hollywood
followed with countless writing assignments for the great and near great. His
many-faceted career includes a comedy album, industrial films, script doctor
for Sugar Babies, writing for daily newspaper comic strips and even
entering the horse world breeding and showing appaloosas. A
truly entertaining guest with a truly “funny,” fantastic life. RAY
and LINA announce that stage, screen and TV actor DICK VAN PATTEN
will be the Nostalgia Night guest May 27. That’s May 27 at the PPB Clubroom on
the lower level of Washington Mutual, Sunset and Vine. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and close promptly at 7:30 p.m. BE THERE.
Board member AARON RUBEN gave a great acceptance
speech at the TV Land Awards at the Palladium in March, when he was given the
Legend Award for "The Andy Griffith Show." The awards were unusually
festive with dinner tables filled with elegantly-dressed greats.
New member ROSS EASTTY missed the January luncheon, as
he and his wife, Letty, were vacationing in the Philippines. SHIRLEY MITCHELL LIVINGSTON off
to New York in March for a round of shows and other activities. She was
accompanied by Ginny Mancini.
CLIFF CORDER is out of retirement thanks to Board member EWING
"Lucky" BROWN who cast him as Gilroy in his movie, Dismembered.
CLIFF is now represented commercially by Paula Soreson of
Coast-to-Coast and theatrically by Helen Barkan at Aimée. PPBer MARC GRAUE's
recording studio got a nice mention on the front page of Variety in
February. ED HAMMOND, archivist for Ralph Edwards Productions, spent two
weeks on Vancouver
Island in
March visiting with wife, Soula's, family. It was a belated honeymoon.
Musical man JOE HARNELL got mentions in the L.A.
Times recently as the late Peggy Lee's conductor, once as José
HARNELL, then a correction to JOE.
PPBer mystery writer ROBERT LEVINSON has a busy
schedule.His latest book, Ask a Dead Man, came out in December, and in
April he performed his second stint as writer-producer of the annual
"Edgar" Awards gala at the Grand Hyatt in New York. MARY DORR had
a busy and successful February ramrodding the Excellence in Media 27th annual
International Angel Awards. The program gave out fourteen Gold Angels and ninety-one
Silver Angels.
ELAYNE BLYTHE, founder/president of the Film Advisory Board, celebrated
her 85th birthday at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce mixer at the Hard Rock
Café in January. The Chamber newsletter carried a story and pictured ELAYNE
with Chamber board member Oscar Arslanian and President Leron Gubler. And
speaking of birthdays, that world traveler, WINNIE TREIMER, celebrated
her 88th birthday, April 22nd.
The CBS Alumni spring newsletter was peppered with news items
about their members, who are also PPBers, including ART GILMORE, GIL
STRATTON, PIERCE GRANT, who was busy taking pictures including one
of KAY IRWIN; GEORGE SUNGA, CBS alumni president; BEN WOLF,
MARCIA RIES, CHARLES "Cappy" CAPPLEMAN, BARNEY
PHANEUF, WINNIE TREIMER and RAY ANGONA, who is off the sick
list. Hope we didn't miss anyone.
In cleaning out files, SUE CHADWICK found an original
"Smile Time" radio script from February 28, 1947. "Smile Time" starred
Steve Allen, JUNE FORAY and Wendell Noble and aired fifteen minutes, five
times a week from KHJ over the Don Lee Mutual network at 11:15 a.m. This was
one of Steve's first shows. SUE sent the script to MARTY HALPERIN for
the archives. Former Board member JAMES KISSMAN made the trip from his
home in Eugene, Oregon to attend the JAMES BACON luncheon.Former Board
member DALE OLSON was very informative on "Larry King Live"
talking about Rock Hudson.
Three-time Academy Award-winning songwriter RAY EVANS
went back to his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia in
April, to be part of a symposium for the performing arts division of the
university (1300 in program) to talk about his career in songwriting, and to
answer questions from students, along with other panelists who discussed their
careers and fields of creation. On RAY's birthday, February 2, radio
station KSUR (fm)devoted eight hours of programming of the Livingston &
Evans catalog, with disc jockeys Nick Gerard and John Regan playing a song from
their output every hour plus biographical words about EVANS along with
the songs. RAY says is was a very delightful and flattering birthday
tribute.
WINNIE TREIMER has returned from what she calls an Indian Ocean Odyssey.She
cruised from Singapore to Cape Town, March 5 to April 8 and concluded
the cruise from Durban to Mighty Victoria Falls. WINNIE said she had
to scramble to get visas, malaria medicines and supplies for a month.
NICHOLAS ROYCE much in the news lately with glowing reports in The
Professional Dancers Society magazine telling of his career and his overcoming
the aftermath of two strokes.He says he can still dance, "but with no left
turns." The Tolucan Times had a story on ROYCE receiving the
Southern California Motion Picture Council's Lifetime Achievement Award for his
contribution to the entertainment industry and performing arts. Patty Andrews
presented her longtime friend with the prestigious award. The Andrews Sisters
and ROYCE were on the same bill at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore in July 1944 (almost 60 years ago).
Renowned child star Margaret O'Brien, a longtime friend of ROYCE,
presented SMPC's Golden Halo Award of special merit which he accepted for Greek
Orthodox Telecommunications.
Membership Chair MARGOT EWING reports
no new members this period.
H
We will remember with admiration
AL ABRAMSON
MILT BERNHART
JEROME LAWRENCE
HERMAN SAUNDERS
Please send
your news and that of your friends (trips,
births,
awards, etc.) to:
SUE CLARK CHADWICK
1841 Outpost Drive
Hollywood, CA 90068-3721
Fax: (323) 851-2401
www.hmpwebsite.org
THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER IS
May 1, 2004
Remember, no news—no
newsletter.