More items re: My favorite columnist, Herb Caen…
WEST COAST SPORTS — Following the University’s triumphant victory in the CBI basketball tournament, the Golden State Warriors thrilling finish to the NBA regular season and Laker’s Koby Bryant’s 60-point finale, the westernmost part of the country completely dominated the roundball scene…
SRO at the GOD CLUB — Last Friday, members of the area’s iconic Good Old Days Club retreated to one of their most engaging speakers in the form of McAvoy Layne, who impersonates Samuel Clemens, who impersonates Mark Twain.
Layne is well-known about the area and many points east and west for his inimitable characterization of Twain. I first met McAvoy several months ago (sans costume) at a party for the Comstock Chronicle Newspaper at which we are fellow columnists.
Although I had heard many reports of his excellent impression of Twain, I had never seen it before last week. As a writer Layne embodies much of Twain’s humorous style. As a speaker he is able to easily transport his listeners back in time…
ROONEY REMEMBERED — The other night on the TCM television channel, there was a glowing tribute to the people involved in the making of the classic film, “The Wizard of Oz.”
It was produced by the son of one of the members of the cast, the Tin Man Jack Haley, and it chronicled the efforts to find a young female to play the part of Dorothy. First choice, of course, was the reigning childhood superstar, Shirley Temple.
However, producers found her too young and of scant vocal ability. Consequently, they searched about for an unknown and settled on Judy Garland for the role that made her an instant star. Following her triumph in Oz, she was paired with popular Mickey Rooney in a number of iconic MGM musicals…
WHEN STARS FELL ON RENO — In reference to the item above, I had the opportunity to interface with Rooney, Shirley, the Scarecrow Ray Bolger and Judy Garland (the latter at a long distance).
Rooney appeared twice in the Skyroom at the Mapes, Shirley starred in a movie shot at the University called “Belvedere Goes to College” and I was selected as her escort during her time her and I was fortunate enough to be Bolger’s partner at golf when we played Charles Mapes and Al Bello at Hidden Valley…
THE GARLAND ADVENTURE — One summer day when I was resting on the sand at Zephyr Cove, I was approached by good friend Hal Lipset the famous SF private investigator. He was accompanied by an obvious LA resident who was resplendent in his penny loafers, no socks, unbuttoned shirt and large gold necklace.
Lipset introduced him as Sid Luft, who was the father of Lorna Luft, one of Garland’s daughters. At that time, Judy was appearing at Harrah’s South Shore Room and she and Lorna were ensconced at Harrah’s magnificent lakeside villa just around the corner from Zephyr Cove.
Lipset asked me if I had my boat nearby and I pointed it out to him, parked along the shore. He asked if I could take him and Sid the short trip to the villa. But when I asked, “Why” he replied that due to a dispute between Luft and Garland, Sid was determined to kidnap Lorna.
As we rounded the point and headed for the villa with Sid hiding in the bottom of the craft, Lipset remarked, “There are two guys on shore pointing something shiny at us.” I responded, “Those shiny things are rifles!”
We made an immediate U-turn and sped back from whence we came.
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