Stan Laurel Letters

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

JULY 1st.'60.

Dear Jim White:
          Thanks your letter of June 28th. The L&H book is to be published by Doubleday Co. of New York, but won't be available till Jan '61.
          My best wishes.
                    Sincerely:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    JULY 4th.1960.
Dear Marie Hatfield:
          Sorry delay in acknowledging your letter of June 13th. I intended to answer several times, but kept putting it off till tomorrow - visitors etc. you know how ti's .
          Yes, I saw the Hedda Hopper column you mention, re "When Comedy Was King" film - she has always spoken very kindly of L&H, even tho'we never met her personally.
          Hope you saw this film, I understand its very interesting to see all the old-timers in action & brings back a lot of happy memories - I read several of the New York Times reviews on it, the Critics spoke very well of it - am enclosing you one that was sent me from London, Eng. thought you might like to have it for your collection of L&H items.
          They've started to run our films again on TV here, mostly the feature length films - it really is very unfair that we do'nt receive anything from them - unfortunately we can't do anything about it.
          Congratulations on winning 2nd. prize for the Church tickets - I never did have any luck in these drawings, am sure you were quite thrilled.
          Note Donald is'nt around anymore - maybe they've eaten him.!
          Thanks for the Anniversary wishes, it was exactly the same date that princess Margaret was married (May 6th.).
          Kindest regards to Bob, Mother & Self from us both here.
          Cheerio & God Bless.
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    JULY.6th.1960.
Dear Frank [Buxton]:
          Thanks yours,3rd.inst, with enclosure of program of "PIECES-OF-EIGHT" at Julius Monk's "UPSTAIRS & SAVE TEN THEATRE".
          Re the appendices at the end of the L&H book, I do'nt know if this has been included or not, anyway, am sure John McCabe would be pleased to discuss it with you - he is staying at the Lamb's Club right now, convalescing from an appendix operation, so I know he'll be delighted to meet you & will enjoy chatting with you.
          Thats wonderful to hear of Tom Poston's success, am certainly pleased to hear about it - when you see him again, please convey my congratulations.
          Nothing much exciting to tell you Frank, so bye for now. Thanks again for your kindly interest.
          My kindest regards always.
                    As ever:

                    STAN LAUREL.

"I was appearing at Julius Monk's 'Upstairs at the Downstairs' in a comedy revue and sent Stan a program from the show. I also helped John McCabe with the appendix to his book in researching Stan's films." —Frank Buxton

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

                    JULY 15th.1960.
Dear Herb Read:
          Thanks yours,12th.inst.
Pleased to know I shall have the pleasure of seeing you again. Note you are arriving on the 17th. so shall be glad to hear from & make a convenient date for some afternoon during next week. I have an appointment with my Dr. on Monday (18th), I also have friends visiting me from England, so right now I am unable to suggest any definite day. Anyway, if you will kindly give me [a] call, we can figure it out. My phone is: EXbrook 3-5656.
          The L&H book has been accepted by Doubleday Co. & is due for production in January '61. Anyway, all news when I see.
          My regards & best.
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    AUGUST 4th.1960.
Dear Johnnie [Municino]:
          Interesting to know you met Charlie Chaplin Jr. I met him last when he was just a kid also his brother Sidney - I saw him on the Sullivan show - thought he did very well indeed. Sorry to hear about his experience with the Hoodlums, must have been pretty frightening - this delinquent situation is really appaling. Regarding that book you read in the library about L&H - I did'nt know such a book had been published.
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    AUGUST 20th.1960.
Dear Clifford:
          Thank you for your very nice letter - I appreciated very much your kind thoughts & sentiments.
          Pleased to tell you the report of my illness was not true - on the contrary, my health is quite good. I do'nt know where these columnists get such false information - even the address was wrong. I have'nt lived in Malibu for nearly three years. Anyway, again my thanks for your kind wishes as graciously expressed. Thanks also for the Card you sent me - hope you had an enjoyable trip.
          I'm happy to know the old L&H films have afforded you so much pleasure thru the years & am enclosing a picture each for your nephew and niece - thought they might like it & one for yourself.
          My kindest regards & every good wish -
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    AUGUST 23rd.1960.
My Dear Al [Kilgore]:
          Many thanks for your charming letter and the magnificent caricatures of Babe & me. Only wish I were able to express fully my deep appreciation for your gracious gesture. Believe me, I was really touched when I read your letter, so beautifully expressed. Again, my humble thanks for your courtesy and those sentiments.
          The drawing is wonderful, Al. A work of art. I naturally have seen many of them through the years, but none to compare to this. I can't tell you how thrilled I am. Many of my friends have great admiration for your work - they are delighted. Am having a special frame made for it and will treasure and cherish it as long as I live.
          All for now, Al.
          My warmest regards and every good wish to your kind self and family.
          Good luck and God Bless.
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF STAN AND OLLIE - August 23, 1960

Artist Al Kilgore was also responsible for designing the "coat of arms" for the Sons of the Desert, the Laurel and Hardy appreciation society of which he was one of the founding members. —Editor

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

                    AUGUST 24th.1960.
Dear Edmund [Tester]:
          Thanks your letter recd.this AM.
Pleased to note you got the picture OK. Thanks for the snapshot of your Son & friend in the L&H outfits - a very good resemblance, your son is quite a big boy is'nt he? Hardy weighed over 300lbs, a year before he died, he was 360lbs - the Dr advised him to reduce, I think this was the cause of his final illness, & ended up weighing 130lbs. a sad sight believe me, you would never have recognized him.
          Note you tried to reach us several times - I assure you the letters were not recd. by us, otherwise they would have been acknowledged - too bad you did'nt send them C/O the Screen Actors Guild as they forward them to the home address of the members. Anyway, you finally made it, even tho' you were misdirected by a columnist.
          Yes, I am English & Hardy came from Georgia - I came to this Country in 1910 in a show with Charlie Chaplin - does'nt seem possible that was 50 years ago - thats a lot of 'Tempus Fugit's.!! After Charlie left the show to join the Mack Sennett outfit in 1913, I continued in vaudeville, doing various acts till 1917, then I started in the film business - I made around 40 films, but was'nt too successful, so I quit being a comic & became a director at the Hal Roach Studios, & through this I met Hardy & later we became a team, its a long story, but is told in a book we have coming out next January, published by Doubleday Co. titled "MR LAUREL & MR HARDY" it covers our career & incidents responsible for bringing us together.
          Incidently, the book was written by a Professor John McCabe at the N.Y.University.
          Your mention in regard to there being so few clowns around today - trouble is, there is no opportunity for the younger generation to gain experience - no place to even get started, all there is, is Night Clubs & TV - the Circus & vaudeville business has practically gone, plus many of the good 'old timers' who could have given their knowledge & training to the new kids - am afraid its a lost Art, Edmund. Unfortunately, many of the kids today do'nt take clowning seriously - they think there's nothing to it - all there is to do is to put on a clown make up & people will go into hysterics - they do'nt realise it requires knowledge & skill to be a comic. I've always felt there's an art in whatever you do - no matter what it is, it can be done better if you make a study of it.
          Please don't hesitate to correspond with me Edmund, I'll enjoy hearing from you any old time. Hope you're having a successful season & all well & happy.
          Cheerio & God Bless.
                    As ever:

                    STAN LAUREL.

NOTE: "Tempus fugit" is a Latin expression meaning "time flees," more commonly translated as "time flies." —Editor

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

                    SEPTEMBER 1st.1960.
Dear Herb Read:
          Thanks yours, 29th.ult.
Pleased to note you have a tape machine, will send you the Max Miller recording, as soon as I am able to make one for you. There will be no need to return it.
          Re the Puppet idea - are yon referring to the hand style or the string marionettes? the reason I ask this, we were approached sometime ago in regard to the marionette style being put on the market & I do'nt know if my attorney has been in negotiation or not, so I would'nt want to committ myself till I check with him on the matter, if we are still in the clear, I should be happy to have you handle the product. Am sending your letter to Mr Shipman & will ask him to contact you - he has managed all the L&H business affairs for over 10 years, so naturally I leave all these matters to him.
          With pleas[ure] I am enclosing you a picture - thank you for the request.
          Mrs L. joins in kindest regards.
                    As ever:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    SEPTEMBER 1st.1960.
My Dear Ben [Shipman]:
          Enclosed is letter from Herbert Read Jr. who I have met a couple of times during his trips out here. He is authoring a book on the life of the late Jean Harlow, & due to her having made her first screen appearance with babe & I, he wanted to get some details - hence the man reason of his visits.
          He's evidently connected with this Public Relations firm in Philadelphia. In regard to the puppets idea, I told him I would place the matter in your hands.
          I like the idea very much, & I think it would be a profitable venture & worth looking into, it would be good to have these on market for Xmas & the publication of the book.
          Thanks Ben.
          Regards & Best,
                    As ever:

NOTE: Jean Harlow made her screen debut in Laurel and Hardy's "Double Whoopee" in 1929. —Editor

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

SEPTEMBER 24th.'60.

Re: Anchor Paint Company - the chap that first called me about the job, told me that the job would include the painting inside the rain gutters which run along the roof of the house - said it would avoid rust. This he didn't mention in his bid.

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

                    SEPTEMBER 27th.1960.
Dear Carol Ann Tone:
          Thank you for your very nice letter.
I am pleased to know you enjoy seeing the Laurel & Hardy films on TV & get so much pleasure out of them.
          Am sending you a little picture, thought you might like to have one as a souvenir.
          My love & best wishes to you too.
                    Sincerely always:

                    STAN LAUREL.

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

                    SEPTEMBER 27th.1960.
Dear Marie Hatfield:
          Sorry delay in acknowledging your previous & recent letter - fact is, a couple of months ago, some simple minded columnist in new York, made a statement that I was very ill & I would like to hear from friends & fans - I am still trying to get through answering all those letters of sympathy - needless to tell you I could kill that guy for causing me all this work for no good reason at all. Due to all this, my personal correspondence was sadly neglected & now I am faced with a big stack of this - am dizzy pounding away at this typewriter, so please excuse my brief reply.
          Thanks for the clipping re Marcel Marceau, I was surprised to know he was back in this Country, I have'nt heard from him for quite sometime . This show "The Cloak", I saw him do in Paris in 1950, I see it is referred to as 'The Overcoat', - his miming is excellent in this, he is supported by his little company, all specially trained by him, its amazing to see the precision of movement, perfect timing - too bad you could'nt have seen the show in San Francisco.
          Mrs L. joins in regards & best to your Mother, Bob & self.
          Trust alls well.
                    As ever:

                    STAN LAUREL.

"'The Overcoat' (a wordless adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's story), which Mr. Marceau created in 1951, suggests an Edvard Munch painting softened into a series of more gently Expressionistic storybook panels. As Akakia Akakievitch, Gogol's waifish office clerk who works himself to the bone for 10 years to purchase the fur coat of his dreams, only to have it stolen, Mr. Marceau becomes a figure of abject pathos. In the piece's most striking moments, the dream of a luxurious overcoat becomes a nightmare of desire in which the character is surrounded by giant fur coats that come alive." —The New York Times

THE STAN LAUREL
CORRESPONDENCE ARCHIVE PROJECT
HOPES TO COLLECT AND CATALOG
LETTERS FROM STAN TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HIS LIFE AND CELEBRATE
HIS COMEDIC GENIUS.

IF YOU HAVE AN ORIGINAL
LETTER FROM STAN OR HAVE A COPY
NOT INCLUDED IN THESE ARCHIVES,
PLEASE ADD A COPY OF YOUR LETTER
BY CONTACTING US VIA E-MAIL AT:
INFO@LETTERSFROMSTAN.COM

"Modern Hollywood," said oldtime comedian Stan Laurel, "is a shrinking island surrounded by money-grabbing, back-stabbing and too much politics."
     The skinny half of the old Laurel and Hardy team—a viewer of the Hollywood scene for half a century—explained:
     "There is increasing politics in getting jobs because there are fewer movies.
     "And there is the other kind of politics—with performers offering their opinions on national issues as if their opinions were important. Who are they after all? What right have they to impose their thoughts on the public, which certainly knows as much as they do? I think some of our stars are beginning to believe their publicity—they're taking themselves too seriously. Nobody else does."
     The 70-year-old funnyman. who refuses the many jobs he is offered said nearly all of Hollywood is taking itself too seriously these days.
     "They're spending too much money, and most of it is on new equipment like wide screens, which the public couldn't care less about," he said. "A good story is still a good story, and it's the most Important thing. Look at 'Marty' and 'Room At the Top'—both simple black and white films on small screens, and both made fortunes.
     "It's almost a schizophrenic situation. On the one hand, they spend huge amounts of money for silly things—and on the other hand, they're more commercialized, tense and stricter on the sets, with attorneys and accountants running the whole works.
     "In the happy days of Hollywood, it was more carefree and less strain. You didn't have to do exactly so many scenes a day. Today they run movie-making like a department store. In our times, if you didn't feel like doing a scene today, you did it tomorrow—so what? Actors and labor got paid less."
     Laurel labeled modern Filmtown as a "grey-flanneled city."
     "The overall effect is that the image of Hollywood is virtually destroyed. And a big reason is that actors don't try to be individual characters. They all wear the same business suits, the same tuxedos.
     "Can you imagine old W.C. Fields being mistaken for anyone else? Impossible. He was distinctive. And the public knew Laurel and Hardy as the two guys who wore derbies. Even if they didn't know our names, they knew what we looked like. In those days, we didn't need big screens—we had big performers."

—The Times Recorder (July 31, 1960)

Stan Laurel, who with his late partner, Oliver (Babe) Hardy, made a series of film comedies that won them international renown, now lives here quietly on the ocean front.
     He is 70 and suffered a stroke five years ago, but by determination has fought back to the point where he is able to walk without a stick.
     "I am doing all right and don't need help from anyone", Laurel said in an interview. "I have enough for my wife (Ida Kitaeva, his fourth) and I do live on from an annuity I took out in my big earning days. We also have rental income from a big home I gave up to move into a hotel.
     "I must admit, though, that as a result of the stroke, I will never be able to act again. I just don't have the strength, and I am also a diabetic."
     Laurel enjoys answering letters he receives from fans in many countries and he is a doting grandfather to Laurel, 9, and Randy, 8, the children of his daughter, Mrs. Lois Brooks.

—The Daily Gleaner (August 26, 1960)