Davelandblog: Melissa on the West Coast, Pt. 4

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

Melissa on the West Coast, Pt. 4

It was the morning of the big event: the 2nd annual Shirley Temple birthday tea party at the Chateau Marmont. Does iced tea count? First order of business: BACON! Willis was looking up to Melissa - he knows a sucker for his charms. Of course she would reward his longing look with a piece of the Chateau’s legendary peppered bacon. Eating the açai bowl helps me feel less guilty about gobbling up the large portion of bacon.

Before it was delivered, I went through my usual motions. Aim, squint, and shoot.

The resulting image from our view through the canopy over our table.

The legendary Sid Krofft (“H.R. Pufnstuf,” “Land of the Lost,” and “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters”) was the guest of honor. You may recall that Willis and I met him last December when he and his assistant Kelly first visited me at the Chateau.

To say Sid is still active would be an understatement.

His memory is clear as a bell, and he has become the darling of social media as well as in-person conventions. When Sid spoke, everyone listened. One of the guests gushed about Jack Wild and how she had a crush on him when she was a young girl. “You and everyone else in the country!” Sid quipped.

He shared a few cute stories about Shirley (she was the inspiration for H.R. Pufnstuf’s sister, Shirley Pufnstuf)…

but his best anecdote involved Judy Garland and her husband, Sid Luft. Yes, a Tale of Two Sids.

In 1957, Judy Garland was looking for a new opening act in Las Vegas; she didn’t like to perform for more than an hour there, which was fairly typical. Jack Benny had raved to her and husband/manager Sid Luft about Sid Krofft’s puppet act. Krofft was staying at the Chateau Marmont at the time, having just returned from Europe. His room “with a view” faced the alley and was so small that there was a hot plate in the bathroom. “You could cook an egg and go to the bathroom at the same time!” he chuckled. Luft contacted him and requested that Krofft audition. “Audition? I just did command performances for the Queen, I worked at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, Radio City Music Hall, annd I was on Broadway with Sonja Henie. I don’t audition.” Luft was somewhat taken aback, but told Krofft that he and Judy had to go over to Capitol records for a meeting and that they would stop by the Chateau at 2pm to meet him. Panic ensued; he couldn’t have the legendary Garland see his tiny room! Krofft ran to the lobby desk and asked if he could borrow a nicer space so that he could meet Luft and Garland there. The living room area of the lobby was not an option, as Garland would have been gawked at by the other guests. Sid was told by the staff that the entire hotel was booked, but they were able to offer the Penthouse for an hour. It had just been cleaned and stocked with fresh flowers for Sophia Loren’s arrival the next day. Producer/director Ralph Levy (“I Love Lucy,” “The Bevelry Hillbillies,” “Trapper John, M.D.” and “Hawaii Five-O”) was a friend of Sid’s and also happened to be staying at the hotel. Sid borrowed his houseboy for the meeting to enhance the ruse for Garland her husband and stocked the room with liquor and snacks. Garland sat in the corner of the room quietly while the two Sids went back and forth, getting nowhere. Luft was cheap and nervous about taking a chance on someone he’d never seen before; meanwhile, Krofft was getting nervous as his “Cinderella” suite was running out of time! Continuing his bluff, he told the two, “I’m going to have to ask you both to leave, because I’m expecting someone.” Judy arose from her chair, firmly grabbbed Krofft’s arm with her hand (“I think I still have the bruise” he told us), and put her nose right up against his telling him, “I love that you’re throwing us out!” An hour later he received a phone call from Sid Luft who offered him the job. Judy loved him!

Sid Krofft’s tour with Judy started at the Vegas Flamingo May 1, 1957 for 3 weeks, followed by the Detroit Riviera May 30 for 1 week, Dallas Music Hall for the State Fair June 10 for 2 weeks, and then L.A.’s Greek Theatre from June 27 for 2 weeks. He performed with Judy again at Miami’s Fontainebleau La Ronde room from Feb 17 to March 2 in 1959. Judy used to quip during their show that the puppet’s Balmain-designed wardrobe cost more than hers! As for Sophia Loren, Sid did share the story with her after she arrived and she told him, “Oh, you have to come up to my room. I make the best spaghetti!” He never took her up on her offer.

Our party continued with a heated white elephant prize exchange. I had asked all attendees ahead of time what their favorite/least favorite Shirley movie was and stocked the prizes for this portion of the afternoon according to the LEAST favorite.

A decadent chocolate cake from Sweet Lady Jane bakery was the reward afterwards.

Sid blew out the candles (yes, he got them all!) and then we all entered a sugar coma from the oh-so-rich dessert.

The final gift was a painting I created for each attendee, representing their favorite Shirley movie.

Sid held up his painting of Tylette (Gale Sondergaard) from Shirley’s “The Blue Bird” (1940).

It was my favorite one that I did of the bunch.

This one shows Shirley in “Little Miss Broadway” (1938):

Sid’s assistant Kelly got the painting below from “The Little Princess.” Something tells me Sid is going to end up with that one, too!

Neon Cruise tour guide supreme Eric and his partner Darin posed with Sid:

Willis stayed in the background for most of the event, as the snacks were not accessible to him. Melissa shows of her “Poor Little Rich Girl” painting.