by PETER BESAS

On April 23 it’ll be one year that the co-founder of the Simesite joined so many other ex-muggs in the Great Beyond. I still remember with a smile that day in London in November 2002 when Rog and I met Jack Kindred at the Atheneaum Hotel on Piccadilly and the three of us went to have a snack and a drink at a nearby eaterie. Since the conversation inevitably turned once again to the latest scuttlebutt about what some of the former muggs were up to, I at one point threw out: “At times I have thought it would be useful to put out some sort of a newssheet about the old Variety and circulate it”. Whereupon Rog immediately countered that what should be done was put up a website. Well, by the time I got back to Madrid, I was amazed to learn that Rog, with the technical help of his son Ian, had already uploaded Simesite into cyberspace, for Roger was always an enthusiastic “do-er”.
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Many many happy returns to Simesite on its 4th stanza, and, nostalgically to Syd, who faces the big seven five. To those who have wondered at my silence, I should be back in harness and fair shape in the next month or so. Cheers all, Hawk.

Though the late Lyle Stuart expressly wished no services to be held after he passed away, his widow, Carole, and their children nonetheless organized a “sendoff” on December 5th at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Over 100 friends celebrated and a party was held in Lyle’s honor. Included was a 25-minute video with recordings made over the years, which captivated the attending crowd.

During his lifetime, Lyle put out a monthly newsletter called “Hot News” in which he mentioned new books that his publishing house, Barricade Books, was launching, as well as notes of a personal nature, often including his views on politics and religion. Carole has now decided to keep up the “Hot News” tradition and from time to time will mail copies of it to clients and friends. The latter category includes some ex-muggs of the old Variety.

(The following is extracted from Peter Besas’ 2000 book “Inside Variety”. The interview with Meyer was done in Highland, NY in 1993)

Frank Meyer moved to New York after Abel Green died. He recalled: “That fall (1973) I was in New York and Syd asked me to have lunch with him. We went to La Strada, a few doors down on 46th Street, and during the course of our 14th drink – we had three before lunch, a bottle of wine with the meal, and then we were having a second after-dinner drink – and only then, after talking for almost two and a half hours, only then did Syd say to me, ‘Well, how would you like to come to New York again?’
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