t really makes one scratch one’s head. Why would Spain’s major daily newspaper, “El Pais”, sort of the equivalent of The New York Times, run a four-column feature titled “100 Years of the ‘Bible of Hollywood'”? Go figure.
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The Sardi’s dinner last September 24th was not the “last hurrah” for all the muggs around the world, as some of you may have feared. While it certainly was a landmark event, which probably will never be repeated and the memory of which will be cherished by all of us in the future, we are determined to keep the ball rolling on our side at least. We do so in the hope that although we hear virtually nothing from any of you out there (not even a Season’s Greetings wish!) we know that most of you appreciate the existence of this webpage and occasionally access it.
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If the 100th anni was a high point, let’s see out this decade with your news and pictures . . .
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16, will mark the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Variety in New York. It will also mark the rather more modest third Anniversary of Sime’s site.
Maintaining this web site, with its multiple pages of text and pictures, has been the joint effort not only of its founders, Peter Besas and Roger Watkins, but also of all those who have contributed to the site over the past years. Without these contributions – all unique and many of them beyond value – Sime’s site would have long since withered away and become meaningless.
The Centenary of the paper was successfully and magnificently feted at Sardi’s restaurant in New York on September 24, thanks to the generosity of Joan and Syd Silverman. So the challenge NOW is to keep the site alive, which can be done only with the cooperation and effort of all of you out there, the world around.
In essence this means YOU keeping in touch with us.
The nostalgia vein is, naturally enough, running thin. So let’s all focus on news, no matter how brief. We want to hear of YOUR activities – and that includes letting us have photos for publication in our Pics section.
If you have a new job, gotten hitched, are blessed with a new offspring, have won the Pulitzer Prize, published a book, won the marathon in your home town, or have decided to start a new company – all this is welcome grist for Sime’s Site’s mill. What you send will be warmly greeted by those who know you and, more widely, by those who are interested in knowing what you’re up to.
For our part, we will maintain our small slice of cyberspace, increasingly with help on the technical side from Ian Watkins.
Though for the moment we have no plans for further reunions (the last one took two years of planning and work), we will welcome your participation at the next Oscar sweepstakes and maybe at other events in 2006.
If anyone has any suggestions for promoting even more cohesion among the ex-muggs, or ideas for sparking added interest in the site, don’t hesitate to drop us a line or two.
Also, we still have plenty of leftover copies of the Souvenir Album, both in New York and in Madrid, so if anyone wants an additional copy, or if you haven’t received one yet, again, drop us a line and we’ll be glad to send you one.
It remains only for us to wish you all a happy Holiday Season and above all else, good health for the coming year.
Herb Golden bowed out loving Variety right to final curtain
By PETER BESAS
For years Variety’s oldest surviving mugg, Herb Golden, passed away October 31, aged 91.
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. . . and taking this opportunity to plug my next book
By JOE X. PRICE
Sorry it’s taken me so long to let everyone know how much I enjoyed the Anni Book. Peter Besas really did a job. It’s beautiful! And thanx, Pete, for running my stuff — not just one, but two pieces! And for mentioning me in your speech at Sardi’s.
I really regretted not being there. I still do — especially after my buddy Doug Galloway came home and gave me the book and told me about the event from his POV. He said he had more fun there than he’d had in weeks. Which for him is quite a statement. Believe me, Duggles is a pro at it; he has fun 24-7, even when he sleeps. (Especially when he sleeps, actually.)
Me? I’m fine. Take me off the “Ill ‘n’ Injured” list. The surgery is behind me now — in more ways than one — and I feel great. Also, I’m svelte again. (Funny, I always thought “svelte” was a Jewish word, like “kvetch” till I looked it up.)
I lost about 50 pounds and I don’t miss a single one of them. Sure, I don’t move as fast as I used to but what World War II vet does at age 59? Come on, admit it. You guys have got to be as old as I am, if not older, for God’s sake!
Which brings me to the subject of my new novel, For God’s Sake! Sure, it’s a sneaky way to get a plug in, but why not?
It’s a hellava book. I wrote it about eight years ago and couldn’t sell it. Why? Because all it was was a lousy first draft and I was too stupid to see it. It needed a major rewrite, page for page, which I’m giving it now.
I’m about two-thirds done and should be finished by Xmas time. It’ll be in the stores by the end of ’06 selling for $25.95 a copy and will be a socco smashit. How can I be so sure? Simple. It’s all about sex and religion.
Thanks to everyone for thinking of me – and yes, I’m taking good care of Abel’s ashtray.