I had always hoped to get a chance to meet Charles Martin Smith. Not just because of his ultra-memorable and hilarious role as Terry the Toad in American Graffiti. Not just because of his great part in the film version of The Untouchables. Not just for his very early appearance on The Brady Bunch. Not just because he was Carter Pike’s brother Lyman on Picket Fences. Not just because he directed the premier episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I wanted to meet Charles Martin Smith because as a teenager, he was a member of the Sons of the Desert Laurel and Hardy appreciation society.
I had actually written a fan letter to Charles Martin Smith back in 1998 and sent along an issue of my Dante’s Info newsletter #17. He responded not only by being the third to sign my American Graffiti 8×10 movie poster reproduction (with the slightly out-of-place inscription “Well, here’s another nice mess” – as seen here) , but also by sending a nice handwritten letter thanking me for the newsletter and mentioning his involvement with the Sons. I later sent along a nice photo from The Untouchables. He signed this as well, without any further notes.
It was over ten years later that I finally got the chance to meet the man who was Toad. He was appearing along with four other American Graffiti cast members at the Chicago Hollywood Celebrity show on Saturday, October 18, 2009. When I approached him with the tale of our mutual fan club membership, he began to sing the club’s signature tune “We are the Sons of the Desert, having the time of our lives…”
We talked a bit about our history in the club and he said that he hadn’t attended a meeting in many, many years, but always remembered them fondly, and still loves Laurel and Hardy. I mentioned that the conventions were still being held and the next one in 2010 would be in Sacramento. He said that he might look into driving up with his brother.
I do regret not buying a nice photo of him (particularly with Candy Clark, who was sitting next to him), but since I already had a couple autographs, I opted to just ask for a photo with him. He gave a bit of a reluctant ‘sure’ (much as he did in American Graffiti when the liquor store clerk asked him for his I.D.), but he posed for a nice picture with me.
Always fun to meet not only a great Hollywood celebrity, but a Laurel and Hardy buff as well.
Celebrities from the Fall 2009 Chicago show will continue…
“Hey, Toad! Is that your car?”
“Yeah!”
“What a waste of machinery.”
Eric Hubble
March 2nd, 2010