Although I had met Della Lind, leading lady from the Laurel and Hardy feature Swiss Miss, six years prior (at the Hollywood ’80 convention, seen here), I had never gotten her to sign a photo for me – just her signature in my little blue autograph book. So following the 1986 Valley Forge convention – and my re-immersion in all things Laurel and Hardy – the first autograph request I sent out after I had returned from the trip was to Della Lind. I had picked up three great photos and was anxious to add Della to my big fat photo album that was quickly filling up with signed pictures.
Della was very quick to respond. I sent the request out on August 6, 1986, and I received them back, beautifully inscribed (as seen above and in the two below images), on August 15. I was thrilled to have these and she had added some very nice inscriptions on them.
On this one she wrote: Warm wishes from one, Brad – so sad that Stan & Babe cannot also sign this
After picking up a couple of additional photos of Della Lind at the next convention – Minneapolis 1988 – I made one further by-mail request, this time asking her a question about Swiss Miss. I had heard that she stated that scenes from Swiss Miss were originally filmed in color. Although this had been completely refuted, I was hoping to get a nice hand-written letter from her, offering some insight into this claim. And that was exactly what I got as you can see below. I sent the request on July 27, 1988, and received the signed photos back, two signed note cards, and the hand-written letter.
My last encounters with Della Lind came in person when she attended the 1992 Las Vegas convention. She showed up a day or so into the convention and I hopped on the elevator just to be near her. Unfortunately, she had just misplaced her handbag (which at the time she thought had been stolen) – so when I told her that I had met her in 1980, she advised me that she couldn’t talk right now as her purse had just been stolen. I had her sign one additional photo at the convention.
The next week, she attended the Way Out West 25th Anniversary banquet on July 17, 1992. I actually sat at her table during that event and finally had the chance to talk more to her. Fortunate at that time was that I did pretty well at attempting to get photos with the celebrities and did capture one final image with Della.
I am thrilled and honored that I had the chance to meet Della Lind, who played such a prominent role in one of Laurel and Hardy’s films. She passed away in 1999, and I was able to visit her grave (as seen here) in 2009.
Autographs of 1986 will continue…
Autographs of 1988 will continue…
Celebrities of the 1992 Convention will continue…
Celebrities of the 1992 Way Out West banquet will continue…
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