I’ll admit it. I’ll admit it. I wanted to win the trivia contest this year. We were tracking to win every other convention… and anytime we participated… and I wanted to keep it that way. David, Peter, and I had claimed our first victory back in 2006 in Augusta, Georgia. Then in 2008 the Europeans changed it up and made it some strange single player event in a circle in the middle of a banquet or something. In 2010 our team re-grouped and won again in Sacramento. In 2012 we felt a little snubbed as once again it was taken over by other hosts who hand-picked two-person teams while the former champs – us – sat idly by and watched. We made a production of how we would regain our crown in 2014.
It was Friday, the Fourth of July, 2014, and Bob had wisely crafted this, the third day of the convention to be much more leisurely the hustle and bustle of the previous two days. It was nice for everyone to have a bit of a breather and spend a more relaxing day around the hotel. Back home my family was getting ready to enjoy a weekend at Indian Lake at Denise’s cabin.
Bob had created a brochure for conventioneers designed to assist in spending the morning hiking up and down Hollywood Boulevard. There was plenty to see to be sure, but I had already done that walk several times. So getting back the original subject that I started to talk about, David and I spent the early part of the morning continuing to study for the trivia contest that day. Some who enter will say that they never bothered to study, but then again, that is why they never win. And dammit, we were going to win.
David and I didn’t get to Loew’s and the convention until a bit after 10am that morning. There was an author’s panel going on with moderator Dick Bann fielding questions amongst authors Chuck Harter, Irv Hyatt, Bill Cassara, Randy Skretvedt, and Jordan Young. I was a bit too wound up for the Trivia Contest that was coming up at 11am.
Randy, Chuck, Dick, Bill, and Irv at the Author’s Panel
Part of the allure of this specific contest was that it was going to be hosted by Rick Greene and Dwain Smith. These fellas were the first to host the original trivia contest back in 1984, and went on to host it the subsequent two after that in 1986 (the first one I saw) and 1988 (the first one I was in… in which I competed with… drumroll… David!). So now 26 years later they had reunited to bring us what would likely be their swan song as trivia host partners.
There were a total of four teams in the contest: the Catalina Clippers (Carol Rugh, Ed Greim, and Greg Hammond), the Block-Heads (William Hoyt, Henry Ottinger, and Kevin Butler), Early to Bed (Pat Klemz, Norm Klemz, and Alan Aperlo)… and us. Someone had already signed us up for the contest and dubbed us “The Bad Boys”, but, although it may be true, we didn’t want that name… so we went back to our classic name The Sanford Arms. (See why here).
A delightful reunion of Quizmasters
The triumphant return of The Sanford Arms
Brainy folk hard at work
Milling over an answer
Rick attempts to stump us. No such luck.
I would honestly love to be in a trivia contest that went on all day, but this one got the job done in just one hour. Rick and Dwain were entertaining like always, and in the end our team missed two questions: 1) How much was offered to the boys to finish in the house in The Finishing Touch?, and 2) What number was on Stan’s fire helmet in Call of the Cuckoos? Remarkable, even with missing two out of ten questions, we still edged out the other three teams and for the first time, our victory came without a tie-breaker… or someone on another team over-zealously yelling out the wrong answer! We had won plain and simple. We had proven ourselves. My druthers is that David and I now take over as Quizmasters.
Sweet victory!
The Sanford Arms with the Quizmasters and scorekeeper Mary May Vareen
The obligatory ‘looking down a manhole’ shot
No time for losers, cuz…
After the high of the contest, and the photos were all taken of us, David and I joined the Wileys and we went to eat at Johnny Rocket’s in the Hollywood and Highland complex. The Route 66 burger really hit the spot.
Post-victory lunch at Johnny Rocket’s
Kris and Big Jimmy looking especially cute
Maybe it’s the hat, but this just looks silly
Over the next four hours, the Our Gang reunion took place. This may have paled in comparison to the reunion that took place at Hollywood ’80 — but c’mon — this was now 34 years later so it was nothing short of amazing that Bob was able to bring together nine performers from a series that had ended seventy years ago. Granted they are not the household names that Spanky, Butch, and Buckwheat were, but they were more certainly there and quite recognizable. This was very exciting for me because I got to meet four Little Rascals, whom I had never met before, one – Lassie Lou – whom I had never gotten a photo with, and one whom I hadn’t seen since 1997. You can check out the trail of the ‘new’ Our Gang kids from that evening here.
Dick Bann and Mildred Kornman
Rick Greene hosted brief individual panels with each of the former child actors, which was very appropriate because it was Rick who had hosted the reunion back in 1980. I found all of the little touches that hearkened back to some of the old days to be quite nostalgic and fun. Jimmy worked on showing a short film or clip of each Our Gang member between the interviews. Although typically my eyes would have been glued to the stage, there was just so much going on: between fetching crackers from Bob’s room, fetching Rascals from the bar area, socializing with the Our Gangers outside the room, checking out the dealers room, and socializing with other Sons. By the way, I was very good in the Dealer’s Room and only bought on item: the new book by Randy Skretvedt and Peter Mikkelsen Laurel and Hardy on Stage! David however bid and won a signed Stan Laurel check… beating out one Steve Wichrowski.
Rick and Bob flank Mildred, who is looking to me and saying “there’s my Brad”. Bob would respond, “you can HAVE him!”
Payne Johnson gives an interesting slide show about his family of performers
With the lovely Margaret Kerry (aka Our Ganger Peggy Lynch)
A meeting in the hall with fellow Son Bill Cassara
The interviews were followed by a meet-and-greet autograph session. I helped out Bob by manning the table of photos for sale, but made sure that I collected some autographs for myself and Carolyn. Joining the Our Gang members were Stymie Beard’s brother Rene, and Stan Freberg to sign autographs as well.
Bob peddles photos
Chatting with my Mildred
David with Lassie Lou Ahern and her son
With Stymie Beard’s brother Rene
One last meeting with Stan Freberg, who passed away less than a year later
Bob put me in charge of putting in a quick reservation at the Woodfire BBQ in the Hollywood & Highland complex, but naturally I screwed this up. He told me to put it in at the ‘pizza place’, but I assumed he meant the Italian restaurant Trastevere. So several of us – including many of the Our Gang members – headed up to the Woodfire BBQ with no reservations, but they were able to seat us anyway. However the joke was on Bob as the air conditioning was nearly non-existent. So we ended up at Trastevere after all. Our Gang member and one of the Three Little Pigs in Babes in Toyland Payne Johnson found all of this very amusing, as did I.
Dinner guests
Payne Johnson chatting with David
David, Bob, Payne, Mildred, and me after our lengthy and memorable dinner
The dinner was terrific. Normally I would have been focused on my delicious Rigatoni all Carbonara, but I was too enthralled with our tablemates, chatting with Payne Johnson, drinking wine with Mildred Kornman, etc. The surreality of this did not escape me, and I knew no matter how quickly it was over that I’d never forget it. There was little doubt: I’d never again sit down for dinner with this many individuals who had worked in the Our Gang. We all hung out at the restaurant until after 9pm. David and I made sure Mildred got back to her room, and then we headed back to his place.
It had been a rather low-key, but still exciting day. Another trivia victory, new Our Gang members, and a most delightful dinner with so many who had been part of my world.
We had passed up the halfway point of the convention and I never wanted it to end.
Laurel and Hardywood 2014 will continue…
Follow the trail of Our Gang kids from the reunion here…
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