The Woim
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
Although Sidney Kibrick would go on to make a few further appearances at other Way Out West Tent functions, Hollywood ’80 was his one-and-only convention appearance. And thereby, it was the only opportunity I have had to date to meet him. Mr. Kibrick played the freckle-faced, red-headed sidekick to Tommy “Butch” Bond in the Our Gang series. Kibrick’s character name in the films was “The Woim.” He didn’t have a slew of lines in the films, but his menacing presence left an impression on me in his 26 film appearances. I remember specifically being very excited to meet “Woim”, whose name (I had no idea at the time) was derived from a Brooklyn-esque pronunciation of “Worm.” Read the rest of this entry »
Thursday, July 31, 1980 brought a very exciting series of events at the Hollywood Sons of the Desert convention. While the preceding days brought excitement in meeting fellow Sons, watching Laurel and Hardy films that I had never seen before, and my first brushes with L&H royalty and fame, this day was really the kicker. This day would bring my first exposure to L&H film locations and many celebrities from the films of L&H and the Our Gang. It was my first trip to the Music Box stairs, Big Business house, downtown Culver City, the first time I saw Hal Roach himself, as well as Spanky, Buckwheat, Butch, and many other Our Gang members. What a day! 
Della Lind was the beautiful female lead in Laurel and Hardy’s 1938 musical comedy Swiss Miss. As a true eight-year-old L&H fan, I was certainly aware of the important role she played in this film. These stars were as big as any during those days and I was ecstatic to be meeting them. Hollywood ’80 was the first of two encounters I would have with Della, the second being twelve years 
I’m not exactly sure when I met Joe Rock at Hollywood ’80. His autograph is wedged into my little album right between the technical stars and the Our Gang stars. It would make more sense for him to be on the technical panel, but I have a faint memory that he was actually hanging around the Our Gang meet-and-greet. In any case, I know that I met him since he signed my autograph album – and that is good enough for me! 
Dad jotted in his little brown memo book on Wednesday July 30, 1980: “Went to McCabe Forum. No McCabe. Heard tape. He is ill. Saw films. Went to Gen. Session and parade of Tents. Saw films in P.M. Went to tech stars panel. Saw many behind the scenes people. Lasted from about 8:30 to 10:15. Saw movie and visited Hospitality room. Went to bed at 12.” I believe by the time that this first full day of the convention had rolled around, we had met up with our fellow tent members Harry and Helen Carter and two other inactive tent members from Lima, Ohio, who would quickly befriend me, Steve and Sharon Stayonovich.