Journal

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Where should I begin? So much happened, and the five days I spent in the Los Angeles area were so full of memorable experiences, it's hard to adequately convey that with mere words. However, I'll give it my best shot.

Wednesday, October 15th, 2003

My adventure begins, but my involvement began much earlier than that. As a key player in getting the event off the ground and laying the groundwork almost two years ago, my interest was on a different level than many others. Due to personal obligations, I had to step back from being the sole coordinator for the event earlier this year, but I remained a part of the planning committee and, along with the rest of the members, continued to dedicate my time and effort to make this event the success it became.

I arrived in Los Angeles around 5pm on Wednesday evening and was immediately met by a fellow SMKer, Liz, who had arrived about an hour before me. We collected our bags and walked from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 where we would meet another SMKer, Diane. Once she arrived, we agreed that I would go get our rental car and they would meet the final member of our foursome, Kelley, then take the shuttle to me. A little over an hour later, we all dragged our luggage to the trunk of the 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis, which had enough room for two people to fit comfortably. If we had any problems that weekend, we could make good use of the space. (grins)

With everyone safely seated, we pulled onto the main roads near the airport and headed for North Hollywood. Thanks to the excellent navigational skills of Kelley and my previous experience driving in and around the Los Angeles area, we made it to the Beverly Garland Hotel in about an hour, due to some minor traffic. It figures the LA Metro would go on strike the weekend I chose to visit. As a result, thousands more cars than normal were on the freeways and roads. That and the lack of public transportation made it a little difficult to travel, but everyone adapted well.

Once we received the keys to our room, and Kelley willingly invited me to share a room with her since my roommates for the event neglected to tell me our room wouldn't be ready until Thursday, we parked the car, unloaded our luggage and made plans to go out and get something to eat. Since we weren't sure how far away anything was, we headed for the car and stopped at a local Subway with a donut/cookie shop next door. Loaded with our sandwiches and drinks and snacks, we returned to the hotel, where we hung out in Di and Liz's room while we ate a late supper.

Di amazed us all when she pulled gift after gift from her large duffle-like suitcase. It was like seeing Mary Poppins' carpetbag in real life. A neverending, bottomless piece of luggage. With our conversations, carry-overs from our online chats and e-mails, it didn't take long for the hour to near 11pm. Considering the time difference between England and the West Coast, Di had been up for almost 24 hours and Liz was fading fast too. So, Kelley and I bid them goodnight and headed to our room. We turned on the TV and discovered, much to our enjoyment, the Garland Channel, which ran a looping documentary/feature on Beverly Garland's illustrious and accomplished career in the Hollywood Industry for over fifty years. We were amazed to discover she had made more than 700 television appearances. Now *that's* something deserving of a boasting fest. Amazing!

All too soon, the midnight hour approached, and we hit the hay.

Thursday, October 16th, 2003

The next morning dawned bright and early around 9am. (grins) After a quick breakfast of donuts/pastries we had purchased the night before, we piled into the car and headed for Hollywood Boulevard. After a brief stop to take some pictures of Groumann's Chinese Theatre where the famous hand and feetprints of Hollywood stars can be found, we paid tribute to Beverly Garland's star and stopped by Jane Seymour's star outside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel -- a landmark in and of itself.

From there, we returned to the car and headed for Beverly Hills where we made a stop at Peter Falk's home, the actor who played Columbo. Then, it was a short drive down Rodeo Drive, which at the time was under major construction with the road and sidewalks torn up and barriers on both sides of the street. Not much activity that day. So, after we got to the end, we headed back to Santa Monica Blvd. and west to the film-famous Santa Monica Pier. Strolling along the ocean wave-soaked sand and posing for pictures of our feet in the Pacific Ocean, we walked toward the Pier and encounted a film crew setting up for something featuring child actors or a screening for children to determine who would appear. Unfortunately, we weren't able to glean any details, so we bought some ice cream cones and returned to the car.

We dropped off Kelley to later meet with a friend from college, then took the scenic route back to the hotel, which included a drive along Pacific Coast Highway (fondly called PCH) where I pointed out where Jane Seymour, Pierce Brosnan and Olivia Newton-John lived, and a little further where we turned onto Kanan Dume Road and took the path through the Santa Monica Mountains. Di read a book and Liz dozed, so I think I was the only one to enjoy the spectacular view on both sides of the road. Of course, I got so involved, I didn't see the cop right around the bend from a two-lane passing zone. Good thing he was quite attractive and friendly. Otherwise, being pulled over wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable.

After returning to the road, I rounded a bend and realized the cop stopped me about 1 mile from the Paramount Ranch, the set where Dr. Quinn was filmed. Since my passengers would never have tolerated a visit and since I had to be down at LAX airport to meet my SMKer roomies, I skipped the trip down memory lane for the time being and merged onto 101 east to head back to the hotel. One problem. Remember my earlier mention of the Metro strike and the thousand other cars on the freeways? Well, we ran into about 90% of them on the way back. So, with no time at all to spare, I dumped the ladies at the hotel and beat a fast track through Hollywood to Santa Monica Blvd. again where I picked up 405. More traffic, but not as bad as it would have been had I gone the entire way on that freeway.

After forty-five minutes on the phone with Miranda to pass the time, I finally arrived at the right terminal -- just an hour and fifteen minutes later than planned. Since Miranda and Westie hadn't eaten much, we made a beeline for fast food and enjoyed a laughter-filled meal, despite our arteries clogging. (grins) Around 9pm, we made it to the hotel where we dumped our luggage and met Miriam to head down to the strip mall at the end of Vineland just to get some fresh air. Afterward, we returned to our room and chatted until near midnight, our excitment about the anniversary event starting tomorrow filling our minds.

Friday, October 17th, 2003

The next day was a busy one for me. We got up early to register for the event, coordinated who would be in my car and made our way to the WB Studios where the morning tour for our anniversary weekend was gathered. Since I was booked for the afternoon tour, I dropped off my 3 passengers and headed back to the hotel. Around 11:30 I returned to the studios and picked up Miriam, Miranda and Westie then escorted them to the house that served as the exterior of Amanda King's home on the show. We ran into some of the morning tour group and I learned that Paul Stout (who played Phillip King on the show) had joined their tour that morning, regaling everyone with stories of filming and hollering for the cart drivers to stop whenever he remembered filming at a certain location.

After a round of pictures, we got back in the car and headed for lunch at Marie Callender's. She's famous for her pies that you can buy in the grocery stores, but it's quite an experience to eat at the restaurant that inspired those delicious pastries. From there, we went back to the hotel and I met up with my second tour group, the fab three from Thursday's escapades. We stopped by Amanda's house for some pre-tour photos while it was still light then headed for the studios to await the remainder of our tour group.

Thanks to a recommendation from the morning tour, we ended up with the same guide as they had, so Scott regaled us with stories from the first tour while driving us through the streets of WB, pointing out the various buildings and sound stages that are used for a variety of films. We had the opportunity to see the corner building used at the Daily Planet on Lois and Clark, view a scene filming from ER before they broke for supper, walk into the ambulance bay and the mock set used for outside shots before they move to the sound stage for the interior. From there, we headed through a western town street and to the set of what is now Gilmore Girls, although it's been the main square of Hazard from the Dukes of Hazard with homes from the Waltons, Growing Pains and even the back-up church/school from Little House on the Prairie. Since no filming was taking place at that time, we were able to walk around and snap photos to our heart's content. I even took a shot of the pavilion where Paul Stout said he ate lunch every day while filming SMK.

After that, we headed for the "jungle" which has been used in so many different films, redone to be a swamp, a large lake, the back roads of Hazard County and even had a cave used in the Harrison Ford film, Six Days & Seven Nights. As it was nearing time for us to conclude our tour, we made a quick stop at Uncle Jesse's house from Dukes of Hazard then stopped by the street where they were filming an interior scene from Without a Trace. I admit I enjoyed talking with the uniformed fireman who were passing time on the steps at the end of the street more than most of the other sights I saw that day. (grins) Because of filming, we did have to be quiet, but Scott led us to the back alley used in the Pilot episode of SMK where Lee was seen ascending the steps of a fire escape. We snapped pictures of that, stayed out of the way of the filming happening down the street, then made our way back to the cart where we headed for Sound Stage 24, the building where SMK filmed.

Of course, now some show called Friends is filming there, so we weren't able to stop and take pictures. However, we did get a chance to see the title on the marquis next to the main door, under television. Full House filmed there in the interim between SMK and Friends. After that, our tour came to an end, concluding with a drive through a prop and construction building where anything and everything needed for set decoration was stored. Scott agreed to take a picture with our tour group in front of the studios, then we went on our way. I offered to drive the other 2 cars to Amanda's house so they could take pictures, explained how they would get back to the hotel, then our car returned to the Beverly Garland.

Since Liz, Di and Kelley all had plans for that evening with Laura, Jo and Jo's hubby, I contacted a background actor I knew in the area and had dinner with her and her husband. We reminisced about time spent at the set of Dr. Quinn and caught up on what had happened since we last saw each other. Because Bob had to be up early, Lee and I continued our conversation at their house and talked until about 1am. Parting ways with an invite to join them on Malibu Pier on Sunday, I drove back to the hotel and crashed in my bed.

Tomorrow -- the REAL fun began. Meeting the cast from SMK.

Auction and Autograph Signing

Up early and dressed, I gathered my items to be donated for the raffle and live auction that was supposed to start at 9am, but ended up starting at 9:30 due to some unforeseen delays. After breakfast with some fellow SMKers, I made it to the auction and enjoyed the back and forth bid wars for various items, including a seat next to Bruce at his table for the dinner that night which sold for $600! An SMK vest donated by Bruce, an umbrella with SMK on it donated by Martha, a red hat, some original scripts, Godiva chocolates, SMK DVDs, Columbia House VHS' and a myriad of other items all combined together to help us raise over $2000 for charity.

When the auction concluded, the attendees filed out and everyone mingled in various areas. Some hung around in that half of the ballroom to complete the "guess the episode" sheet. Some headed out to make plans for lunch so they'd be back in time for the autograph signing at 1pm. The committee members went into action after that and made sure everything was arranged for the autograph signing. We took care of all the last minute details including decorations for dinner that night, photos dropped off by some of the cast members for the photograph table, and a host of other little details.

Around 12:30, we met in the other half of the ballroom and made sure everything was set for the cast arrivals. After designating certain tables where each cast member would sit and establishing the flash photography line as well as agreeing on the procedures for the autograph signing, we took our places to get ready for the first of the two big events. I stepped outside to double-check everything and make sure no one was hanging around and ended up running into the cast as they headed for the ballroom. What perfect timing! I made quick inventory of everyone gathered and took note of Bruce Boxleitner (Lee Stetson "Scarecrow"), Beverly Garland (Dotty West), Martha Smith (Francine Desmond), Joseph Brutsman (Effraim Beaman), Paul Stout (Phillip King), Myron Natwick (Dr. Austin Smyth) and Richard Herd (Jake "Patch" Williamson).

They had all met at Beverly's office to get reacquainted, since most of them had not seen each other in fifteen years since the show ended. Paul Stout later told me that when he approached Beverly, he announced he was there for the reunion, and she looked at him with a blase smile and said, "That's nice, dear." Paul laughed and said, "You don't remember me, do you?" It took her a moment, but then she realized who he was and fell all over herself apologizing and welcoming him at the same time. Since Paul had not stayed in the industry and was only 15 when the show was canceled, he had changed quite a bit since the last time everyone saw him. Made for a rather entertaining reunion. But, I digress. We were just about to welcome the cast into the ballroom.

They weren't sure which door to enter, so I pointed them in the right direction then preceeded them into the room. We welcomed them by saying, "And here is the extent of your fan base." There were 8 of us in the room at the time. (grins) That got quite a few laughs, then the time for the committee to mingle and greet the cast began. We chatted and some caught up after previous meetings with Bruce. Since I had been in charge of contacting the secondary cast members, I introduced myself to them and thanked them for being there. I also greeted Paul and told him about the wonderful stories I heard about the morning tour from the night before. Since he was the only cast member near my age (and single), I rather enjoyed spending time with him. Of course, I loved having the opportunity to meet Bruce, but everyone else wanted to see him too, so my time didn't amount to much. I did manage to make the most of it, but that will come a little later. It wasn't long before we knew we'd have to get everyone seated. So, we helped the cast find their seats, explained the procedures to them and made sure everything was in order.

Bruce finished eating his lunch, and I took that moment to let him know I was instructed to pass on a greeting from Jane Seymour to him. The mere mention of her name brought a big smile to his face. They had starred together in the miniseries, East of Eden in 1982, just before SMK. He said, "Jane Seymour! Ah yes, I remember Janie. Quite well, in fact. What's she up to these days?" I filled him in on her activities and he asked me how I knew all of that, so I told him about my job working for her as her Internet Publicist. He nodded and said she must keep me quite busy, to which I agreed. He then asked what kind of greeting I was supposed to give him. I said Jane told me to give him a big kiss, which set Beverly (who was seated at the next table) laughing and caused Bruce to smile. I then told Bruce the same thing I told Jane. "Are you nuts? I'm not going to do that." Well, he said I had to do something, or Jane wouldn't believe me and she might be upset that I didn't do anything. So, I told him I'd think of something and promised to get back with him. He said he was looking forward to it.

As I then went to some of the other cast, I had a few moments to talk with Beverly about her impressive career, mentioning the documentary on the Garland Channel and telling her what a great and classy idea that was. I also told her that I know the son of the producer that put that highlight together. Joseph Campanella II worked on Dr. Quinn. We spent a few brief moments talking about that, then other things caught our attention. At that time, disposable cameras were given to each guest. That set Bruce off on a one-man mission to catch Martha Smith in very embarassing poses or implicating actions. She was enjoyed a taste of scrumptious chocolate when he got her the first time, her mouth full of food. He also snapped some of Beverly Garland and the other cast members, but Martha was his prime suspect. It effectively set the tone for what was to come with the remainder of the day.

Once we had everything set, we brought in the volunteers who were going to help the committee with the signing to make sure everything ran smoothly. This is where it starts to get even better.

Laura, a known Joseph Brutsman fan, had been placed with Joseph as his assistant for the first shift of the signing. I couldn't resist not setting the stage for her appearance and introduction to Joseph, so I crouched down next to him and told him a little about Laura before she was brought over to his table. I said she was a faithful fan who was absolutely in love with his character on the show and was excited about his attendance. She was one of the attendees I had mentioned to him in initial contact about the event after he had confirmed his attendance. He was more than surprised to hear someone enjoyed his character so much, but was quite pleased. I then told him that she had even been inspired by his performance enough to write three stories about his and Martha Smith's characters, but cautioned him that she was quite protective of those stories and not many had read them. He liked hearing that and was flattered. I introduced them then had to get back to handling some of my duties. From what I hear, she made a good and lasting impression.

A general camaraderie and banter ensued for a few minutes while we all prepared for the signing to begin. Finally, once everyone confirmed their readiness, we went next door to invite the attendees to come into the room. I worked the table by the door and handed out autograph cards which had each cast member's name on it and the attendee name on the back. These would be used to ensure only one visit to each cast member's line, with a box being punched out when they visited the line. As the attendees filed in, I spoke to each group and gave them directions about the procedures, then sent them on their way. It didn't take long for everyone to be in the room and set about going to each table.

I could say pandemonium ensued, but it remained quite calm -- just busy. We had lines and people moving from table to table, flashes from cameras going off and an entertaining array of comments being exchanged amongst the cast members as they signed the items presented to them. Once I had handed out all the attendee cards, I then grabbed my camera and started taking pictures, ending up with some rather nice candid shots. The rest of the first shift was spent mingling with everyone in the room, meeting many fellow SMKers and putting faces to names of people I'd only known online until that point.

It was wonderful to laugh and joke and get to know everyone -- almost as much fun as being privy to the camera war between Bruce and Martha. Of course, he would snap pictures of the attendees in his line from time to time, but the best part was his focused attack on Martha. Every time I turned around it seemed Bruce was up from his table and sneaking pictures over random attendees' shoulders or peeking around the tables and snapping candid shots of her. And every time, she fell for it. Bruce would get positioned then yell out, "Martha!" and she would look up, giving him the perfect opportunity to catch her on film with an amusing expression on her face.

At one point during my trips around the room, I stopped over at the other end of Bruce's table to talk briefly with Dennis Duckwall, a regular producer on the show. He was full of great behind-the-scenes stories of filming, outtakes, cast shenanigans and the like. It bodes well to have a producer there seeing that interest is still there for the show. Perhaps a reunion movie might happen after all.

The first hour-and-a-half passed rather quickly. Before I knew it, it was time for me to replace Karen so she could move to her second shift. So, I took my place beside Martha Smith to help her in any way she needed as she signed autographs. I also had a stack of sponsor programs for her to sign then pass on their way for the rest of the cast to take. Amidst her signing and posing for photos -- she is quite the ham for the camera, inventing creative poses and having a blast for whoever was taking the pictures -- we joked about so many different topics, it's hard to remember them all. We talked about her comment about the state of Delaware being a great place and how I lived there, got into a discussion about redheads (one of which I am), joked about her lack of romance on the show and how she had one kiss and one grope in four years. That led to remarks about Joseph, who sat at the next table from her, the table turned at the corner.

It didn't take long for Laura to make her way through the line to Martha and ask for Martha and Joseph to pose together. That's when all the cameras came out. What started out as a nice pose with their arms around each other's waists turned into a series of poses for almost everyone in the room. At one point, Martha tried to step away, but Joseph grabbed her with both arms around her waist and pulled her back. That and the expression on Martha's face allowed for some rather amusing and implicating photos -- including one snapped by Bruce, who didn't want to miss this opportunity and snuck through the crowd of attendees to get his picture. When Martha and Joseph turned in my direction, I was able to snap one picture of them. Since I was sitting at Martha's table, it wasn't easy to get any. All too soon, that photo shoot ended, and everything went back to normal, but I distinctly remember two rather flushed faces as they returned to signing. (grins)

From there, things started to wind down. I didn't have much opportunity to get over to Myron and Richard's table, but from the stories I hear, Myron kept people entertained with his line-repeating and stories. He describes his character as being ephemerel, but our memories of him and love of his character are anything but that.

At one point, Beverly didn't have anyone in her line, so I took that opportunity to have her sign my items, which Kelley had kindly brought over to me. A few minutes later, Di offered to take my place so I could get my autographs done and pictures taken. Well, since it was nearing the end of the session, I didn't have a lot of time to talk with the cast, but I did manage to discuss some of Paul Stout's work as a trauma specialist with board certification in radiology as well as his current move from Alaska back to the continental U.S. to pursue his MD. When I unrolled a poster of the Neuschwanstein Castle in Munich, Paul exclaimed about the great time he had there, exploring the castle with Beverly and his family. That was the one filming experience every cast member who went noted as their favorite. He told me I should have brought that out sooner and would have had a lot of stories from him, Martha, Beverly and Bruce about that trip. But, since I was working, I didn't have that opportunity. He did holler over to Martha and held up the poster, which brought a smile and exclamation of delight as she recalled the fun they had. After a photo with Paul, I got a brief taste of Joseph's amazing and interesting career experiences in the industry, but that got cut short when I saw Richard and Myron getting ready to leave.

I grabbed a quick photo with Richard, and had them both sign my items, then I headed for Bruce's line -- where I stood for another thirty to forty-five minutes while the ten or twelve people dwindled down to me bringing up the rear. By the time I got to him, he was quite tired and quite distracted by everyone else around him talking to him and engaging him in conversation, so he signed my items, offered me a smile, then I went on my way. The hotel staff had already opened up the ballroom to set up for dinner, and we were trying to wrap up the signing. The rest of the cast had already left to take a break before dinner, and most of the attendees had gone up to their rooms to change.

I gathered my items together, spent a few minutes talking with Joji about some coordination questions she had, then headed to the room to change. It didn't take me long to dump my items off and get ready, so Westie and I headed back downstairs to the ballroom.

And now for the dinner...

Anniversary Dinner

We had set a time for cocktails at 6pm, so everyone milled about or sat at their assigned tables (designated by their request and the order their payment for the event was received). The cast trickled into the room, and I helped some of them find their tables. I spent a few minutes talking with Myron, since I wasn't able to do so during the signing that afternoon, then my attention was pulled away by Brenda who was in pain due to a swollen knee after standing on it most of the day (no cartilege and position of catcher in softball takes it toll on her). So, that set me on a mission to find something she could use to prop up her foot. Well, that lasted on into the start of dinner, which was a scrumptious buffet of cheeses, salads, vegetable lasagna, stuffed chicken breast, fresh fruit, rice pilaf, rolls and butter and a delectable array of desserts at the end of the table.

Once I had my plates and set them down, Brenda caught my eye again and I checked again for something she could use. As a last resort, I closed up a box and started to take that to her. Paul was in the buffet line and saw me. He asked what I was going to do with the box, so I told him. Immediately, he became concerned and said he'd better take a look at Brenda's knee. It's nice to have a doctor in the house. (grins) So, instead of bringing Brenda a prop, I brought her Paul. She was a little embarrassed, but I know pleased to have him care enough to take the time to tend to her. Since I knew she was in good hands, I left and returned to my table.

By the way, I was seated with none other than Joseph Brutsman. Jo and Laura flanked his sides, with Miriam, Kelley, Diane and two others at the table. While I don't recall too many specifics about the conversation during the meal, I do remember certain things. For instance, I recall a discussion about good movies and films and UK vs. US productions that Jo began, as well as some of Joseph's experiences with meeting certain known people in the industry. Miriam asked him a few questions, but I'll leave that to her to share. At one point, Joseph raised his voice across the table to ask me what kind of shows I watched now, but I had to honestly say JAG was the only thing. Everything else was reruns on TVLand, Nick at Nite or the classic films channels. That started a conversation about the lack of anything quality on TV these days and a mention of shoddy reality programming, but discussion soon turned to other things.

A humorous thread was the minor rivalry of the Yankees and Marlins game that night. It was the first of the World Series. Bruce was rooting for the Yankees and Martha and Paul for the Marlins. Laura had her husband text message her the score at the end, which she passed on to Paul, who announced it to everyone. Paul continued his afternoon attempt to stump the attendees with trivia of all sorts and almost had us until someone remembered the license plate on the Porsche in season one. After that, he gave up. All afternoon, he had tried to no avail to get us, and the entire cast was surprised we all knew so much and in such detail.

Well, the Marlins won, and Bruce brushed it off as saying there was always the next game. From that point, conversations resumed through the end of dinner, when two cakes were brought out to celebrate Martha and Beverly's birthdays. Beverly's had been yesterday and Martha's was coming up. Once we sang happy birthday to them and they blew out the candles (Beverly smacking Paul for trying to help her), they both were determined to cut and distribute their own cakes to the attendees. Where are you going to attend an event with Hollywood celebrities and be able to say you were served cake by them?

The staff brought Martha a knife, and that immediately set her off on a reenactment of a scene from DOA (Delirious on Arrival) where Amanda was delusional from a drug she had ingested, one meant for Lee. Martha raised the knife in "Psycho" fashion and said in a menacing tone, "Amanda, would you like a sandwich? I make a mean sandwich!" Funny by itself but made even better when Bruce snuck up on Martha and snapped a picture of her with the knife raised above her head. He really got some great ones! I'm going to love it when the pictures from his camera are made public.

While Martha and Beverly bussed around the room asking who wanted cake, Beverly ended up making a stop at our table. She delivered pieces to two of us then returned a few minutes later with another one and all but forced Joseph to take it. He finally acquiesced, passed it to Laura, who passed it to Kelley, who already had a piece and said, "Joseph gave you cake. Now you have to eat it!" So, she did. Joseph took a bite as well. Kelley jumped up and said she had to get a picture of Laura and Beaman sharing cake, so she got her camera and made them both pose, forks poised in the air and cake ready to be eaten. I know if the lights had been a bit brighter, Laura's face would've been notably red. Joseph seemed to be enjoying himself a lot with the big smile he had on his face. Of course, seated at a table full of women and his wife unable to come, what healthy man wouldn't be enjoying himself? (grins) I hope Kelley shares her pictures soon. I wouldn't mind seeing that again.

Once the cake was eaten and removed from the tables, it was time for the multimedia tribute that Miranda created with Neeney's input at the start. The video montage was our tribute to those cast members who have passed away since the end of the show and couldn't be there to celebrate with us. We honored Mel Stewart (Billy Melrose), Sam Melville (Joe King) and Raleigh Bond (T. Percival Aquinas "T.P."). Merged with brief video clips, screen captures and voiceovers by the cast members who had recorded their messages earlier in the year, the tribute was a touching reminder of the memories and friendships formed on the show. Afterward, we were all in a melancholy mood, so Bruce made some remark that really stirred up things. He said he had to get things lighter again. It worked! I just wish I could remember what he said.

Next, came the trivia game. Papers were handed out to each table, and a game of fun and challenging questions (patterned after Trivial Pursuit categories) ensued. Our table did quite well and came in second by half a point. Beverly's table came in first. They received SMK beanie babies, animals that have some significance to the show (pink flamingo, scarecrow, etc.). They would also receive their own rendition of SMK Trivial Pursuit.

Once that was done, it was time for the Q&A session. Just before that, the committee was introduced and thanked for our hard work that made the event possible. I know I loved being a part of it all. Seeing the smiles and everyone having fun was good enough for me.

In turn, each cast member was introduced, starting with Joseph Brutsman and ending with Bruce. They were invited to the front, where they stood behind chairs and posed for a group photo. Then, they sat and the questions began. I moved to a spot to the side of the group so I could see better. Unfortunately, I can't even begin to remember all the details of what was discussed or the questions asked, but Bruce and Beverly had the microphone most of the time, with Martha grabbing it from them once in a while. Joseph, Myron and Paul didn't get much of a chance, but they had their comments as well. Paul had a unique perspective of being a child on the set instead of an adult, and I remember Bruce complimenting him on the man he's become. Him and Greg Morton (Jamie King) both. The rest of the cast agreed. The rest of the Q&A will be seen on the event video once that is made available.

I do recall some comments made from the primary cast members about missing Kate Jackson (Amanda King) but a filming project kept her away. Bruce made a remark that, "if Katie had come, we'd all throw our sleeping bags on the floor and have an old-fashioned slumber party." I have no doubt that would have taken place. Maybe she'll be available and interested in attending the 25th. We can only hope.

Right before this, Bruce made a remark about the hour (11pm) and how the owner of the hotel should kick us out. Considering Beverly was the owner and sitting right with us.... That's what led to Bruce's comment about the slumber party. At that point, things started winding down.

To cap off the Q&A, a special birthday surprise was given to Shelley who had once remarked that Bruce's voice was so smooth, he could read the phone book, and she'd listen to him all day. I'm sure there are many of us who agree! Well, he was given a phone book and proceeded to start at the 'A' listing, reading down through a few names, including phone numbers and addresses. He then skipped to the end and read the last handful of 'Z' names. We were all laughing so hard, some of us had tears in our eyes. Once he finished, he even signed the phone book and Shelley received it as her memento from the occasion.

After that, the remaining raffle items were awarded with the cast each drawing a number and reading it. Some winners were there and some weren't, but everything found a home. We ended the evening with thanks to everyone for attending, to the cast for coming, and to everyone who helped put the event together. We then all gathered our items, mingled a bit. The committee and cast were requested to gather in a corner for group photos. Well, the committee followed instructions, but none of the cast did. After a friendly reprimand, they obliged and joined us. Annie, our event photographer, took several shots of all of us, then snapped some of just the cast. With that done, we all went our separate ways.

But, for me, the evening wasn't finished just yet.

I still had a promise to fulfill.

Here's the story you've all been waiting to read!

So, I located Bruce, saw that Annie was standing nearby and signaled her. Earlier in the evening, she had told me to find her so she could document the event with proof that I had done what I was asked to do. I got Bruce's attention, and when he saw me, he smiled, remembering what we had discussed earlier. He asked if I had decided what to do and I told him I would give him a kiss on the cheek if that was all right with him. It wasn't exactly what he would have received had Jane been there, but that was the best I could do -- or at least the best I would do without any outside influences like friends encouraging me to do more.

He laughed and said that would be just fine with him. If Jane couldn't be there, he'd accept the kiss by proxy. So, Annie got her camera ready, I gestured with my index finger for Bruce to lean down since he's a foot taller than me, then I placed my hands on his shoulder and planted a kiss on his smooth cheek. Amazing how soft and smooth it was considering he'd been there all day. Then again, considering the dolphin association for his smooth and hairless chest, I suppose he doesn't have to worry that much about it. Made it doubly nice for me.

Well, Annie snapped the picture and I stepped away. The added bonus came when Bruce grabbed my shoulders and said, "Now, this is for you from me," then kissed *my* cheek. He said I could give it to Jane if I chose or keep it for myself. I don't think that will be a difficult decision. I smiled although my cheeks flamed with embarrassment (curse of being a redhead) and was thankful for the low lighting in the room. We exchanged a few pleasantries about the event and being thankful to have him there as well as him having had a great time and thanking the committee, then we bid each other goodbye.

Still floating on cloud nine from that experience, I managed to grab Beverly and Martha for pictures since I missed them during the autograph session, exchanged a few words with them both, laughed together over some of the events of the day, then set about gathering my personal belongings and helping get everything cleaned and cleared so the hotel staff could set about their job. I was sad to see the day come to a close, but I certainly made some memories to last me a lifetime.

Once everything was cleared from the room, and a group of the committee headed off together, I took my things and went upstairs to my room. Miranda and Westie were there talking about the day's events, and I joined them, all 3 of us regaling each other with the great fun we had. I don't remember what time we went to bed, but we decided to go to Universal Studios the next day and knew we should get some sleep. I think it was around 1am by the time we finally shut out the lights.

And now we come to my final 2-1/2 days in LA. I'll get to that tomorrow after I've had some sleep.

Sunday, October 19th, 2003

After all the fun of the day before, Miranda, Westie and I slept in a bit later than normal. Once we were up, we got moving and started making plans for when we'd head to Universal Studios. We called Brenda (the invalid from the night before) and invited her to join us. In our trek to get ready, we ended up waiting down in the lobby of the hotel and ran into two other SMKers we had met at the WB tour on Friday (Shirley and her daughter, Rachelle). They weren't sure what they were going to be doing that day, and since the plans for the attendee picnic at Griffith Park fell through (due to miscommunication), we offered to take them with us to Universal Studios. We also ran into another SMKer who was waiting to see if anyone would show up in the lobby for the picnic that afternoon.

Once we had grabbed everything we'd need for the afternoon, we returned to the lobby to wait for Shirley and Rachelle. Around noon, we hit the road, six of us rather snug in the car as we drove the five minutes to the studios. Of course, what visit to LA would be complete with a U-TURN? Since we drove past the entrance, we had to make one at the next light. Once on our way up the hill, we were doing well. After paying for parking and finding a spot in the garage, we headed for the park. Universal City Walk was also there, and that was the first attraction we encountered. As we made our way through that area, I was amazed at the number of people milling around and the overall busyness of it. Some of our group stopped to take pictures, and we finally made our way to the ticket windows for Universal Studios.

This is where Shirley and Rachelle parted company with us. They were only interested in the studio tour and not the theme park, so they opted to stay at the City Walk and do some shopping. Since we didn't know if we would meet up before that evening, I gave them the hotel shuttle schedule and left them with the promise we'd call them when we returned so we could head into Hollywood for supper.

We finally made it to the ticket window, and since you can only purchase a ticket for the theme park that includes the tour, and not just the tour by itself, the four of us bought our passes and headed for the gate. Since I would be returning in April of 2004, I purchased an annual pass that would get me back into the park next year. It was only six dollars more, so I couldn't resist. With instructions to validate my pass, I went to the guest services window, only to find out the validation area was inside the park. So, I headed through the gate, met up with the other three and we set about deciding what we wanted to see and do.

A quick stop at the validation, and I had my annual pass. From there, we headed for the tour. An announcement had been made that there was only a ten-minute wait, so we decided to do that first. As we wound through the line, we ended up being the first ones on the next tour, so we waited at the front. The tour guide for our "tram" came up and started a conversation with us. We had just mentioned the attractive guide in the previous tour and that began a rather enlightening comparison of the two guides. Our guide asked where we were all from, then ended up gleaning our purpose for coming to LA. When he heard about the show, he rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief, amazed there was still interest 20 years later.

After some more jokes and enjoyable chatter, our tram arrived, and we headed for the back car. Once in our seats, we listened to the introduction of our guide who inserted a comment about keeping our hands and legs inside the tram and resisting the temptation to throw a fellow anniversary attendee off the tram. That was only the first of several inside jokes he made based upon his discussion with us while we waited for the tram to arrive.

The tour ended up being more than amazing with the special effects and unique sights that filled the filming area of the studios. We were taken through an earthquake in a subway, an attack by JAWS, a flood in a small town, an explosion with amazing heat from the fire, a trip through the Mummy's cave, an experience on a rickety wooden bridge with the boards coming loose, an encounter with King Kong who had a hold of the cables on another bridge that caused it to buckle, a parting of the lake water so we could get to the other side of the town, and a host of other experiences as we wound our way through the studios. We had the chance to see the houses used in several movies or TV shows such as the Munsters, Leave it to Beaver, a handful of Hitchcock films, Whoville from the Grinch that Stole Christmas, the Bates Motel and house from Psycho, the frat house from National Lampoon's Animal House (which had Martha Smith), Mona's Chicken Ranch from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and many others. The large blue screen used for the sky backdrop behind a large body of water and painted to depict whatever weather patterns were necessary sat down the hill from the cabin used in The Great Outdoors. A small pond served as the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean, whichever they needed, and most of that footage would be filmed in miniatures. We traveled through a western town, a Spanish town, and even a town that served as any international city as long as they changed the language on the signs. (grins)

There was so much to see and experience, you almost need to do the tour more than once so you can catch it all. Of course, each tour is different in what they feature, so it wouldn't be completely the same. At the end, we stopped near the entrance area and disembarked from the tram. A teasing remark to our guide about the cheesy interjections connected to SMK, we thanked him and went on our way.

Now came the time to pay a visit to some of the rides. I wasn't too familiar with anything in the park as I'm not much of a theme park person either, so I let the others lead the way. We went on the Backdraft "ride" which included a fascinating commentary from director Ron Howard and a reenactment of the final scene of the movie (minus the actors) which could have singed our hair from our heads, as hot as the fire and explosions were. From there, we headed for lunch at the Jurassic Park Cafe. After eating our fill of dinosaur meat and exotic plants (grins) we headed for the Back to the Future ride. Due to the extreme jerking motion of the simulated ride, Brenda was unable to join us. So, she waited outside while we went on it.

I haven't been on too many simulated rides, but this one was amazing. With the smoke, sound and lighting effects not to mention the detailed programming of the vehicle to mimic the experience, you honestly feel like you really took that trip in the Delorean to chase Biff through time and bring him back to the present. Going back as far as dinosaur period to a plunging downward into flowing lava and jumping forward through a myriad of time periods, plus facing a power failure of the vehicle, the end result was a jarring but exciting ride full of thrills and adventure. Once the ride ended, I actually had trouble gaining my feet again. It only took me a few seconds though and we were on our way.

By this time, we knew we should head back to the hotel so we could meet with Shirley and her daughter for dinner. So, we met Brenda again, headed for the main gift shop to purchase some souvenirs (I bought some special items for triplet girls I would be seeing the next day), and then made our way to the entrance. I paused for some pictures of me on the red carpet waving to my "adoring public" then 3 of us sat by the big Universal Studios sign before winding back through City Walk and returning to the car.

When we got back to the hotel, we phoned the other two and agreed to meet in the lobby by 6pm. By this time, Brenda was unable to join us due to her knee, so we parted ways. Our evening jaunt included a walk along Hollywood Boulevard to snap pictures of some of the stars and pictures of the cement prints at Mann's Chinese Theatre as well as an attempt to show Miranda the Hollywood sign from next to the Kodak Theatre (where the Academy Awards are held). However, for the first time since I've been there, the sign was not lit up, and as it was nearing dusk when we first saw it, we decided to finish our walk of the boulevard before heading to Mel's Drive-In for supper.

Our meal became quite interesting when we informed one waiter why we were all here. Shirley and Rachelle were both wearing their SMK t-shirts they had signed the day before, then Miranda got embarrassed when the secret was out about our reason for gathering in LA. I tried to show the waiter our pictures from my digital camera, but he never returned. So, we settled in for an enjoyable meal, complete with authentic home-made milkshakes. Once done, we headed back outside for one more attempt at seeing the Hollywood sign on the hill, but without it being lit up, we had no such luck. Poor Miranda just wanted to say she saw it, but that wasn't to be.

Back to the car and a quick return to the hotel was next on the agenda. During dinner, I had talked a little about my involvement with Dr. Quinn, Jane Seymour and the rest of the cast of that show, and since Shirley and Rachelle enjoyed it, they came back to our room after dinner to see the small photo album I had brought with me. It was only a miniscule sample of the albums of photos I actually have, but they enjoyed flipping through it all the same. After that, we bid them goodnight, said what a great time we had and wished them a safe journey back home the next day. Since Miranda and Westie had to be at the airport by 7am the next morning, we hit the hay early.

My final day is coming next.

Monday, October 20th, 2003

After an early morning drive down the 405 to LAX airport, thankfully without too much traffic, I left Miranda and Westie at their terminal and headed back to the hotel. Since the room reservation ended that day, I packed up my things and stowed them in the trunk of the car. Once I returned, I was "homeless" so I headed down to the lobby to see if I could find anyone. Thankfully, I ran into Kelley, Diane and Di waiting for the airport shuttle to take Kelley and Diane to their return flights. Once they were gone, Di and I made the switch of my luggage to her room, as we had discussed before that weekend. Liz returned from exercising and the three of us chatted for a bit. They were headed to Hollywood Boulevard again for a longer visit to that area, and I had made plans to visit the Calabrese Triplets (the girls who played Katie on Dr. Quinn). I had met them on the set when they were first there in 1996 and had kept in touch with the family ever since. So, once they left, I gathered my things and headed west on 101 toward Calabasas.

When I reached the offramp for Kanan Dume Road, I couldn't resist a visit to the Paramount Ranch (P-Ranch) and exited the freeway. Signs for the annual Pumpkin Festival abounded, but thankfully, it hadn't begun yet. So, I drove down Cornell Road and pulled into the parking area for the P-Ranch. It looked almost deserted except for the few crews there setting up for the festival that occupied the ranch every year. No rangers were in the station, so I grabbed my camera and my water bottle and walked across the bridge into the past. Of course, since HBO was now filming Carnivale here each week, the set looked quite difference. I brushed aside my slight despair at seeing my beloved western town covered up by cement sidewalks and brick facades and took a nostalgic walk through town.

Since the area is a state park, you're free to roam around without anyone bothering you. That's why the set for Dr. Quinn was so popular, since it was an open set and anyone could visit -- within reason obviously. There were some rules about your visit you had to follow. Today however, it looked like a deserted ghost town. After taking pictures of all the buildings and walking through an area I had come to know quite well over the years, I paused to look out over the meadow then headed back to the car. A final picture of the Paramount Ranch sign and I was on my way once more toward Calabasas. I almost headed to Malibu Creek State Park, but I wouldn't have had time to make the mile-long trek to the area used for filming before I had to meet Tami and the girls. That visit will have to wait until next year.

After two phone calls to Tami and her husband Steve (who were working at their children's clothing store -- Wear Me Out Kids), I finally made it to their house and awaited Tami's arrival. She had stopped at school to get the girls who had half days that week due to parent-teacher conferences. So, I took the time to write in their birthday cards and gather their presents for when I saw them.

About fifteen minutes later, the van pulled into the driveway and the girls tumbled out. Megan, Alexandra (Lexi) and McKenzie. It had been a year-and-a-half since they'd last seen me, so Tami had to give them a reminder before they remembered. We all headed into the house, and the girls immediately settled at the table to do their homework. That entire thing was an ordeal in and of itself. Three eight-year-olds doing the same homework at the same table while their mother dealt with the pool contractor for the inground pool they were having installed in the back yard. So, guess who got supervisory duty to make sure the girls stayed on task? That's right. Me.

Not a problem since I used to teach second grade, so I helped each one in turn, thankful Tami had introduced them to me so I knew who each one was. They are identical triplets but just different enough in appearance and personality that you can tell them apart if you're around them enough. At a quick glance, I'm not yet able to do it.

In short order, and with some minor encouragement, the girls finished their work, then set about to play. While munching on some snacks, Tami finished with the contractor out back and came in to sit for a while so we could chat. Amidst some minor squabbles and settled arguments, Tami and I were able to catch up until Stephen (her oldest) came home from school and needed the table for his homework. So, Tami and I retired to the living room, where the girls didn't take long before wanting to be the center of attention.

So, I spent the next hour or so roughhousing with them, having them tackle me, swinging them around and doing any number of things that entertained them in many ways. Tami wasn't quite herself (I found out later she was in the early stages of the flu) so she sat and watched. In between some of the fun, she called the girls over to practice their spelling words and I occupied the other two. It wasn't easy trying to make sure each girl received the same treatment, and they made sure you knew it if you didn't!

Around five-thirty, the girls were sent upstairs to take their showers. I carried two of them up and waited for the third to perform her job of "hall monitor" that required her to make sure the halls and stairs were clear of clothes and toys and other items. Then, she also was carried and left with the other two for their shower. I took that time to show Tami the pictures of the Dr. Quinn set and we reminisced for a bit.

Finally, around six, Steve called to say his car wouldn't start, so the girls got into their pajamas and slippers and piled into the van. Stephen joined them, and that was my time to leave. After telling them I wouldn't see them again for six months (180 days, which was too long for them) I received a round of hugs and thanks for coming. They drove away, and I got in my car to head back to the hotel. Around seven-thirty I made it and Di returned to the room about the same time. She had just come up from the hotel restaurant where she'd had supper, but since I hadn't eaten, she joined me for a shake while I ordered my meal.

A little before nine, we headed back to the room and relaxed from all the running for five days straight. I finished packing my things, expressing how much I didn't want to go home the next day, and I ended up watching a movie on TV while Di alternated between reading and falling asleep. After reading a chapter or two in my own book, we turned out the lights and went to sleep.

Tuesday, October 21st, 2003

The next morning, I packed my final items and loaded up the car. We stopped in the lobby for something, but I don't remember what. Di was headed to Universal Studios that day and promised to get some pictures of the places I missed when I was there the day before. Since there was a tour bus in front of the Beverly Garland, she said she'd also get a picture of the front for me and send it. So, we said our goodbyes, and I hit the road for LAX. Since my flight didn't leave until twelve-thirty-five, I thought I wouldn't have to worry about too much traffic -- leaving after rush hour -- but I ended up sitting in it for about an hour in spots during the 25 mile drive south. After returning the rental car and getting on the shuttle, I made my way to the airport and headed for the terminal.

I ended up with a change of planes and a brief layover in Detroit and called Lee Smith (the background actor from Friday night's supper) since she and I had not been able to connect the rest of the weekend due to some problem with our phones. We chatted about a few things that had happened and promised to keep in touch through e-mail as we had been doing for several years. By the time I wrapped up the call, they were boarding, and I headed down the walkway toward my final leg home.

Due to the time change and the hour drive from the airport, I arrived around twelve-thirty in the morning, did a quick perusal of e-mail that had accumulated while I was away, then knocked off and set a wake-up call for the following Tuesday. (grins) Thankfully, I didn't have to work the next day, so I slept in and used the day to get caught up from my trip. The memories and fun are still active in my mind, and I'm counting the days until April when I can be out there again.

It was great to meet so many familiar names and be able to put faces to your online personalities. What a fanstastic memory to last a lifetime.

THE END

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