Another Fine Mess
Michael F. Blake’s article about John Ford’s stage production of “What Price Glory?” in 1949 brought back fond memories to me (“He Was Their Stage Coach,” May 28).
Bob Lehman and I designed the complicated sound effects for this World War I comedy-drama and traveled with the company to produce the necessary sounds of artillery, machine gun, small arms, grenades, motors and thunder--all on acetate records and 16-inch turntables offstage. Audio tape was a future development.
As the cast and crew boarded the special train in Pasadena, all of us--stars and “go-fers” alike--were given a check for $100, which was to cover incidentals (mainly meals) for the week.
Oliver Hardy took his check directly to the club car, endorsed it and said to the steward: “Please bring us all some hors d’oeuvres and keep them coming!”
Fifty years ago, $100 would buy a lot of appetizers, and we snacked all the way to San Francisco, courtesy of Oliver Hardy.
ROBERT C. VINSON
Los Angeles
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