The Drink Tank Issue 91: A Hollywood Mystery

Chris for TAFF If you’re aware of Jack The Rip- boots to fill. The trip to America landed per and Zodiac Killer experts (and him there at a time when guy with a Jackson Garland, one of the foremost bit of talent could go far. Many sources Zodiacologists, was a good friend of say William took up acting in a role in mine in High School) you’ll not be the show The Private Secretary. After surprised that there are many folks doing pretty well, he was off to London who have spent a lot of time looking to do some more acting. There are a into the life and murder of Mr. Taylor. lot of little stories, true or not, about There’s even an eZine called Taylorol- William and his father butting heads ogy that’s all about the man and the in London over the whole acting thing. murder. One has it that Maj. Tanner tried to While going through a lot of the get into the backstage to rail against material that’s out there, plus stuff his son in person and the Stage Door that came to me through years of talk- keeper denied him entrance. ing with Old Hollywood types (includ- His family pleaded with him to ing Helen Hayes once or twice), I’ve give it up, with the Major blaming it as finally come up with my idea of what the reason for a decline in the health really happened, who was telling the of William’s mother. William finally truth and why Paramount should be decided to leave the theatre, though If you’re not a fan of The Drink burned to the ground for the role they he remained in touch with his friends Tank when we get all Hollywood on played in covering it all up. from London. you, then I’d look away. Ever since Let’s start at the beginning with In the old days, when moneyed I’ve read Hollywood Babylon, I’ve been the story of William Cunningham families had sons who weren’t mak- researching all the various Hollywood Deane-Tanner, an Irish-born lad who ing it, they’d set up places for them to scandals of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. came to America in 1890 at the age of gather out of the sight of the rest of There are some doozies out there! In 18. There’s a lot of talk that perhaps the world. Dad must have wanted to this issue, I’ll be looking in depth at he had a family on the Isles that he get William out of the way because he one of them, the second most famous ran away from, though there’s no evi- sent him off to Kansas to work on a unsolved murder case in all of Holly- dence of it, just later events influencing ranch he bought as a part of a colony wood: The Murder of William Desmond the thoughts of researchers. The most for those poor underachieving sons of Taylor. accepted theory is that William failed wealth. The Taylor Murder has been the a test that would have allowed him to Strangely, Bill didn’t want to go. talk of certain members of the Hol- enter the upper ranks of the army like He’d started writing scripts for plays lywood community since it happened his father had. William had studied en- and that was allowing him to feel as if on a February night in 1922. Taylor gineering during his days in the Army, he were still a part of the community was home and aparently walking to his though he had never much advanced. (especially since he was sending them study when he was shot in the back. His Dad was a Major, so he had big back and forth to his theatre friends in London). He also had a girl of ordinary when Fanny Davenport, the famous Fanny died at the end of 1898. I’d sus- birth that he’d been seeing since re- actress, arrived (having gone to Harper pect Taylor was gone by the time she turning. There is a thought that Wil- as a part of a touring group she joined passed. liam wanted to marry the girl, but he when debts were catching up to her), Again, William was supposed couldn’t raise the funds to pay for it she met William. to have run into prospectors on his and move them to Canada. So that’s Here’s where the story gets a lit- tour and they taught him everything when he tried to enter the ranks of the tle muddy. he would ever need to know. I think Army and failed. That then led to a Legend: She said that one of her that story was invented to give reason wicked argument with his father which actors had come down with an illness for his taking off in the early 1900s, led to William leaving. According to the and asked if William could play the but there’s no proof of it ever happen- story, the Major sent the family of the role. ing. He went to Chicago and ended up girl away to another town so that Wil- Legend: William bugged her so in another theatre company and then liam could never find her. much that she gave him a role just to to St. Paul, where he was bilked by a He arrived in New York, and if shut him up. guy who tried to get him to join in on a you’ve seen any movie which details a Legend: William was sleeping diner. He was broke again, but he was trip to America, you know that some- with Fanny and she gave him a role to OK since he had connections. one convinced William to take up with keep him happy. And he was good at cards. That a mad scheme. Bill didn’t go in for it These are all possibilities, but was how he started to make a living fully, but while staying in New York, he I’m not sure any of them are true. Sup- for a while. He did well enough to get formed a friendship with a Theatre Guy posedly, William did well enough to be his overcoat out of hock. He made his after letting him share some of his din- asked on the tour and he performed away around Chicago, but couldn’t ner. He got to hang with some of the around the country. I did find a notice theatre crowd and was even offered a in the collection of part in a company, but turned it down History San Jose since the money wasn’t good enough. about the troupe There’s a belief that there was more to coming through it as well, something about a woman San Francisco, but he may have been seeing, so he ended no specific mention up heading out to Kansas. of William. Or Fan- He got there and actually built ny Davenport for a house on the land. He also discov- that matter, and ered that he could make a little extra she was a big deal. scratch by giving lectures in Harper, How far William- the city of the ‘remittance colony’ went on the tour where William was homesteading. This is a good question. made him somewhat popular among It ran from 1896 the better-off members of society, and through 1898, and find a company that would take him. apart. William began to drink heavily. run. My favourite theory is that he was He started working as an artist and When you run in Society circles, it’s Shanghaied and put on a boat and managed to make enough money doing easy for that to happen. There’s no thus traveled the world after a couple it to move to Milwaukee. record of what really happened. There’s of guys rolled him and stole the $600. He stayed in Wisconsin for a a lot of talk about perhaps there was I don’t know about the validity of that while, but it was obvious that he was another woman, perhaps he felt that story, though several people claim that headed off to NYC. He became a sharp- marriage was standing in his way on it’s 100% true and that Taylor himself dressed cock-of-the-walk type around the acting front or perhaps that he was told the story that way. It’s a good way town, but he quickly found that he just bored of his wife. No one knows to get out of trouble for abandoning wasn’t doing the amount of business for sure, and it’s sad because there’s his family, but it’s not believable in that he would have liked, so he finally probably a lot to learn about Taylor in context. He sailed the world for several made the jump back to NYC. these years. years and ended up in Portland, Some say that he was chased out Of course, in those years he Oregon? I’m not sure how much I buy of town, again due to a woman. I don’t wasn’t William Taylor, he was still into that, but I am certain that he know if that makes much sense, but I William Deane-Tanner. ended up in Portland somehow. just thought I’d mention it. Taylor disappeared on his family If he were looking for a way to The art store did good busi- in 1908. He went to a New York hotel, justify his abandoning of his family, ness in New York and he managed to he put a call in for six hundred bucks the being pressed into ship service join one of the prestigious yacht clubs. and he vanished. He left behind his excuse is a damn good one, even if it There are stories about his time there business and his family. What else did doesn’t explain why he never tried to that show Taylor to be a bit of a Prima he leave behind in his rush? Again, get his family back. I’m certainly of the Donna, but you wouldn’t believe those, stories of women and perhaps even opinion that the money he had sent would you? After a few months he met men. There is the idea that perhaps over to the hotel started him on his a girl. Taylor, who had done fairly well for way across to Portland. He may have And what a perfect girl for WIl- himself, had racked up debts with the even booked himself cheap passage on liam. wrong people and that forced him to some steamer and made his way into Ethel May Harrison was the various positions. In fact, there are daughter of money, had been highly stories of people all along the way from educated and was well-known for her New York to Colorado who claim that stage work. You could say almost all Taylor was in their company during of those things about William himself. those missing years. It is known that She brought a comfortable lifestyle to he headed up to a place called Alaska. William and that allowed him to be- It had been almost ten years since come even more engrained in New York the Klondike Strike. He made his way City society. out from Montreal to Alaska, or so he The couple had a kid, and as claimed. I actually don’t doubt that often happens, they started to fall nearly as much as the Shanghaied He got back on the stage the recent books. I really think that in Alaska and did his thing. Taylor ran into issues with women He also made investments in and that caused much of his running the States that failed and he and his money problems didn’t help ended up broke. He was told either. I don’t buy that he was the this in San Francisco. The year victim of a number of coincidences was probably 1910. If that’s that ended up with him getting the case, SF was on a streak basically away from everything. The with a number of theatre most famous contemporary bio, the companies that seemed to W. Smith, makes him out to have a spring up new every month. cursed/charmed life that even he had Why he didn’t stay in SF is a no control over. I don’t buy it. Guys mystery, perhaps it was the like that don’t become directors. Studio sting of failure that he had heads, maybe, but directors want to be been informed of in the Most in charge of every inch of the world. story since there were a lot of folks who Beautiful City in the World that made Anyhow, there’ll be more of that went the long way. The biggest thing him wanna set out for Honolulu, later. is that Taylor didn’t make his money but he left with a theatre troupe and Taylor made it to Hollywood from gold, but from running a store returned later having done very well. and managed to get himself a spot in with supplies. That’s an interesting He also still owned a claim in the flick The Iconoclast made by the thing as William wouldn’t be the first Alaska. old Kay-Bee Studio. I’m still not sure guy I would think of as a shop man, When he came back to The City, if that was actually his first film or but he always seemed to fall back on he was nearly broke, but some of his if the others that are listed on his that. old NYC friends were there and they filmography were just released before He ended up in Boston and made him their own again. But he was The Iconoclast. He got good reviews became a part of a well-known theatre also going broke. He eventually sold as an actor and that started things group there. He had a ton of money his Alaska claim and the friends he’d rolling. with him, which makes sense as most made said that he should head to LA. He started directing, mostly goods dealers made huge windfalls That’s the point where everything shorts, but he as quickly moved up in Alaska. The funny thing is that either changed or stayed much the the ranks. He directed a fifty-minute William returned to Alaska and started same. version of Davey Crocket in 1916. That performing with his banjo to make You see, much more than wouldn’t have been a main release, his way. I’ve read too many references anyone I’ve read, I think there’s a but it was a big deal. It was only a year to it in various sources to completely woman thread that runs through all later that he directed Tom Sawyer and discount it, but there’s something to be of Deane-Tanner/Taylor’s life. Wallace that did very well. said for questioning these stories...even Smith (who wrote the best of the It would be fair to say that when they came from William Taylor contemporary bios of Taylor) doesn’t William Taylor’s career could be looked himself! really get into it. Neither do many of at like Ben Stiller or Tim Robbins. Jr. knew that she was involved with slept with. “It’s what killed him. Jealous A great actor who became a solid Taylor. boyfriend.” director. He wasn’t the biggest name That’s right: I knew folks who I asked if Fairbanks ever director in the world, and his films knew Douglas Fairbanks Jr. In his mentioned Palmer. weren’t above criticism, but he did very later years (the 1980s), a friend of mine I think he did. He always talked well. from College (Doug) used to work for about Mary Miles (I think he meant One of the most desired lost films him doing small jobs. I dropped him a Minter) and Mabel Normand, Lillian currently is Anne of Green Gabels. This line and asked if he’d ever talked about Gish and I’m pretty sure he mentioned is the most important film of William the Taylor case. Patty Palmer. Desmond Taylor. Here, he established Yeah, he did. Anytime there’d be Sadly, of the Hollywood old- himself as the great director and made a news item about a couple breaking timers I’ve met, I’ve never known his star, Mary Miles Minter . up because of infidelity he’d say ‘You enough about Taylor to talk to them. There’s a story in Hollywood, know, that’s the sort of thing that killed There aren’t a lot of people who were and everywhere else that employs Bill Taylor. I finally wanted to knew around then that you can still talk to. actors and directors, that if your star what he meant and he told me the In 1964, Palmer had a heart doesn’t fall in love with your director, story. I remember him listing off women attack in the home of a friend. As she then there’s no chance of it working. that Taylor was supposed to be have laid dying, she confessed her greatest And so it appears to have happened sin: that she had killed William Taylor. to MMM and WDT. Or at least in one She was never a real suspect, and the direction. MMM was certainly in love whispers about her relationship with with William, and you can read that in Taylor were far less active than those the note. She was 17, 18 tops. Taylor about Minter or Normand. There’s little was in his late 40s. reason to think that she was lying, I Even if MMM was the apple of mean, what’d she have to gain, but his eye, there were lots of rumors and there’s not a lot of evidence of any sort William had a rep as a lothario. There to help prove her as the killer. I don’t are about 15 females whose names I’ve think she did it...but you never know. read in various sources that have been The day of his murder was pretty linked with William Desmond Taylor. odd. He desposited a few checks in Among them was a woman named the morning. He then went and bailed Patricia Palmer. out his butler, Henry Peavey. Why She was Margaret Gibson by was Peavey arrested? Solicitation of birth, but she came to Hollywood and men, from what I understand. Some was an actress, as I understand it, she claim that he was doing so for Taylor, mostly worked for Keystone Studios. but who knows. He went and did a What her involvement with Taylor was little shopping, wrote a check to Jack isn’t certain, but even Doug Fairbanks O’Brien, bought a couple of books, including one theories is that Taylor wanted to she heard a pop that she thought was on Nietzsche get Mabel out of the Vida Loco and a car backfiring (and today, when and even was ready to roll on her dealers. back-firing is nowhere near as frequent passed MMM Supposedly those dealers didn’t take an event, it’s still the reason people and her kindly to this and snuffed Taylor. claim when they don’t call the cops Grandmother There’s no real evidence that Taylor after hearing a gunshot). That was in the had run across any drug ring. My probably the time of the murder. car. They stopped and chatted for a thought that springs out of this is Certainly it all lines up with the moment and there were a few hairs on that Taylor gave Miss Normand the idea of whoever was selling to Mabel Taylor’s coat that seemed to come from six grand either to get her square or Normand wanting to kill Taylor. They some greeting they shared. to deliver as a pay-off to them to followed Normand to Taylor’s house, or He had lunch with a friend and get her out of their clutches. There’s perhaps her chauffeur tipped them off stopped by his Tax Preparer. There probably a half-dozen reasons why that they’d be stopping by. They sent are tales that he had shown them a that’s not true (like Normand was a a guy over and he hid. He might have wad of bills totaling about 6 grand. rich woman...or so it would seem) made it into the courtyard and waited That’s a lot of money. They never saw but it’s a one thing makes me think there until he saw Mabel and William this money again. It wasn’t in the concept. leave, then he was going to go down house and it wasn’t anywhere else that After Normand left, that’s when it and confront Taylor with Normand, anyone could tell. This plays a large happened. A few of the neighbors saw perhaps. Seeing the neighbor, he part in one of my theories. someone heading into Taylor’s house turned around and hid back in the He did a dance lesson and as Normand was still inside, including house. finally headed home. Peavey made one who got a really good look. After The murder wasn’t revealed until Taylor dinner and left...supposedly. a while, Taylor walked Normand to the next morning. Peavey arrived and After dinner, he made a phone call to her car. That’s the interesting part. found the body. According to legend, Antonio Moreno. That was followed by The story goes that as they were out and I’m fairly certain he mentioned it the arrival of Miss Mabel Normand. by her car, the killer snuck in to the in one of his statements, he ran down That’s a name that is very house and waited behind the door. the street screaming ‘Dey’ve kilt Massa! important. There’s no way she killed There’s a lot of reasons I’ve discounted Dey’ve Kilt Massa!’ though that may Taylor, but her career was killed that theory in my own mind (would a just be legend, as so much is in the because of the publicity. Supposedly man with 6 grand in the house leave Taylor gave her the Nietzsche book and the door wide open?) but it does make they talked a bit. There might have sense timing-wise. The neighbor saw been more. Mabel was a druggie, and the man walking down the drive, saw really it was the fact that she was the woman and then made like he a user that was discovered during forgot something and headed back the Taylor investigation and ruined into the house. That’s the key event...if her career. One of the most popular she’s got it right. A few minutes later story of the murder. Kenneth Anger, carry them off. He also hid some letters the body over for a while when they writer of Hollywood Babylon, wrote it from Minter to Taylor in a boot, there discovered that he had been shot. up like that, but it may or may not be were found. There’s the classic story of This makes little sense. Even if true. It’s certainly more cinematic. A a doctor being at the scene and saying it’d been natural causes, they’d have neighbor called the cops and that led that Taylor died of natural causes. turned him over to see what he had to a swarm of folks entering the house. This could have been someone sent in his pockets. In most cases, even if Here’s a point of contention. by the studio to try and get the cops it’s natural causes, they still suspect There’s always been the thought out of there fast, or it could have been robbery as the motive. Supposedly, that one of Taylor’s neighbors, since someone sent by whoever hired the Eyton was the guy who told them to they almost all worked in film, called killer. turn the body over. I don’t buy it, but the studio and they rushed over And more than likely, it was a I’ll let it go. before police and cleaned the scene hired hit and not a personal murder. They discovered that the bullet of anything that may have made the Over the next few days, things went in through his back and that industry look bad. They might have were found. Some say there were nude the hole in his coat didn’t match up gotten rid of all the liquor for example. pictures of starlets. Probably not, but with the one in his vest, meaning that No one messed with the body, it would maybe. Some say there were various he either had his hands up or he was seem. garments from different women that reaching for something that required When the cops got there, they Taylor held on to as pelts of conquests. him to stretch forward. These are two shooed everyone off. Charles Eyton There were some found certainly, but very different positions. Let’s say that had gathered up some personal letters, not the number claimed and none he had his hands above his head. He’s saying that they might be damaging to were certainly able to be connected walked back in from his goodbyes various people and he was allowed to to any particular person. The letters with Mabel and the guy steps out from from Mary Miles Minter were behind the door. discovered days later, as was “Stick ‘em up!” says the killer. the note that just repeated I Taylor does just that, and Love You from MMM. That’s perhaps they engage in small talk. one fo the things that really It was a few minutes after he left connected her to the case. Normand, so they had some time to Her and her mother. kill, and he was shot very shortly after You see, there are more walking in the door. They must have theories about MMM and her talked. It’s probable that he didn’t mother, Charlotte Shelby. I’ll know his killer, but he probably would talk more about those in a have been told what was going on. The minute. path of the bullet might have shown The body was face that he was starting a turn, or maybe up on the carpet, and with to grab that chair when the shot went the doctor saying Natural off. Causes, they didn’t turn The other option was that he it herself, “Give me the money!” he says. was in the house and the killer was but there’s “You can go and get it yourself. stalking him into the house, William a certain It’s driving away right now. I gave it to heard him and tried to get the chair appeal to her Miss Normand.” when he was shot. Either one works, hiring a gun “Bullshit! Hand it over. You’ve but that first one makes a much better to take care got to three. 1-2-3.” scene. of Taylor. He shoots Taylor. The investigation reached a lot But... Now, there are several of deadends. They’ve lost evidence, He was possibilities here. He goes and starts they’ve had suspects walk off, even seen going in to look around, but Peavey has told within a few years of the murder, they to the house. him not to mess things up too much had people dying who maybe could Why not wait because they need to be able to throw have solved things. It’s basically an until it would light on the others in his life. Peavey unsolvable crime. be easier to would have known about Mabel But here are my ideas go in without being seen? He did cover Normand and MMM, so he would have The obvious one that a lot of things pretty well, but still, a little been trying to keep the heat on them, folks latch onto is Charlotte Shelby sloppy. and neither of them would ever have dressed like a man, snuck into the The other idea I’ve been on is to deal with things. Taylor was wearing bungalow and shot him. There’s good that Taylor’s valet, Peavey, was in his diamond ring and had money in evidence for it. She owned a .38, the league with someone. Now, Peavey was his pocket, but not nearly enough to kind of gun he was shot with. She had in jail until Taylor bailed him out. That dissuade any killer from getting towards a good reason, Taylor was ‘engaged’ was either the morning he was killed, six large. to her daughter, Mary Miles Minter, or maybe a few days prior (there are Now, the place didn’t look like and perhaps she had even partied no records of dates). If Peavey knew it had been ransacked, but by the with the Don Juan herself. Jealousy, that Taylor had that much scratch time the cops got there, there were the desire to keep her cash cow out around the house, he might have had a folks all over the place. So, if the killer of the hands of Taylor, there’s a lot connection with someone who he could had managed to find the money, he of possible angles to play this one have split the funds with him. Now, just runs off, maybe skipping out on from. She didn’t shoot him. That’s what if he had managed to get one of Peavey, leaving him out of the running almost 100% impossible due to the the boys he had been soliciting to help for the cash. The guy might have description of the person the neighbor him try and get the money. just killed him and then after a certain saw re-entering the house. She said it The guy hides behind the amount of searching, he left. It’s hard might have been a woman in disguise door, sneaking in when they pass to to accuse someone of being a killer (which also adds validity to the Normand’s car. He hides and then when there’s no connection to the Palmer confession), but she wouldn’t Taylor returns. victim whatsoever. have looked much like the man she “Stick ‘em up!” the guy says. There’s another idea, and it’s described. Now, I do think that she did “What do you want?” says one that I actually think might be Taylor. good. What if Taylor had crossed and that’s why people the wrong man. What if he had slept still talk about the murder of with, say, a young starlet who was a William Desmond Taylor. favourite of a Studio Head. Now, at this time there was an element of the Letter-Graded Mail mob in Hollywood, but they hadn’t sent to really made that much of an impact [email protected] into the pictures yet. Maybe this was by my gentle Readers! the first sign of what was to come when Bugsy would enter Tinseltown. First off...Lloyd Penney! If he had crossed the wrong person on Dear Chris: the hierarchy, and perhaps he did it I am cleaning out my several times, they easily could have Zines To Loc folder on my wanted him out of the way, and hiring desktop, and all I see is one a killer would have been an easy way issue of The Drink Tank, to go. If you look at the list of people number 90. So let’s do a loc on a single So, I didn’t know what I wanted to be, who he was supposed to be involved issue for a change… and I’d guess I didn’t bother growing with, several of them were also known up, either. to be favourites of many of the major But we’ve LOVED those Lloyd players who ran those precious studios Penney style LoCs (Viewable on I tried to avoid growing up...so which were often like countries unto LiveJournal.com) I found myself websites to write themselves. for to justify my youth habits like The weird thing is that Patricia The date that wasn’t a date… comics and wrestling. Palmer got work at Paramount-Laskey sounds like you’re going to be friends studios. Maybe she was the one who before anything else more involved My loc…same weather killed Taylor, perhaps she had a plan happens. Got drunk together, passed conditions. Britain is really hot, and to use her wiles on him, but then out together…this sounds like the California is superhot. I read yesterday found that she could simply shoot him. beginning of a beautiful friendship. Tell that one area of California recorded I can’t put anyone who was certainly us more about Sara in future issues, 125 degrees Fahrenheit, which is connected to Taylor as a favourite of okay? getting near the lethal range. Everyone Laskey, but it’d be hard to believe that knows me? Not even close. I still go there wasn’t one in the mix. Indeed I will...if she ever calls me to conventions where I am a stranger So, that’s the picture I wanted back! to most. Even if I was tempted to to paint. William Desmond Taylor, aka I didn’t have any dreams about run, I think you’d win. Fandom in William Cunningham Deane-Tanner, what I wanted to be when I grew up. California is so populous; you’d win in was murdered and we’ll probably never My guidance counselors in school were a landslide. Up here, most fans aren’t be sure what really happened. too busy telling me what I couldn’t do. aware of fandom as we know it. There’s a lot of talk as to my the campaign trail. Take a look in my film committee eons ago (it seems) we chances. Within BArea fandom, zines; you will see that I am doing my deliberately sought out, purchased/ I’m well-liked, if not universally part on your behalf. rented, and consequently presented known. LA fandom and I get along, them in the film room, and proceeded though I’m not terribly well-known. I am so damn grateful for all the to heckle the movies we were showing. LV fandom? I love them and they’ve good press from ya. It’s gonna be a It was so much fun. I do hope that the been so wonderful to me. Outside of tough race: I’m not a BNF who has Minicon film committees have been those folks, I’m not sure what my decided to step into a race designed continuing this fine, worthy tradition chances are. for BNFs. since 1992. This reminds me about DT #89: Aggiecon 37’s lack of a film room. Single issue, short loc. Perhaps (*sound of gnashing of teeth here*) another good reason to do them in I don’t play poker. Never have. So They may have to do something about twos and threes. I imagine you’re I do thank Mike for passing along this in the future. At least they have getting things ready for the Hollister his pointers, but I think I’ll stick to the Schlock Film Festival once a year. party at LA, and perhaps something Cribbage and Hearts. I’m pretty good at That’s a lot of fun, I hear tell. for the fanzine lounge. Our hotel is those card games. arranged, we have some plans for the Boston has a 24 Hour SF Film two days before the convention, and we Alana, she of good rack and Festival. When I was living out are so looking forward to going. And, great sarcasm, introduced me to there, I never attended. I hung out we shall see you there. We’ll be in on less than a mile from the NESFA the 20th. Take care! Rummy 5k. It’s Clubhouse and I’ve never been. I’m a addictive. bad fan. I haven’t had a chance to get Hmmm... anything printed for WorldCon yet, DT #90: So the date went very I don’t think and I’m hoping to get about 500 well, it sounds like. Have fun, if you I really have copies of various things for passing know what I mean, *wink-wink*nudge- a favorite film out. It’s not gonna be pretty. nudge* Say no more... genre. If you Yours, Lloyd Penney tried to pin me Indeed I will. And there’s this girl down, I think I named Jen... And now...John Purcell!!! would have to go with Trashy If Eric Mayer’s writing advice And by association, this loc is also Science Fiction about “writing like a computer” gets going to take note of your TAFF Movies. See, I you productive again, we’ll have to campaign zine, Print Zine #0. So, love to make see how you do. Word of advice from here’s a quick “thank you” for passing fun of them. a college English teacher: try to read along the Garcia lexicography. I guess When I was on your writing critically as if you were a this will come in handy if I ever make the Minicon reader who had never heard of Chris it out to the Bay Area. Good luck on Garcia before. Actually, given the circle of friends you’re surrounded by - thing to do. about your career moves... namely, Bay Area Fandom - start up a writing circle and critique each other’s Hey, everybody loves Hollister I wish I was big in Japan. There work. At least you have a large base nowadays! are a lot of silent westerns on DVD in terms of numbers of people who are that I might start watching on a When I read on the Internet that regular basis. I really would like ot well-versed in what makes a good story Mickey Spillane had died it caught me work. Give it a shot, says I. see some of those old Essanays that by surprise. I hadn’t realized that he were made in Niles. Not yet. I’ll wait five years after my was still alive! Still, a long shadow has declaration so I don’t feel like such been cast over the gumshoe’s sidewalk. Hey, thanks for the zines. Keep a hypocrite. I’ve got folks around He will definitely be missed. me on the mailing list, and I’ll see you in the funny pages. who’ll give me honest opinions on I’ll miss the big lug. There was a my writing (and who say that the guy who really deserved to be called Thanks much, John! Drink Tank is at its best when a lug. I’m NOT the one doing most of the All the best, writing), but I’m not ready for my David Moyes’ loc reminded me return. about how much I loved Westerns John Purcell when I was a wee lad. Sometimes on This issue of The Drink Tank was tragically You mention in your response Saturday mornings if I’m before Daniel to Lloyd Penney that you hope at least delayed when Chris started reading too much I’ll have a couple cups of coffee while about old Hollywood. one other person declares himself or watching TCM. There’s usually a fine herself in the running. That would be nice. I, for one, would hate to come crop of classic westerns on in second in a one-man race. (You do tap every Saturday morning know I’m kidding, don’t you, Chris? on that channel, but you Chris...?) probably know that already. But my biggie as a kid I’ve had conflicting reports on this, was watching Have Gun, but as I understand it, if no one Will Travel, The Rifleman, else runs, then there’s no TAFF race Gunsmoke, and a show I and therefore, no delegate. I’ve also haven’t seen in absolutely heard that it’d then come down to ages, The Rebel. I even me beating H. Oldover Funds. With used to have a Johnny a one man race, I doubt that many Yuma novel. That was good Brits would vote at all or would vote stuff. And then Nick Adams Hold Over Funds. That’d be rough. parlayed his fame over in Japan in a whole new series The Hollister in ‘08 front is of cinematic blunders. Talk heating up. Must be the fashionable