Yesterday at a Haddasah thrift shop, right around the corner from yet another thrift emporium here in West L.A., I bought four LPs for a buck each: Jazz You Can Understand, featuring drummer Jack Sperling; Lost. . .and Alone, by singer Don Francks, 10 Sides of Ethel Ennis, and a fourth album by a male singer of the Sinatra School who, for purposes of this blog, will remain nameless. But for purposes of illustration, let's call him "Mario Punchinello."
The very hep little old lady who rang me up scrutinized my albums as she totaled away, and remarked upon each:
Haddasah Lady: "Don Francks, don't know him. Ethel Ennis, don't hear of her much anymore. Mmmm Jack Sperling, fine drummer. [Which is the correct answer]. Mario Punchinello, I wonder whatever happened to him?"
Me: "He left the country due to pressure from the mob. Fled to Australia where he became a bigger deal than he ever was in America. [Which is true.] A classic case of lemonade from lemons. Dead now."
Haddasah Lady: "Oh."
She had to ask. Then I went outside and noted a plaque on the front of the building that read:
"On this site, in October of 1927, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy filmed scenes from their comedy classic, Leave 'Em Laughing."
Some days it does pay to get out of the house! A perfect five minutes!
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