RMGROUP mail
December 1997


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Subject: RE: Writing to Roddy

I don't think anyone is asking for his home address. Just a viable mailing address.

Kathy

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Subject: Sally

Didn't someone mention that Sally had gone to NYC to see You-know-who? So, Sally, how was it? I'm dying for news. Remember, I'm trapped here in the mountains growing ever larger and more out of touch.

Cheryl

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Subject: RE: Writing to Roddy

I've never been able to find a fan mail address for Roddy. Does one exist? At one time he had an office address - don't know if that still exists or not.

Dana Holland

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Subject: RE: New Member

hi lisa,
welcome to the mcdowall club. my name is tami. im 26,female. and i live in abilene,tx. i havent written to the list in a long time,but i still love the rodmeister,myself. :-). i agree with roc on roddys address. i,too,am wondering about the card we all sent him,i didnt get to sign it myself. :-(. well i hope he liked it anyway. and wouldnt it be grand to meet up someday so0n,just the mcdowallites? my other intrests are the beatles,the monkees,monty python,matt frewer,and rowan atkinson. matt and rowan just recently. :-).
well,thats enough jabbering from me except to say that i enjoy this list more now days than i do the monkees lists on account of all my monkee friends are fighting amongst each other and trying to make me *the* peace maker,im fed up with it all. btw,roc,where is all the mcdowall info/pages?
thanks,
tami.

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Subject: RE: Sally

CHERYL wrote:
>Didn't someone mention that Sally had gone to NYC to see You-know-who? So,
>Sally, how was it? I'm dying for news. Remember, I'm trapped here in the
>mountains growing ever larger and more out of touch.

Yes, I went and have returned(Nov. 29) from my week's vacation in New Jersey with relatives and made a trip to NYC to catch Roddy in "A Christmas Carol."

I'll tell you all more about it later. I have lots of laundry and catch up to do before sitting down and writing about THE event.

December 1st.
...Sally..

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Subject: My Apologies - from a New Member

Boy do I feel dumb! Maybe I was in a really big hurry (or maybe I was just testing you all) to see whether you would catch my little(?) mistake in my first message to all of you.

Hopefully Mr. McDowell didn't see the way I mangled his name (McDowell not McDowall!!!). Thanks to the fan who pointed that out to me, and thanks to you all for not kicking me out of the club. (Don't worry -- I didn't spell it wrong when I wrote to RM or else I'm sure he would not have written back). Sometimes I just have little brain freezes at the most important times.

Please accept my hearfelt apologies everyone.

Lisa (New Member)

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Subject: RE: Sally

SALLY wrote:
>
>Yes, I went and have returned(Nov. 29) from my week's vacation in New Jersey
>with relatives and made a trip to NYC to catch Roddy in "A Christmas Carol."
>
>I'll tell you all more about it later. I have lots of laundry and catch
>up to do before sitting down and writing about THE event.
>


Hey Everyone!

I talked to Sally on the phone last night... and what a tale she has to tell! I think most of us on this list would sell our own mothers to experience what she experienced! Be prepared to envy Sally, big time!

--Roc

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Subject: RE: New Member

TAMI wrote:
> btw,roc,where is all the mcdowall info/pages?


Ummm... are you talking about the web pages, or what?


--Roc

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Subject: RE: My Apologies - from a New Member

LISA wrote:
>
>Boy do I feel dumb! Maybe I was in a really big hurry (or maybe I was
>just testing you all) to see whether you would catch my little(?)
>mistake in my first message to all of you.
>
>Hopefully Mr. McDowell didn't see the way I mangled his name (McDowell
>not McDowall!!!).

Not to worry, Lisa.... RM is *so* busy that he has barely had time to glance at the web site once or twice... he does *not* read our list mail, though. He could, if he ever wanted to -- which is why I try to monitor what we say around here.... but your faux pax is safe with us.


> Thanks to the fan who pointed that out to me, and
>thanks to you all for not kicking me out of the club.

I just hope that whoever pointed it out did so in a gentle manner... wouldn't want to give you the wrong impression about us or scare you off, after all. As for kicking you out! Well! It would take a lot more than a simple typo for that! Once we got you, we'll never let you go! (HAHAHAHAHAHHA)(sinister laughter....)


>(Don't worry -- I
>didn't spell it wrong when I wrote to RM or else I'm sure he would not
>have written back). Sometimes I just have little brain freezes at the
>most important times.

Personally, I'm *quite* familiar with brain freeze, so I know just how you feel.....


--Roc

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Subject: RE: Writing to Roddy

> I've never been able to find a fan mail address for Roddy. Does one
> exist? At one time he had an office address - don't know if that still
> exists or not.

Perhaps writing to him C/O the Academy of Motion Picture Arts????

-Paul

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Subject: RE: New Member

> > btw,roc,where is all the mcdowall info/pages?
>
> Ummm... are you talking about the web pages, or what?

yes roc,
the web pages. where are they all at? i have looked up matt frewer and rowan atkinson,id like to see whats new on the rm front. :-).
thanks,
tami.

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Subject: Remo Williams

The website for the Remo Williams TV movie is at http://www.sinanju.com/tv.htm. Plenty of pictures of RM as Chiun.

--Mel

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Subject: RE: RE: New Member

>yes roc,
>the web pages. where are they all at? i have looked up matt frewer and
>rowan atkinson,id like to see whats new on the rm front. :-).
>thanks,
>tami.


The RM Tribute website can be found at:

http://www.smithway.org/rm/roddy.html

and the mailing list related pages at:

http://www.smithway.org/clan/foundation.html


--Roc

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Subject: A Spectacular Event!

Hi everyone,

"A Christmas Carol" - Theater at Madison Square Garden

The play was fabulous! And of course, our RM was wonderful. Don't believe any of those theatrical reviews on RM. There could be NO other Scrooge. He looks and acts the part.

I wrote to Roddy mentioning that I had purchased tickets to "A Christmas Carol." He wrote me back and kindly asked if I would come backstage so we could meet.

I did meet him backstage after the play in his *dressing room*, but I was not the only one invited. He had a friend of his waiting for him also(a lady and her son, whose family were old friends of Roddy.).

He had just gotten out of the shower(clothed already, naturally) when we were lead to his dressing room. He was just putting his socks on when we arrived. :-) He was taken aback for a moment on who I was. He said, "And who is this?" I MADE him think for a moment. He looked down and then up and said, "Sally." And I said, "Yes, Roddy." We shook hands, then I introduced Paul, and he welcomed all of us in.

He took our photograph(Paul's and mine) and then a photograph of his friend and her son. I was quite flattered by that incident. Imagine Roddy taking *my* photograph! I told him we brought our camera too. So we took two photographs of Roddy and I together - arm in arm. :-> The last picture I took my heels off and said, "Wait! Let's see how tall he really is!" His reply was, "5'9" and shrinking"(with a chuckle). We didn't get to ask really much of anything else. He chatted with his friend for a few minutes then, while I was checking out his bulletin board on the wall with his letters from various friends wishing him well.

He told us that he was invited to be in the Macy's parade but turned them down because of his voice. His voice was becoming raspy that night after the play. (He would of been seated next to Hal Linden during the parade in the Alice in Wonderland float.)

It was getting late(about a half hour in his dressing room) and Roddy said we had better leave before we get locked in.

When we got outside the theater, the lady asked if she could give Roddy a lift to his hotel. Roddy said he had a car. She then left with her son. A few fans were outside asking for autographs and Roddy gladly signed. He posed for a photograph with another fan and then they left too. I did give Roddy a hug before parting at Paul's insistence. Roddy wished us "Happy Holidays" and I told him he was "wonderful as usual" and that "I'll tell everyone you said hello." We walked away into the night.

I sent him a thank you note the next day for inviting me backstage.

Aahhhhhhh!!!

...Sally..

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Subject: RE: Writing to Roddy

>> I've never been able to find a fan mail address for Roddy. Does one
>> exist? At one time he had an office address - don't know if that still
>> exists or not.
>
> Perhaps writing to him C/O the Academy of Motion Picture Arts????

Since Roddy is at The Theater at Madison Square Garden until January 4th, he could receive mail in care of the theater.

...Sally..

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Subject: RE: A Spectacular Event!

Sally, that's fantastic! How lucky for you! Just out of curiosity, did you write him at home or at MSQ? I'm trying to make arrangements to go up there myself - it would be a wonderful opportunity to see Roddy in person and to see 1776 again!

-- Dana Holland


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Subject: RE: A Spectacular Event!

DANA wrote:
>Sally, that's fantastic! How lucky for you! Just out of curiosity, did
>you write him at home or at MSQ? I'm trying to make arrangements to go
>up there myself - it would be a wonderful opportunity to see Roddy in
>person and to see 1776 again!
>

Home, but he isn't there anymore. I wrote to him before he left for New York.

...Sally..

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Subject: Loss of one of Roddy's friends

Hi everybody,

I just got to look at my issue of The Hollywood Reporter (November 25 - December 1, 1997) and saw this article on Robert Lewis - Roddy's New York acting teacher/friend.

...Sally..

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

LAST FULL DAY OF ROBERT LEWIS: MAN OF THE THEATER TO THE END
A founder of Actors Studio, his standards were high

By Robert Osborne

NEW YORK - It's a sadder town around here with the news of Sunday's death of actor-director-teacher-lecturer Robert Lewis, one of those people whose name has always been synonymous with New York theater, accomplishment, high standards and creativity. The first I ever knew of Lewis was thanks to Hollywood, seeing him in movies such as "Dragon Seed" with Katharine Hepburn (which he often referred to as "Draggin' Seed" since it was so long in production and ran so interminably on screen) and "Ziegfeld Follies of 1946" in which he was heavily Max Factored to appear Oriental and sinister in the film's spectacular "Limehouse Blues" sequence. But those were basically incidental doings in Lewis' career. His major accomplishments were long and astounding. At age 20 he was acting in Eva LeGallienne's famous Civic Repertory Company, an association well covered in a new book recently out on LeGallienne. In 1931, Robert L. was one of the founding members of the Group Theater, where he acted, then directed the first Broadway production of William Saroyan's "My Heart's in the Highlands." In 1947 he directed the original "Brigadoon" on Broadway, and also Truman Capote's "The Grass Harp," John Patrick's "The Teahouse of the August Moon" and Agatha Christie's "Witness for the Prosecution." This same Mr. Lewis was also one of the founders of the Actors Studio with Elia Kazan and Cheryl Crawford; he spent 35 years as a professor of the Yale School of Drama and began the Robert Lewis Theater Workshop in New York, which was enormously active at the time of his death. There were also books, including a 1984 Memoir ("Slings and Arrows"). In all, an extraordinary career ... It was a heart attack that felled Lewis on Sunday. On Saturday he was exactly where one might have expected him to be during any waking moment: in a theater, watching a friend in a play. The occasion was Roddy McDowall's first performance as Scrooge in the dazzlingly big and musicalized "A Christmas Carol" at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Roddy's alternating the role with Hal Linden, (and, for the record, McDowall's a wonderfully cantankerous Ebenezer); Lewis was there, looking frail - until the show began. Then he seemed to bloom. He was in his element. And that's a nice memory to have of someone so devoted to theater, on the last full day of his life.

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Subject: RE: A Spectacular Event

Well, Sally, you certainly have more gumption than I would. I don't have the guts to write to Roddy, let alone pay him backstage visits. If I ever do happen to run into him, I'll probably run and hide behind the curtains or something - Maybe I'll get up the courage to take a few peeks.

Cheryl

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Subject: RE: A Spectacular Event

Sally,

What a wonderful time you had! I am pea green with envy!

Pam H.

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Subject: My reply to Dana

Hi everyone,

I've been corresponding with Roddy about his career to gather and confirm information on our website. I've been doing my damnest(forgive me) to get him to participate in our website and fan club. He is a very busy man and I have finally gotten him to "officiate" our website. It is only natural that *he* would want to meet me. I'm sure he did not remember me from the previous brief encounters we've had before his interview with Judie Feldman. After all, I was just a face which had no meaning to him then.

Since some were wondering, Roddy has no Internet/e-mail access at this time.

...Sally..

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Subject: Address for Christmas cards to RM

After doing some calling yesterday, I found out the address for the Theater at Madison Square Garden where you can send any correspondence/Christmas Cards to RM. Here is the address:

Mr. Roddy McDowall (actually, after research that is the way you spell it!)
c/o The Theater at Madison Square Garden
A Christmas Carol (This MUST be included)
410 Plaza
New York, NY 10001
** I'm Sure he would really appreciate hearing from all of us.
(I hope this helps everyone who wants the opportunity to write to him!)

.... By the way, did anyone see RM in IT last night.... it was Awesome!!!!

--Lisa

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Subject: RE: My reply to Dana

Hi Sally,

Janet here.....I'm glad to hear that you were able to meet Roddy. That's a dream for many of us. Now, when do you introduce him to all of us? :] Think we still might consider that dinner/convention thing?

I have an autographed picture of him that I treasure, but to meet him backstage must have seemed almost surreal. I've always thought of him as being a kind, considerate, and friendly person. Seems from what you've told us about your encounter, my assumptions of him are correct. Anyway, congratulations...

Janet

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Subject: RE: my reply to Dana

>Hi Sally,
>
>Janet here.....I'm glad to hear that you were able to meet Roddy.
>That's a dream for many of us. Now, when do you introduce him to all
>of us? :] Think we still might consider that dinner/convention
>thing?

He's a very busy man, even at 69, so I really doubt it.

...Sally..

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Subject: RM movie

Hi everyone,

If anyone gets Romance Classics on cable, there's been a RM movie on - "The Color of Evening." This particular channel, like AMC, shows the same movie a couple of times during the week without any commercials.

...Sally..

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Subject: Scorsese film premiere

This is from http://www.businesswire.com:80/cgi-bin/sr_headline.sh?/bw.120897/552047

--Mel

--------------------------------------------

    Entertainment Editors
    ADVISORY... for Thursday, Dec. 11

    --(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--


WHAT:  Martin Scorsese's Kundun World Premiere

EXPECTED FROM THE FILM:

Martin Scorsese        Barbara Defina        Philip Glass (composer)

Ellen Lewis            Melissa Mathison      Dante Ferrettii
(casting)              (screenwriter)        (costume/production
                                                      designer)

EXPECTED GUESTS:

Jane Alexander    Harrison Ford     Roddy McDowall     Tim Roth
Tom Brokaw        Timothy Hutton    Sylvia Miles       John Turturro
Blair Brown       Val Kilmer        Martha Plimpton    John Waters

WHEN:  Dec. 11, 1997
       6:30 p.m.  Arrivals
       7:00 p.m.  Screening

WHERE:  Screening:                        Reception:
        Loew's Astor Plaza                Studio 54
        1515 Broadway                     254 West 54th Street
        (at 44th Street)                  (between B'way & 8th Ave.)


                   YOUR COVERAGE IS INVITED

                           Kundun

              opens in New York and Los Angeles on
                  Thursday, Dec. 25, 1997 and
           expands nationally on Friday, Jan. 16, 1998.


In 1937, a two-and-a-half year old boy from a simple family in Tibet
was recognized as the 14th reincarnation of the Buddha of love and
compassion, and destined to become the spiritual and political leader
of his people.  Director Martin Scorsese brings to the screen the true
story of the Dalai Lama.


    --30--kvc/ny  emb/ny

    CONTACT: BROADCAST:
             Kerry Albano, 212/735-5459
               or
             PRINT:
             Terry Greenberg/Kristy Harteveldt, 212/735-5458

    KEYWORD: NEW YORK
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ENTERTAINMENT ADVISORY

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Subject: address

Whoever had the address for The Theater at Madison Square Garden....would you please send it out again. Some of us (not naming any names) wrote it down and then forgot where we put it!! (Blame it on middle-age stress..haha.)

>>Janet

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Subject: RM partying again

Hi everyone,

RM is spotted around NYC again. One would think that this is a small town that nobody could come out of their hotel without a reporter getting a wiff.

...Sally..

---------------------------------------------------------------

NEW YORK POST December 15, 1997

GOSSIP

NEAL TRAVIS' NEW YORK
By NEAL TRAVIS

Partying in tinsel town

THE holiday party Suzanne and John Mados gave at Doubles the other night brought out some of the city's leading lights, plus Hollywood types who still dream of a white Christmas.

John and Suzanne welcomed the likes of Roddy McDowall, Jane Powell and Dicke Moore, along with Barbara Taylor Bradford, Dolly Borgia (she used to be Mrs. Walter Reed) and Marty Richards.

Then there were TV's Doug Johnson with his D.C. lobbyist wife Liz Robertson, Noel Behn, Ambassador and Mrs. Max Raab, Elke and Ben Gazarra, Andrea Pfister, Rita Gam, William Morris superagent Johnny Plancko and his wife, Lois, Fran and Barry Weissler, entertainment lawyer Charles Mirotznik and Astoria Studios' George Kaufman with Marianne Zoulas.

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Subject: RM's Address in NY

For anyone who needs RM's address at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, here it is again. I'm sure he would appreciate any x-mas cards or correspondence while he is there:

Mr. Roddy McDowall
c/o the Theater at Madison Square Garden
A Christmas Carol (this MUST be included for it to get to him)
410 Plaza
New York, NY 10001
lisa

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Subject: RE: RM partying again

A little tidbit.
Says here in this article that Roddy was at a party with Jane Powell. I watched a talk show years ago and Roddy and Jane were reminiscing about their screen kiss, her first on the screen.
Kyoko

----------
> Partying in tinsel town
>
> THE holiday party Suzanne and John Mados gave at Doubles the
> other night brought out some of the city's leading lights,
> plus Hollywood types who still dream of a white Christmas.
>
> John and Suzanne welcomed the likes of Roddy McDowall,
> Jane Powell and Dicke Moore, along with Barbara Taylor
> Bradford, Dolly Borgia (she used to be Mrs. Walter Reed)
> and Marty Richards.

=====================================================

Subject: A Christmas Carol

I just wanted to let everyone know, that I went up to NYC this weekend from Virginia to see A Christmas Carol and RM was incredible!!!

My roomate and I went up on Saturday morning but saw the Sunday 11:00 Matinee -- and RM actually came out into the audience towards the end of the show to give candy to the children in the audience! (I think it was a children's matinee).

We had wanted to meet him, and were determined to wait outside the stage door after his last performance to catch a glimpse of him, tell him how good he was/maybe have him sign my Double Exposure book I carried all day through the city.

But alas, it was not to be... the security guard told us that RM's last performance would be at 7:30 and he wouldn't be leaving until 9:30 or so. Therefore, we knew we would not be able to get into work if we stayed that late in the city, so we left early.

.......I think Sally's story was better.

But don't get me wrong, I'm glad I was able to see RM live on stage, and had a really great time up in NYC. He was great in the play/musical, and I recommend it to anyone who thinks they may be going up this season (it ends January 4, 1998).

That's all for now

lisa

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Subject: RE: A Christmas Carol

LISA wrote:
>I just wanted to let everyone know, that I went up to NYC this weekend
>from Virginia to see A Christmas Carol and RM was incredible!!!

Wasn't he?!

>
>My roomate and I went up on Saturday morning but saw the Sunday 11:00
>Matinee -- and RM actually came out into the audience towards the end of
>the show to give candy to the children in the audience! (I think it was
>a children's matinee).


No, Lisa, it wasn't a children's matinee. They did the same thing at the 7:30pm performance when we went also.

>We had wanted to meet him, and were determined to wait outside the stage
>door after his last performance to catch a glimpse of him, tell him how
>good he was/maybe have him sign my Double Exposure book I carried all
>day through the city.
>

Ah, Lisa, you might of been able to get it signed, if you had dropped it off at the Theater on Saturday.

>But alas, it was not to be... the security guard told us that RM's last
>performance would be at 7:30 and he wouldn't be leaving until 9:30 or
>so. Therefore, we knew we would not be able to get into work if we
>stayed that late in the city, so we left early.
>

I don't believe Roddy leaves the dressing room between some of his back to back performances. He has all the comforts of home at his dressing room even a microwave and tv. ;-) I think he dozes off back there on his couch with his *red* blankey.


>.......I think Sally's story was better.
>

Ah,shucks, but mine was a different type of story. I think anybody who ventures out on his own in NYC has got to have some good stories.

>But don't get me wrong, I'm glad I was able to see RM live on stage, and
>had a really great time up in NYC. He was great in the play/musical, and
>I recommend it to anyone who thinks they may be going up this season (it
>ends January 4, 1998).
>

I believe Dana was/is gonna head out that way too, but she wanted to see the Broadway play, "1776" with Brent Spiner.


...Sally..

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Subject: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hi everyone!!!


Paul, Heidi, and I want to wish you all a:


                   M E R R Y  C H R I S T M A S !!!!!


Have a safe holiday.

...Sally..

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Subject: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year to all.....

God Bless,
Janet

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Subject: Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone on this list a joyous holiday season, and may the New Year bring you health, wealth and happiness.

Happy holidays to one of the best lists around! I don't post often, but I do enjoy reading what everyone else has to say, the RM TV Guides, etc.

Take care. Peace and love,
Lynne

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Subject: New York

Sally is right. Anyone who ventures out on their own in NYC has got to have some good stories. Maybe we should consider having the long hoped for RM convention in New York. (There are about 10 Broadway shows I'm dying to see!)

Cheryl

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Subject: RE: A Christmas Carol

I *was* going to try to head back up there in conjunction with my trip to Las Vegas to see Barry Manilow, but I never could make the airline schedules work out. So, it looks like I'm going to miss it.

Dana Holland

=====================================================

Subject: RE: A Christmas Carol

> I *was* going to try to head back up there in conjunction with my trip to
> Las Vegas to see Barry Manilow, but I never could make the airline
> schedules work out. So, it looks like I'm going to miss it.

You >could< always miss the Barry Marshmallow show... :)
IMHO it'd be worth it. ;)

-Paul

=====================================================

Subject: RE: A Christmas Carol

> > I *was* going to try to head back up there in conjunction with my trip to
> > Las Vegas to see Barry Manilow, but I never could make the airline
> > schedules work out. So, it looks like I'm going to miss it.
>
> You >could< always miss the Barry Marshmallow show... :)
> IMHO it'd be worth it. ;)

Alright, Paul! May you hear 20 choruses of Copacabana between now and the New Year!

No, I had the tickets to the concert long before Roddy was appearing in the play. I'd also never been to Vegas - I *have* been to New York. If I could have arranged it where I could have seen Roddy's play on Saturday then continued on to Vegas for Sunday night's concert, I would have done it. But I don't think Roddy would have wanted me to spend more than $1000 just to do that! :-)

Dana Holland

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