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Being Honored |
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Jean & photog, Joyce Widoff, proudly displaying the ‘largest plaque ever presented to a civilian by the Marine Corp’ |
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Being Honored Always Feels Good |
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The greatest honor entertainers might experience, however, comes in the applause from an appreciative audience, the requests for an autograph or photo, or an invitation to make a return appearance. Our reward certainly did come from our audiences and no production staff or entertainer ever received financial remuneration so it wasn’t a money thing. The incredible number of letters that arrived for Jean and the Show ‘regulars’ and the stars was nearly overwhelming at times. It may be important to note also that every letter was read personally and answered by Jean and the Show cast members. Jean even became a student of the internationally recognized authority on Grapho Analysis, Paul de Saint Colombe, to help herself to be able to answer each letter.
Nationally syndicated Hollywood columnist, May Mann, wrote in a feature article on July 15, 1971 in the West Hollywood POST: “Her (Jean London) record is second only to Martha Raye’s and Bob Hope’s in letting our servicemen know we care.” This was a very nice public accolade and although Hope and Raye were certainly heralded because of their celebrity status, the real hero in my books was Johnny Grant, who had probably done more USO Tours than the two of them combined. We were honored to have Johnny as a guest on our Show to help us honor the men. Johnny always had great comedy routines and off-the-cuff repartee with audiences - - - and, he always brought with him a slew of pretty young actresses and models. On our Show in November 1969 he even helped out as an assistant EmCee from the audience with Ella Edwards, one of our Show ‘regulars’, when the audience had a chance to pose questions to our stars on the Hollywood Panel that day. Johnny had probably known all of the Panel stars for years and it was a fun time for him and them. He brought starlets Jan Daniels and Lisa Orlando with him for the Show.
Jean was also honored by our home State of South Dakota Governors and this photo (the Mt. Rushmore picture below) by Joyce Widoff was created to appear in the Hollywood Reporter in recognition of Governor Frank Farrar’s attendance at the 4th Anniversary Show. I’d never seen a Mount Rushmore superimposured photo like this previously. Was it a “first”?! The Base Special Services Office took out ads on the Anniversary Show times in the Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety show business publications to thank our cast of regulars and our guest stars. Jean and I added the other in between time ads.
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The Camp Pendleton Base and the U.S. Marine Corps was most generous in their honors for Jean and the Show cast of ‘regulars’. It began on the 1st Anniversary of the Show with beautiful little inscribed granite paper-weights being given to all the cast members and production staff. Then the 2nd Anniversary, Maj. Gen. Donn Robertson presented wall plaques . . . and, the 3rd Anniversary Jean received what we were told was the largest plaque ever presented to a civilian by the Corps, and it was updated each successive year.
It was wonderful being honored by the Mayors of the two local cities near Camp Pendleton: Oceanside and San Clemente, CA. The Los Angeles City Council made a special Resolution on the 5th Anniversary and Mayor Sam Yorty had Jean, Bob Jamieson and Mike Lansing come to City Hall for a special presentation on the occasion of the 6th Anniversary. Yes, we certainly did receive so many honors! Although the letters have yellowed over the years, you may see some of them from not only Mayor Yorty but also: Governor Ronald Reagan (R) of California; Senator Hubert Humphrey (D) of MN; Senator George Murphy (R) of CA; Senator Alan Cranston (D) of CA; Assemblyman, Alan Sieroty (D) of CA; Assistant Secretary of Defense, Maj. Gen. Daniel James, Jr. brought honors from President Nixon and Vice President Agnew; and the Los Angeles City Council. If you’re in the entertainment business, when a parent attends a Show and sees your work, this is an honor unlike any other. Jean and I were thankful our parents were proud of our work in bringing shows to the Marines and came out from South Dakota to attend the 4th Anniversary Show which also had SD Governor Frank Farrar attending. The Show also happened to fall on November 22 in 1970, which was Jean’s birthday, and the Base surprised Jean with a BIG birthday cake. The cast that Show definitely went off any diet! I don’t know what Jean’s folks, Otto and Loena Will, thought about the finale of the Show, but I do know my mother, Amy Lundberg, did let me know: Don’t you think that bikini is a little too small? I told her the men loved it.
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