Scribblings From the Desert

I am a published author and produced screenwriter living in Rancho Mirage, California with my wife, Beth, and two dogs, Crystal and Misty. I have spent most of my life in and around the Hollywood Motion Picture Business.

Name:
Location: Rancho Mirage, California, United States

Thursday, January 31, 2008


That's Mary - top row in middle

After meeting, my wardrobe lady from "The Honkers," Mary, approached me and asked if I remembered her. Of course I did. We talked for a while and I introduced her to Beth and gave her my card. Home and check e-mail. To car wash with Expedition; then home. To pick up luggage for Beth's employers and deliver it to their home. See beth. Home. Off to lunch at Chinese place with Tom Snow. Home and down for nap. Up and feed girls. Work at computer, going over manuscript. Two photos missing so send them to Mark. Beth home and we eat and talk. We to office; then she showers. Later ~

Wednesday, January 30, 2008


Miss Kitty and Matt

By College of the Desert after meeting and talk with Mark Rizzo. He's finished with book but still workig on both front and back covers. Drop a Beth package at post office; then home. Check e-mail; then to bank to deposit and cash check for Beth. Home and begin re-proofing book. Lunch and paper. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Talk Mark, and Sally Leachman. Work on book proofing again. Send pics of James Arness' Matt Dillon Gun-belt to Sue, who is going to e-bay my look-alike gun-belt for me. Beth home. We eat and talk. She off to H&I meeting. I to computer for more proofing. Later ~

Tuesday, January 29, 2008


Bob Diamond

To Walgreens after meeting to buy heating pad for Beth. On to haircut at Sherry Mesa's. Then by Beth's place of employment and change light bulb in a shower. Home and check e-mail. Mark is out for today so I will see him tomorrow. Work on computer. Snack. Mail here - Beth's Red Skelton painting arrives. Make lunch and read paper. My letter to the editor is on the opinion page:

Not both of them

To define Doris White's letter in which she talks about what Hillary (and Bill) will do if elected ("Package deal," Jan. 24).
"Improved health" means socialized medicine and many, many months to get a doctor's appointment and/or medical treatment.
"Taxes" means more taxes not less taxes, and "stopping the war" means dropping our defense, which invites our enemies to invade our country. She also says, "you get Bill." We all know what that means - God help us all.

Stephen Lodge
Rancho Mirage

E-mails from Bob Diamond; Lee Ellis; Tom Snow; and Ross Salomone. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Work at computer in afternoon. Beth home and we eat. She's exhausted - washes hair, takes shower and to bed early with heating pad for her arm. I'll follow soon. Later ~

Monday, January 28, 2008


Bobby and Me with Wild Bill Hickok (Guy Madison)

Windy
Home from meeting and check e-mail. Work at computer until 9:45, then off to vet with Misty for followup. She just great. they poked her ears and nary a whimper. Stop and get dog food on way home. Talk to Beth. Fix lunch and eat with TV. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Office and work all afternoon. Talk to Mark and will see him tomorrow, I hope. Respond to letter from Jack Moon. Beth home and we eat. She gets ready to go to her place of employment for the night - taking care of animals. Later ~

Sunday, January 27, 2008


My birth father, John Livers, who passed away yesterday

RAIN - Sleep in day. Beth up early and to Hall. I up 6:00 and shower, dress and eat while reading paper. Work at computer. Trim beard. Beth home. She work in office while I watch DVD of "There Will Be Blood." Snack for lunch then I down for nap. Up and find that she fed girls. PM in office, Call James in Florida. Beth talks Shannon about John's death; and we call my sister, Linda, later on. We'll probably go to bed early. Later ~

Saturday, January 26, 2008


Last picture I took of Jimmy Farrell

John Livers and Jim Farrell passed away today.
Grocery shopping after meeting (Beth to Edie's); home and unpack. Check e-mail and putz on computer. Make reservations for Festival of the West (FoW) hotel. Vacuum tile for Beth. Beth home and we eat lunch together. Mail. I down for nap while she mops tile and dusts. Up and she had already fed girls. Spend afternoon at computer. Call Leroy and set him for FoW in March/ Call Shannon and leave message. Beth talks to Eva and her brother Bruce calls. We out to dinner at the new Blue Coyote in Bermuda Dunes. Home. She to shower; I write here. Later ~

Friday, January 25, 2008


Dick Jones between takes

To Hall and do chores. See the group, then off to dental appointment. Teeth cleaned and yearly check up - A-OK. Home and to bank and make a deposit. Home and work on computer. Take Misty to vet for follow up ear cleaning. Home. To Palm Desert and purchase my birthday present. Mark Rizzo calls - almost finished with editing and cover. Home and lunch and read. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. More work on computer. Beth will be late because of hair appointment. Wait. She home and we eat. Immediately get ready for bed. Later ~

Thursday, January 24, 2008


With Woody Strode

Straight home from meeting; check e-mail and snack. Take off for Sam's Club so I'm there by 10:00 a.m. - After, call gun shop and drive to shop. Look at single action Colts. Nice nickel-=plated one I like. Home and do some gun research. Lunch while watching an Alan Ladd Western on Western Channel. Mail. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. To office and work at computer. Beth home and we eat. Both to office. Later ~

Wednesday, January 23, 2008


Beth and Dori

Home from meeting stop by bank and deposit then on home and check e-mail. Work on computer in a.m. with snack. Off to Indio to take wall hanging to Joel, then Joel and I lunch at Mexican place nearby. Call from Beth on way home; also stop my gun shop to check out single-action models but not available just then. Home and down for nap. Up and feed girls. Computer for a while. Talk to Mark re book. Beth home and picks me up and we to Dori's for pizza and talk. Home at 8:00 and bed before 9:00. Later ~

Tuesday, January 22, 2008


Misty

Post office and bank after meeting then home. Check e-mail and snack. Take Misty to Vet at 10:00. She gets her left ear treated; I bring home her medications. Bob and Eva by to pick up certificate. Lunch and TV Western. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Eric by and load up dresser; he also moves some cement blocks for Beth. Drive him home where he unloads the dresser. I home. TV - Heath Ledger death news. Beth home and we eat. To office. Later ~

Monday, January 21, 2008


Nickel-Plated SAA

Drive Ryder to 1000 Palms and work after meeting. See Kim Hardee. Home and check e-mail with snack. Work at computer until 10, then off to 10:30 appointment for sonogram and cat scan. Home and fix lunch and watch beginning of a Lone Star John Wayne titled, Blue Steel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Call vet and make appointment for Misty for tomorrow afternoon (she is having ear trouble). Work at computer. Check on SSA reproductions. Beth home and we eat. Mark Rizzo calls and I send him a photo that somehow disappeared. Beth will be here in office soon. Later ~

Sunday, January 20, 2008


My Sister Shannon

Sleep in day for me. Beth up and to Hall. I up 6:30 - shower and dress; then eat with paper. Trim beard; Beth home. She's having a Maad Dog Daze meeting here so she prepares. I work at computer while she dusts. Lunch together. I down for nap. Her co-workers arrive. I up and feed girls in office. Watch first playoff game while working at computer. Call Shannon (my sister)and we talk. Beth's meeting over. I fix dinner while she calls and talks to Shannon, Eat and watch second game. Game over and office - get ready for bed. Later ~

Saturday, January 19, 2008


Bob Boze Bell Arizona Cloud Photo

Grocery shopping after meeting; then home and put away. Check e-mail and vacuum tile. Beth home and she mops. Lunch. I down for nap. She off to get her nails done. I up; get mail and feed girls. Work at computer. Beth home. Talk and make dinner. Eat. She shower. Now we're going to watch a DVD called "Zodiac" Later ~

Friday, January 18, 2008


Dale and Roy with director - on the RR Show set

Home after meeting and check e-mail. Bug guy here and sprays. I to appointment at skin doctor - get spritzed and biopsy taken. Home and make lunch - eat. Down for nap. Up and get mail. Feed girls. Into office and work at computer in afternoon. Talk Mark Rizzo and Beth. Beth home and we meet Chad the pilot at Ruby's for dinner. Tom Snow calls. Talk and have fun. Home and get ready for bed. Write here. Later ~

Thursday, January 17, 2008


Jane Adams and Duncan Renaldo

Follow Beth to her place of employment as she has to take another car to airport; scrubbed - she'll go later in van. I home and check e-mail. Send e-mail and script off. Make some calls; then to lunch with Tom Snow and Norman Foster at Baker's Square. Home and down for nap. Up and get mail; feed girls; open mail. Work in office on a few things. Talk to brother, Bob. watch some O'Reily. Beth home (her employers home today). we eat and to office where she catches up on things. Later ~

Wednesday, January 16, 2008


I took this photo of Gene Autry at Melody Ranch in 1955

Beth felt well enough to go to meeting and work today. Robin's birthday celebrated. Follow Beth to her place of employment and follow her to Bermuda Dunes airport where she drops the Tracker. Drop her back at work. Home; get ready, then off to Sam's Club to shop for Hall. Home and office. Beth by to pick up a UPS package - say "Hi" ~ Lunch with Gene Autry on the Western Channel. Mail, then down for nap. Up and feed girls. E-mail from Makky Taylor, songwriter, artist, asking if my friend Tom Snow was a Tom Snow he might have known. Call to Tom proves he's not the guy. Talk Mark Rizzo; make Skin Dr. appointment for Friday. Work on computer. Sweep tile. Beth home after a full day. Dinner - she soup. She to shower and bed. I write here and will putz a little longer then join her. Later ~

Tuesday, January 15, 2008


My wife Beth

Beth to dentist and leaves before meeting. I home after meeting to check e-mail. Off to bank at 9:00 - then on to college of the desert for meeting with Mark Rizzo on the book and cover. On to Downey Savings and open an IRA for me. To Southwest Thrift Shop and drop stuff, and on to jewelry store to get battery for Beth's watch and show the guy a watch George left me to find out value. Back home - call her. Make lunch; call Tom Snow; the watch an old PRC Lash La Rue Western while eating. Brother Bob and Realtor call separately - we're lowering price. Faxes received and sent back signed. Down for nap. Up and message from Mark; call him. Beth home sick (which is unheard of, so she must be real sick). I back to her place of employment and pick up her co-worker then take her home. I drive home. Beth sicker than a dog - like I was last week. Could it be the same thing I had? She thinks it was some chicken she had for lunch. Make dinner and eat (oatmeal) and watch Bat Masterson. Check on Beth; back to office. Her brother Bruce calls ans she is able to talk to him so all is not lost. Later ~

Monday, January 14, 2008



Eric driving back from Glendale yesterday

Feel sick again. Up anyway - shower and dress. Fix Beth's breakfast and when she's up decide I'll stay home from meeting. I back to bed and she off to Hall. I sleep another hour or so. Up and dress. Off to bank and take care of some Trust business; then on to Vons and shop. Home and unpack. Have some instant oatmeal. Settled okay. Computer and make some calls. Down for another nap. Up and feed girls. Spend afternoon at computer and working on book. Beth home and we eat (I have oatmeal again). To office and to computer - write here. Bed early, I hope. Later ~

Sunday, January 13, 2008


On the way home with all the stuff

Beth up and to Hall; I sleep in until 5:30, then up and shower and dress. Lite breakfast with paper. Beth home; Eric here and we take off for Glendale with Eric driving. Less than two hours - I call Steve the antique guy so he can meet us there. Stop and pick up sandwiches. To George's house (now Bob's and mine). Start loading the remaining furniture. Hermine, our real estate lady there with some prospective buyers. Steve the antique guy, his wife, and their mechanic by. They pass on the furniture but buy the Pontiac. Loaded up by 12:30, we hit the road back to the Coachella Valley - luck out as there are three wrecks on the way and we are at the head of the pack and don't get held up in traffic. Drop a dresser drawers at our house then drive to La Quinta and drop the rest at Sue's storage house. Drop Eric off then head home. Dinner; then to office. Typing now and it's only 7:00 pm. Later ~

Saturday, January 12, 2008


Maybe it was something I ate

Up and down all night still sick. Better by morning. Beth up and to Hall. I up, shower and dress. Soup for breakfast. Some pills. Computer and look at what Mark sent me yesterday. Beth home and we talk. Putz around for a while, still not up to par. Down for nap before noon, then up in time to feed girls at 3:00. Drink water and feel a little better. Beth to El Paseo shopping. Harry calls about my health. Little football. Office and work at computer. Beth home and we eat (I noodles and crackers). Both of us to office and putz. Bed early. Later ~

Friday, January 11, 2007



This is new photo made from found negative

Home from meeting and check e-mail. Bring in box of photos from shed and go through it again - no luck finding photo, but do find negative. Scan and get photo. E-mail to Jerry and Mark. Start feeling sick. Exchange e-mails with Jerry and Mark as I get sicker and sicker. No lunch and into bed. Miserable. Talk Beth and try go to sleep. Beth home and I wake up for a hi. Sleep. She to bed and up and down all night. Take some pills. Later ~

Thursday, January 10, 2008


This is a copy of the Original Picture I'm searching for

Home after meeting and check e-mail. Finish last night's blog with a photo. To bank and deposit; on to credit union and make withdrawal. Home and work on cover pic search. Off to City Wok for lunch with Harry, Tom S., Tom G., Norman and David. Home after, check mail then down for nap. Up and feed girls. Work at computer on pic search. Talk Beth; then call Mark on cover pic. Back to search. Beth home and we eat. I to office while she showers. She to office. We will hit the hay soon. Later ~

Wednesday, January 09, 2008


Dinner at Murph's with Alisa and friends

Switch cars after meeting and I take her's in for lube and oil change; find it needs 30,000 mi check. Home and check e-mail. Work on finding Dundee and Culhane photos and have no luck. My cover picture for new book just isn't up to par. E-mails back and forth between Jerry Schnieder and me. Beth by and take me to pick up her car. Home and have lunch with Gene Autry on Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls, Call Mark Rizzo and talk book. Call Steve the coin guy and make arrangements for Sunday. Put Beth's car out front so she can put Ford into garage. Waiting for Beth as we're going out to meet my high school friend, Alisa, and some others for dinner at Murph's Gaslight, by the Bermuda Dunes Airport. Nice dinner with Alisa, her husband, and another couple. Home and we to bed. Later ~

Tuesday, January 08, 2008


Gene and Champ at Melody Ranch 1955

To Hall and do chores; then off to blood draw then home. Check e-mail. To get haircut and to bank to do deposits. Home, then off to Ballard's Western Store in Palm Spring and buy some Wranglers. By Beth's place of employment and exchange vehicles. To Ramona tire for lube on her car and they can't do it until tomorrow. Home. Lunch with Annie Oakley on computer Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Open mail. Take tags off new jeans. Sweep tile. Work in office. Beth home and we eat. Both of us to office. Later ~

Monday, January 07, 2008


Filming on Old Republic back lot in 1968

RAIN all night. To COD after meeting for a meeting with Mark Rizzo on how manuscript is coming along; then stop at Office Depot to get some Xeroxing done for Beth. Check e-mail once I'm home and check web sites. Exchange of e-mails with Mark Rizzo. Review manuscript down to where he stopped. Lunch with Annie Oakley online Western channel. Mark calls. Bring in mail. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. To office for rest of afternoon. Change light bulb on porch. Beth home and we eat. Talk Brother Bob. Both to office. Later ~

Sunday, January 06, 2008


Peggy Castle and John Russell of TVs Lawman

Sleep in day. She up at 4:30 and off to Hall. I sleep until 6:00 then up, shower and dress. Muffin and bacon with Sunday paper. Beth home then we drive to Edie's to drop off mittens; then we head for ABC Alumni Breakfast. Eat with Bill White. After to Smart and Final for her, then KOHL's for shirts for me. Home. I vacuum tile. She mops. I down for nap. Up and feed girls. Computer for a while; then we to Wal-mart looking for Wrangler jeans (no luck). By different KOHL's and three more shirts for me plus slippers for her. Home. Dinner while we watch Republican debate on Fox. Both to office. Later ~

Saturday, January 05, 2008


At a WWA Convention

Beth had to leave before meeting started, so I did, too. Grocery shopping; then home and unpack. Check e-mail and work on computer. Beth calls and I drive over to her place of employment and we to Bermuda Dunes airport to pick up one of her employers' cars and take it back ( we stopped for hot dog on way). I home and down for nap. Up and feed girls. Work on computer. She back from nail appointment. I work on computer while she works elsewhere. Dinner, then to office. I think we're going to watch a DVD then hit the hay. Later ~

Friday, January 04, 2008


Robert Young eating an ice cream bar on the Father Knows Best set at the Columbia Ranch

Stop at Office Depot on way home from meeting. Home and check e-mail. Was going to go to get Ford oil change but Beth thinks she may need me to pick up Chad from PS airport. Work at computer. Call Hermine and Eric and cancel trip to Glendale because of coming rain storm. Find out don't have to go PU Chad, so take Ford to mechanic and drop it off; then bring me home. Lunch at computer watching a Lone Rider PRC Release Western. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Work on computer. Open mail. They pick me up and take me to pay for car; then home. Beth calls, she'll be late. TV - O'Rielly. Beth home and we eat. To office and write here. Later ~

Thursday, January 03, 2008


With Joel Peters

Home after meeting and check e-mail. To bank and deposit and cash checks. Home for a few minutes then off to Sam's Club for Hall shopping. Home and putz on computer - send attachment of essay to C&I. Off to Indio - stoop and talk to Joel for a few minutes. On to monthly lunch with Conservative Roundtable Group. Home and feed girls; then down for quick nap. Beth calls; sleep; Ron next door calls. I up and meet him at fence. Back to computer. Beth calls, then she's home with enchiladas and tamales. We eat and talk after. Office and e-mail brother Bob. Later ~

Wednesday, January 02, 2008


Gene Autry

Home after meeting and check e-mail. A major magazine wants me to write something for them. We exchange e-mails and the editor will contact me again tomorrow. Work on present essay for a while. Lunch with Gene Autry movie on Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Drive to San-on and pick up prescriptions. Home and write some more. Beth calls and will be a little late. Watch some O'Reilly and Bat Masterson; then she home and we eat. Both of us to office. Later ~

Tuesday, January 01, 2008


2008 Rose Parade on our TV

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Home from meeting with her early so we can watch Rose Parade from the beginning. After parade I fix some lunch for Beth; then she off to her place of employment to work for a few hours. I work on new essay; then fix lunch and eat with TV - Eddie Dean in a PRC Western. Down for nap. Up and feed girl. Sweep and take enchiladas out of fridge. Work on essay. Turn on Rose Bowl Game late and start to watch. Set table for this evening. Beth home and start on dinner. Brother, Bob and his wife, Eva here for dinner and Trust discussion. They leave. We get ready for bed. Later ~