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

Monday, January 31, 2011

With Kenny Rogers on Rio Diablo set - Alamo Village, TX - September 1992

Beth up and off to meeting. I up, shower and dress. Read Saturday's paper while I eat breakfast. Call Beth. Drive over to her place of employment and pick up something to ship for her; then to shipping place and ship two packages. Drive over to Deep Canyon Albertson's and grocery shop. Home. Put stuff away. Call Beth. Make some lunch and eat while watching TV. Still feel stuffed up - lethargic. Down for nap with Misty. Up and check e-mail - read Rush daily note. Bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth. Open Ferro Sequels for Beth. Clean up side yard. Into office and check computer. Start watch O'Reilly. Beth home. Unload for her and start dinner We eat and talk. We both feel lousy. I clean up and put trash out. She showers - both get ready for bed. Later ~

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bused in protesters at local Marriott on Bob Hope Drive

Sleep in day. Beth up early and off to Hall to meet Brenda. Not a half-bad night for me so I'm up by 6:15; showering, dressing, and cooking breakfast. I read Sunday paper while I eat. Beth home a little after 8:00. She scurries around getting ready for her day; then she's off in a whirl. I continue with my chores. Getting pill boxes ready; trimming beard. etc. Beth finally home. Help her in with things. She does my pill boxes while I fix her lunch and she eats. I snack as I ate breakfast later. We into office and i help her with a report; show her several videos. I down for nap with Misty. Up and she's still here. Bids me good-bye then she's off for some meetings.
Kotch Brothers' Annual Conservative Meeting being held at nearby Marriott, is being attacked by Soros' boys. Buses of union thugs have been transported into the valley to protest and I can see and hear the helicopters and noise from here. Send some e-mails to round table members. Call Jimmy George. Getting hungry. Look at old photos and send some e-mails. Beth calls on way home. I start dinner. She home and we have soup and string beans. After ice cream, she washes her hair; then we watch an old CSI: Vegas rerun; followed by the end of a Huell Howser trip to Bodie gost town. Get ready for bed. Later ~

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Feeling just a little better

Beth up and off to meeting. I up 6:30 or so. Usual routine though slower. Finally have breakfast. Return call to Brenda. Sweep indoor tiles. Clean side yard. Check some e-mails. Eventually sit at TV for the end of a western then start another - Ride the High Country. Make sandwich and start eating. Beth home. Turn off TV; move to dining room. Help Beth in with groceries. Put them away. She makes a small lunch. We eat lunch together. I off to nap. Turn on TV Golf for her as she is following. When I get up find her ironing instead. Bring in mail. Pills. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. I back to bed until 5:15. Up and Beth wants to eat. I fix dinner and we eat. Then we watch recorded episode of CSI: Las Vegas. She down for night to read. I finish Ride the High Country. Watch a piece of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Get ready for bed. Check e-mail; write here; then close down. Later ~

January 26th, 27th, 28th


Started slowing down on Wednesday the 26th. Cold got worse almost immediately. Slept a lot on Wednesday afternoon; Blood draw Thursday morning feeling miserable - home and into bed. Sleep all day. Up for a try at dinner - some soup; Friday. Sleep most of morning away. Up and shower. Eat a little, TV and a walk. Back to bed in p.m. after feeding girls. Up when Beth gets home. She's been back to work a few days but still feels rotten at night. We eat dinner together. Bed early. Later ~

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

NEW Hawaii 5-0 Cast

Beth still sick - stays home one more day.
I leave before meeting starts. Stop at PDPO and pick up Beth's H&I mail. Home. Terry sent Beth some chicken soup - she has a cup. I make my Montana business call - not available and will call back. Talk with Beth. Have some crackers and check e-mail and news sites with girls at my side. My Montana contact calls back and we discuss business. Call Jimmy. To bank for Beth; then to Sam's Club for Beth. Home and make some lunch. Fix her soup. We eat while watching Lawman recording for today. She back to bed. I down for nap. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail and take to Beth in bedroom. Work at computer. Clean up side yard. She on phone. Work at computer. Write here for a minute. Make us some Lasagna dinner. We eat. She shower. Watch Hawaii 5-0 rerun. She bed. I finish up here. Later ~

Monday, January 24, 2011

Dinner in the big dining room on the Zaandam

Beth's cold lingers - stays in bed. No meeting for her; no work.
I home from meeting. Beth reading at table. I check e-mail and call Jimmy George. We talk business. Take Beth to La Quinta doctor regarding her pinched nerve in her back. I stay in car watching Rush on my smart phone until she is finished. Drive back home. She back to bed. Call Jimmy to finish our conversation. I make sandwich and watch Lawman recording while eating. Watch some more TV. Talk to Beth and take her lunch order. Make her some soup. She into dining room to eat. I get ready for nap with Misty and today we're joined by Beth, too. Up from nap and check e-mail. Bring in mail. Feed gor;s. Open mail for Beth and take it to her in bedroom. I out to clean up side yard. Into office to work at computer. Call Jimmy again. Beth is calling - I'm on the way. Put out trash. Back to computer. Make some more soup; I have spahgetti - we eat. She down for nap. I check e-mail. We watch NEW Hawaii 5-0 episode that started after last night's football game so we were cut off before the end. We're already ready for bed. Later ~

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Beth and I are going through the Zicam - sure wish they made the gel sticks like they used to ~

Sleep in day - sleep in day for Beth, too. She caught a bad cold; I caught a light cold. I finally up 6:30; she stay in bed. I take pills, shave, shower, and dress. Bring in Sunday paper. To kitchen and make breakfast. Eat and read Sunday paper. Clean up kitchen. Talk with Beth; turn on her TV. She back to sleep. I start watching prep show for today's games. Make a hamburger patty - eat with chips and dip while first game begins Green Bay vs. Chicago Bears. Take Beth something to drink. Shannon calls for her. I back to TV and nap a little while watching game. Green Bay wins first game. Check some e-mail between games and Brenda calls for Beth. I watch second game: Pittsburgh vs. NY Jets. Take some food to Beth - she doesn't care for taste. Brenda calls to talk to Beth. I finish 2nd game - Pittsburgh wins. It'll be Green Bay and Steelers in Super Bowl this year. Beth showers. I check mail. Later ~

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Will Rogers as Judge Preist

Both Beth and I are catching colds. Pour on the Zicam.
Grocery shopping after meeting. Home - Brenda helps me in with groceries. I put away while she goes back to cleaning. I check e-mail with girls and Cheeze-Its. E-mail from Jimmy George. Work a little at computer. Into living room and turn on TV. Surf around TV. Watch some of Ford's Judge Priest. Fruit for lunch. Brenda leaves. I follow shortly and head to nail place for pedicure. My usual lady is out of town so new girl takes care of me. Beth comes in for her appointment as I'm getting done. Drive home and dive into bed at 12:45. Wake up as Beth dives in later. She's sounding worse; I'm feeling mine. Up at 3:30. Bring in mail; feed girls; op;en mail for Beth. Into office to check e-mail. Try calling Jimmy George.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Al "Fuzzy" St. John

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls and Cheeze-Its. Dragon's Pest Service here and sprays inside and out. Off for Sam's Club where I shop for Hall and some small personal supplies. Drive home. Check e-mail. Make sandwich and eat while watching today's recorded episode of Lawman. Start to watch a Buster Crabbe, Fuzzy St.John PRC Western, Stagecoach Outlaws. Jimmy George calls. My script (our project) is being read by his contact. Down for nap with Misty. Up and check mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work in office all afternoon. Beth home, Cook and eat. She showers. We watch CSI: Vegas. Later ~

Thursday, January 20, 2011


Leave meeting early for blood draw; then home to pick up light jacket ans snack. Bye to girls then drive to Bermuda Dunes airport where i meet Beth who has dropped off Tracker. Back to her place of employment and take her car to car wash. See Blue. Drop her car off and pick up mine. Home. Make some lunch and watch today's recording of Lawman. Then watch Gene Autry and Gail Davis in Texans Don't Cry. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Sweep inside tiles. Work in office until Beth gets home. We eat. To office. Then we watch recording of Sunday's CSI: Miami, She shower - I get ready. Later ~

Wednesday, January 19, 2011


Stop at store for Beth after meeting then home. Check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Work at computer for awhile. Beth calls to cancel whatever she had planned for me today. Into living room and turn on TV. Fix a sandwich and have lunch while watching today's recorded Lawman segment. Follow that with RKO's 1952 Target, a Tim Holt western. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Into office and work at computer. Wait for Beth's arrival home. She calls; start dinner. Watch some O'Reilly. Beth home and we eat and talk. She washes her hair; I write here. We watch Tuesday's recording of NCIS, with Bob Newhart. Both to office. Later ~

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Having worked with John Russell makes watching Lawman reruns more enjoyable for me ~

Stop by grocery store on way home for additional foodstuffs. Home and open e-mail then search news sites with girls and crackers. Continue on computer - working a little my work in progress. Into living room and watch today's recording of Lawman. Pat Roth calls to let me know that Wanda Roth, Bob's mother, passed away last night. She'll call with more info soon. Make some lunch then continue watching Lawman; followed by some more recordings. Beth calls. I down for nap with Misty. Up and check e-mail. Bring in outside mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Sweep tile floors.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Old friend found

Power shuts electricity down at midnight. Lights back on at 4:20 am, so there is no more problem about getting to meeting on time. Saw Brenda's new (used) car before meeting.
Stop for gas after meeting and talk with Nader for a new minutes. Through circumstances I have tracked down a friend I worked with back in 1982. Starting on Facebook with his wife, whom I accidentally ran into, to Googling him and finding an e-mail address. I have written him; now waiting for a response. Jimmy George calls and we talk. Work at computer rest of morning before making some lunch and watching a Gene Autry Republic western. Down for nap with Misty. Up and work at computer. No mail because of holiday. Feed girls. Clean up side yard. Work a little on latest novel. Work at computer some more. Pull out dinner and start. Beth home and I continue to cook - then we eat. After, both to office and work on computers. Later ~

Sunday, January 16, 2011

From Here Come the Brides pilot shot at MGM Lot #3

Sleep in day. Beth up early to meet Brenda at Hall. I up 5:45 - shower and dress. Have breakfast while reading Sunday paper. Trim beard. Download several apps for my iPhone. Beth back and we talk. She here an hour or so; then she's off to meet Brenda for Costco shopping for the mission. I watch Seattle vs. Chicago snow game while I snack on lunch things. Check e-mail; then down for nap with Misty. Up and work at computer. Call from Beth. Feed girls and read Sunday comics. I get ready to go with Beth. She home but doesn't need me anymore. She off to help Brenda pick up her new Scion. I work at computer. Beth back and we eat dinner I I warmed for us. She does my pills and I put away cases. She work around house while I work at computer. Prepare for city electricity outage at midnight. Later ~

Saturday, January 15, 2011

My Good Friend, James Jenkins from Florida

Grocery shopping after meeting. Home and Brenda helps me unload and take inside. I put it all away. Brenda cleans while I check e-mail and news sites. After Brenda leaves, I make lunch and watch the end of Rootin' Tooin' Rhythm with Gene and Smiley. Down for nap with Misty. Up and Beth is home. We talk and both work at computers. I download pictures from iPhone to computer. Call my friend James Jenkins in Florida.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Sean Garrison and John Mills stand behind Warren Oates in a segment of Dundee and the Culhane - Apache Junction, AZ (1967)

Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Talk to Beth. Take off at 9:00 to go to AT&T to return bluetooth I bought yesterday. Home. Work at computer. To Best Buy at 10:00 and guy says it's the phone not the blue tooth. To AT&T and swap out phone and get new earpiece. It finally works! home and make lunch; watch Lawman recording while I eat. Talked to Beth. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Work on familiarizing myself with phone and earpiece. Spend some time on computer. Clean up side yard. Mark Rizzo calls. Wait for Beth. She home and changes purses. We to The River and meet Steve and Theresa Grippi for dinner outside on water. Home and get ready for bed. Later ~

Thursday, January 13, 2011


Home from meeting and check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Start listening to Rush. Down to ATT&T to buy new compatible blue-tooth. Home and start charging blue-tooth. Beth calls - needs me to help her to get car to mechanic. I drive over; pick her up and follow her to garage. Drop her and home. Make sandwich; eat while watching today's recorded episode of Lawman. Follow it with Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm with Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette. Down for nap with Misty. Up and check e-mail. Out to bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Work at computer.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

My Mississippi friend, Jimmy George

Hang around Hall after meeting - then to market to kill a half an hour. To Sherry's for haircut. Mel there and we all talk while she cuts. Stop by Nader's station and chat with Nader for awhile. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls and Cheez-its. Work at computer for awhile. Make some lunch then watch today's recording of Lawman while eating. Rain show - written and directed by Burt Kennedy. Watch a California Gold with Huell Howser on In-'n-Out Burgers history. Down for nap with Misty. Up in an hour and a half and bring in mail and package. Feeds girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work at computer. Tried calling Jimmy George earlier. Into kitchen and start preparing for dinner. Watch some O'Reilly. Beth home and help her in with her stuff. Cook more and we eat. Afterward, she washes her hair and I write here. Later, we watch CSI: Miami recording. Later ~

Monday, January 10, 2011

Bill Fawcett, Lane Bradford; Stan Jolley, Eddie Dean, Nancy Gates, in Check Your Guns, PRC (1948)

Leave meeting before it closes as it's running late. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Watch opening of Rush 24/7 then take off to bank; on to Bed, Bath, and Beyond; then to Borders to buy book for Claira. Home. Make early lunch and watch today's episode of Lawman, recorded this morning. Follow that with Check Your Guns, starring Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, George Chesebro, I. Stanford Jolley, and Nancy Gates. Beth called. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Sweep tile floors. Watch O'Reilly until Beth gets here; then start cooking. Help Beth unload. We eat and talk about the day. Then she showers and we watch yesterday's recording of CSI: Miami. Later ~

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Twin waterfalls - on Ku'a'i Island, Hawaii

Helen Leahy dies.
Sleep in day. Beth up early and off to Hall to meet Brenda. I up 5:45 - shower and dress. Bring in paper. Cook breakfast; then eat and read paper. Trim my beard. Work in office on computer. Beth home and help her bring work rags in. I into office and work at computer while she irons on service porch. I fix us lunch and we eat with girls watching. She takes off for El Paseo and shopping. I work in office. Down for nap with Misty. Upp in an hour and a half. Beth is home. I work at compouter. Feed girls. Clean up side yard. More work at computer. Beth over to her place of employment to give big dog (Jo)his medicine. I start soup and salad dinner. She home and works at computer then we eat and talk. She showers; I write here. Bed early. Later ~

Saturday, January 08, 2011

Bill and Sunny White

Grocery shopping after meeting. Home and bring all in and put it away. Brenda here and starts cleaning. I make popcorn and split it with Brenda. Check e-mail and news sites with girls and popcorn. Into living room and watch TV - a western, of course. Brenda works in kitchen while I eat and view TV. Brenda leaves and I finish my movie. Down for nap with Misty. Up and get dressed. Beth is home. I to mail box and only a warning from the Edison Co. regarding a forthcoming power outage. Clean up side yard. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth; who is still working in office. She off to work to feed big dog. I start to change. She home and we both get ready and off to La Quinta for dinner with Bill and Sunny at The Hog's Breath. Nice meal and discussion. Drive home and both get ready for bed. Later ~

Friday, January 07, 2011

Nick Adams (The Rebel) is introduced by Crash Corrigan during a personal appearance at Corriganville (1959)

Gas up on way home - Nader not there. Check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Surf around for awhile. Take off at 9:00 to deposit check in credit union; then on to Sam's Club to shop for Hall and us. Home. Put our stuff away. Microwave a hamburger patty then eat while watching today's recording of Lawman. Beth calls to remind me of airport later. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail; feed girls. Call Beth then drive over to get her; hi to her bosses parents and Brenda; then we to Bermuda Dunes airport to pick up Tracker. I home. Open mail for Beth. Into office and check e-mail.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Conservative Round Table - taken in 2008 - a few changes since then

Leave meeting before the meeting at 6:40 and drive to dentist office for Lilliana teeth cleaning; x-rays; check by Dr. Haggard. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls and Cheeze-its. Surf for awhile. To living room and watch today's recording of Lawman. Take off for Indio at 10:45. Stop and talk to Joel for awhile at Leather Plus. Then it's to Chinese place for lunch with the Conservative Round Table. Nice discussion. New member added. Home around 2:00 - feed girls; bring in mail; open mail for Beth. Check e-mail; then down for nap with Misty. Up around 3:45. Check e-mail. Clean up side yard. Quick sweep of tiles inside. Watch some O'Reilly. Beth home and help her in with some stuff. I cook and we eat and talk. She gets a phone call; then we watch NCIS rerun recorded last Tuesday. Both get ready for bed. Later ~

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Dick Jones (R) takes on two unidentified stuntmen filming the Buffalo Bill, Jr. TV Show

Not as cold as yesterday but still cold.
Stop at Ace Hardware to pick up some florescent lights for Beth. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Work at computer for awhile. Eating some fruit, I watch this morning's recording of Lawman. Drive to Eisenhower Hospital for 11:45appointment with Dr. Stone. I'm in good shape, or so he says. Drive home - several cookies then down for nap with Misty at 1:00. Up and check e-mail. Bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth; clean up side yard. Start getting dinner ready. Watch O'Reilly; Hannity. Beth home and we eat (soup and salad), To late for TV so we get ready. Later ~

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Tex Ritter, Johnny Mack Brown and Jenifer Holt face bad guy on ground. The Old Chisholm Trail (1942)

Home from meeting the back way. Beth beat me home - she forgot her jewelery and watch again. She off to work. I check e-mail and news sites with girls and snack. Then I drive up to credit union to make deposit for Beth. Home; make lunch then eat while watching today's recording of Lawman. Follow that with The Old Chisholm Trail with Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter. Beth calls. I down to nap with Misty - Crystal can't jump onto bed anymore. Up later and check e-mail. Bring in mail; feed girls; open (2 pieces) of mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Putz on computer. Sweep tile floors inside. Turn on O'Reilly and start cooking. Beth home. Help her in with her stuff. We eat and talk. After dessert we watch Monday's Hawaii 5-0, a new one. Both get ready and to bed early. Later ~

Monday, January 03, 2011

John Russell and Peter Brown from Lawman

Cold letting up.
Celebrate Beth's 29th AA birthday at meeting. Grocery shopping after meeting. Stop post office to mail a book. Home - unload and put away. Into office a nd check e-mail and news sites with girls and crackers. Work awhile at computer. Do some work around house. Make a sandwich and eat while I watch today's Lawman recorded this morning. Watch some of a Gene Autry western. Down for nap with Misty. Up and bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth. To Ace hardware to pick up folding chairs. Home and unload. Transfer new dog food into trash can. Toss bag. Clean up side yard. Into office and write here. To kitchen and put put all trash. Begin getting dinner ready. Beth home - I cook - and we eat. After - she out to porch and she gets terribly cold - her legs hill up. I help her in to the bedroom and she gets ready for her shower. She feels so cold she decides to get into bed instead - shower later. I start to get ready for bed. Write here for a few minutes. She into shower - feeling better now. I get ready. Bed early. Later ~

Sunday, January 02, 2011

On left Max Terhune and Gene Autry talk while officers decide what go do with them - from Ride Ranger, Ride
Sleep in day. Beth up and out into the cold on way to Hall to meet Brenda. I up - shower and dress. Make breakfast with paper. Brenda here to clean. After, she puts Christmas boxes in shed; white chairs in other shed. I watch some TV. Make a hamburger patty - eat while I view Ride Ranger, Ride. with Gene Autry. Down for nap with Misty. Up and write here. Into kitchen and put away my pills Beth sorted for two weeks. She is ironing. Into office and work some more. Beth into office. I take ironing and put it away for her. Call our Papa Dan's order in. Spend time talking with Beth. Drive to Papa Dan's and pick up our dinner; bring it home. We eat with girls going crazy - they like pizza. After dessert. into office - joined by Beth. Don't remember if we watched anything on TV or not, Later ~

Saturday, January 01, 2011



HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Still COLD.
Home from meeting (traffic great). Turn on HGTV for Rose Parade. Beth joins me and I try to get better channel and HD station, too. No luck. Finish watching parade with Beth. Then she wants to take down Christmas decorations and lights, We start, I drive down to Staples to get cartridge for Canon 4-way. Stop for sandwich and pizza. Home and Beth and I eat. Jamie by to work on furnace. I work here. Put in new ink cartridge. Print out old faxes. She off to work for a short time today. Down for nap with Misty. Up and spend most of the remaining afternoon moving Christmas boxes to back patio. Watch last half of Rose Bowl. Beth home and we eat dinner. Then we watch City Island, with Andy Garcia and Julianne Margolus. Pull everything together; make her a lunch; write here. Later ~