| Meeting famous people is often a surreal | | | | causing innocent men to run out of their nearby |
| experience for both parties. In 1956 when Elvis | | | | apartment buildings in their undergarments and run |
| Presley arrived in Hollywood he and his entourage | | | | away, with Stan and Ollie doing double takes. |
| stayed at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. One | | | | Before shooting the scene Laurel gathered the |
| day he got into the elevator. "What floor?" asked | | | | extras around," Listen fellas, it's costing us a |
| the operator. "Tenth please." The operator looked | | | | fortune to rent out these apartments so I want |
| at him with disdain. "You can't go up to the tenth | | | | to get it right the first time. Now when you hear |
| floor. Elvis is staying there. No one is allowed | | | | the shots and run out into the alley, don't linger. |
| there." A bemused Presley said," I know. I'm Elvis." | | | | We only want you in the scene for about ten |
| The hotel employee stared at him for a long | | | | seconds." After the director shouted "ACTION!" |
| moment then said," Well I don't care who you | | | | the boys ran down the alley, their wives fired |
| are, you can't go to the tenth floor." The amiable | | | | their guns, the men in their undergarments ran |
| singer agreed to go to the eleventh floor and | | | | out and disappeared quickly following Stan's |
| walked down the stairs to the tenth.Some | | | | instructions to the letter. All except one guy who |
| entertainment organizations are so vast that | | | | was about thirty seconds late, ran the wrong |
| employees don't always recognize the people at | | | | way, and bumped into Laurel, ruining his |
| the top. Walt Disney who often was harsh with | | | | close-up."You bloody fool. You ruined the shot!" |
| those who worked for him, had no patience for | | | | shouted Laurel. "I'm not in the movie," replied the |
| anyone at Disneyland who was rude to the | | | | runner."Sometimes legends don't recognize each |
| customers or as he put it, the guests. One time | | | | other. After twenty years in Hollywood Alfred |
| when an unfriendly security guard prevented he | | | | Hitchcock finally became super rich after |
| and his wife Lillian from getting on a ride, Walt | | | | producing the low budget Psycho (1960). His agent |
| fired him reasoning the man would be unpleasant | | | | Lew Wasserman convinced him to trade the |
| with others. But if someone was doing their job | | | | movie rights for shares of stock in Universal, |
| they had nothing to fear from the boss. Once, | | | | making the director the third biggest owner of |
| when Walt was on hand for a demonstration of a | | | | the studio. From then on Hitchcock loved picking |
| new ride a young girl working there chided him | | | | up the Wall Street Journal to see if he was |
| for lighting up a cigarette, it wasn't allowed. | | | | wealthier. While directing his last film Family Plot |
| Disney, who eventually died of lung cancer, asked, | | | | (1975) Hitchcock would arrive at Universal early, |
| "Whose idea was that?" "Walt Disney's." Walt | | | | sit in his chair and joyfully read about Jaws (1975) |
| stubbed out the cigarette. "That's good enough | | | | which was adding millions to his stock's value. One |
| for me."Sometimes the famous have a difficult | | | | day his morning routine was upset by an uninvited |
| time not being the center of attention. Once at a | | | | young man hovering around the movie set. |
| party at Louis B. Mayer's house, the mogul was | | | | Hitchcock, who seemed to have eyes in the back |
| expressing his admiration for a female," The red | | | | of his head called a crew member to have the |
| hair, the legs, I have never seen such beauty. She | | | | intruder removed. It turned out to be Jaws |
| walks so regally like a queen". Greer Garson the | | | | Director Steven Spielberg who wanted to meet |
| new queen of the MGM lot was standing nearby. | | | | his idol.Just because you're recognized once |
| She walked up to Mayer's circle and said," Why | | | | doesn't mean you will continue to be. After losing |
| thank you Mr. Mayer." It turned out LB was | | | | his driving privileges because of drunkenness Sean |
| talking about his new horse.It's hard sometimes | | | | Penn was forced to ride the city bus. One day |
| for stars to remember that not everyone cares | | | | another passenger came up to him. "Hey you look |
| about who they are or what they are doing. One | | | | like Sean Penn. But I know he wouldn't be riding a |
| time Laurel and Hardy were filming a strange | | | | bus." Penn replied," How do you know? Do you |
| scene in Venice Beach that required the boys to | | | | know Sean Penn?" "Yeah I worked on a film he |
| run down a narrow alleyway with their wives | | | | starred in." "Oh yeah? Well, what do you think of |
| chasing them. The women would shoot at them | | | | him?". "Oh God, he was a total $%#%! |