From Gumby's Mouth to Gavin's Eyes! (It's a comic book after all...)

Splendid morning today breakfasting with Pacific Palisades' beloved Honorary Mayor Gavin MacLeod at the soon-to-be-departed Village Pantry on Swarthmore Ave. He shared a lot of anecdotes about working with Blake Edwards, one of my all-time favorite directors for sure. I signed up a copy of "Gumby's Gang Starring Pokey" for his grandson Liam. Of course, I had to doodle a dress and tank top (with matching bonnet) on the half-naked chick the publisher absent-mindedly stuck on the back of this kiddie comic. Did that at the Whittier signing last week as well, it's kind of funny, actually....

Gavin is a class act, one of the warmest people I've met, in the Palisades and beyond. He has no pretentions and he's also quietly one of the most gifted comic actors to play in movies and in TV, and if you don't believe me, check out on of my favorite films, Edwards' "The Party" with Peter Sellers. He's pretty modest for a guy who has only played opposite some of the most legendary comic actors in Hollywood history, from Cary Grant to Peter Sellers to Mary Tyler Moore and his old buddy Ted Knight and many, many more. If you count the guests who've waltzed across the deck of the Love Boat, Gavin's probably shared scenes with just about every actor and actress of note. Gavin turns 80 on Feb. 28 and his energy, his buoyancy and his storytelling is always a thrill to be around.

The last week's worth of rain was a drag, especially since my sister Melody and her husband were visiting from England and it rained nonstop. They left Weds. night and did not get to see a lick of sunshine during their whole stay. As if they don't get enough of that in England....In any case, I was happy to hear that the brand new Laguna Beach Hi De Ho comics store came out of that mess unscathed. Ah, the power of comics....