Happy 82nd birthday to my good buddy GAVIN MaCLEOD!

Call this post ‎"Michael Aushenker and Gavin MacLeod: The Bromance --Through The Years"

Happy birthday to my good buddy Gavin, star of Blake Edwards' THE PARTY and THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW and THE LOVE BOAT and OPERATION PETTICOAT and KELLY'S HEROES...among many, many other beloved films....

My path crossed with Gavin's back in 2008-2010 when I was a staff writer at a newspaper in Pacific Palisades, CA, where Gavin lived and served as its longest-running honorary (celebrity) mayor. We hit it off instantly and have stayed friends to this day, beyond my move to the Palisades and his move out of the Palisades last year for another part of California.
Gavin turns 82 today! 

Love this guy! As anyone who is lucky to have met him knows, he's a class act in a business bereft of them!

I wished him a great birthday this morning and, as usual, we had a great time conversing. He always has the most amazing showbiz anecdotes to share. Anyway, he sounds happier and more robust than in recent years, I'm happy to report. I only wish him the best in life, that Gavin!

In honor of Gavin, here are a few articles I interviewed him while writing for various news outlets in Pacific Palisades on:

*Gavin's one-man show...

http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=5446

*Partying with Gavin at the Pearl Dragon

http://pacificpalisades.patch.com/articles/pearl-dragon-breathes-fire-into-chambers-new-year

*Lunch at the now-defunct Village Pantry (real mayor Richard Riordan's old place) with Gavin and friends...

http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=5010

*Behind the scenes on Blake Edwards' classic 1968 film "The Party"

http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=4048

God bless you, Gavin! I wish you some of the best years of your life ahead!