Words from Mr. Watson

You'd be hard-pressed to find many people who know more about the peerless Lucille Ball than Tom Watson. Longtime president of the We Love Lucy fan club, he's also the co-author of Loving Lucy: An Illustrated Tribute to Lucille Ball. Since Lucy looms large in my newly released book S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker: Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton, and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood, I invited Tom to give it a look.

Here's what he had to say:

The newest book on my Lucy Bookshelf is “S. Sylvan Simon, Moviemaker” (subtitled “Adventures with Lucy, Red Skelton and Harry Cohn in the Golden Age of Hollywood”), by author/historian David C. Tucker. I should emphasize the word “historian,” for not only is Mr. Tucker the author of at least 8 other show biz centered books, but this one (like the rest) is published by McFarland & Company, which tends to take a more erudite approach to things: most of their books tend to eschew the “Lucy ran to the bedroom in tears” anecdotes in favor of “just the facts, ma’am.” But (if I can mix in yet another Hollywood metaphor) there are a few “who shot who in the Embarcadero in August, 1879” stories just for fun -- when they reflect on the person or movie being discussed.

 "Her Husband's Affairs," with
Lucy and Franchot Tone.

The book is divided into two main parts: a names, date, places biography, chronicling Simon’s life and career, and an extensive filmography, that lists all of the pictures on which Simon worked, providing not only the official credits for each of the films, but a synopsis of the story, reviews, and comments.

Tucker has done a wonderful job here, shining some light on a little known writer-director-producer who made a profound contribution to the screen careers of both Lucille Ball and Red Skelton (and countless others). At MGM, he directed Skelton in such comedies as “Whistling in the Dark,” and it’s sequels, “Whistling in Dixie” and "Whistling in Brooklyn,” and directed Lucy in the cameo appearance she made in “Abbott and Costello in Hollywood.” Moving over to Columbia where he became a producer and soon took over as head of production, Simon starred Red in “The Fuller Brush Man,” directed Lucy in “Her Husband’s Affairs” and cast her in “Miss Grant Takes Richmond” and “The Fuller Brush Girl” (a follow-up to the Skelton hit).

As Tucker points out, the films Lucy made with Simon both showcased and helped advance her comedic abilities – setting her in motion for the stellar career in television that soon followed. Sadly, Simon himself did not live to see his star’s greatest success – he died in May of 1951 at the age of 41. Here, at last, is a fine chronicle of his life and career.

Thanks, Tom!