Memories of Patricia Neal

By Dale Huffman | Monday, August 30, 2010, 01:15 PM

Patricia Neal, who was born in 1926, died from lung cancer on August 8, 2010. She had a number of smaller roles on the Broadway stage before being paired with actor (and later President of the United States) Ronald Reagan in her first starring movie role, in a film titled “John Loves Mary” in 1948.

I enjoyed an interview with Neal over a two day period in October of the year 2000 when she visited Dayton as a guest speaker for Dayton’s Junior League Town Hall lecture series.

Her sultry, contralto voice was full and rich as she talked about her life and the actors she worked with over the years.

“When Ronny Reagan was very ill and in his final days I wrote a letter to his wife Nancy Reagan,” Neal said. “I told Nancy how much I respected her for being such a dedicated caregiver for her husband, the President. I let both of them know how much they both meant to me.”

During our conversation Neal talked about the movie “Operation Pacific” in which she starred with the legendary John Wayne in the early 1950s. “Then following that I starred with Tyrone Power in a movie titled “Diplmatic Courier” in 1952,” she said. She confided that her favorite movie memories go back to the 1940s when she first worked with the late actor Gary Cooper.

“I met Gary Cooper when we starred in The Fountainhead and later in Bright Leaf in 1948 and 1949,” she said. “Gary and I fell in love, I have to say that Gary was THE love of my life.”

Cooper was 48 and Neal was 23 when they fell in love, she said.

“Gary was married and had a 12 year old daughter at the time. I was single when I met Gary. It was a tremendous romance,” Neal said. “Some of the critics and reporters gave me a rough way to go at that time. But I must say that, looking back on my life - this was an era that was treasured. Gary was a real true love.”

Neal was later married to English writer Roald Dahl in the early 1960s and remained married with him for close to 30 years, before they were divorced. Mr. Dahl died in 1990.

Neal and Dahl had five children together, and the first of the five, Theo, was struck by a New York City taxi cab while he was being wheeled across a New York street in a carriage when he was a baby. He suffered head injuries and needed special care for all his life.

Another child, Olivia, died at age 7, from complications that accompanied measles. “We were always a family that cherished the good times, and learned to live with the bad,” Neal said.

One of the highlights of her life was winning a best actress Academy Award in 1963 for her role in the movie “Hud.”

“I shared stardom in that movie with Paul Newman,” she said.

When asked if she had what she called her favorite piece of work during her stage, screen and television career she quickly replied, “That would have to be my stage performance in the Broadway production of “Suddenly Last Summer” in 1958.”

She added, “I was told the producers chose Elizabeth Taylor to do the movie version because they felt she was better known. I always lamented that I didn’t get the movie role.”

Neal said she also remembered, with fondness, working on the classic movie “A Face in the Crowd” in which she starred along with Andy Griffith.

“It was tremendous working with director Elia Kazan,” she said. “I felt he was an amazing film maker.”

After a pause, with a tear forming in one eye, she continued, “I have had an amazing history in show business. I am so fortunate. A Tony when I was 21 for my work on “Another Part of the Forest” and an Oscar when I was 37 for my work in the movie “Hud.”

She wiped her eyes and added, “They have always said I am a stubborn woman. I limp a bit. My right eye is not so good any more. My memory is not so crisp. But I just keep on going. I will live a full life as long as I am able.”

Before I wished her well and said goodbye, Neal signed a photograph of the two of us that was taken back-stage at Memorial Hall on Friday October 13, 2000.

It means even more to me, now that she is gone.

She had written, “To my dear Dale - Patricia Neal.”

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Memorial Hall: Heart, soul and treasured memories

By Dale Huffman | Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 02:55 PM

Just a month ago I featured a story quoting a number of Miami Valley residents who were wishing and praying that Memorial Hall in Dayton would not be razed.

Now it has been announced by county officials that the historic building, along with the old Montgomery County Court House will be kept in place, and will be open again to the public. Final details on how the buildings will be used are pending. But they are not to be torn down.

That is very happy news for many area residents who shared memories of Memorial Hall in that earlier column, and I now offer some of those stories, which take on new importance in the afterglow of the news of the day.

Since it is “Memorial Hall” and the original purpose was to honor veterans, Jake Dailey, a retired employee at the Veteran’s Administration Center in Dayton, and a former Marine active in veteran affairs is “excited, and very pleased” that the hall has been saved, along with the statuary, paintings, marble pillars, and cannons outside.

“We should never destroy any monument to our veterans,” Dailey said. “The right thing is being done here.”

Another group of Daytonians who are happy with the news are the thousands of high school graduates who walked down the aisles of Memorial Hall and picked up diplomas there.

“On June 10, 1986 I was presented my diploma when I graduated from Dunbar High School at Memorial Hall,” said Melissa Mills, program director for DATV (Dayton Access Television). “Later,” Mills added, “I waited outside on the large steps in front of the hall to meet up with my mother. She gave me a hug and we posed for pictures. It was a great day in my life. I have always had hopes that the historic structure would be saved.”

The hall brings back floods of memories for many Miami Valley residents.

Lillian Cox Newton of Moraine said she has many memories of the hall. “I got to see Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggard and many stars there,” she said. “I would sit in the balcony and I loved it.”

Memorial Hall is where, as a Jefferson Elementary student, that Joan Eisenstodt said she learned to appreciate good music. “As students were were brought there to enjoy the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra,” she said. “I saw Carol Channing there in ‘Hello Dolly’. “

Eisenstodt added, “I also remember that my ballet teachers, the Schwarz sisters, staged beautiful ballet on that stage.”

The fabled Kenley Players called Memorial Hall home for over two decades and brought summer theater to thousands of Miami Valley residents.

Jeanette Patton and her husband Jim often attended Kenley plays, and they have an unusual memory. “It happened on May 5, 1967, when we were at Memorial Hall to enjoy the play known as ‘The Odd Couple’ which starred George Gobel and Phil Foster,” Jeannette said. “During the play a bat kept flying around the set. The actors were getting distracted. So Phil got a pillow and he whacked the bat. He then turned to the audience and announced, ‘It did its duty ‘til God called him home.’ “

Ross Ward, an engineer at Miami Valley Hospital, remembers seeing a number of rock bands perform at the old hall in the 1980s and 1990s. “I found it to be an awesome place to hear live music,” Ward said. “The acoustics were tremendous.”

So, for many Miami Valley residents, who had faced the bad news that one favorite and historic building after another has bitten the dust is recent years, it is good news that this historical real estate, that carries heart, soul, and treasured memories will be kept around for another generation to enjoy and talk about.

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Stranger rescues dog and saves family’s day

By Dale Huffman | Thursday, January 21, 2010, 03:09 PM

When Christina Consolino of Dayton opened her front door for three of her children one day recently, the family’s pet, a golden retriever, dashed out the door.

“He ran across the yard and right into the street,” Christina said. “I had one of my kids in my arms, and didn’t have any shoes on, so it was difficult to chase after my dog.”

She said she doesn’t live on a street with a lot of traffic, but when the dog ran loose, it brought back a bad memory: “When I was 10 years old my dog was hit and killed by a car,” Christina said. “To be honest my first thought was that I might have to relive that horrible day.”

She said a car approached their home, and the lady who was driving saw the dog running down the street. “She called out to me and asked if our dog might get into a stranger’s car,” Christina said. “I called back that I didn’t know.”

Christina then went inside to find a pair of shoes and a heavy coat.

When she returned to the front yard a neighbor told her that the woman in the car had coaxed the dog into her car, brought it back, and let the dog out in their yard.

“I looked up the street and the stranger who rescued our dog was driving away, unrecognized for her good deed. She was too far away for me to do anything but yell out ‘Thank you.’ ”

Christina said, “I wish I could do more, but I couldn’t get her license plate number, nor her name. It could have been just a horrible thing for our family, but I hope you will mention this … so we can give a shout-out to this caring lady. She saved our dog. She saved our day.”

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The little child’s gift to church is returned

By Dale Huffman | Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 01:46 PM

Children. Bless their hearts. They learn early that it is good to give.

Barbara A. Davis, of Lebanon, remembers when her son Jeff was nearly 1 year old, and she took him to church for the first time.

She said that when they passed the collection plate, little Jeff watched people dropping envelopes and cash into the plate.

When the plate was passed in front of Jeff, he reached over and generously dropped his teething ring into the plate.

“Some nice person in the next pew noticed the gift, retrieved it, and passed it back to us,” Barbara said. “There were many smiles in church that day.”

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An unusual friendship continues

By Dale Huffman | Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 03:28 PM

A young sailor from Greenville and a Miamisburg woman who is in her 80s have been hooked up via the Internet and hope to become corresponding friends.

In early December I wrote about Donna Cronin of Miamisburg, who was flying home after a visit to Florida.

During a long wait for the plane during a stop-over in Baltimore, she talked to a man who identified himself as simply Travis and explained he was heading home for a visit. Travis is in the U.S. Navy, and Cronin was impressed with his demeanor and kindness. She purchased a sandwich for Travis, and they had a long and sometimes emotional conversation.

When she was in touch with me, Donna said she failed to get Travis’s last name, and she hoped we could help find him.

There were a number of contacts from people who know Travis, and they wanted to let Donna know how to be in touch with him. Travis himself did some searching on the Internet and found out Donna’s address on his own.

His last name is Presler, and he got married to his childhood sweetheart when he was home on leave.

Thanks to the little story that ran on the two, both Travis and Donna plan to continue their e-mail friendship. And both have promised to drop me a note from time to time.

“I call it a miracle that your story was able to get us connected as friends,” Donna said. “I look forward to meeting Travis’s new wife, and his family one day soon. He is a fine young man and we are so pleased he is serving our country in the military.”

I am pleased they got connected, and I send best wishes for a great 2010 to both Donna and Travis and their families.

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A silver dollar and some memories

By Dale Huffman | Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 01:03 PM

Richard “Dick” Duncan wants to know if anyone else remembers how NCR used to have special treats for children of employees.

“They used to show movies in the NCR auditorium on Main Street year around on Saturday mornings,” Duncan said. “But at Christmastime they made it special.”

The movies were always free for the children, and at Christmas they would give each kid a candy bar. “I think it was a Clark bar” he said. “Then there was a little box of hard tack candy.”

Sometimes they would hand out fresh fruit, an apple or an orange, he said.

“But one year, in 1945 I think it was, they gave each kid a silver dollar. It was mounted on a card that said, ‘Merry Christmas from the National Cash Register Company.’ “

Duncan, now retired and living in Sarasota, Fla., added, “I’ve still got mine.”

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Vigil remembers homicide victims

By Dale Huffman | Friday, December 11, 2009, 11:41 AM

About 500 residents of the Miami Valley who know someone who was a victim in a violent homicide are expected to gather together to console one another at a holiday candlelight service.

For 19 years Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. has hosted a homicide victim memorial service during the December holiday season.

This year the service will be held Monday, Dec. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church at First and Perry streets.

Any person who lost someone to a violent crime is welcome to attend.

Following the church service and placing photos of victims on a holiday tree, those taking part will go outside and be invited to launch a black balloon with a personal message attached. The message of love and inspiration will be addressed to individuals who were victims of a homicide.

Heck said, “The intent of this service is to acknowledge those who have lost their lives by violence and to help survivors through the holiday season.”

For information you can contact the victim-witness division of the prosecutor’s office at (937) 225-5623.

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