Ed Wood Wednesdays, week 207: (Yet) Another Deep Dive into the Huffman Files

Emails! I get emails! I get stacks and stacks of emails!

In these strange, sad weeks following the death of my friend Greg Javer, I've found some comfort in the knowledge that Woodology—the study of Ed Wood's life and career—will carry on without him. It'll carry on without me someday, too. Greg was the most prominent contributor of material to this series, but he was far from the only one. Over the years, people like Bob Blackburn, James Pontolillo, Keith Crocker, W. Paul Apel, and Philip R. Frey have sent films, texts, photos and more my way. I'm grateful to all of you.

One of my more persistent emailers is a true zealot named Rob Huffman. He regularly supplies me with press clippings and other oddities that he's found in his research. Sometimes, I feel a little guilty that I can't always respond to his emails in a timely fashion. There are only so many hours in a day, you know? But I thought that you and I could go through some of Rob's recent finds together. How does that sound?

PART ONE: M.C. WOOD AT THE DELLS

First up is a clipping from the December 29, 1946 edition of The Poughkeepsie Journal. It's an ad for a New Year's Eve floor show at a Poughkeepsie club called The Dells! And just look who's acting as master of ceremonies!

Yep, they got Reidinger & Heisler for this! Quite a coup!

What better way to ring in 1947, huh? The Dells is long gone, but Rob found a couple of news clippings that mention the joint.

Orchestra every evening, folks. So if you go in on a Tuesday? Orchestra.

Rob also sent me this charming old advertisement for The Dells. If you wanted to go on a skating date in Poughkeepsie in the 1940s, this was your best bet.

I don't know if Ed Wood skated, but I know he would have loved that sweater.

PART TWO: CLAMS APLENTY!

Along similar lines is this ad from the June 25, 1947 edition of The Poughkeepsie Journal. Before Dolores Fuller wrote "Do the Clam," Ed Wood organized an actual clambake for the VFW!

By this time, Ed really was a veteran of a foreign war.

PART THREE: THE UBIQUITOUS LYNN HARRIS

Rob informed me that actress Lynn Harris, who was in such Ed Wood movies of the late 1960s and early 1970s as Love Feast, Take it Out in Trade, The Only House in Town, Nympho Cycler, Drop-out Wife, and The Cocktail Hostesses, also appears in a promo video for "Wichita Lineman" by country superstar Glen Campbell! Astonishingly, the titular house from The Only House in Town appears in this selfsame video! Unbeknownst to Rob, Glen Campbell has a special place in my heart because his song "Rhinestone Cowboy" was #1 on the day I was born. So it's especially nice to know there's a Glen Campbell/Ed Wood connection.

I think I'll wrap up this article right here. Rob has sent me more little goodies, but I'll parcel them out over time. I hope you enjoyed these examples, and I also hope you're having a wonderful holiday season. Before I go, however, I must make one more plug for the GoFundMe that Rob has started to cover Greg's final expenses. As of this writing, we've reached 62% of the goal, but we still have 38% of the goal left to go. Even if you can't donate, please consider sharing the fundraiser on your social media accounts so that others may give.

Thank you.

P.S. As this article was being finalized, Rob released this tribute to Greg on his own podcast.