Well, it doesn't say, "Love, Papa Ray" on it but I may work my way up to that yet. Here is Ray's email in response to the printouts sent to him on Christmas:

Dear Cornelia:

Thank you for sending on your holiday wishes and all those dozens of pages from the Bradbury board.  It’s quite incredible the number of people who are involved with my work and reading their reactions is very exciting for me and very touching.

I deeply appreciate your part in all this.

God bless you and much love,

Ray

I'm glad to hear he loved the movie, I think it was my favorite film of the year. I thought it would appeal to him. Did he leave his house to see it and go to the theater like any joe schmoe?

GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE!

I'm sure Ray goes to the movies, the movies don't go to him.

The exception to what Dandelion has said is when Ray receives copies of movies to review for voting for the Academy Awards. He has mentioned that as a member of the Academy he receives the movies that are up for consideration.

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE!

Thanks! I was part of the old board (scarywarhol) but I just joined the new one.

Cool!

Ray is a headliner for this charity event:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/1/prweb337966.htm

More details of summer event in Biplane's neck of the woods:
http://www.raybradburyfestival.com/index.html

Thanks for the information, unfortunately, as I found out from Terrance Shank himself, the festival is being moved until 2007. Terrance said that he jokes with Ray that he has to keep alive untill that time. Terrance said that the reason for the change is a lack of stage space and that more will be available in a year.

I spoke with Ray yesterday and he sounds great.

On Saturday, May 20, I was at the home of a friend across the state who is a big TV historian, having been a Zenith dealer for years. He mentioned reading the descriptions of people waiting in line to see television at the New York World's Fair in 1939 and wondered if Ray had. I told him I knew Walter Cronkite had but was not sure about Ray (I haven't read Sam's book all the way through--I know, bad!)

Anyhow, I said we should call him. I didn't have his number, didn't remember it, couldn't reach anyone by phone I knew would have it, and finally had to call my mom at home and direct her to the notebook where I kept it. We did call Ray, who was his usual gracious and generous self, asked how I was, and thanked me for calling.

I put on my friend who asked the question and learned Ray had, indeed, braved the lines to see one of the first versions of television! His summation of it was "primitive." My friend was thrilled silly to learn of the connection of his favorite author with one of his most cherished hobbies!

I have not spoken with Ray, but I understand that one of his favorite Academy award winners was As Good As It Gets, with Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. It is a hoot.

Since RCA was the famous TV shown at the fair, I just assumed Ray and Walter Cronkite saw that, but now it seems they had several choices: http://www.mztv.com/newframe.asp?content=http://www.mztv.com/worldhome.html

I was unable to reach Ray on his birthday, but spoke to him two days later. He says he received five bouquets, including one from Frank Darabont which cost all of $500.00--"Can you believe that? It's a jungle! He's done this for me many times."

Darabont is still working on "Fahrenheit 451" and will direct it, "next year, I hope." He feels sorry for the director of "Frost and Fire," who has worked, waited, and hoped patiently for 12 years, but there is no money to make the film.

He hasn't seen "Monster House" but enjoyed my glowing recommendation and "will see it eventually."

As always, he asked how I was and what was going on around where I am, and he said he loved me!!!!! His exact words, "I love you."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gave Mr B a call on his special day, and he answered the phone with his usual, pleasant "good afternoon!". I kept it short and wished him a happy birthday and many more happy, healthy birthdays and he thanked me and said "so far it's been swell!" and "God bless you"!

He's swell!

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What a rare gem Ray is. To make each person feel so great and special. Dandelion, what a great experience for you!

And for the young lady Irena who also was able to speak with him a day after his birthday. Wow! She was so excited.

I spoke with Ray on Friday, March 16 and Sunday, March 18. On Friday I told him I was attending this event which you can read about here http://www.festivalofthewest.com/ and that I decided to ask as many as possible of the celebrities attending their favorite titles and authors. The list of celebrities can be viewed here: http://www.festivalofthewest.com/celebrities.html

I had come to see the cast of "Laramie," but didn't have any priority about talking to them first. I just happened to go to Dennis Holmes because he came available first, and the very first author he named was Ray Bradbury! After that I was able to practically fill in the rest of his list myself! Well, I told Ray this and he was just thrilled! By the way, no one else named Ray and the only author named more than once was Louis L'Amour.

Ray was very excited to get off the phone and watch his Alfred Hitchcock DVD so I said, "Well, I was going to tell you something else but I guess it can wait," and he said, "What?" There was one celebrity, since the person declined to be quoted I can't say the name on the board, but it's one recognizable to anyone who's had a TV in about the last 30-40 years, who said, "I don't want any part of it." I said, "What, reading or telling what you read?" "I don't want anyone knowing what I like." So, since I had to write something on that person's page, I started to write that and they said, "I don't even like what you're doing." Ray said, "That's ridiculous! Stupidest thing I ever heard!" I said, "I knew you'd like that, that's why I told you." We also talked about the actor in Ray's play "Leviathan 99" learning the lead role in a week!

Saturday I tried to call Ray, but I guess he was at a book signing or a play or something.

Sunday I waited near Dennis Holmes's table till he had an opening, then dialed Ray who answered, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day!" although that was the day before. I put him on the phone with Dennis. They only spoke a few moments but Dennis was really thrilled. He told Ray he will make the effort to attend one of his book signings and introduce himself in person. Now they have a friend in common, besides Forrest J. Ackerman, who Dennis Holmes also knows! He had visited Ackermansion I and I had visited Ackermansion II! Ray was his usual sweet self, saying, "Good to hear your voice" to me!

Correction: the first call was definitely on Thursday. Strangely enough, it doesn't show on my dialed calls, although some earlier calls do, but there was just such a whirlwind of activity Friday that the call was definitely made Thursday, and the second on Sunday as I said. On Thursday we spoke about Ray living two non-consecutive years in Arizona, and about Sam Weller sort of disappearing off the map.

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