Ringo Starr Stole my Candy
I learned that Lucille Ball would give an informal talk at the Hollywood Studio Club, and I was eager to attend. She once lived at the women’s only residence hall when she was an aspiring actress, and she liked to return occasionally to encourage the girls living there with visits and talks. Since the grand Italianesque-style dormitory opened to much fanfare in 1916, it had provided thousands of girls a safe, temporary home while they were trying to make it in Hollywood. In 1967, the YWCA facility still gave girls from around the globe a place to stay and access to career counseling and job placement. It also offered classes and workshops in acting, dancing, and singing. As many as 100 girls lived there at a time.
I discovered the Studio Club when I visited a friend who stayed there while pursuing her acting career. I had just moved to Hollywood — coincidently, right across the street from Desilu Studios. I couldn’t believe Hollywood had such a concentration of beautiful women when I visited the first time. So, I returned as often as possible and soon found that the girls enjoyed having a guy to read lines with as they studied for auditions or roles. We met in small rehearsal rooms, on a stage, and in the gardens. It was fun to think that Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Donna Reed, Joan Crawford, and others had rehearsed there.