Up early. Went to get Bess + then had steam + massage. Home. Called Annie. Invited her + Joe + Moose + Fritz to dinner if the strike still on by this evening which it was. Lay in the sun a little + read more of Carry Nation. Called Liza with the Boeuf Bourgignon recipe + asked her more about her talk with Peter that time. And whether she’d talked about how unhappy she was. Which I remembered also Peter had told me. She hadn’t. But she said she probably had said something about my getting pregnant. I spoke with Mary C. who read me Margaret Harford’s review in the Times and told me it was a “rave.” As she read it out loud it became apparent that Margaret Harford didn’t say anything at all. Just recapped the plot that was some comfort. The four girls arrive Friday for the summer. Leon called + asked me to come to the office at 10:30 tomorrow. I bought 2 gorgeous steaks, string beans, salad making strawberries + sour cream. Annie + gang arrived about 8:20. Moose + Fritz put my license plates on the car. Mary Parker + Annie off to get some charcoal. We had drinks + sat in the kitchen – good time _ then had dinner. All very informal + very funny. I got started on storytelling again – as on Saturday. I miss the sort of N.Y. Theatre group evenings obviously. Everyone left at 11:30 or so. Mary P. up to bed and I retired too with wakeup call for 8 o’clock.
Monday, June 17, 1968
Puttered around all day – accomplished nothing. Timmy called around 10 o’clock! His cab didn’t come! He changed reservations to tomorrow, called Jo etc. + invited Queenie Leonard to dinner. I offerd to drive him to the airport tomorrow but was relieved when he found somebody at the bldg. to do it I sent some money to Care and to the Salvation Army. Started a biography Carry Nation called “Vessell of Wrath” – extremely entertaining reading. Went Shopping at Safeway and got strawberries, juice, frozen vegetables etc. to take to Leons. Mary Parker + I drove over at six. Leon not there when we arrived, his cleaning lady was just leaving. Told us through the door that she’d let us in as soon as she got into her “street clothes”.!! Leon then appeared. We fixed the dinner in no time flat. Had a drink or two first. Got to the Las Palmas at 10 or so. Mary Cleveland waiting. Lots of people. Leon’s “family” – Lee Garms, Lane Allen + date, Dorothy, Dick Angarola, The Doney’s, Lym Von Kirsten, Val de Vargas, Caro Jones – etc. etc. Production just ghastly. Tastelessly directed + poorly acted. Awful. Mary C. left after first play and Mary P + I watched her wistfully. Champagne served in dixie cups after. Mary P + I went next door for a beer where Leon later joined us. Took him home + got back to the house at 1:30. I found the evening profoundly depressing. And realized what an ass I’ve been not to get people out to see me in any old thing. Was carefully non-committal about my feelings with Leon.
Equity is on strike and “Cabaret” and “I do, I do” are both closed tonight.
Sunday, June 16, 1968
Up at 9. Left eye still sore. Made coffee – puttered called Daddy to wish him Happy Fathers Day – nice chat. He sounded pretty good. Jimmy was there + I talked with him too. Hilary expecting momentarily – earlier than we’d thought. Spoke with Timmy and Mary who was feeling a little depressed. Told her I’d be in all day if she wanted to come over. Called Bess Gray + told her what had happened yesterday. Went back to bed for a bit. Up again talked with Liza – Peter had told her after one of our dinners that he had a “mistress” – She asked if I knew – he said no. She asked if he paid her bills + he said no it was just someone he saw 2 or 3 times a week. She asked if he were really in love with her + he said NO. He told Liza that he was unable to get aroused with me and that he could with this girl but that it wasn’t all that good either. I remembered the night that Liza + he had talked so long outside by her car + I’d been furious with Liza. I looked it up in my diary and it was March 8th!! Peter had told me that Liza had asked why I wasn’t pregnant + I’d written “The Little Bitch” I wonder now if she did + will ask her. I also think that Peter must have wanted Liza to tell me about his “Mistress” or why take the trouble to tell her when he got so annoyed by her? If we could only have talked on some sort of straight human level + if we could have seen Dr. Brooks or Bob Iverson together maybe we could have had some kind of decent relationship. Mary Parker asked me later if I wouldn’t still have married Peter. [crossed out letters] even if I’d thought we were going to be divorced and I said and I think it’s true – NO. But maybe I felt pressured by the fact that I’d told everyone we were going to get married. I really don’t know. But re-reading that damn diary I think Peter put me through alot of unnecessary agony.
Mary Cleveland over in the afternoon with her tape recorder + knitting. Pleasant quiet visit. Leon called and Mary was right here when he asked if she’d like to come to the theatre tomorrow night. I asked her + she said yes. I have my qualms about family + business but Mary’s in good shape + I trust Leon. Mary Parker + I went to Timmy’s for dinner – he leaves at 7:30 tomorrow. We left early – home and had a beer + then bed
Saturday, June 15, 1968
Up around 12:30. Slept in contact lenses and felt just horrible. Liza served us all pancakes which I didn’t – couldn’t eat + bacon which I managed a little of. Coffee and then the 4 of us lay about. drinking gallons of ice tea. Rather funny conversation. I was supposed to have gone for steam + massage this am. Messages from Bess. Poor dear. Tried to call her when I got home but she wasn’t in. Mary Parker out sunning. My eyes killing me. Took out lenses and took a nap before going to the Erdman’s. Got all ready to go + sprayed some Florient in my eyes by mistake. Had can pointed the wrong way. The final agony. Thought I’d die. Drove down Wilshire Blvd into the sun with my glases + sunglasses on top of them. Could barely see. Erdmans had lovely dinner as always. Timmy there and a Dr. Allen + Myria Freedman she’d gone to school with Allen Enelow. They’d all been friends for a while when they first came to L.A. No love lost for A.J.E. I gathered. Despite pleasant evening etc. I left at 10:30. My eyes were really painful. Mary Parker out. I went to bed at 11:30. Read a little out of one eye.
Friday, June 14, 1968
Millie came by bus which was great as I could sleep a little longer. Discovered from my check book I only have $690.00 at the moment in my N.Y. acct so will give Leon the money in 2 installments of $500.00. Left the house at 10 o’clock. Sat around Leon’s office for a bit. Then went to see Bob Palmer at [crossed out letters] MPO. good visit. Left a picture at Jessica Overweiss’s. Went by Leon’s liquor store Hazins and got a bottle of bourbon for tonight. We had lunch at the Gaiety. Peter had been called for a job + hadn’t returned Leon’s call. I got Leon to find out from S.A.G. the name of Peter’s new agent. It’s Alex Brewis. I left pictures and a note at Maxine Anderson’s and then came home. Stopped at Bonetell’s + paid for Mary’s corsage and at the bank to cash a check. Got out of my suit + into a shift. Millie washed the kitchen curtains. I took her home at 4:30. Came back + took a quick nap. Called Lyle and we’ll be starting work shortly on the U.C.L.A. program for Lake Arrowhead. He’s leaving the Music center in 2 weeks. Drove out to Liza + John’s new place. very nice – small + well laid out and a lovely garden. Tom Williams my date. I’d met him several times before + found him amusing but not much more. Changed my opinion. He’s a very bright guy. Georgia + Bob Miller there. Liza due in 2 weeks. Round as can be. But looking marvelous. Very pleasant evening. Liza at one point told me there had been another girl woman in Peter’s life. I have to ask her about it again as it all very hazy. I spent the night there as did Tom – neither of us in a condition to drive.
Thursday, June 13, 1968
Jimmy’s Birthday.
Diet
(Sent Mary flowers for her poem reading out in the Valley)
Up about 9 – Typed on the old Bleecker St. dialogue for Bob Iverson. Washed hair, shaved legs etc. Went out to the Palisades at noon. Appt at 12:30. Gave Bob a copy of “The Lion is Busy.” We talked a very little about the writing he’d taken home last week. He read “Muchacha” in office time. Said “This must have been very painful.” Yeah. Only thing is it seems to me that to anyone who pays much attention to things the whole process of living is extremely painful including happiness Blah. Blah. Blah. Went afterward to a place called the “Weathervane” and bought a good shirtwaist dress for commercials. Next stop Bullocks where I got a pair of bone shoes and then Paul’s shoestore on Alvarado where I got some navy blue shoes and a pr. of black patent leather shoes. Home. Mary Parker had had a long + somewhat unsettling letter from Marge Scanlon who wants the green painting – “A man taught us this game” – no mention of price. I turned up the hem on my new dress. Had a message from Isabell that she was leaving for New York in the morning. Called her but without success. Went off to 5 o’clock appt. on Sunset Blvd. Connie Owens. Was delayed by traffic accident on Melrose + Fairfax. Odd commercial – “blood stains” – ?? Read well though and made one of the guys laugh. Was too late to pick up Leon’s order at Hugo’s so – Scott had to. Got to Leon’s at 6:30 – He’s having a bad time financially at the moment so I offered to lend him a thousand dollars. He’s already taken me around so much I don’t need to feel any qualms about it at all from that point of view. Lane Allen arrived about 7:20 – in time for dinner. Nice guy. Really liked him. Went to the theatre to see “Enemy, Enemy” (not private ear – that’s on Monday) Lee Garms there - and whole bundle of Leon’s family. Play interesting. John (now “Barry”) Russo playing lead! Sherree North miscast + misdirected. Excellent job by a kid named Richard Dreyfuss. Jerry Katz the manager. Went back to Leon’s after with Lane Allen + stayed til 1:30. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Have a 10:30 appt with Leon tomorrow. I had my dates mixed up + let Jimmy’s birthday go by!
Wednesday, June 12,*1968
Diet.
Up at 8:30 – Puttered a bit. Called Timmy. We’re having dinner together [crossed out letters] Sunday. Sent him $300.00 for travelers checks in a going away card. That’s June + July taken care of. Sent $500 from my N.Y. acct to Security First National, ordered more checks from the Bank of New York and sent for some facial creme advertised in TV guide + guaranteed to take years off you (probably skin too.) Saw Bruce at the mailbox + he said if we hope to survive we’ve got to have love. I agree. Went to the Alta Loma School. Had notebooks for each of the children which was a great success. Diannette Osborne is going to Texas for the summer, Cheryl Oglesby is going to New Jersey and Michael Crandle to Louisiana. We asked about the summer school but it’s still not too definite whether or not they’re going to use tutors. I had metrecal for lunch there. Came home and went to lie in the sun. Read a Detective story by Patricia Highsmith. Took a nap. The Erdmans called + invited me to dinner Saturday night. Leon called with an appt from Chan Gross for a Tide Commercial!) tomorrow at 5:00 – then an invitation to see “Public Eye + Private Ear” with Leon + Lane Allen at the Gallery “Acid Allen” dropped by to visit Mary and I fixed myself some metracal beef + noodles + some broccoli + watched “Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner” on TV. Very good. Jim Parker came by with a book called “National Standard” from which he had to compare a chapter on bullfighting “Death late in the afternoon” to the Sun Also Rises – wanted help + I did what I could not much. Funny parody. Finished hemming blue dress + bumbled about for a bit. Bed around 1:30 -
