film – Brian Ferrari's Blog

March of the Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

It’s hard to believe that the Laurel & Hardy holiday classic March of the Wooden Soldiers debuted 91 years ago. Originally released as Babes In Toyland on Nov. 30, 1934, the holiday perennial was based on Victor Herbert’s popular 1903 operetta. The film came out of Hal Roach studios and was co-directed by Gus Meins and Charles Rogers.

Here’s the trailer:

I originally posted this celebration of the film on the 85th Anniversary. Here is an updated and expanded version:

10 Things You May Not Know About March of The Wooden Soldiers

1) In addition to Babes In Toyland, the film was also re-released under several different titles, including Laurel and Hardy in Toyland and Revenge Is Sweet. This was sometimes due to the estate of Victor Herbert withholding rights to the original title. In the book March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy’s Babes In Toyland, Randy Skretvedt writes; “Ella Herbert Bartlett detested the film and didn’t want the name Babes In Toyland to be further besmirched by its association with Laurel and Hardy.”

2) Although the 1934 film includes many of the characters in the original operetta, the plot is almost completely different. Six musical numbers from the original stage score are featured: “Toyland”, “Never Mind Bo-Peep”, “Castle in Spain”, “Go to Sleep (Slumber Deep)” and the instrumental “March of the Toys”. Additionally, an instrumental version of “I Can’t Do The Sum” is used to underscore many scenes.

3) The villainous Silas Barnaby was played by 22-year-old Henry Kleinbach. He later changed his name to Henry Brandon and appeared in over 100 films throughout his 60 year career.

Brandon played essentially the same character as an opera impresario who torments poor, poor Alfalfa in Our Gang Follies of 1938.

20 years later he played Acacious Page in film Auntie Mame.

Another fun fact: Brandon’s partner for the last 25+ years of his life was Mark Herron, who was briefly the 4th husband of Judy Garland.

In 2018, Bill Cassara and Richard S. Greene published Henry Brandon: King Of The Bogeymen.

You can also find out more about Henry Brandon here

Laurel & Hardy introduce Spanky to “pee wees” in this promotional photo shoot.

One of the most popular Our Gang / Little Rascals shorts, Mama’s Little Pirate was filmed the same year and has an extended sequence shot in the caves of Bogeyland. Gus Meins directed both films.

Another Our Gang connection: two graduates of the silent era, Johnny Downs and Jean Darling appear as Little Boy Blue and Curly Locks:

*Johnny Downs and Jean Darling as Little Boy Blue and Curly Locks*

*Queen of Hearts Alice Moore with a couple of Little Rascals.*

5) Felix Knight played romantic lead Tom Tom and fell in love with co-star Alice Moore, who played the Queen of Hearts. They were married the following year.

Behind the scenes, l-r: Alice Moore (Queen Of Hearts) Charley Rodgers (Simple Simon and the film’s co-director), Felix Knight (Tom Tom), Charlotte Henry (Bo-Peep) and Henry Brandon (Barnaby). Note the Three Little Pigs masks and padding hanging in the background.

Knight also appeared with Laurel and Hardy in their 1936 film – The Bohemian Girl:

6) Marie Wilson makes an early film appearance as Mary Quite Contrary. Her later work in film, radio and television (most notably My Friend Irma) garnered her three stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

“NO, I haven’t seen them!” Marie Wilson as Mary Quite Contrary

7) Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf? An instrumental version of this song is used to underscore scenes with the Three Little Pigs. However, the song is not from the Babes In Toyland operetta – it was originally featured in the 1933 Disney short Three Little Pigs and has been covered by everyone (surprisingly) from Barbra Streisand to LL Cool J.

8) About those pigs…. Elmer, the kidnapped pig was played by a little person – 2′ 11″ Angelo Rossito. He appeared in 70 films spanning from the silent film era to his role as “The Master” in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).

*Angelo Rossitto in* Freaks (1932) and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome *(1985)*

The two other pigs were played by child actors:

Payne B. Johnson has said that he was cast as Jiggs because, unlike the other children auditioning, he didn’t complain about the heavy mask and padding. Although only four years old, this was his eleventh film credit. He would later appear in a handful of Our Gang shorts, including Our Gang Follies of 1938 with Henry Brandon.

As of 2025, he is the last surviving major player from the film.

*Edward Earle Marsh toured as a child prodigy pianist/composer.*

And THIS little piggy…. was a porn star! Willie was played by Edward Earle Marsh, a child prodigy pianist/composer who later performed on Broadway with the stage name Edward Earle. In 1969, he reinvented himself as Zebedy Colt, a gay cabaret singer. He kept the name as he directed and performed in both straight and gay adult films through the 1970’s & 80’s.

Someone needs to write a book about this guy.

9) The film became a broadcast television staple on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day in the early 1960’s. I grew up watching the film on NYC’s WPIX Channel 11, which continues to air the film to this day. In 1990 they switched to the colorized version, and in 2018, due to viewer requests, they began airing restored black and white and colorized versions at different times during the day.

Some may remember a shorter version of the film airing on television years ago. This 73-minute edit was trimmed for theatrical re-release in 1950. Due to the objections of Victor Herbert’s estate mentioned above, the title of the film was changed and the opening sequence shortened to omit “Babes In Toyland” from Mother Goose’s book.

Motion picture censors in 1950 objected to the unmarried Tom Tom and Bo Peep snoozing together at the end of the song “Go to Sleep (Slumber Deep).” The whole sequence was cut.

This edited version of the film had fallen into public domain and was broadcast on television in the 1980’s. Any susequent restored prints or colorized versions of the film run at the original 79 minute length.

If it isn’t broadcast in your area, you can watch the full movie here:

10) Bearing in mind that the source material is the original operetta and not this film, there have been numerous wildly different versions of Babes In Toyland:

Between 1950 and 1960, there were three television productions broadcast during Christmas seasons, including one featuring Barbara Cook and Dennis Day in 1955.

Walt Disney’s Technicolor™ 1961 film version starred Annette Funicello and Ray Bolger.

A 1986 made-for-television version featured Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves and “a royal legion of tacky trolls” with only two songs from the Victor Herbert score, a new plot, and new songs by Leslie Bricusse.

Click the link to see the full movie on Youtube:

An 1997 animated film version, with a new plot and only one of the original songs, featured the voices of Christopher Plummer and Lacey Chabert.

These other versions come and go, but none feature Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee… a gay wedding… nightmare-inducing pig masks … a monkey inside a knockoff Mickey Mouse costume… or carpet-clad Bogeymen with visible zippers and padding.

Join me in wishing a happy 91st birthday to a Hollywood holiday classic!

For more information, I highly recommend the book March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy’s Babes In Toyland by Randy Skretvedt.

Gay Porn Stars We Lost in 2025

In August of 2020, porn star Koldo Goran tweeted about three fellow performers who had recently died. Goran’s tweet was the only public notice that one of them, Dani Rivera, had been murdered. “I realize nobody talks about it, we are unprotected and forgotten;” Goran tweeted “We are humans, people, enough of contempt.”

Most gay news outlets choose to ignore the passing of all but the biggest names in the adult film industry. Porn companies also seem reluctant to broadcast the death of a performer who is still on their roster, forever young and willing in their website content. An obit is a real boner killer, ya know? Why jeopardize the profit margin?

Note that at least two of the men listed below have had studio content posted months after their passing without any mention of the fact.

Additionally, performers who abandon their porn personas and return to life under their real names often pass away unnoticed by former employers and scene partners. Case in point: A reader recently alerted me to the passing of Trent Locke in July of 2022 at the age of 32. Locke was a high profile performer with a 5 year career working for Colt, Falcon, Raging Stallion, Next Door, Hot House, Lucas Entertainment, Cocksuremen and several others companies. Surely some adult film news outlet would have noted his passing, right?

Once again, this year’s list is short on people of color. Why? Is it that few have passed on or that they haven’t been reported? For this reason – and due to continued interest from fans – there are ongoing updates to the lists of porn star passings in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

We remember those that were lost in 2025 to prove Koldo Goran wrong – they have not been forgotten.

1) Chris O’Donnell, aka creeohdee was born on June 18, 1993 and lived in Phoenix, Arizona. He was a popular TikTok influencer and also active on Onlyfans from 2022-2024. While best known for his fitness videos, he was also candid about his battles with mental health and substance abuse issues.
He committed suicide at age 31 on January 11, 2025.

2) Shawn, aka Kenny only appeared in a handful of scenes. He was Shawn at Active Duty and Kenny at GayCastings. The Chico, California native was born on June 14, 1995. He made his film appearances in 2015 when he was 20 years old. In his interview segment at GayCastings, he mentioned previous health issues that had interrupted his pursuit of a medical degree. According to the IAFD, he passed away on February 1, 2025 at age 29.

3) Roman Mercury was born Hermes Sant Anna Filho on June 22, 1979 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and died of a “heart attack” in late February, 2025 at age 45.

Based in Las Vegas, Mercury was a latecomer to the adult film industry: he was 42 years old when he made his studio debut in 2022 with Raging Stallion’s Heavy Load Movers. His IAFD profile lists 93 titles in the past three years. He earned two GayVN Award nominations at this year’s show.

Friend and co-star Gregg Dixxon paid tribute in an Out magazine interview and on social media, writing; “Roman left us unexpectedly, leaving behind a legacy of passion, talent, and kindness that touched the lives of so many around the world…. His family will spread his ashes in the ocean near his favorite place to live in Southern California. Roman, you will always be missed, but never forgotten!”

4) Tim Kruger, was 44 years old when he died following an accident at his home on March 1, 2025. Born Marcel Bonn on January 25, 1981 in Dusseldorf, Germany, the adult film actor, producer, and director appeared in his first film back in 2006. Of course, he was best known for his website TimTales, which he started with the help of his partner, Grobes Gereat, in their hometown of Berlin in 2009.

A statement written by Grobes was posted on the TimTales blog :

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share the news of the passing of our beloved Marcel, the man you all knew and loved as Tim Kruger. To the public, he was the ultimate ginger pornstar; to me, he was a sweet, caring partner of over 20 years. He was also my best friend. He touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

“I am very aware of the stigma that surrounds deaths in the porn industry, so let me make this very clear to hopefully cut down on the inevitable speculation: Tim’s death was a tragic, yet simple accident at home. There were no drugs involved, nor was there any indication of foul play or suicide. Though my heart is broken into pieces, I find solace in the countless memories he gifted us. And I know that he died knowing he was loved. Tim’s legacy of compassion, love, and joy will live on in all who knew him.”

5) Damien Stone was born in Moldova on September 16, 1992 and emigrated to the U.S., where he grew up in Pennsylvania. He began his prolific film career in 2017 with appearances in gay, bisexual, and trans porn scenes. Among the companies he worked for were MEN, TransAngels, ManUpFilms, FaceDownAssUp, WhyNotBi, TheGuySite, Bromo, and NakedSword.

Stone retired from studio work in 2020 and competed in bodybuilding competitions. He later transitioned to OnlyFans content and was active on social media up until early February.

On March 11, 2025 family members confirmed that Stone died of “complications from an enlarged heart.” He was 32 years old. Four months later, Bro Network posted a new scene featuring Stone with Boomer Banks.

6) Popular Sean Cody model Brendan, aka Michael Johnson was involved in a murder/suicide on April 13, 2025. He was 35 years old and living in Oak Grove, Kentucky. Brendan appeared in approximately 10 Sean Cody films between 2015-2017. According to his social media accounts, he later pursued a career in country music.

7) Jay Massage, aka JayM4m, Cmtcpt, Desmides, Elcmt, and Itsdesmipeach, reportedly died of an overdose in early May, 2025. He was known as “the unofficial masseuse of the gay porn stars.” FitnessPapi posted about the passing, but it was unconfirmed as his OnlyFans and other socials began to be taken down. The IAFD updated his profile, while his Instagram account has been turned into a memorial page referring to addiction and recovery.

8) Brad Knight was a straight porn star who also appeared on the Spunkworthy website. He was 36 when he died of stomach cancer on May 6, 2025. He detailed his cancer battle on his Instagram page.

Born on December 29, 1988 in San Diego, CA, Knight appeared in hundreds of straight porn scenes over a 14 year period and was voted AVN Best Male Newcomer in 2016. He also directed several films for Blazed studios. In late 2019, he left the U.S. adult movie industry and moved to China to teach school, but resumed his career in Europe three years later.

9) Colton Ford, aka Glenn Soukesian 62, died in Palm Springs, CA on May 19, 2025. Originally thought to be a hiking accident, toxicology results revealed an accidental overdose. Born on October 12, 1962 in Pasadena, Ford entered the porn business at age 40 and appeared in titles over the next 22 years. The companies he worked for included Falcon Studios, MRS Releasing, RawFuckClub, All Worlds, and Mustang. In 2003 he was awarded GayVN Performer Of The Year.

Ford was a rare crossover, with film and TV credits including Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!, Hellbent, The Lair, and The Next Best Thing. The 2004 documentary Naked Fame chronicled his attempts to transition from adult films to a music career. He went on to release 3 albums and several EPs.

His stage work included a 2011 Off-Broadway appearance in Little House On The Ferry. Earlier this year he appeared in a Palm Springs production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Click here for more about Colton Ford.

10) Travis Youth, aka Gregory Reno from Decatur, IL was born on July 19,1994. Between 2019 – 2024, he made 29 films according to the IAFD website. He performed as Dave at Sean Cody and Greg Toreno at TheGuySite, but it was as Travis Youth at Gayhoopla and BiGuysFuck that he made the most appearances.

After a break, he reappeared in 2024-25 on the ASGMax websites and as Trevor Daniels at SketchySex. He overdosed at age 30 on July 24, 2025. His passing was also noted on the MenOfPorn blog.

11) Koby Falks, aka Anthony Cox was born September 7, 1982 (or 1985) in Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia and died at age 39 (or 42) on May 28, 2025. In just three years, Falks had racked up 75 appearances for RawfuckClub in addition to his OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts. He often appeared with his partner Sam Brownell.

Talent agent Matthew Leigh shared a tribute on Instagram, writing “”We have lost a trailblazing creative spirit far too soon. But I truly believe his light and legacy will continue shining brightly above. Rest peacefully, Koby. You will be missed, always.”

12) Nathan, aka Nicholas Tulloss passed away at 29 years old in Los Angeles on May 20, 2025. He appeared in two scenes for Military Classified back in 2017 and returned for one more in 2021. Site owner Rob Navarro posted on social media: “For 20 years I’ve enjoyed great success working w/many models who have brought us joy but along w/success sometimes tragedies hit & today I’m writing about one… w/a heavy heart I announce 29 yo civilian NATHAN passed away… RIP Nicholas!”

13) Kolby Gigante‘s stage name was inspired by his 6’7″ stature. Born on June 19, 2000, he made appearances at Gayhoopla and HotGuysFuck websites in 2023. The MenofPorn website posted about his death at age 24 on May 10, 2025.

14) Brazilian bodybuilder Gustavo Boton was a content creator alongside his equally muscular partner, Andres Vergel. Besides OnlyFans and JustForFans, the duo appeared in approximately 10 scenes for RawFuckClub in 2024-25. Vergel posted a heartfelt tribute to his partner in late July, stating that his beloved “Nene” had passed away the previous month. “I love you, my hero… the love of my life.”

15) Mr. Cali, aka Robert Franklin, died suddenly at age 38 in early July, 2025. Born December 9, 1986 in Long Beach, CA, Mr. Cali made his first film appearance at age 29. The IAFD lists 80+ titles over 10 years for Noir Male, Treasure Island Media, Dawgpound, and Raw Strokes, among others. He was also a music entrepreneur and digital content creator under the Mr. Cali Entertainment brand.

As news of his death spread, many fans paid tribute online with one noting, “… heartbroken and shocked to hear of the sudden passing of legendary Black Gay Adult Entertainer Mr. Cali. Not only did he help to usher in this new era of Black Gay Porn but he was never afraid to be out as a member of the community.”

16) Sean Cody’s Jamie, aka Kyle Allen Mills, 35, passed away due to a fentanyl overdose on August 6, 2025. The North Carolina native was born on May 14, 1990, and began working with Sean Cody in 2009. He was one of the most popular models on their site, with 16 appearances between 2009-2012. His videos have since been removed. Recent posts have detailed his legal troubles, and a GoFundMe was established to help cover funeral costs.

17) Dino Phillips, aka Dimitri Perparos was 55 years old when he died “unexpectedly” in late October, 2025. Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 13, 1969, he moved with his family to Arizona when he was in his teens. He was dancing at The Works in Phoenix when he met drag queen/porn director Chi Chi LaRue in 1993. She invited him to San Francisco to appear in his first adult film. Phillips went on to appear in approximately 150 films over the next 16 years. Sometimes using the name Dino Jordan, he worked for Falcon, Hot Desert Knights, Jet Set, Catalina, All Worlds, Minotaur and many other studios. In 1996 he won the Grabby for Best Newcomer, and the 1997 AVN Award for Best Supporting Performer. As Dane Preston, he also directed several films.

Phillips left the industry in 2009. In recent years he resided in Chandler, Arizona and worked as a customer service representative for an insurance company.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Mark Morris to cover funeral expenses. Mark writes, “He was family. His compassion, laughter and unwavering support touched countless lives. Whether it was a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, or a moment of joy, he gave freely and wholeheartedly. His beauty was not just in his appearance but in the way he made others feel seen, heard and loved.”

A few of the many DVD/VHS box covers featuring Dino Phillips

18) Vince Ferelli, aka Jared Degado, aka Jared Tarquini was born on March 10, 1983 in Danville, IL. He was 25 years old when he began his film career and appeared in over 50 films from 2008-2017. He worked for Colt, Hot House, Raging Stallion, Jet Set, Kink.com and several other studios.

Ferelli was homeless when he passed away at age 42 on November 6, 2025 in Los Angeles. The cause of death is under investigation.

19) Scott Finn, aka Rhett Douglas Messerly was born in Ogden, Utah on February 2, 1998. He made his porn debut with Active Duty when he was just 18 years old, and worked with them steadily over the next 9 years. His IAFD profile lists over 250 titles – most with Active Duty and Next Door Studios.

He had been going through a tough time over the past two years, posting on social media about a divorce and other issues. His family released a statement that he passed away at age 27 on November 23, 2025.

Next Door Studios executive producer/director Jeremy Babcock told AVN, “Scott had an infectious laugh, and always raised the energy of every room he was in. On and off camera, he captivated everyone he met. I’m honored to have had Scott as a co-worker and friend.”

20) Taylor Coleman, aka Jordan Kilts was born on December 22, 1998 in Tennessee. He racked up over 30 film appearances with Helix and 8TeenBoy between 2018-2020. After retiring from the business, he went on to work in financial services. He was 26 when he passed away on December 6, 2025 at his home in Aloha, Oregon.

Earlier this year, he posted on social media:
“You’re like a wind through a field: you pass through, and things don’t look the same after – not because you took anything, but because your presence changed how the light moved.”

21) Lane V. Rogers, aka Blake Mitchell, was killed in a motorcycle accident on December 15, 2025. The Kentucky native was visiting friends in Los Angeles where the accident occurred near Oxnard, CA.

Born August 14, 1994, Lane began his adult film career with webcam shows in 2014. He moved into work with Helix studios rather than attend college, and remained a strong presence in the industry for over the next 10 years. Besides his work with Helix, Cockyboys and Bel Ami, in recent years he focused on OnlyFans content.

Lane’s vibrant personality is evident in the many heartfelt tributes that have been posted by friends and fellow performers.

Madame Spivy: Movies & Television

Ladies and Gentleman, it is time once again to revisit that dynamic lady of song, stage and screen, Madame Spivy LeVoe (1906-1971), also known simply as Spivy. While previous posts have focused on specific songs recorded by the lesbian entertainer, nightclub owner, and character actress, this time around we have an overview of her work in film and television from 1959-1967.

“The Roof is closed – gone forever, and my heart is broken.” Spivy wrote to a friend in August, 1951 after her nightclub had shuttered. The once popular top floor venue at 139 East 57th street had fallen into decline after a decade as one of the top Manhattan night spots. The demise of Spivy’s Roof was in part due to Spivy’s increasing stage fright, which in turn escalated her drinking. The combination often prevented her from delivering the two scheduled nightly performances audiences expected. Paul Lynde would later discuss this on The Tonight Show in 1976.

Spivy spent the next 6 years performing throughout Europe, where she opened and closed clubs in Paris and Rome. In London she appeared at the prestigious Café de Paris. These ventures eventually proved unsuccessful and she landed back in New York by 1957. An engagement at the Blue Angel would be her final New York City cabaret run.

Spivy explained her inability to conquer the fear of nightclub audiences. “I have tried everything but psychiatry – even hypnosis – but I couldn’t lick it.

“Funny thing, I have absolutely no stage fright in front of a camera, no matter how many people are on the set. So I guess this is what I’ll be doing from now on.”

It doesn’t take a psychiatrist to piece together that her insecurities performing in front of a live nightclub audience proved insurmountable as her popularity waned. She had entertained audiences since the 1920’s, but 30 years later her style of sophisticated songs had become a relic of a bygone era. Acting roles in front of a camera proved to be a less vulnerable alternative.

Charlie Chaplin reportedly sought to have Spivy play a character based on Elsa Maxwell in his 1957 film A King In New York. Newspaper columns at the time reported that the production company was unable to secure a work permit for her to travel to the UK for filming.

Her first film was The Fugitive Kind in a scene with Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward, which was not a bad place to start.

*“You come back alone some time, ya hear?” Spivy with Marlon Brando and Joanne Woodward in* The Fugitive Kind. (1959)

This led to her being cast in the most memorable television role of her career opposite Robert Morley in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled “Specialty of the House.” Spivy plays “Spirro,” the piano-playing proprietress of an exclusive restaurant with a dubious main course.

*“Bourbon breeds togetherness…” Flo (Spivy) tips off Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens). (1960)*

There is a sameness to the majority of Spivy’s film and television acting roles. She’s typically the barkeep or bouncer at a downstairs dive bar in a sketchy part of town. She usually has just one scene where she kicks someone out of the bar, or delivers a key piece of information to move the plot along. Or both. She is always smoking. She may be shady or morally ambiguous, but mostly she just don’t want no trouble, ya hear?

*“Have you lost your feeble mind? He’s still got his baby teeth!” Spivy with Brandon DeWilde & Evans Evans in* All Fall Down *(1962).*

Spivy’s most significant film role was as Ma Greeny in 1962’s Requiem For A Heavyweight with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason. Her tough, androgynous mob boss made an indelible impression on viewers.

“Take a good look in the mirror and then say goodbye to what you see.”

*Spivy as The Axe Lady,* The Wild Wild West (1966)

One of Spivy’s atypical performances was a 1966 appearance on The Wild Wild West with Robert Conrad. Spivy plays The Axe Lady, a member of a serial killer tribunal who meets her demise at dinner with a steak knife in the back.

*Spivy as Tatama with William Smith as her son Catoga in the* Daniel Boone *episode “A Matter Of Blood.” (1967)*

Spivy’s final television role was her biggest since Alfred Hitchcock Presents: a 1967 Daniel Boone episode in which she plays Tatama, an Indian tribe elder. As with the rest of the actors playing indigenous characters at the time, the brown-face makeup doesn’t age well, but she delivers a good performance, in my humble opinion.

Spivy was diagnosed with cancer in the late 1960’s, eventually moving into a series of hospitals and nursing homes that she kept getting kicked out of. Angry and bitter at her waning independence, she would lash out at staff. Her old friend Patsy Kelley arranged to have her placed at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California where she died on January 8, 1971, aged 64. She is interred at Valhalla Memorial Park in West Hollywood.

Kurt Bieber: From Little Me to Colt Model

You may already know this, but anyone with an affinity for self-indulgent grande dame memoirs and/or the camp humor of Auntie Mame needs to seek out the 1961 book Little Me, The Intimate Memoirs of That Great Star of Stage, Screen & Television Belle Poitrine, as told to Patrick Dennis. The book spawned a Broadway musical starring Sid Caesar in 1962, which was revived with Martin Short in 1998. However, the book is whole different animal. The 2002 reprint with a new foreword by Charles Busch may be out of print, but affordable copies are easily found online.

The whole thing is a parody – a camp fiction classic created by the Auntie Mame author with over 150 photographs by Cris Alexander, an actor who appeared in both the stage and film versions of Auntie Mame. Alexander had transitioned into his second career as a photographer.

Actress Jeri Archer embodied Belle Poitrine in the photographs with a cast of characters playing her co-horts. Among the familiar faces in the company are character actresses Dodie Goodman and Alice Pearce, author Patrick Dennis (as Cedric Roulstone-Farjeon) and his wife Louise (as Pixie Portnoy). Cris Alexander also appears in various roles alongside his lifelong partner, ballet dancer Shaun O’Brien (as Mr. Musgrove). Miss Rosalind Russell makes an appearance as well.

The role of Letch Feeley, Belle’s hunky paramour and costar, was played by Kurt Bieber. After the publication of Little Me, Cris Alexander wrote, “Shaun and Kurt generated an unprecedented amount of fan mail, all sent to the publisher’s office.”

Letch Feeley & Belle Poitrine, aka Kurt Bieber & Jeri Archer in Little Me

Kermit Henry Bieber was born on January 5, 1929 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. A 1946 graduate of Emmaus High School, Bieber worked at the local Sears before serving in the Army during the Korean War.

After his discharge, he headed to New York, where he studied drama, dance and voice at The American Theatre Wing. Roles in summer stock soon followed, with ensemble work in Can-Can, Happy Hunting, Oklahoma! and Wonderful Town.

The Morning Call, *Allentown, PA (6/21/1960)*

It was his work in a regional production of On the Town that took his career to the next level. Cris Alexander later wrote, “Ross Hunter may have discovered Rock Hudson, but I discovered Kurt Bieber during a summer package of On The Town (Pittsburgh ’58).” By October of that year, Bieber was back in New York playing a sailor alongside William Shatner in the original Broadway production of The World of Suzie Wong.

More regional work followed, including a stint in the play Teahouse of The August Moon with Red Buttons. It was around this time that Cris Alexander began to shoot the photos for Little Me, casting Bieber in the role for which he is best remembered.

In Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis, author Eric Myers writes “Most memorable to a certain contingent of the book’s audience was actor Kurt Bieber, who… displayed plenty of muscular flesh in nearly all of his photos.”

“I loved doing Little Me. People would stop me in the street and say ‘Aren’t you Letch Feeley?'” Kurt fondly remembered. “It was a first. No one had ever done a book like that… it was such a different atmosphere then. The photos were really a breakthrough.”

*“Kurt Bieber is a* poseur *extraordinaire. The grace and symmetry of the youthful physique is captured in this study by* Male Today.”

Following the success of Little Me, Bieber continued acting as well as modeling. He found work as a “posing strap” model for Male Today and other physique magazines. He was an early subject for Jim French, a photographer who was starting up a photo studio under the name Rip Colt. An early Colt film loop lists Bieber as one of the performers – a softcore scene with three muscular models lathering each other up in a shower – but none of the models appear to be him.

In 1969, Bieber had a bit part as a Times Square street hustler in Midnight Cowboy:

At the dawn of the 1970’s, 40-year-old Bieber – no longer a young chorus boy – opted for a new look. He transformed himself into the quintessential gay clone: an urban cowboy/mustache and Levi’s/hanky-code persona that would characterize the gay scene for the next decade. His photos for Colt studios now typify that era of gay erotica.

He was quoted as saying “I loved being photographed in the nude. I’ve always been an exhibitionist. To be an actor, you have to be. Besides, I got to choose the models. I chose hot men that I could get off on. That’s why they gave me (Colt superstar) Dakota.”

*Kurt Bieber (in a Colt t-shirt) outside Badlands in the West Village, NYC (1979)*

While major film roles never materialized, Bieber appeared in several commercials and continued to garner background work in films like Last Summer and Chapter Two. He can be seen offering poppers to a cohort at The Eagle in the controversial Al Pacino film Cruising (1980):

His appearance in Cruising landed Bieber on the cover of the February 1980 issue of Mandate Magazine. In his interview, Bieber mentions that he played Letch Feeley among other acting roles. He differentiates himself from the other Cruising extras, some of whom were cast off the street. “I want to stress that I did it as a professional… It’s just a job.”

As for those rumored to be having sex on camera in the leather bar scenes; “On the set, some people were having sex for real, but (director William) Friedkin didn’t ask anybody to. No way I would suck cock in front of a camera,” he says.

Although Bieber doesn’t mention his work with Colt Studios in this article, four months later Mandate ran a 10-page spread titled “Whatever Happened To Letch Feeley?” This feature tracked Bieber from his Little Me photos through his work with Colt Studios.

When asked to sum himself up at the close of the article, Bieber said with a smile; “I’ve done a little bit of everything and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Later in 1980, Bieber was done in by a poison dart in Times Square during the opening sequence of Eaten Alive, an Italian cannibal movie:

The epilogue of Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis (2000) notes that Bieber “has been an extra in almost every movie ever filmed in New York City. Kurt says he is ‘still around and still cruising Christopher Street.'”

*Kurt Bieber behind Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Swayze in a scene from* Ghost (1990)

Decades later, Little Me fans still recognized him. “Even today, I’ll sometimes walk into a store and someone will say ‘Wow! Letch Feeley!’ How they recognize me after all these years, with my white hair, I’ll never know.”

Kurt Bieber passed away at age 86 on December 31, 2015 in New York City.

March of the Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

UPDATE: This post has been updated and expanded with additional photos HERE.

It’s hard to believe that the Laurel & Hardy holiday classic March of the Wooden Soldiers debuted 88 years ago. Originally released as Babes In Toyland on Nov. 30, 1934, the holiday perennial was based on Victor Herbert’s popular 1903 operetta. The film came out of Hal Roach studios and was co-directed by Gus Meins and Charles Rogers.

Here’s the trailer:

I originally posted this celebration of the film on the 85th Anniversary. Here is an updated version:

10 Things You May Not Know About March of The Wooden Soldiers

1) In addition to Babes In Toyland, the film was also re-released under several different titles, including Laurel and Hardy in Toyland and Revenge Is Sweet.

3) The villainous Silas Barnaby was played by 22 year old Henry Kleinbach. He later changed his name to Henry Brandon and appeared in over 100 films throughout his 60 year career.

Brandon played essentially the same character as an opera impresario who torments poor, poor Alfalfa in Our Gang Follies of 1938.

20 years later he was Acacious Page in Auntie Mame.

Another fun fact: Brandon’s partner for the last 25+ years of his life was Mark Herron, who was briefly married to Judy Garland.

Bill Cassara and Richard S. Greene recently published a book about him.

You can also find out more about Henry Brandon here

4) Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals) also filmed at Hal Roach studios. Several of the kids appear as schoolchildren in Toyland, although not dressed in their Our Gang costumes as in this photo atop Mother Peep’s Shoe-house.

One of the most popular Our Gang / Little Rascals shorts, Mama’s Little Pirate was filmed the same year and has an extended sequence shot in the caves of Bogeyland. Gus Meins directed both films.

Another Our Gang connection: two graduates of the silent era, Johnny Downs and Jean Darling appear as Little Boy Blue and Curly Locks:

5) Felix Knight played romantic lead Tom Tom and fell in love with co-star Alice Moore, who played the Queen of Hearts. They were married the following year.

Knight also appeared with Laurel and Hardy in their 1936 film – The Bohemian Girl:

*“NO I haven’t seen them!” Marie Wilson as Mary Quite Contrary*

7) Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf? An instrumental version of this song is used to underscore scenes with the Three Little Pigs. However, the song is not from the Babes In Toyland operetta – it was originally featured in the 1933 Disney short Three Little Pigs and (surprisingly) has been covered by everyone from Barbra Streisand to LL Cool J.

8) About those pigs…. Elmer, the kidnapped pig was played by a little person – 2′ 11″ Angelo Rossito.

The two other pigs were played by child actors:

Payne B. Johnson played Jiggs. As of 2022, he is the last surviving major player from the film.

And THIS little piggy…. was a porn star! Willie was played by Edward Earle Marsh, later a Broadway performer known as Edward Earle. He then reinvented himself as Zebedy Colt, a gay cabaret singer and porn star who appeared in both gay and straight movies through the 1970’s & 80’s.

Someone needs to write a book about this guy.

Some may remember a shorter version of the film airing on television years ago. A 73 minute version that had fallen into public domain was broadcast for a few years in the 1980’s, with the opening “Toyland” song sequence trimmed and the “Go to Sleep (Slumber Deep)” number cut completely. Any restored prints or colorized versions of the film run at the original 79 minute length.

If it isn’t broadcast in your area, you can watch the full movie here:

10) Bearing in mind that the source material is the original operetta and not this film, there have been numerous wildly different versions of Babes In Toyland:

Between 1950 and 1960, there were three television productions broadcast during Christmas seasons, including one featuring Barbara Cook and Dennis Day in 1955.

Walt Disney’s Technicolor™ 1961 film version starred Annette Funicello and Ray Bolger.

An 1997 animated film version, with a new plot and only one of the original songs, featured the voices of Christopher Plummer and Lacey Chabert.

These other versions come and go, but none feature Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee… a gay wedding… nightmare-inducing pig masks … a monkey dressed as a Mickey Mouse knockoff… or poorly costumed Bogeymen with visible zippers and padding.

Join me in wishing a happy 88th birthday to a Hollywood holiday classic!

March of the Wooden Soldiers’ 85th Anniversary: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

01 March-Of-The-Wooden-Soldiers-On-November-28th-Thanksgiving-Day-758x396

UPDATE: This post has been updated and expanded with additional photos HERE.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Laurel & Hardy classic March of the Wooden Soldiers. Originally released as Babes In Toyland on Nov. 30, 1934, the holiday perennial was based on Victor Herbert’s popular 1903 operetta. The film came out of Hal Roach studios and was co-directed by Gus Meins and Charles Rogers.

Here’s the trailer:

To celebrate this occasion, I present to you….

10 Things You May Not Know About March of The Wooden Soldiers

1) In addition to Babes In Toyland, the film was also re-released under several different titles, including Laurel and Hardy in Toyland and Revenge Is Sweet.

3) The villainous Silas Barnaby was played by 22 year old Henry Kleinbach. He later changed his name to Henry Brandon and appeared in over 100 films throughout his 60 year career.

Brandon played essentially the same character as an opera impresario who torments poor poor Alfalfa in Our Gang Follies of 1938.

20 years later he was Acacious Page in Auntie Mame.

Another fun fact: Brandon’s partner for the last 25+ years of his life was Mark Herron, who was briefly married to Judy Garland.

Bill Cassara and Richard S. Greene recently published a book about him.

You can also find out more about Henry Brandon here

4) The Little Rascals (aka Our Gang) also filmed at Hal Roach studios. Several of the gang appear as schoolchildren in Toyland, although not dressed in their Our Gang costumes as in this photo atop Mother Peep’s Shoe-house.

One of the most popular Our Gang / Little Rascals shorts, Mama’s Little Pirate was filmed the same year and has an extended sequence shot in the caves of Bogeyland. Gus Meins directed both films.

Another Our Gang connection: two graduates of the silent era, Johnny Downs and Jean Darling appear as Little Boy Blue and Curly Locks:

4 Johnny Downs Jean Darling2 — Johnny Downs and Jean Darling as Little Boy Blue and Curly Locks

5) Felix Knight played romantic lead Tom Tom and fell in love with co-star Alice Moore, who played the Queen of Hearts. They were married the following year.

5 Behind the scenes — Behind the scenes, l-r: Alice Moore (Queen Of Hearts) Charley Rodgers (Simple Simon and the film’s co-director), Felix Knight (Tom Tom), Charlotte Henry (Bo-Peep) and Henry Brandon (Barnaby). Note the Three Little Pigs masks and padding hanging in the background.

Knight also appeared with Laurel and Hardy in their 1936 film – The Bohemian Girl:

6 Marie Wilson Mary Contrary — “NO I haven’t seen them!” Marie Wilson as Mary Quite Contrary

7) Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf? An instrumental version of this song is used to underscore scenes with the Three Little Pigs. However, the song is not from the original Babes In Toyland operetta – it was originally featured in the 1933 Disney short Three Little Pigs and (surprisingly) has been covered by everyone from Barbra Streisand to LL Cool J.

8) About those pigs…. Elmer, the kidnapped pig was played by a little person – 2′ 11″ Angelo Rossito.

The two other pigs were played by child actors:

Payne B. Johnson played Jiggs. As of 2021, he is the last living major player from the film.

And THIS little piggy…. was a porn star! Willie was played by Edward Earle Marsh, later a Broadway performer known as Edward Earle. He then reinvented himself as Zebedy Colt, an out gay cabaret singer and porn star who appeared in both gay and straight movies through the 1970’s & 80’s.

Someone needs to write a book about this guy.

9) The film became a broadcast television staple on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day in the early 1960’s. I grew up watching the film on NYC’s WPIX Channel 11, which continues to air the film to this day. In 1990 they switched to the colorized version, and in 2018, due to viewer requests, they began airing both the restored black and white and colorized versions at different times during the day.

Some may remember a shorter version of the film airing on television years ago. A 73 minute version was broadcast for a few years in the 1980’s, with the opening “Toyland” song sequence trimmed and the “Go to Sleep (Slumber Deep)” number cut completely. Any restored prints or colorized versions of the film run at the original 79 minute length.

If it isn’t broadcast in your area, you can watch the full movie here:

10) Keeping in mind that the source material is the original operetta and not this film, there have been numerous other versions of Babes In Toyland:

Between 1950 and 1960, there were three television versions, all broadcast during the Christmas season, including one featuring Barbara Cook and Dennis Day in 1955.

Walt Disney’s Technicolor™ 1961 film version starred Annette Funicello and Ray Bolger.

A 1986 made-for-television version featured Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves and “a royal legion of tacky trolls” with only two songs from the Victor Herbert score, a new plot, and many new songs by Leslie Bricusse.

An 1997 animated film version, with a new plot and only one of the original songs, featured the voices of Christopher Plummer and Lacey Chabert.

These other versions come and go, but none feature Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee…. nightmare-inducing pig masks …. a monkey dressed as a Mickey Mouse knockoff…. or poorly costumed Bogeymen with visible zippers and padding.

Join me in wishing a Happy 85th Birthday to a Hollywood Holiday Classic!

Tag: film

March of the Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

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Madame Spivy: Movies & Television

Kurt Bieber: From Little Me to Colt Model

March of the Wooden Soldiers: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

March of the Wooden Soldiers’ 85th Anniversary: 10 Things You May Not Know About The Classic Film

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