Life Out Loud!

We went to the Lifeworks Life Out Loud event on the Paramount lot on Saturday. I'm proud to support the LA Gay & Lesbian Center's programs which recently provided scholarships totaling $44,000 to 24 LGBT youth who otherwise would be unable to afford tuition, books and other expenses. Many youth turn to the center for food, shelter and support. the shelter is also a place to escape bullying. www.lagaycenter.org This year my friend, actor & activist Mike C Manning, presented the Courage Award to Lee Hirsch, the director of Bully. It's an important film that I'd highly recommend. While the subject matter is disturbing, I think it's important that younger people watch it. Awareness is the first step in stopping the cycle of violence. I watched it with my twelve year old.

LA Talk Radio Interview

Yesterday I did an interview with Wendi Cooper at LA Talk Radio that's now archived online for you to hear. We talk about everything from acting (including my part on the new webseries Karma's a Bitch), being a pitchperson, to alpaca ranching and supporting the local economy, to the tools needed to start your own business. Let me know what you think! While you're at it, check out my Erin Murphy Knits 100% alpaca hand knit hats for sale:

Sizes

Adult$50.00 USD Child$40.00 USD Baby$30.00 USD

Colors

Aspen- Off White Malibu- Tan Morocco- Brown London- Grey Tahiti- Black Custom- Hand Dyed- write desired color in message

www.latalkradio.com/Cspot.php

Polo Anyone?

I'm a huge supporter of children's charities & I'm a lifelong fan of polo. So an event that combines the two is clearly a winning combination! We attended a lovely event at the Polo Grounds at Will Rogers. It benefitted Safety Harbor Kids, a wonderful nonprofit that enriches the lives of orphans, foster and homeless children through education. www.safetyharborkids.org .There's something so civilized about getting all dressed up to go to a park. If you haven't been to a polo match at Will Rogers, it's a perfect inexpensive date or group activity. Polo is a fast paced sport & kids love the horses. The polo is free, so the only cost is for parking. Pack a decadent picnic, put on your favorite hat & head out for a day of fun in the sun! www.willrogerspolo.org photos courtesy of Roger Neal & Harrison Held

Happy Father's Day!

When I was a little girl, I used to hate it when my birthday fell on Father's Day. Something about making someone else breakfast in bed on my special day didn't feel quite right. I lost him twenty years ago & I'd give anything in the world to share today with my Daddy. I love & miss you!

Save Bob Baker Marionettes!

How many of you remember the Punch & Judy episode of Bewitched? That was Bob Baker behind the curtain. Due to declining ticket sales & a drop in donations, the legendary Bob Baker Marionette Theater is up for sale. In June 2009, the theater was declared a historic cultural landmark. The building contains over 3,000 hand-made marionettes & has hosted shows followed by ice cream for almost 50 years. It's a wonderful place for a birthday party & I've had mine there! They have a Celebration & Preservation Extravaganza scheduled for July 29, 2012. Visit their website to purchase tickets, make a tax deductible donation or plan a visit: www.academyofpuppetry.org

RIP Henry Hill.

I've led an interesting life. I've hung out with Academy Award winners, Rockstars, Athletes, Presidents & a few Mobsters. One of those was, Henry Hill, whose life became the basis for the Martin Scorcese film, Goodfellas. Ray Liotta played him in the film. Henry gave me several of his original paintings & was the nicest "rat" I've ever met! I think we'll be watching Goodfellas tonight. It's a classic.

Bewitched Memories: Dr. Bombay & Tabitha Visit Howard Stern!

People always ask who I stayed in touch with after Bewitched ended. One of the relationships that I've really enjoyed is with Bernard Fox (Dr. Bombay). We've had the pleasure of attending many, many events together over the years, traveling & sharing meals. We also share the same wicked sense of humor, which can be seen in our visit with Howard Stern. How many "Dick" jokes can you count in our 10 minute interview? For those interested in what Howard Stern is "really like", I've done his show three times & he is extremely smart, charming & a total gentleman! Photo credit: ABC Archives.

Bewitched Meets Mad Men!

Bewitched fans LOVE Mad Men! The similarities to even a casual viewer are obvious: 60's, advertising, smoking, drinking, pretty blonde wife, the fact that Don & Roger look like sexier versions of Darren Stephens & Larry Tate. I've been watching since the first episode of the first season & knew that there would be Bewitched references. The talented writing team didn't disappoint. I loved when there was mention that Don Draper should have lunch with Bill Asher at the Brown Derby 'He'll probably cast you'. Darren & I went to the Mad Men Finale Event at the Television Academy last night & had the chance to chat with the shows creator, Matt Weiner, the stars & the writers. They're all Bewitched fans! Little known fact, my dear friend Rebecca Asher (Elizabeth Montgomery & Bill Asher's daughter) was script supervisor on some early episodes. She's directing Raising Hope now (& I feel like a proud big sister). Adorable Kiernan Shipka, is so poised & articulate. I think she's amazing as Sally Draper & clearly has the most fully developed, interesting character ever written for a young actor on television. I've always said I'd love to work on another series when my kids were older. I've been so particular about what should be my return project to the small screen. I really didn't think MegaOctopus Piranha Boy was the right choice..Don't you think Tabitha Stephens Sterling has a nice ring to it? Heck, I'd be happy to play 3rd secretary down the hall & say "Good Morning Mr. Draper!'.

Johnny Grant: The 'Mayor' of Hollywood & Me!

Something special came out of my visit to the Marilyn Monroe Event at the Hollywood Museum! Part of the permanent exhibit at the museum is a free-standing wall of photographs of celebrities receiving their Stars on the Walk of Fame. Most of those ceremonies were presided over by the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant. Elizabeth Montgomery's posthumous award was the very last ceremony that Johnny attended. He sadly passed away just five days later. I had the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time talking with him & posted a blog about him back in 2008: 'It is with great sadness that I discuss the death of the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Mr. Grant many times over the years & I'm delighted that I was able to have a long conversation with him last Friday as he unveiled his last star on Hollywood Blvd: Elizabeth Montgomery's. I'd like to share a story he told me about his first trip to Hollywood. Johnny came to California from North Carolina in the 1940's to serve in the Army in World War II. He was in Santa Monica & asked one of the guys how he could get to Hollywood. They told him to walk outside & stick out his thumb. The first car that drove by picked him up & the driver asked "Where you going Sarge?". He said "Take me to Hollywood!". The car dropped him off at Schwab's Drugstore, where he was greeted by Charlie Chaplin. He told me that the number one thing that got him through the war, was the thought of getting back to the place where he wanted to spend the rest of his life: Hollywood. He was a class act, who was sharp as a tack to the very end. He will be fondly remembered & greatly missed.' At the Hollywood Museum, I bumped into Johnny Grant's long time photographer, Robert Freeman. A couple days after the event, I received two photographs & this note from him: 'Hi Erin, I am so glad I could get these to you. I feel I have done something good here in Johnny's memory. You are the last celebrity I took photos of with him and I was his photographer for 20 years. My very best to you and yours, Bob'. Thank you, Bob! I'll treasure them. I'll always remember my time spent with Johnny & the twinkle in his eyes! Here is a video of the arrivals at the Star Ceremony: Here is Johnny's last star dedication: Videos from Mark Simpson, The Bewitched Collector.

The Hollywood Museum: Marilyn Monroe Exhibit

We went to the opening party for the Marilyn Monroe Exhibit this week at the Hollywood Museum. The museum is in the iconic Max Factor building, where Marilyn became a blonde & Lucy became a redhead! The exhibit is to honor not only Marilyn's birthday, but also the 50th anniversary of her passing. If you've never been to the Hollywood Museum (which I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't) RUN, don't walk! The museum is positively enormous, full of costumes, props, photographs & memorabilia. The Marilyn Exhibit will be there from June 1- September 2nd. Photographer George Barris was at the party with some of his never before seen pictures of Marilyn on display.

The exhibit has everything from Marilyn's costumes, to her actual refrigerator.

Also on display are the Marilyn costumes from the hit series Smash. For those interested in party food details, they were top notch! Caviar, shrimp, a mashed potato bar, champagne & tequila bars & an entire floor for desserts!

They also had "themed" cocktails. I tried the 'Happy Birthday Mr. President': 2 oz Akvinta Vodka, 1/2 oz Campari, 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice.

To further illustrate the everlasting appeal of Marilyn the crowd was extremely diverse, including old Hollywood stars, Gloria Allred & Selena Gomez! Selena was on the red carpet next to me & when I tried to explain to my husband who she was, he replied "Is she I Carly?".