Read Online Bewitched and Beyond: The Fan Who Came to Dinner by Mark Wood - Free Book Online

fly home from a business trip to be with them as the boy’s death became inevitable. If that seems a little heartless, consider that in 1973, his grandson, J. Paul Getty the 3rd, was kidnapped in Italy and his kidnappers sent them one of his ears and demanded a $16 million-dollar ransom. It’s reported that J. Paul initially balked about paying up and reportedly said, “I have fourteen other grandchildren. If I pay one penny now, then I’ll have fourteen kidnapped grandchildren.” Eventually over $2 million was paid by the Getty family and the grandson was released, though no one is quite sure just how much money J. Paul the 1st contributed.
    Later in life, Teddy began a business venture bottling water from a little town in Texas called “The Town without a Toothache” because the water was so high in fluoride.
    After that, she began making candy in her garage that sold for many years in the upper end stores of Los Angeles.
    As you can tell, Teddy Getty’s adventures could fill a book all her own.
     
FUN NOTE: Teddy Getty was the owner of “Norma Desmond’s” mansion used in the movie Sunset Boulevard. It originally stood on the corner of Wilshire and Crenshaw Boulevards in Los Angeles, and had been passed on to her in the divorce settlement from J. Paul. She in turn, rented it out to Paramount to be used in the film on the condition that Paramount build her a swimming pool, which they did, and can be seen in the final production.
     
    Sadly, the mansion was torn down in 1957 to make way for Getty Headquarters. Today it is known as the Harbor Building.
    Sandra loved to cook and Kasey and I were invited over to her house for many parties through the years. She considered herself quite the gourmet and I was the ONLY one she ever allowed in her kitchen. She always talked about writing a cookbook called “ Sex, Pots, and Pans: How to Cook for Every Kind of Man! ” She wanted to include recipes from all the glamour girls in Hollywood. (Some bio’s written about Sandra state that this book was actually written, but to my knowledge it never was.)
    Long before Bewitched, she did write a book called “ Always Say Maybe ” which can sometimes be found on eBay. She also made a record called “Melvin, This is Mother.” It was the flip side to the old hit, “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah.” These are fun collectibles and I urge any fan to try their luck at finding these forgotten treasures.
    At the time of her death, Sandy had been working on another book called “ Confessions of a Hollywood Voyeur. ” It was to be a collection of semi-dirty stories about the many celebrities she had known throughout the years. For some reason, she loved to relate stories that were literally “below-the-belt.” One in particular I remember was the time that Sandra’s husband invited actor Forrest Tucker ( F-Troop, Auntie Mame ) over for dinner. Apparently, it was pretty common knowledge around Tinsel Town that Forrest was significantly endowed, but according to Sandra, it was her husband who informed her of Forrest and his “friend.” (I’ve always wondered how her husband knew…) When Forrest arrived for dinner, Sandra greeted him at the door and said, “How are you, Forrest?” And then, looking directly at his fly said, “And how are you ?!” I’m not sure how far she had gotten on the project or what became of the work she had finished, but can you imagine what a read that would have been?!
    Sandy had a great house and lived right off Laurel Canyon Blvd, which is a main thoroughfare from the Valley to Hollywood. You’d enter her home through a double front door into a little foyer with a huge black lacquer Oriental cabinet. Straight ahead, two steps up, was the dining room table. The entire room was the color of a ripe watermelon.
    Off to the right of the dining room was the kitchen. The living room, off to the right of the foyer, was separated by a free standing fireplace. Then up a couple more steps was a den that led