I had learned from my previous sessions that kids would line up early. I was correct in my thinking. Some of them had been there since last night. A couple of them were entrepreneurial and were holding places in line to sell. I wondered how that would work out. I avoided getting involved.
Instead, I worked the line. That is I started with the first arrivals and chatted with each of them for a few minutes and worked my way back. The Marshal accompanied me. I switched back and forth from English to Spanish and accents from British to American just to keep it mixed up.
I gave autographs as we went down the line. I hoped to reach the back of the line before the doors opened. By eleven o’clock we made it. There must have been a thousand people in line already.
After reaching the end of the line I moved back inside the theater to the picture setup. It was another Catholic charity. Again nuns in robes kept order. I looked for rulers; but didn’t see any, that didn’t mean any weren’t handy.
We had the head of the line move to the picture set after their picture was taken with me if they wanted one that is, and then they went inside. As before local bands were playing. These were Rock and Roll or Cuban. Plenty of soft drinks and popcorn were available.
The cleaning bill was going to be horrendous as popcorn fights broke out. These fights were all in fun. I deny I was involved in any of it. I don’t know how that picture was faked.
After being set up for a fake popcorn fight picture, my story and I’m sticking to it, I went back out to start signing autographs again. Finally, the theater was full with many people left on the street. A quick agreement made by Sharon Wallace who had wised up and flown in for the event and the bands moved outside to play.
I went into a madhouse, not a riot but getting close. I ran down the aisle and got up on stage. One thing I wasn’t prepared for were television cameras on each side of the stage. It was nice that there was an overhead microphone.
I immediately welcomed the audience. I hadn’t finished my statement and Frank Sinatra came out of stage left, he was accompanied by a fiddle player. I knew he was a fiddle player because he had one with him. It didn’t much imagination to see what was going on.
I was right as Frank, no more respect for him, told the audience he and I were doing a duet of my released song from the movie. It had come out two days before and was getting good play. People have no taste.
I hate being put on the spot like that but what can you do. We sang the song. It didn’t come out too bad because I was a little hoarse from talking all day.
Frank exited stage right. From stage left, a redhead came running.
“Oh Mr. Sinatra, please wait, I need your autograph.”
He was out of sight and Lucy was in the middle of the stage when Desi followed from stage left.
“Lucy, you got some splaining to do,” he yelled.
Lucy went off stage to the right with Desi following. The crowd was hooting and hollering. Desi was just exiting when Reginald Van Gleason made a grand entrance. When he got to me he did the famous, “And away we go.”
By this time I knew why TV cameras were in place.
I went off stage as the movie started where the gang of scene-stealing, interloping, best people I have ever known stood, waiting for me.
I shook my head with a big grin.
“Thank you guys, that will put this over the top.”
They all told me it was fun and that they had learned a long time ago that events like this were publicity gold. Jackie Gleason explained this was really personal for him as the last time he was on these boards was in the 1930s in vaudeville.
Again I thanked them profusely. I thought we were done but they told me I was nuts. I was escorted outside where the lines were just as long as the early matinee. Sharon was there and smirking when she told me we were doing it all again.
And we did.
My fellow actors were all there for the opening and did their stunts again. There was an addition. It seems Jerry Lewis was in town. His publicity people called mine and the next thing you know I had The Bellhop helping me off stage to end the opening.
The next day the national papers had picked up on the impromptu event. My tour also got a name, ‘Ricky Jackson’s Circus.’ When it came to town you never knew what was going to happen.
My fellow actors all had gone their own directions. Sharon Wallace was on her way to Savannah to confirm that setup. I wondered how we would top this show. Marshal Givens tipped his hat to me and went his way.
After all that excitement, I went back to Little Havana to have a coke and crowd watch to settle down. I settled down in my favorite café at an outside table. I had just sat down and I was joined by a Latin man I didn’t know. He introduced himself as Jose Cardona.
“I hear you have concerns about our retaking Cuba from that pig Castro.”
“A lot of information about the plans appears to be freely available.”
“How much do you think is true?”
“I have no idea, I hope very little.”
“Little boys should stay out of matters of their elders.”
Now call me
