ROBERT BENCHLEY SOCIETY

March 29, 2003

The inaugural organizational meeting of the Robert Benchley society was held on Saturday, March 29, 2003. At Emmet's Pub, 6 Beacon St., Boston, Mass. In attendance were David Trumbull, David Lyon and Sharon Lyon. Not present were Pamela Siska, Mary DiZazzo, Susan Imrie, Robert Collins, Kevin Fitzpatrick, and Nat Benchley who had indicated support for the formation of a Robert Benchley Society along the lines adopted at this meeting.

Reports

Mr. Trumbull reported that a website www.robertbenchley.org has been set up and contains a bibliography of books about Benchley.

Mr. Trumbull has contacted Borders Book on Washington St., downtown Boston regarding a possible event on or around RB's birthday, September 15. The event, expected to be a 45-minute weekday lunch-hour activity, will feature a reading from RB's essays (provided permission for a public reading can be secured). The event might also promote the New Yorker Humor Anthology currently on the shelves at Borders, which contains several of RB's essays.

Mr. Trumbull has contacted Nathaniel Benchley, the grandson of Robert Benchley who does a one man play about RB.

Organization of the Robert Benchley Society

The persons present, with the understanding that those who could not attend today's meeting had endorsed the meeting's purpose of organizing the Robert Benchley Society, unanimously agreed to form The Robert Benchley Society (RBS) as a not-for-profit association for the mutual enjoyment and promotion of the writings and motion pictures of Robert Benchley, American drama critic and humorist (1889-1945).

New Business

Election of Officers and Directors

• Mr. David Trumbull of Boston was elected chairman
  
• Miss Pamela Siska of Cambridge was elected vice-chairman
  
• Mrs. David (Sharon) Lyon of Boston was elected secretary
  
• Mr. Dave Lyon of Boston was elected treasurer
  
• Mr. Kevin Fitzpatrick of New York, NY was elected a director
  
• Mr. Nathaniel Benchley of Alexandria, Virginia was elected a director (pending his acceptance)

Proposed Projects

Mr. Trumbull will follow-up with Borders and with RB's copyright holders regarding the birthday public reading

Mrs. Lyon will research, on-line, the availability of RB's books and motion pictures.

The RBS will organize a group to attend Parkerfest the annual event of the Dorothy Parker Society of New York in September.

Mr. Trumbull will contact Turner Classic Movies to request a Robert Benchley festival/marathon/orgy.

Mr. Trumbull will approach RB's copyright holders regarding permission to put a Benchley quote of the day?week?month? on the website. Mr. Lyon would put code on the web site; Mrs. Lyon would create the file of Benchley quotes.

Other possible future activities discussed included:

• Approaching The Arts and Entertainment Network, The Biography Channel, Turner Classic Movies, or other such television outlet regarding a biography of RB.
  
• A trip to Boston University to see and read the Benchley papers.
• A day-trip to Worcester, Massachusetts to see the birth place of Benchley and visit other sites.

  Next Event

  Mr. Trumbull offered to host the next event, a viewing of a Benchley movie, at his apartment on Beacon Hill in about a month, date to be announced.

  Recorded and respectfully submitted March 31, 2003
  Sharon Lyon

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