The Ludmila Confessions

The Jubilee was not as successful as we would have liked! Jerry Lee Lewis arrived with 5 trailer trucks and all his menagerie, but of course they kept  him so high that he could fly and no one was allowed to talk to him, not even us.  Well, his performances was not fantastic; I think his years were already catching up with him. David Carradine did his folksinger gig, and one other artist, but some of them did not show up at all.

Jeff Cooper ( Caliman) and Ludmila

As usual, after the Jubilee there was a party at the Millmans!  Arturo Hanzel my dearest friend , David Carradine and many many more guests– Jim Maddox and the two Israeli brothers, everybody had a blast. There was champagne, whisky, rum, gin was like water going around and cocaine and pot and quaaludes and LSD…. God know what else. Well, I don’t remember much of anything, but I just think I had fun.

Of course, when the buzz wore off, it was time to go to another party. Jose  #3 was working with that very famous singer– that fellow who was blind in one eye short black and Jewish, a member of the rat pack– of course, now I remember his name  it was Sammy Davis Jr.! Well he had lots of cocaine at his party house, and good drinks, so there we went! Liza Minnelli was there and many other stars. They will all will be in my book, I promise you- this is just a teaser!

Ludmila holding the big fish

As we were all having fun, one of my Mexican fighting cocks was lose and would not leave any body alone, attacking everybody and wanting to fight very bravely. the people were going crazy, so finally we caught him and put him in a cage. He was a beautiful bird with gold and red,  and black under his chest, just so spicy and proud like a Mexican bullfighter.

Arturo Hanzel (related to the Morgan Bank) invited me and Jack’s mom Ruth to go to Mexico for a long vacation.His wife Mary was my hostess, introducing me to all her friends including Buck Rogers, who impressed me immediately: handsome, well mannered, relaxed, educated, and witty.  After going with Mary and Mrs Lavender to operas and ballets we went to the discos!. Marry said lets go to Acapulco so we all went to Acapulco, and had an incredible time. Even Jack’s mother come with me, so she could enjoy Mexico.

Arturo Hanzel and daughters of Buck Rogers

Arriving in Acapulco we stay at Ron Lavender’s house. At that time he was just beginning to grow his Real Estate business; later he became number one,  his soon sequestered and head same sad times. Charles Rogers  (his friends called him Buck), fell for me immediately, as soon as we were introduced that evening, during the cocktail hour in  Ron’s home had a typical Mexican house   as your walk in the living room, which was  very open bright,  that was a small  house , in comparison to his  famous rich friends, a modest  bar and followed by the little patio with palm trees and at the end  there was a small pool with a  very Mexican fountain with gorgeous tiles, it was a charming place, cozy  everywhere you looked!  There was Mexican art work and in the upstairs  second floor the guest rooms.   This where  magic time, everything was new and beautiful,  different from Hollywood or anything a seem before,even different from Spain, and without my husband carrying me out over his shoulder out  shouting to me that I had had enough!  may be he had enough but not me, The funny part or the good part, is that  I did not get mad at that,  actually in a strange way I liked it, I felt protected and or  cared for– who knows?

But here in Mexico, I am free, so I have to get rid of Ruth, so I can really do whatever I want!  Well,  we disappeared all night to the bars, but no Ruth. We all went, Mary ,Buck, Ron, Ana and her husband Rudy, after dinner to a bordello to  see how it was, we laughed and joked and drank champagne and watched the parade of men going and coming.  I was even invited to see one of the private rooms, where the prostitute conducts her business.  I think I asked the girl if it ever repulsed her, a man that was not appealing? She said, “I just close my eyes and think of Errol Flynn!”.

After Ruth left, Buck took  me to every society part, in the Yacht Club  in Acapulco, we went to Merle Oberon’s the gorgeous actress’ house, and other celebrities –even the beach house of Senor Cantinflas himself.

Next day after Arturo Hanzel arrived, as he by now finish La Novela he was filming in Mexico City, with Jeff Cooper the Canadian actor  who play the Mexican hero “Caliman”  Then we all went across the jungle in Jepps  and then by boat to a clean and beautiful beach. I still have a picture of me holding a fish, the workers and fishermen had prepared a feast on a long wooden table on the sand by the old palapa, with fishing nets hanging around and hamacas between the Palm trees. We ate all kinds of seafood, and then more tequila , then we went to lie down in the gold warm sand. Later when it was sunset, we went back on the sailboat to Acapulco bay. ( more to follow next week.)