Piper Laurie, my favorite on-screen mom

For the 2^nd year in a row, I attended the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in Hunt Valley Maryland. I mainly went to see Piper Laurie and George Lazenby but also excited to see Lana Wood.

Piper Laurie played my favorite mother in cinema history, Margaret White from Carrie. Shelley Winters comes a close second. I remember these two actresses every Mother’s Day. I also remember nice mother portrayals mainly Myrna Loy from Cheaper By The Dozen or Irene Dunne in I Remember Mama but I can’t help favoring Piper Laurie in Carrie or Shelley Winters in Lolita, A Patch of Blue or Bloody Mama.

On the topic of Carrie, I’d also love to add that Coal Miner’s Daughter is one of favorite movies of all time. Sissy Spacek is so talented.

I have also seen Piper Laurie in Children of a Lesser God, The Thorn Birds and one of her Arabian Nights movies. I had planned to watch The Prince Who was a Thief at the Convention but it got switched with Danny Kaye Shorts so instead I saw Dime a Dance with Imogen Coca and a very young sexy platinum blonde June Allyson. Who would have thought?

Piper was promoting her autobiography, Learning to Live Out Loud: A Memoir. Otherwise she makes rare appearances. She was scheduled for the Courts Celebrity Show in Burbank but I found out too late. It would have been nice to see the celebrity guests Nancy Kwan and Katherine Helmond. I love the show Soap. Hopefully I will make up for it by attending The Hollywood Show to see Gloria Jean, Rosemarie, Tempest Storm and some “modern” people like drummer and singer Sheila E. Oh how I wished I played drums!

I like Piper Laurie, judging by my interaction with her and her panel that evening with Connie Stevens. She’s a bit on the serious side but seems sincere and considerate. Piper Laurie’s book is turning out to be a good read. Before she autographed it, she couldn’t figure out my name. I handed her my credit card not to pay but to give a visual aid. She saw my uncommon but recognizable name stating that it’s beautiful. As she signed it, I mentioned Julie Adams son, Mitch, told me that she is a good writer. She replied she doesn’t know about being a good writer but she wrote her book—no ghostwriter.