Ford Finscéal

When I was 18 I was working backsstage painting props etc for a play "Bell Book and Candle". John Ford had the lead and I was totally in awe of this witty man. I had a crush on him...One night Nora Jean , John, my brother David Crandall and I went out to dinner. (Everyone was in the closet in those days and I didn't even know there was a closet.) We had wine with our meal and John and I toasted, linking arms to be followed by a kiss. Well as soon as we linked arms I spilled my wine all over John...and never got a kiss!. I have remained in touch through the years but had not seen John since 1992. Talked to him two months ago though and had tried to call of late and no answer. I am sure he is smiling at all of us who are blogging for the first time... Lou Crandall Tarr

When we, the Barry family, were growing up in Montreal, Uncle John came to visit. My parents, (Aunt Helen and Uncle Jack) left Uncle John to babysit all of us - maybe we were 8 kids in the family by then or maybe there were just 7 of us at the time. Uncle John was definitely a very gentle and sweet Uncle and actually took the time to do something special with us. He tried to get the 7 or 8 of us to focus and he attempted to read us a story. All I remember about that incident is that we were all sitting in the living room at 4950 Doherty, our home in Montreal at the time. Very possibly, let me clarify, most definitely we were probably acting up because poor Uncle John tried to get us to settle down so that he could be heard but to no avail. In the end he had to close the book because there was too much confusion and noise and very little listening going on. What a pity, I wonder what book he had chosen?