Ti Eastman (BSA) found this article about Sam Menning's death:

Here is the link, I hope it works:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 281a8d68c3

Thanks for carrying the Menning memorial torch to the Forum, Brian.

Sam's death was posted to the "News" section of this Forum, including both his Hollywood Reporter and Variety obituaries.... since they printed different dates of death. Posted here:

http://www.bettiepagemovie.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=15&p=1288

Stand by for Mark Mori to say something. He interviewed Sam in May, 2009. Just in the nick of time!

Patti

You'll be hearing from Sam Menning during the film, as I was able to interview him in May, 2009. Sam had one of the most colorful lives any man could want, with few regrets about the path his life followed.

With a very limited education (never finished elementary school), he didn't know the meaning of "impossible" in pursuing jobs. Here's how he reflected on his work history, going back to his Navy days:

> Mark: You did live quite a colorful life.
>
> Sam: Oh, yeah, I’ve been — I’ve been to the Arctic. I’ve been — [to] the jungles of
> the Amazon. I’ve been all over the world, and I — designed lingerie, photographed
> beautiful girls, managed strippers, been a photographer... and now I’m an actor....
> I ... may not be a star. May not have been the top photographer…. Uh, may...
> may have only been Relief Skippers a couple times. But at least I did get to be
> Skipper…. At least I am — I am an actor…. At least I was a photographer….
> At least I’m in there with the top ones. I’m next — I’m next to the, the chosen few,
> and everything. I’m glad I’ve been there.
>
> Mark: And you knew Bettie Page!
>
> Sam: And I — I’m…my claim to fame: I know Bettie — knew Bettie Page.

Sam was aware of Bettie's passing in December, 2008, yet he regularly referred to her in the present tense. Bettie was still alive in Sam's mind — understandable, as Sam was one of the few people Bettie allowed into her private life as a Platonic friend during her modeling days. In fact, Sam, Weegee, and Bettie used to pal around together.

Because we shot the interview in the courtyard outside Sam's house, there were some laughable interruptions, from a leaf blowing neighbor, to overly noisy birds, and even a rooster crowing in the middle of Los Angeles.

Not to be outdone for attention, Sam's cat, Admiral Chittendon, decided to steal a scene by getting into the shot. Check for the black fur ball in the attached screen capture.

For anyone who'd like to see it....

Attached is the funeral listing for Sam Menning, printed in the L.A. Times on April 7, 2010.

You've seen a still of Sam Menning's scene stealing kitty during his interview with Mark Mori.

Now.... <drum roll>.... you can hear Sam recapping his extremely colorful life of no regrets:

Sam Menning will never die, thanks to his kooky legacy as a character actor, and his enduring archive of Bettie Page photos.


BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL contacted Jutka Burtman about Bettie's photo legacy for Leonard Burtman.

To read more about it, go here:

http://www.bettiepagemovie.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=477


Jutka mentioned Bettie's buddy and photographer, Sam Menning. Because Sam was still shooting for Burtman during his marriage to Jutka and created some of the Jennifer Jordan (Jutka's modeling alias) photos, Jutka knew him. She said Sam was a lovely man, who took wonderful photos, but always smoked too much, and drank too much alcohol.

While interviewed by Mark Mori (the year before his death), Sam spoke about working for Burtman during the 1980s. He mentioned that Burtman still used the red/black boots in the attached Bettie shot. The dilemma: Sam's date memory was likely off.

Here's what Sam told Greg Theakston when interviewed for "The Betty Pages Annual" #1 (1991):

From page 139

> I was one of Burtman's photographers. I went to work with Lenny in
> 1956 or 1957 and worked with him until 1972....