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A place to update and discuss facts surrounding the controversial, tragic death of legendary Hollywood film actress, wife and mother, Natalie Wood who drowned mysteriously Nov. 29, 1981 off Catalina Island. Thank you for visiting.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Real Men Make Christmas Wreaths


Lost L.A.: Boys Republic and the Della Robbia wreath - latimes.com

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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 4, 2011 at 1:31 AM

    This article was heartwarming for me. Partly because of a nostalgic Christmas feeling, the sight of that happy woman in the wreath, and the story of Boys Republic, and what one lady did to help them get off the street, and go to work for a worthy cause, while learning responsibility and discipline.

    Margaret Fowler had a noble idea that came to life with her effort to "house, teach, and inspire teenage boys brought down low by abuse and broken families." The boys would handcraft Christmas wreaths that would decorate homes all over America back in the '50s.

    Natalie Wood was one of a number of Hollywood celebrities who endorsed Boys Republic and the Della Robbia wreath. Ironic is the fact that Steve McQueen would work there early in his life as one of the "real men", and go on to become an accomplished actor, and star with Natalie in the movie, Love With the Proper Stranger.

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  2. Marianne9December 4, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    This photo really caught my eye in the paper yesterday when I saw it. I had seen the photo of Natalie before, but I never get tired of looking at photos I've seen of her. It reminded me of how much she loved Christmas (and how she was getting in the mood for it already that Thanksgiving weekend).

    It struck me, too, about the irony of Steve McQueen having already been a beneficiary of this organization by the time Natalie promoted it. That's such a sweet photo of her.

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  3. Michael BDecember 6, 2011 at 2:51 AM

    Steve McQueen was staightened out at Boys Republic. McQueen had been in trouble with the law as a teen and was either given the option of going to Boys Republic or something harsher. It took a while for him there to get inspired to turn his life around, and McQueen credits an administrator there for giving him a changed perspective on life that led McQueen to discipline himself. McQueen supported the place of his turnabout throughout his adult life. McQueen also became a born-again Christian toward the end of his life.

    Michael B

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