"Target practice! Target practice!"

Find out if you are a better marksman than Robert Benchley in this 1936 M-G-M short subject "How to be a Detective."

Join us at Mass Firearms School, Holliston, Massachusetts for a One-Hour Learn to Shoot Live Fire Session.

If you are interested, contact David Trumbull at david@robertbenchley.org to coordinate the day and time for the outing and we'll get together a group from the Boston "We've Come for the Davenport" Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society.

Act quickly (with the next three days) and get a bargain -- $37 for One-Hour Learn to Shoot Live Fire Session ($75 Value). To see the Groupon bargain click here.

"Lost Locomotive" Chapter meets in DC

On Sunday, March 18, the "Lost Locomotive" Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society met at America Eats Tavern in Washington, DC for brunch. The pop-up restaurant near the National Archives was originally in support of the same-named exhibit there (now closed). Historical food and beverages, including Golden Age Cocktails (like the French 57), are served, making it a very appropriate venue for a Society Meeting. Local chapter members Jean Keleher and Cheri and Matthew Hahn were joined by Society President David L. K. Trumbull, and a good time was had by all.

Robert Benchley-W.C. Fields Connection

Photos of Benchley and Fields, flanking a letter from Fields to Benchley

Brian A. Thomas has done some research on the connection between Robert Benchley and W.C. Fields, which is available for reading on the Robert Benchley Society website at www.robertbenchley.org/sob/benchley-fields.htm.

More information about Mr. Benchley, including his connection to other funnymen of the time and his continuing influence, is available at www.robertbenchley.org.

Important Message for Those Entering the Robert Benchley Society Annual Humor Writing Competition.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for those entering the Robert Benchley Society Annual Humor Writing Competition. PLEASE NOTE that I will have limited access to a computer to process your entries or respond to questions between March 16th and March 21st. If you enter during that period and do not hear from me immediately, do not worry: your entry or question will be handled -- it just may have to wait until the 22nd.

Don't Miss Out on Benchley News

Be sure to subscribe to our free email news feed. Just click on the "Subscribe to Robert Benchley Society by Email" link to the right and enter your email address. On days that we post to the blog, you will get a single email of all that day's postings. If there is no news, you get no email. And you never get more than one per day, so it's not like we're going to flood your mailbox. Why not sign up?

If You Are Not the Lead Dog, the View Never Changes

"If you are not the lead dog, the view never changes" ~ Robert Benchley

This famous quotation by Robert Benchley is the inspiration for the newly formed Philadelphia Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society - "The Lead Dog."

If you live in the Philadelphia area (virtual proximity is accepted) and would like to join, please submit your membership dues (only $10) and inform the president of the Robert Benchley Society that you are a Lead Dog. Meetings are held informally at no special time for cocktails at Dave and Buster's in Philly. Dress is 1920s-40s attire, or not.

JOIN THE ROBERT BENCHLEY SOCIETY. The annual membership fee of US$ 10.00 may be paid through PayPal using the link below. Our membership year runs from April 1 through March 31. If you are joining part-way through the year, please note that you will be charged the full US$ 10.00 as, we do not pro-rate the fee for a partial year. Also note, one US$ fee is good for up to two persons at the same mailing address. If you are joining as a couple just send one payment; later you will have an opportunity to add the second name to the membership. CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Also, The Robert Benchley Society discussion group is on YahooGroups at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Benchley/.

Washington, D.C. Benchley Round-up Set for St. Patrick's Day

Matthew Hahn of the Washington, D.C. "The Lost Locomotive" Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society has announced a Benchley Round-up, at member Paul O'Day's house in Virginia (suburban Washington), beginning at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 17th. Light and heavy finger foods and liquid refreshment (including Guinness for St. Patrick's Day) will be served. They plan to watch shorts not seen at the last meeting, and also discuss future club events. David and Mary Trumbull will be in attendance. Matthew says, "Hope you can make it! Please RSVP to me and I will send you directions and contact info -- mathahn@yahoo.com.

Since they are serving beer, they should consider Ballantine Ale and the Black Velvet cocktail (made with stout). Both have a strong Benchley connection -- see www.robertbenchley.org/rbs/cocktails.htm for drink suggestions for a Robert Benchley party. --dt

The delta chapter of the RBS, with the name "The Lost Locomotive" was founded September 6, 2005, by Bill Hyder. The name is the title of a Benchley essay that appears in My Ten Years in a Quandary (page 1) and Inside Benchley (page 49).

Time to Renew Your Robert Benchley Society Membership

JOIN THE ROBERT BENCHLEY SOCIETY. The annual membership fee of US$ 10.00 may be paid through PayPal using the button below. Our membership year runs from April 1 through March 31. If you have not already paid the year ended March 31, 2013, please do so by April 1st (no joke!)

Note: one US$ 10 fee is good for up to two persons at the same mailing address. If you are joining as a couple, just send one payment; later, you will have an opportunity to add the second name to the membership.

NOTE that your PayPal reciept will read "MARY4NAILS."