Hubbard & His Scn Celebs as "quarry"

From: writer@eskimo.com (Robert Vaughn Young)
Subject: Hubbard & His Scn Celebs as "quarry"
Date: 27 Sep 1997 23:35:02 GMT

Hubbard names celebrities as "quarry" to be "hunted"

I made reference in another post to an early L. Ron Hubbard issue about his view of celebrities. I found it. Because of the interest in Scientology's use of celebrities to front for the organization, and because of the importance of this directive he wrote in forming the basis of Scientology's search for celebriteis, I want to pass this on. It also shows how Hubbard viewed them, meaning how they are viewed today.

"Project Celebrity" appeared in the "Ability" newsletter (Minor II - a complicated designation LRH gave to his in-house magazines) that was issued in early 1955. (There is promotion for an upcoming "Congress" on June 3-5 to be held in Phoenix, Arizona.)

In it, LRH announces "Project Celebrity" to find celebrities. "It is obvious what would happen to Scientology if prime communicators benefiting from it would mention it now and then," LRH says. So he offers a list of celebrities and says to write and say which one the reader wants. "We will then allocate this person to you as your game," Hubbard says.

Hubbard goes on to say, "Having been awarded one of these celebrities, it will be up to you to learn what you can about your quarry and then put yourself at every hand across his or her path, and not permitting discouragements or 'no's' or clerks or secretaries to intervene, in days or weeks or months," to get them into an auditing session.

Hubbard says all costs for the hunt are to be borne by the hunter assigned the celebrity. But he will "Award the celebrity to you as your quarry" and give you exclusive hunting rights. "If you want one of these celebrities as your game, write us at once so the notable will be yours to hunt without interference." He also offers two weeks of "special coaching" in Phoenix, if you pay for the trip there and your own living expenses.

Hubbard warns, "These celebrities are well guarded, well barricaded, over-worked, aloof quarry." But, if you are successful, "If you bring one of them home you will get a small plaque as your reward."

In reading Hubbard's list of celebrity "quarry," remember, this is 1955 so many names will be unfamiliar to many but it is an impressive list. Had Hubbard gained even a small percentage from the list, he would have made headway. However, there is no record that even one of these "quarry" were turned or captured.

Here are Hubbrd's celebrity "quarry" for 1955:

Walter Winchell Edward R. Murrow Ed Sullivan Marlene Dietrich Robert Q. Lewis Orson Welles Ernest Hemmingway Danny Kaye Joseph Alsop Stewart Alsop Sid Caesar Louella Parsons Liberace Walt Kelly Charles Laughton Gaylord Hauser Eric Johnson Fred Allen Harry Seeger John Ford Elliott White Springs [sic] Gabriel Heatter Arthur Godfrey George Gobel Fulton J. Sheen James Stewart Howard Hughes Philip Wylie Billy Graham Hedda Hopper Bob Hope Artie Shaw Pablo Picasso Al Capp Walt Disney Milton Berle Duncan Hines Dorothy Kilgallen Gene Fowler Jimmy Hatlo Gordon MacRae Jackie Gleason Lowell Thomas Frank Edwards Joe Lewis Vincent Price Red Skelton Joshua Logan Henry Luce Walter Lippman Groucho Marx Darryl Zanuck Cecil B. DeMille Leopold Stokowski Arturo Toscanini Bing Crosby Edward G. Robinson Greta Garbo Robert C. Ruark Earle Stanley Gardner Charles Addams Robert Montgomery Donald O'Conner

-end of list-

After four decades, one can look back with some amusement (e.g., at the idea that someone was going to convert Bishop Fulton Sheen or Evangelist Billy Graham) or see the ironies of history, e.g., Hubbard came to hate Henry Luce, the head of Time/Life. Merely note that if you know who these people were/are and categorize them into their areas of influence (entertainment, arts, media, finance, religion, etc.), it gives insight into what Hubbard was trying to do and what Miscavige is now doing with John Travolta, Chick Corea, etc. (Also note that political figures were absent. Hubbard was not ignorant of their importance but the plan was clearly to get the celebs first, just as they are doing today.)

In the next issue of "Ability," Hubbard added a note about "Project Celebrity" in which he "assures all hunters that reports, names, progress, and all other material" will not be published. To the "hunters," he wishes "excellent hunting." And then, with Hubbard's typical sense of self-importance, he adds, "To the celebrities who have been chosen we extend our congratulations."

Hubbard closes by saying these people have tried various forms of therapy and not only need Scientology auditing but "THEY ARE KEENLY AWARE of the need for auditing." (Hubbard's caps.) Thus, "You might as well be informed of this fact - that your quarry is looking for you, a lot harder than you are looking for him. Might as well give the guy a hand."

Makes one wonder if Celebrity Center should be renamed, "Quarry Center."

Robert Vaughn Young
writer@eskimo.com