A Riddle

A little something different today!  This star started in silents and became a household name:

The curtain is dusky, a desert sun red;
will Charles be performing, or will he instead?
The stage was big business back in his time
(you can ask him yourself, just drop in a dime
and call straight from the book, in the Ls, not the Js.)
He'd be happy to speak of his music hall days.


Can you guess who?

EDIT: Ruby answered correctly on the FF + SS Facebook page:  It's Stan Laurel! 

(photo courtesy Letters From Stan)

 His birth name was Arthur Stanley Jefferson; early in his stage career, as a member of the Karno Troupe, he was an understudy for Charles Chaplin.  His phone number was listed in the 1960s, and he was warm and friendly to any fans who called him for advice or inspiration.  (One such fan was comedian Dick Van Dyke.)  Laurel made his first film, Nuts in May, in 1917, and even did an early short with Oliver Hardy in 1920 -21.  However, it wasn't until 1927 that they were formally paired together -- and the magic began.

Today I want to hear from YOU!

Helen Kane ponders.

What kind of things would you like to see on FF&SS? 

Opinions, Please!

Miss Normand tries to divine an answer.

My next subject is the inimitable Mabel Normand, and a woman like her deserves a doozy of a poem.  Problem is, I can't decide on a form - and I really want to use one.  Which one do you think would be best for dear Mabel?  Here are your choices (click for examples):

• kyrielle
• pantoum
• sestina
• sonnet
• triolet
• villanelle
• virelai

Thank you for your help - I can't wait to see what you choose!

EDIT:  Looks like pantoum is the winner!  Thanks to all who voted and stay tuned for the poem by the end of this week.  ☺