In Memory of Lawrence Brown, November 22, 2006

Lawrence (LB) Brown was an member of the Berkeley/Oakland/Emeryville, California branch of "Friends of the Phonograph." In the history of the annual phonograph Friends of the Phonograph birthday parties, this was the most creative group of friends I ever had. LB was a charter member of that society and I don't remember a phonograph party on Fremont Street that he ever missed. Birthday "presents" were often given at the Phonograph Birthday to honor its legacy and my favorite "birthday" present from Lawrence was a Crackerjack prize he placed under a small plastic cover glued onto a ceramic tile. The Crackerjack prize was a "Magic Window." By placing the Magic Window (blue plastic) over the special text, the "Answer" was revealed:

Q. "Who invented motion pictures? Who invented the phonograph?"

A. Thomas A. Edison invented both.

Lawrence and I played many poker games together, made many trips to the Black Rock Desert, and shared many good times. He had his moods and his eccentricities but he was a good friend and his unique sense of humor made him a worthy member of Friends of the Phonograph. For history buffs of the Black Rock Desert Golf Classic it should be a footnote that the original trophy for that golf tournament featured a Crackerjack's box - perhaps now a Six Degrees of Separation memorial to Crackerjacks and LB.

Phonograph Birthday Party 1986