Photos shot by L. Ron Hubbard in 1975 capture how the founder wanted Scientology marketed

Over at Facebook in a private group, former Scientologist Neil Sarfati posted some very fun images from a flyer dated 1975 which feature him in a number of images. What we especially like about them is that they were photos shot by L. Ron Hubbard himself, and give us a good idea of how Hubbard wanted to market Scientology.

Neil was in Scientology from 1968 to 1976, and during that time he had some pretty amazing experiences with Hubbard as a member of the Apollo Stars, a jazz ensemble that recorded a single album with Hubbard’s participation. Last year, Neil talked about the Apollo Stars experience for a very good piece about the band and its brief heyday.

We told Neil that we enjoyed the photos he posted. We particularly liked the one of him and his wild mane in a scene with him dancing…

 
To put that and the other images in more context, Neil sent us the entire 1975 flier that Hubbard had put together.

 
“I don’t remember where these were shot. Maybe Jamaica,” Neil tells us. “I was told to bring an assortment of clothes, which I did. This was one of the first photo shoots. If I remember correctly, at this time there wasn’t much direction from Hubbard, but that changed in time. He was a micromanager to the Nth degree. The shots went fast and furious. I think they had some story boards they were working from. We were put into position and Hubbard started shooting. I remember one shot we did with me in a coffin. Ugh.”

These shots and others ended up in an early version of the book “What is Scientology?” But this flier is just the best, isn’t it? Do any of our oldtimers remembers seeing it at the time? Will anyone admit that it, gulp, got them into Scientology?

 
Neil tells us that there were definite benefits to being selected to play for the Apollo Stars, which started around 1971. “For almost two years we would spend a couple of hours with Hubbard almost every day. He was relaxed with us. We were the flavor of the week. He would tell us all sorts of stories, which we of course ate up. He would tell us this and that is from the Whole Track,” Neil says, referring to Hubbard’s claim that he had explored his “Whole Track” of existence back quadrillions of years.

“When we added the Apollo Stars dancers Hubbard showed the head choreographer a step that he got from his space opera days. Everyone wanted to be a dancer as a way to get out of the RPF,” Neil says, in a reference to the Rehabilitation Project Force, the Sea Org’s prison detail. “Just about everyone you can imagine from from the executive strata came to us to be a dancer. Quentin Hubbard really want to be dancer, but Daddy said no. We had Greg Wilhere and his wife. I’m sorry I cant remember the others but there were dozens. We at that time had the clout to get just about anyone we wanted to. It was insane.

“Hubbard always dressed to the hilt. Ascots, capes, etc. Everyone on the ship loved us as we kept Hubbard away from them. We would practice many hours of the day, which the crew hated as we kept them up. We practiced right above the men’s and women’s dorms,” he says.

Thanks for that glimpse of life aboard the Apollo, Neil!

 
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Marty Rathbun has a new video posted today

New day, new video. Same question: Why, Marty, did you give the Church of Scientology a private email from Dani Lemberger to use against him in litigation? Your defense of the RPF as simply “rehabilitation,” and trashing Jesse Prince is really winning you hearts and minds all over the place, but how about answering this simple question — how did you justify handing over a potentially damaging email to the Church of Scientology in its litigation against a former member?

 
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HOWDYCON ANNOUNCEMENT

 
Wow, we’re getting close to the start of HowdyCon 2017 in Denver. And we had a slight change in logistics from our caterer for our dinner on Saturday night, June 24. If you plan to go, make sure you have confirmed with Kim O’Brien, our coordinator, and visit our HowdyCon website where she has instructions for how you can pay for the dinner fee that night. You need to do that right away to make sure you’ll be included in the Saturday night festivities, which include:

— London-based Australian journalist Steve Cannane talking about his book Fair Game
— A spoken-word performance from former Sea Org official Claire Headley
— Cathy Schenkelberg performing for us scenes from her one-woman show, “Squeeze My Cans”

You don’t want to miss out, so please visit the convention page and get in contact with Kim.

 
HowdyCon 2017: Denver, June 23-25 at the Residence Inn Denver City Center. Go here to start making your plans.

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 13, 2017 at 07:00

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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.

The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield