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Celebrity Centre, which was the church’s main foothold in the entertainment industry.
Like many young recruits, Press believed that Scientology had given him superhuman
powers; for instance, he believed that when he got into the right mental state, he could
change trac lights to green. He and Haggis formed a casual self-help group with other
aspiring writers. They met at a Scientology hangout across from the Celebrity Centre
called Two Dollar Bill’s, where they would criticize each other’s work and scheme about
how to get ahead.
Paul Haggis on vacation in Antigua in 1975, the year he joined the Church of Scientology
Eventually, this informal writers club came to the attention of Yvonne Gillham, the
charismatic founder of the Celebrity Centre. Naturally warm and energetic, Gillham was
an ideal candidate to woo the kinds of artists and opinion leaders that Hubbard sought
to front his religion. The former kindergarten director staged parties, poetry readings,
workshops, and dances. Chick Corea and other musicians associated with the church
often played there. Gillham persuaded Haggis and his circle to hold their meetings at the
Celebrity Centre, and they were folded into her web.
Haggis and a friend from the writers club eventually got a job scripting cartoons for
Ruby-Spears Productions, beginning with a short-lived series called Dingbat and the
Creeps, then Heathcliff. After that, Haggis went on to write Richie Rich and Scooby-Doo for
Hanna-Barbera. He bought a used IBM Selectric typewriter. His career began to creep
forward.
One day, a well-o strawberry farmer from Vancouver introduced himself to Haggis
and Skip Press at the Celebrity Centre, saying he wanted to produce a life story of L.
Ron Hubbard. He was oering fteen thousand dollars for a script. Press declined, but