Gee. That was quick. Please excuse the amateurish formatting here- I'll simply cut and paste your names/questions, and my replies to them:
LAURA MABEE: "Did he ever talk to you about AA? Or his memories of the Imperial Russia he was raised in? I would be quite interested to hear what he passed on."
My answer: Yes of course Gleb spoke of her often. And she was often in his home when I'd go visit. She even attended a lecture Gleb gave once, at one of the historical societies at U. Va. With her face wrapped tightly in a scarf, to avoid recognition. She was quite paranoid. But not nearly as paranoid as her (very new) husband Jack Manahan, who at a picnic with Gleb, refused to shake my hand because the "CIA" was out to poison him, and I might be an agent wearing a poison ring. That was quite sad actually- to see how Jack's lunacy harmed that old woman. She finally was removed from their home, by the Albemarle welfare agency, and I believe placed in a home of some kind. But everyone who knew them, knew that Jack was batty as a bedbug.
So yes, Gleb talked at length about Anna Anderson (Or I guess Anna Manahan?). I really don't want to discuss the merits of the case, but I will say his faith in her never wavered one iota.
Yeah, I guess it should be in that other forum you mention. Sorry.
BLUETORIA: Well, I was 18 when I knew Gleb. So I really didn't know much about the royals. He mentioned his books - The Firebird, the Real Romanovs and so on. And he'd sometimes talk about the Tsar- whom he obviously idolized. He spoke of Rasputin as being just as crazy as we all know he was. And although he didn't dwell on it, he of course felt a deep disdain for the communists, and saw them as little more than thugs and murderers. I guess our conversations had more to do with religion, than with Romaov history. Gleb was very devoted to "Anna Anderson"- I got the impression he was her last friend on earth. And he was absolutely loyal and devoted to her and her cause.
ARLEEN: Thank you for the welcome. No, Nadine and Gleb had no children. He did of course have children living in Alabama, but I think they were from a previous marriage. I'm remembering back a long time here, but my recollection is that he and Nadine married later in life. He very seldom spoke of his children, and I got the feeling they weren't on very good terms, and Gleb felt that they saw Pop as an embarrassment, due to the Aphrodite church thingie. I also believe they owned the house he lived in, there in C'ville.
As to his drawings- I never saw any animal drawings. He did show me a portfolio of some mildly erotic sketches he'd done. Including one of a man in bed with a smile on his face. Certainly tame by today's standards, but for the 1960s it was mildly risque I guess.
Actually one of my fondest memories of Gleb, is the dream he told me about, the year before he died. He said he'd dreamed he was in heaven, visiting his brother, who'd died years earlier. That they'd chatted a good while, but that he'd finally had to say goodbye, and tell his brother "I'm sorry, but I'm only dreaming. And I have to wake up now." I remembered that when they told me Gleb had died. I hope he got to room with his brother.
I certainly don't claim to be an authority on Gleb, or even know very much about him really. But I did know him for a couple of years, back when I was 18 and stupid. When you get to be older, you have a list of "the 5 people I'm really glad I met in my life."
For me, Gleb's near the top of that list.