Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
As you know I was hoping this month to herald in a new chapter in our tents illustrious illustriousness with our first meeting in 17 months, but alas Covid-19 has upset that, with infection rates still rising to record levels in certain areas of the East Mids….I live in an area where the rates are up at 800/100,000 and there are other areas in Derby where rates are well over 1000 per 100,000 implying now about one in a hundred people now have it!! Thankfully we have the jabs to protect us from serious harm. However, sadly, I have heard that last month the Brighton Tent was a source of outbreak where at least 3 people were infected and one tent member was hospitalised for a day or two. I had a few emails last month, all urging me to remain very cautious. So, sadly until rates fall significantly, I will hold off putting on any meetings. But please do bear with me…we’ll get this show back on the road as soon as we can….well back at the Bridge Inn as soon as most of us feel its safe again.
Traditionally, Octember is the month where we would celebrate the anniversary of the birth of any one of the following: Charles “this is no place for levity” Middleton (3rd Oct), little Daphne “i’m going to cook his goose” Pollard (19th) or Arthur “hiccup” Houseman (10th). As I had hoped to have restarted this month with a replaying of ent title film “Beau Hunks” ….it just had to be the nasty commandant himself…Charles “Ming the Merciless” Middleton to celebrate.
Charles Middleton was born in Elizabethtown Kentucky on 3rd Octember 1874. He worked in a travelling circus, vaudeville and acted in live theatre before he turned to silent films in 1920. With the advent of sound, Middleton’s career bloomed as a character actor in villainous roles. He became an excellent foil to a number of comedy stars including Harold Lloyd, Eddie Cantor and Wheeler & Woolsey as well as for Laurel & Hardy. He was also the prosecutor opposite The Marx Brothers in their version of “Duck Soup”. Middleton also featured in many serial adventures from 1935 to 1947. He is most famous for his villainous role as Ming the Merciless, the evil adversary of Buster Crabbe in the 3 Flash Gordon serials “Flash Gordon(1936)”, “Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars(1938)” and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)”. Middleton sadly died of a heart attack in 1949 at the age of 75. Overall he appeared in nearly 200 films but unbelievably only in 4 Laurel & Hardy films….
– “Beau Hunks” (1932) – commandant in the French Foreign legion
– “Flying Deuces” (1939) – reprised role of commandant in theFrench Foreign legion
– “Pack Up your Troubles” (1932) – orphanage official towards the end of the film
– “The Fixer Uppers” (1935) – Piere Gustave the artist
Your mission this month, if you wish to take it, is to view any (or all) of the above films. You could also supplement this with
-“Slipping Wives” (1927) which is a silent that was later re-worked into the Fixer Uppers…though no Charles M.
Although fewer Laurel & Hardy films are being shown on TalkingPicturesTV it is still worth keeping an eye out for an occasional appearance.
Nothing else to report this month I’m afraid – there isn’t anymore! Hopefully, we;ll have much better news next month. Until then, take care and keep safe everyone.
Fraternally Yours,
Dave and Denise T
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