Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
First of all may I wish you all a very Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. Unfortunately we can’t meet yet again this month but with rapidly falling infection rates, though still high, I’m hopeful that it won’t be too long before we can all get back together again and enjoy an evening in the company of Messrs Laurel & Hardy. Many of the tents have restarted but I think its still a tad too early…but with fingers (and toes) crossed we might be able to restart again in, say, March, that’ll be exactly two years to the date that we cancelled our first meet because of the virus.
Today as many of you know is the University of the birth of Oliver Norvell Hardy…18th January 1892….that’s 130 years ago, in Harlem, Georgia, fondly known to us all as Babe. Happy Birthday, Babe Hardy.
Though we can’t meet, in celebration of Babe’s birthday, you might wish to view any number of L&H films where Babe proudly takes centre stage. These are my suggestions, which I made reference to last year, but there are many many more.
– “Beau Hunks” (1931) – A good film to start the year off, our tent’s namesake film. Babe is in LOUGH with Jeannie Weenie, Jean Harlow.
– “Oliver the 8th” (1934) – Babe gets his dream date, but it doesn’t go too well!
– “Me and my Pal” (1933) – Babe nearly gets married, but unfortunately for him gets too stuck into a jigsaw puzzle!
– “Our Wife” (1931) – Babe elopes with Dulcy (played by another Babe….Babe London). He eventually gets married – but not to Babe London!
– “Should Married Men Go home? (1928) – Babe now happily married but is persuaded to go out a play a game of Golf, indeed Babe’s favourite form of exercise.
-” Chickens come Home” (1931) – Babe (and now not so happily) married, wants to run for “Office” (Prime Minister ?) , but has one or two past life indiscretions that he wishes to bury….that is not the attendence of one or more ill-judged parties!
– “Twice Two” (1933) – Mr & Mrs Hardy and Mr & Mrs Laurel celebrate their wedding anniversaries, Mrs Laurel played by Babe gets the cake!
For the more adventurous of you, if of course you have access, you might want to view one or two of Babe’s solo films . For example,
-“Zenobia” (1939) – The Elephant film with Harry Langdon when Stan was out of contract at Hal Roach
-“The Fighting Kentuckian” (1949) – with John Wayne, filmed at a time when Stan was ill with diabetes.
Both films were well supported by Stan’s blessing.
Unfortunately, I didn’t capture any glimpses of Stan & Ollie on terrestrial TV over the Christmas period…except for their brief cartoon representation in the “Snowman and Snowdog”. Did you see anything else?
Thankfully, the Talking Pictures TV channel are still showing the ocassional film, eg 31st Jan 6am Busy Bodies
Not much else to report this month….there isn’t anymore!
Stay safe everyone and hopefully we will see you all real soon!
Laurel & Hardily Yours,
Dave & Denise T
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