October Meeting 2023 October 15, 2023

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be on next Wednesday, Octember 18th, 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the usual place…THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room.

As many of you will be planning to view the screenings of the Boys films “Sons of the Desert (1933)” and “Dirty Work (1933)” at your local Showcase cinemas tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday night, I thought this month we could celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Charley Chase.  Charley Chase plays Oliver Hardy’s brother-in-law in the film “Sons of the Desert”…recomember, he was the joker in the pack at the convention.  Although Charley was a major player at the Hal Roach studios for many years, he only appears in 4 Laurel & Hardy films!  Actually, I should correct myself on that…technically he only appeared in one Laurel & Hardy film!  Two of the other films are actually Charley Chase films “Now I’ll tell One (1927)” and “On the Wrong Trek (1936)” where in both the Boys provided just a supporting role.  The other film is “Call of the Cuckoos (1927)” which was a Max Davidson film where Chase and the Boys provide a supporting role as inmates of an asylum!!   On Wednesday I intend to show just one of these credited L&H short films plus one of Chase’s best talkie film shorts…”The Pip from Pittsburg (1931)” which includes the beautiful Thelma Todd and a good number of other recognisable Hal Roach players including Charlie Hall.

Charley Chase was actually born Charles Joseph Parrott on October 20th 1893 (130 years ago).  His younger brother was James Parrott….that name may be familiar to you.  That is because James directed many of the Boys finest silent and talkie film shorts during the late 1920s/early 1930s.  I intend to screen a number of these talkie film shorts during the evening.

There will be the usual raffle, toasts….and yes I’ll show yet another fine L&H based cartoon in the intermission, this one is entitled “You Ought to be in Pictures” with Daffy Duck and Porky Pig from May 1940.  This is a favourite amongst many cartoon fans as it was quite pioneering at the time with a mixture of animation and live action .  It is also known to be an inspiration for the 1980s Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  Porky Pig appears as Babe Hardy in disguise when trying to get into the live actions studios.  Don’t miss this one.

During the evening I will also be showing a very short biographical documentary on Charley Chase. The show will start properly at 7.30pm as per usual.  However, as a prelude for those who can make it earlier, from between 7pm and 7.30pm I will screen the Charley Chase chapter in the “Slaphappy Collection”.  This is partly biographical which features extracts from many of Chase’s early films including films with Babe Hardy.

As always, the event is FREE and all are welcome to come and enjoy the show.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances I’m having to move the following meeting forward a week to Wednesday NOVEMBER 8th when we will show Babes in Toyland.