Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
This is a reminder that we have two film shows in the forthcoming week.
Our first film show is this Wednesday, 21st June at the usual location, THE WHITE LION….24, Middle Street, BEESTON, NG9 1FX commencing at the earlier time of 7.15pm in the upstairs function room – in the “Beeston cinema”.
Our Wednesday show I’ve entitled “The Bullfighters – part 1″….. After showing Way out West last month, we remain way out west and travel a little “way down south”…..to Mexico (before they build the wall!). We will be showing the Boys penultimate film from 1945….a Fox film, entitled, you guessed it “The Bullfighters” . Being a Fox film, admittedly its not one of their best….but is probably one of their best during the post Hal Roach studio period and has some good comedy moments with Stan & Ollie which are worth seeing.
Yesterday was the university of Stan’s birthday, 127 years ago….so will be celebrating this with a piece of birthday cake….and keeping in with the Bull-fighter theme, we’ll be showing the Stan Laurel solo “Mud & Sand” from 1923….which we also see Mae Laurel…Stan Laurel’s common-law wife who he met in vauderville. She was responsible for changing Stan’s name from Jefferson to Laurel. “Mud & Sand” is actually a comedy parody on Rudolph Valentino’s Bull-fighter film “Blood & Sand”, a major film production from 1922. As you may have noticed, I’m hoping to start the film show 15 mins earlier than normal…..this is because I would like to screen the beginning and end of Valentino’s film…..so that you can appreciate more of the comedy in Stan’s solo film…where he plays Valentino as Rhubarb Vaselino. The Valentino film also strongly features a Spanish/Mexican bandit….played by a young looking, Walter Long….so its worth seeing the clips just for this. If you can’t make it 15 mins earlier no problem…we’ll start the show with the Laurel Solo film at 7.30pm.
We shall also be continuing our recomembrances of the 1947 tour….which will include some brief film footage of the Boys trip back to Ulverston on 27th May 1947 during their theatrical stay in Morecambe, before they moved onto Blackpool and then Glasgow where Stan celebrated his birthday. We hope also to show a couple of L&H short films.
As per usual – all are welcome and entry is free……and don’t forget your ponchos and sombrero hats.
Our second film show is next Saturday, June 24th, 1pm-6pm, at the Bull Inn, Bottesford (NG13 0BW) entitled “The Bull Fighters – Part deux”…..indeed like “two peas in a poduh”. This will have a strong programme of short films where the Boys become wrapped up in battles including a good number of tit-for-tats. The highlight of the day will be a showing of the most complete version of the Boys silent film Battle of the Century….which includes a showing of the recently discovered complete 2nd reel on 16mm by our special guest, Dave Wyatt. This is not to be missed. For those that are new to the tent, the Bull Inn was regularly visited by Stan & Ollie during the early 1950s as Stan’s sister Beatrice Olga and her husband Bill Healey ran the pub as landlords. In the lounge there are numerous photos of their visits….including photos of the boys pulling the pints behind the bar.
In the morning, we will again be venturing out to Barkston (a few miles north of Grantham) to lay flowers on the Stan Laurels father’s grave (AJ) and to visit the Plough Inn (the pub that Beatrice Olga and Bill ran during the 1940s). Meet at the Stag Inn, Barkston 10.30am (NG32 2NB) All are welcome to Bottesford & Barkston, and it always makes a fun day out.
All this information is on our website, thanks to Mark Elvin…
http://www.laurelandhardynottingham.uk
Our next meeting is on the usual third Wednesday July 19th. Due to holiday arrangements….our August meeting has provisionally been switched to the 4th Wednesday August 23rd, when we may have our tent’s Kneesie Earsie Nosey championships.
So, hopefully,we’ll see you this Wednesday (and then Saturday). All are welcome.
Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)
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