Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

I hope you are all well and recovered from the storm called Agnes?  That’s Another Fine mess.

This is just a short-ish note to let you know that The Showcase cinema chain are showing “Sons of the Desert” and “Dirty Work” at a number of local (and national) cinemas on Sunday 15th October (2pm & 4.30pm) and on Tuesday 17th October (7pm).  Locally, these are at Cinema de Lux in the Derbion, Derby ; Lenton, Nottingham and High Cross, Leicester.  I understand that the 4k film restorations will be shown so they will be worth seeing.  If you are planning on going, it will be worth booking beforehand.  I’ve just booked for the Derby Sunday afternoon performance (at 2pm) and noticed that half the cinema was already booked up.  I will obviously take the opportunity to advertise our own film shows by a leaflet drop at the Derby Showcase ….if anyone is going to any of the other cinemas and happy to hand out leaflets, or just willing to talk to other attendees, let me know and I’ll send you a copy of the the hand out proforma.

This month.  As it’ll be Charley Chase’s (aka Charles Parrott) university of his birth later this month, I was unfortunately thinking of  screening Sons of the Desert at our film show at the Bridge Inn – but now I won’t.  Instead, on Wednesday, October 18th, I’ll show a number of short films which will include at least two talkie films in which he appears and takes the lead…one with the Boys and another one with other players from the Roach lot.  I will also take the opportunity of showing a couple of L&H films that were directed by his bother..James Parrott.

Future meetings… November 15th I’m planning to show the colorised “Babes in Toyland” – it’s a film we haven’t shown for 19 years so its well overdue!!  Our Christmas meeting has been brought forward a week to December 13th.

Last month, we celebrated the 130 year anniversary of Billy Gilbert’s birth….well after being challenged and some detailed research,  I have to Come Clean and admit to making a potential Faux Pas.   Though some sources on the internet including the authoritative Glenn Mitchell in the 1st edition of his L&H Encyclopaedia claim that his year of birth is 1893, I concede that most other internet sources define the date as 1894.  I believe the most authoritative source will be his actual marker in the Los Angeles and Fellows cemetery (where his ashes were scattered in the rose garden).  This marker records his birth year as 1894….however one shouldn’t believe everything that is presented on official markers….(eg the erroneous dates of the Boys visits to Nottingham on the board at the Bull Inn, Bottesford).  Anyway…I’ll cover all bases and repeat the whole of last months show with a re-celebration of his 130th…next year.

Finally…Some of you noticed that Ant and Jo Mitchell Waite were filming at Barkston this year documenting the Boys visit to the Plough Inn in 1947.  They have also recently documented the Boys visit to Cobh in 1953 during their recent attendance of the  European convention in Ireland…which re-enacted the chiming of the cathedral’s carillon bells to the cuckoo song which was heard by the Boys as their liner approached and docked at Cobh.  Both mini documentaries have now been released to You tube.  Both documentaries are  very good and worth a viewing and can be seen here….

https://youtu.be/ag04I78nj-Q?si=2hVTiweqkj5cOtaa

https://youtu.be/8UmqqG5Eq6k?si=qwPDavMZZbehOs0F

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be on next Wednesday, September 20th, 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the usual place…THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room.

This month we will paying tribute to yet another distinguished key comedy actor that supported Stan & Ollie…..the rather blustery and bombastic Billy Gilbert, whose birthday it was on September 12th, 130 years ago.  Billy appeared in no less than 11 films with the Boys…and we will be showing 4 of them including his blustery role as a big game hunter in the 1938 feature film “Block-heads”.

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 “Krazy’s Shoe Shop” with Krazy Kat from Oct 1939.

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

The Beau Hunks tent had a good turn-out at the annual “Laurel & Harday” event run by the Dirty Work tent in Wigan.  The Dirty Work tent put on a good show…the highlight of the day for me was the premiere screening of a new documentary on Mae Busch put together by a number of devoted Sons (and daughters).  It was absolutely fascinating and very expertly put together.  I hope to show this at a future meeting.   The tent also was well represented in this years Kneesy Earsy Nosey competition….Martin stepped up the challenge and surpassed all expectations by taking the runners up prize!  He only lost to a superb performance by Marian Grave… the owner of the L&H Museum and daughter of the late great Bill Cubin.

Our next meeting is on our usual 3rd wednesday in the month, Octember 18th.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be on Wednesday August 16th 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room.

With only a few weeks before the start of a new series of “Strictly”, this month we’ll be screening a few of the Boys excursions into the terpsichorean arts. This will include, as promised, a screening of the 1940s Fox film”Dancing Masters”with little Daphne Pollard and a young Robert Mitchum playing a hoodlum.

We will also be paying a small tribute to Charlie Hall and James Finlayson as it’s their birthday anniversaries this month on the 19th and 27th of this month respectively.  We plan to show the 2-reeler Thicker Than Water in which they both appear with a rather fierce younger Daphne Pollard who plays Mrs Hardy.   No real dancing in this film…except for Stan & Ollie leading Daphne on a merry song and dance to the bank, leading Finn on a cuckoo waltz from the auction house to their home and then with the Boys completing their routine with a full spin turn down at the hospital.

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 “Hollywood Steps Out” from May 1941…where Ollie is seen dancing on the dance floor.

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

I’ve not seen too many references to L&H on the box recently but if you haven’t seen it yet there’s a superb documentary entitled Laurel&Hardy:Their Lives & Magic that is being aired on the Sky arts channel, you can see it tomorrow night (Tues) 8pm or next Saturday afternoon 4.25pm.

Out of town …the Dirty work tent are running their annual “Laurel & Hardy” at the Bryn Masonic Hall, Wigan WN4 0AA on Saturday afternoon 2nd September (£5 entry).  This is always a good day out with L&H films, quizzes, game shows, merchandise stalls, and the world famous Kneesy Earsy Nosey competition.  This year the Dirty workers are focussing on Mae Busch and have compiled a new documentary celebrating her life.  More details are on the www.bowlerdessert.com website.  This year we are planning on going.

Also, I’ve been informed that the Cottage Road Cinema Far Headingley, Leeds, LS64DD (tel 0113-2751606) will be having a L&H film night,  screening Flying Deuces and 3 two-reelers on Saturday 23rd September 7.30pm to 10pm (£8).  More details can be found at www.cottageroad.co.uk.  I understand that this is the oldest cinema still operating in Leeds (since 1912).

Our next meeting is on our usual 3rd wednesday in the month, September 20th when we will be screening the Hal Roach feature “Block-Heads”  and paying a tribute to Billy Gilbert.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be on Wednesday July 26th 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room.

This month, I’ve decided to take a rest from the agonies and ecstasies of designing a film programme and making the difficult decisions on choosing the films that you might like to see. Instead, for one night only, I’ll let you select the films that you would like to see from a list of 2 or 3-reeler short films that we haven’t seen for quite a while.  I’ll even let you select colour or b/w!

On the evening, we will, however be paying a little tribute to Thelma Todd with a selection of one film that she appeared in with the Boys. Thelma Todd was born on July 29th 1906….117 years ago.   She only appeared in 6 films with the Boys…but each and every one is very memorable.

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 “Hollywood Sweepstakes” from July 1939 .   As always, the event is FREE and all are welcome to come and enjoy the show.

Next month we are back to our usual 3rd wednesday in the month…August 16th when we will be screening the Fox film”Dancing Masters”with Laurel & Hardy, Daphne Pollard and a young Robert Mitchum.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, June 21st,  7.30pm till 10.30pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room as per usual.

All are welcome and entry is free.

It was great seeing so many of you at the Bull Inn – the weather was brilliant and I’m so pleased that we could put on an impromptu film show in the backyard.  Thanks again for you support.

Next Wednesday we will continue our celebrations of the 133rd university of the birth of Arthur Stanley Jefferson (Stan Laurel) with a showing of one of his finest feature films with Ollie in the “A Chump at Oxford” from 1940.  Stan plays his “usual” self….as well as demonstrating his comedy actor prowess playing a completely opposite character in the form of Lord Paddington…a don from the university of Oxford.

We will also be showing a number of other short subjects where Stan plays a key role.  We will also be showing a very short documentary on Stan Laurel’s yacht – the Ruth Laurel aka The Ida May, and if time a number of other items.

We will also continue our history of L&H cartoons with a short Disney cartoon from 1939 entitled “Mother Goose goes Hollywood”, which presents one of the best characterisations of the Boys in cartoons along with other Hollywood stars of the time.

We will have the usual raffle and toasts, all donations are gratefully accepted.  And yes…they’ll be some birthday cake!

As a one-off, our July film show will be delayed by a week to the 4th Wednesday in the month..from July 19th to Wednesday July 26th when we will show short films by popular request.  I’ll put a list together of short films we haven’t seen in a while so that you can chose.   Our August meeting will go back to the usual 3rd Wednesday…August 16th when we’ll show another 1940s Fox feature films.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Just a quick reminder that you are all invited to an”informal”, unplanned and possibly chaotic, social gathering  this Saturday, June 10th at the Bull Inn.  The good news is that I’ve been given the green light to put on an improvised L&H film show in the skittle hall or in the pub’s lounge. Also, in the morning, we will be conducting our usual walkabout of Barkston village. This is to lay flowers on AJs grave and to visit the Plough Inn, Olgas first pub….first visited by the Boys in March 1947.

So, I can confirm timings for Saturday are:-

11am at the Stag inn, Barkston– for a walk around the village from the Stag Inn to the Barkston & Syston cemetery where AJ is buried, then,  onto 22 West Street where the Plough inn is located. I will probably be in the village a little bit earlier (about 10am) to tidy up the grave. We’ll leave Barkston at around 12.30pm to go to Bottesford.

1pm, Bottesford for some free time, sandwich lunch and a walkabout for an hour…I’ve always wanted to visit St Mary’s church and its tall spire.

2pm at the Bull Inn – chance to enjoy a relaxing time in Olga’s 2nd pub, the pub that the Boys visited a number of times during their 1950s tours. We will put on an improvised film show.  We’ll probably conclude about 5pm.

As per usual – all are welcome.

So, hopefully, we’ll see you on Saturday. Please bring friends and family – all are very welcome.

Also don’t forget we’ll be back at the Bridge Inn on Wednesday, June 21st to celebrate Stan’s 133rd birthday with a showing of A Chump from Oxford.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, May 17th,  7.30pm till 10.30pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room as per usual.

All are welcome and entry is free.

This month is our  “Nothing but Mae” film show in tribute to the eternally ever-popular Mae Busch.  Though her birthday is next month (June 18th), its always over-shadowed by Stan’s birthday just two days before – so it has now become our annual fixture to pay tribute to one of our favourite supporting actresses a month earlier – in Mae….indeed, the month that was named after her wasn’t it?   Though she was a major silent film star, infact a million dollar babe of the 1920s where many of the films she appeared in grossed a million dollars, she was actually a year younger than Stan, born June 18th 1891.  I intend to show nothing but a series of Laurel & Hardy short films in which the eternally ever-popular Mae Busch provides a supporting, and in one film, a top billing role!

We will also continue our history of L&H cartoons with a short cartoon from 1939 entitled “Art Gallery” , where a statue of Nero comes to life and sets fire to a painting of Rome.  In a panic a lot of the other paintings come to life – including one of a tearful Stan Laurel…watch out for the Marx Brothers and another Mae…Mae West.

We will have the usual raffle and toasts, all donations are gratefully accepted.

Our June film show will be on the usual third Wednesday in the month..June 21st when we will be celebrating Stan’s 133rd birthday and showing one of his finest feature films with Ollie, as Lord Paddington in the “A Chump at Oxford” from 1940. Due to circumstances beyond my control, our July film show will have to be delayed by a week from July 19th to Wednesday July 26th – but I will confirm that nearer the time.

As mentioned last month we won’t be holding a “formal”, fully planned out film show at the Bull Inn in June. However, instead, you are all invited to an”informal”, unplanned and possibly chaotic, social gathering on the afternoon of Saturday June 10th at the Bull Inn.  If I can get the appropriate permissions from the pub, I’ll put together an improvised film show of film shorts in the pub’s L&H lounge. In the morning, we will however be conducting our usual walkabout of Barkston village. This is to lay flowers on AJs grave and to visit the Plough Inn, Olgas first pub….first visited by the Boys in March 1947.

So, provisionally timings for June 10th are..

11am at the Stag inn, Barkston– for a walk around the village from the Stag Inn to the Barkston & Syston cemetery where AJ is buried then onto 22, West street where the Plough inn is located. I will probably be in the village a little bit earlier (about 10am) to tidy up the grave. We’ll probably leave Barkston at 12.30pm to go to Bottesford.

1pm, Bottesford for free time, sandwich lunch and a walkabout for an hour…I’ve always wanted to visit St Mary’s church and its tall spire.

2pm at the Bull Inn –chance to enjoy a relaxing time in Olga’s 2nd pub, the pub that the Boys visited a number of times during their 1950s tours. We will hopefully get a film show running.  We’ll probably conclude about 5pm.

All are welcome – i’ll write to remind/finalise everything nearer the time.

Finally,”Another Fine Fest” is on Saturday and Sunday June 17th/18th in Ulverston.This is a 2-day free public street festival with street theatre, carnival acts, bands, artists, and other entertainmentloosely celebtating the life/comedy of Ulverston’s most famous son…Stan Laurel.I suspect the L&H Museum will be open.A few of us are going – you are welcome to join us.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, April 19th,  7.30pm till 10.30pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room as per usual.

All are welcome and entry is free.

Last month we screened the Boys first feature film for the Fox film studios, Great Guns (1941).  This month we’ll show the one before….this was their last feature for the Hal Roach studios, entitled Saps at Sea (1940).  Quite unbelievably we haven’t seen this since summer 2017…so it’s well overdue a screening.

This month we’ll be paying yet another birthday tribute to very important Laurel & Hardy supporting player…..Edgar  Livingston  Kennedy, who was born  April 26th, 1890.    I’m hoping to show at least three short films of his appearances with the Boys….including the wonderful “Night Owls”.  Time permitting we’ll also re-show the alternate ending to this film from the Spanish phonetic version entitled “Ladrones”.

We’ll also show another Porky Pig cartoon with a L&H connection with thanks to Ant & Jo Mitchell-Waite. There’ll be the usual raffle – all donations gratefully accepted….and of course the loyal toasts.

Our May and June film shows will be on the usual third Wednesdays in the month. May 17th and June 21st.  It’s all about Mae in our May meeting as we celebrate Mae Busch’s birthday…a month early!!  This is because our June meeting will be reserved for celebrating Stan’s 133rd birthday where we’ll be showing “A Chump at Oxford”.

For various reasons we’ve decided that we won’t be holding a “formal” , fully planned out , and broadly advertised, film show at the Bull Inn in June this year.  However, instead, you are all invited to an”informal”, unplanned and possibly chaotic, social gathering on the afternoon of Saturday June 10th at the Bull Inn.  If I can get the appropriate permissions from the pub, I’ll take the projector and screen and put together an improvised film show of film shorts in the pub’s L&H lounge. In the morning, we will however be conducting our usual walkabout of Barkston village.  This is to lay flowers on AJs grave and to visit the Plough Inn, Olgas first pub….first visited by the Boys in March 1947. I’ll finalise all the meeting times etc nearer the time. A number of Sons (and daughters) of the Desert have already shown an interest.

If you feel short of a complete L&H fix in June why not join a few of us at the “Another Fine Fest” on Saturday and Sunday June 17th/18th in Ulverston. This is a 2-day, free, public street festival with street theatre, carnival acts, bands, artists, and other entertainment loosely celebrating the life/comedy of Ulverston’s most famous son…Stan Laurel.  I suspect the L&H Museum will be open throughout.  You can Google the festival online.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, March 15th,  7.30pm till 10.30pm at the THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW –  in the outside function room as per usual.

All are welcome and entry is free.

This month we’ll be daring to show a feature film from the their 1940s period with 20th century Fox film company.  Their days at the Hal Roach studios ended in 1940 with the release of A Chump at Oxford and Saps at Sea.  In 1941 they were contracted to make a number of B-movie feature films for Fox.  The  Boys appeared in a total of 6 films with this company….and we will be showing their first in the sequence of 6 which was entitled “Great Guns”  from 1941.  It is often viewed amongst L&H aficionados that  these films  are not as good as those produced for the Hal Roach Studios – mostly blamed as a result of they losing a lot of control in scripting and on-set film production.  So, consequently, we don’t show them that often at film meets….but saying all that….these are Laurel & Hardy films and they do have many very good highlights including  some reworking of sequences and gags that have been copied from previous Roach studios films.  This will be our first screening of “Great Guns” since April 2010…..so its well over due for an airing.   So, don’t be put off – I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  And, of course you’ll get to know who Penelope is.

This month we’ll also be paying a birthday tribute to not one but two Laurel & Hardy supporting players.  First, as it was Jean (Jeannie Weenie) Harlow’s birthday on March 3rd (1911), we will be starting the evening by showing one of the silents she appeared with the Boys in 1929.   Later we will show a rare fan-dubbed talkie version of the film that Jean is best recommembered for – “Double Whoopee“.  Our second birthday tribute is to our favourite villain….Walter “Mugsy-Tiger”  Long whose birthday it was on March 6th (1879) – I’m hoping to show one of his best talkie shorts with the Boys….the boxing brilliant film “Any Old Port“.

We’ll also show another cartoon with a L&H connection thanks to Ant & Jo Mitchell-Waite. There’ll be the usual raffle – all donations gratefully accepted….and of course the loyal toasts.

So, hopefully, we’ll see you next Wednesday.  Please bring friends and family – all are very welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)