Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show is this Wednesday, 19th April at the usual location, THE WHITE LION….24, Middle Street, BEESTON, NG9 1FX commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm in the upstairs function room – in the “Beeston cinema”.
All are welcome and entry is free.

First of all I must apologise for the pandemonium of last months film show….seemingly, the pub had double booked on their spaces thinking we were booked the following week when I checked the night before! Fortunately, we got there early enough to take the lounge space downstairs but, yes, it was from ideal. I’ve made sure that they have booked us up correctly this month in their diary…so we should be back upstairs again.

This month, we have themed our film show “Laurel & Hardy on the Wrong Tracks”. We will be showing short Laurel & Hardy film subjects where train, tram or tire tracks play a significant part or where the Boys fall off the rails and are in trouble with the law…..yes, I know the theme is all very tenuous!! We will also be celebrating the university of the birth of Edgar Livingstone Kennedy who was born 26th April 1890…127 years ago. He regularly played a police officer in support of the Boys and we will be showing no less than 3 Laurel & Hardy films that he appears in. We shall also continue our recomembrances of the 1947 tour….which will include a showing of all the extant film footage taken 70 years ago, when the Boys visited the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch (RHDR) railway in order to celebrate their 21st birthday and the opening of the extended line from Romney to Dungerness. For the majority, I’d say at least one of these clips you would not have seen before.

Our next film show will be May 17th…..when we will be showing one of the Boys best feature films “Way out West”

In June, we have two film shows…

Firstly, our regular 3rd-Wednesday-in-the month, evening show will be on Wednesday, June 21st….where will be celebrating the summer solstice with a trip to Mexico…and the showing of the 1940s Fox film “The Bullfighters” …themed “The Bullfighters – Part 1”. We will also be celebrating Stans birthday.

Then, on Saturday, June 24th, 1pm-6pm, we will be at the Bull Inn, Bottesford for “The Bull Fighters – Part 2”. This will have a strong programme of short films where the Boys become wrapped up in battles including a 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 one 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 be 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. All are welcome to Bottesford & Barkston, and it always makes a fun day out.

Finally, some absolutely brilliant news…at long last filming has started in Bristol on the laurel & Hardy biopic film. See
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3313691/steve-coogan-and-john-c-reilly-snapped-filming-scenes-for-laurel-and-hardy-biopic/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4401748/Steve-Coogan-transforms-iconic-comedy-character.html
I must admit I’m not sure on the navy blue colour of the berets…..whenever I’ve seen old black&white 1950s of the Boys, they are not that colour!

So, hopefully,we’ll see you this Wednesday. All are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show is this Wednesday, 15th March at the usual location, THE WHITE LION….24, Middle Street, BEESTON, NG9 1FX commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm in the upstairs function room – in the “Beeston cinema”.
All are welcome and entry is free.

This month, we have themed our film show “Our Relations” for two good reasons…..first of all, the obvious, we are going to show this, one of the Boys best feature films at the Hal Roach studios and one of my own personal favourites…..yes, entitled “Our Relations” from 1936. The second good reason, is that in our recomembrances of the 1947 tour….exactly 70 years ago, we will be following the Boys trip up from London, on their first Sunday off from playing at the London Palladium, to the Plough Inn, Barkston (nr Grantham) on March 16th 1947 and sharing in the joy of Stan seeing his father (AJ) and his sister, Beatrice Olga again for the first time in 15 years.

We also have a good supporting programme of related Hal Roach Studio short film subjects. As it is Jeannie Weenie’s, Jean Harlow’s, birthday we will be showing an all- talking version of her best silent films with the Boys!! Er…tell me that again! We will also be recomembering Walter Long, whose birthday it is also this month with a fine tribute by the Dirty Work Tent .

The Boys at the Bull Inn, Bottesford has now been set for Saturday, June 24th, 1pm-6pm. We have something pretty special organised. As you may know the silent film Battle of the Century, known for the mega pie fight at the end….a pie fight to end all pie fights….has for many years been a partially lost film, in that not all the pie fight is shown. However, quite recently a 16mm version of the whole second reel that covers the full pie fight scene has been discovered in what was originally the Robert Youngson collection of films. Dave Wyatt has obtained a 16mm copy of this complete 2nd reel from the current owner and has kindly offered to show this (along with the rest of the available film!) during the Boys at the Bull event on June 24th. You need to make sure you mark this in your dairies and collanders – believe me you wouldn’t want to miss this one.

More on the restoration of this film at Battle of the Century

Of course, in the morning of June 24th, we will again be venturing out to Barkston to lay a few flowers on AJ’s grave and to visit the Plough Inn.

Our next meetings, always on the 3rd Wednesday of the month are April 19th – where we are going to show all the extant film coverage of Stan and Ollies trip on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch railway, which some prtions you would not have seen before; May 17th; June 21st – where we will celebrate Stan’s birthday and maybe show a 1940s film.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you this Wednesday. Please bring all your friends and relations – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

All are welcome and entry is free.

By royal approval….we have themed our Wednesday film show “LUGH and Marriage” recognising that this is the closest date we can ever have to Valentine’s Day. We have a strong programme of Hal Roach Studio short film subjects where Stan & Ollie are smitten by their young ladies fair. Indeed I hear you say, imitating real life Stan & Ollie. In this, we will be showing the 4-reel film featurette…..Beau Hunks from 1931, our tent’s signature film. For those who haven’t seen this film before you’ll at long last get to understand why our Vice-shieikh Martin can’t help himself and toast “Jeannie-Weenie” at every meeting. Though, she doesn’t actually appear in the film…the young lady in question is Jean “well read, travelled all over the world, loved by everyone” Harlow. However, undoubtedly she would get decent royalties by the number of times her photograph appears during the film!!

We will also be recomembering Anita Garvin and Tiny Sandford, whose birthdays are in this month on the 11th and 26th respectively , with a tribute by the Dirty Work Tent . I’m also going to start a month by month feature on the Boys 1947 variety tour of the UK….now exactly 70 years ago.

If you haven’t yet seen the Lucky Dog’s Theatre Companie’s superb production of the docu-play “Hats Off to Laurel & Hardy”, then you still have an opportunity to see it locally at the end of this week. They will be at the Leicester Guildhall on Friday evening 17th Feb 7.30pm as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival and then at the Century Theatre, Coalville on Saturday evening 18th Feb 7.30pm….tickets are approx £10 each. I will be going to the Saturday Coalville performance.
See http://www.luckydogtheatreproductions.com/dates.html

The Boys at the Bull Inn is provisionally set for June 17th (but this may move to the 24th). We are hoping to show something pretty unique and special – so make sure you mark it up on your Laurel & Hardy Calenders. More details to follow on this before next months film show which will Weds March 21st.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you this Wednesday. Please bring friends, wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, valentine’s, family and the kids – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

BS I hear you ask why is the show by Royal Approval….well its just been revealed that the amazing secret of the Queen’s recovery from her nasty cold over the Christmas period was a good dose of Laurel & Hardy films.
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4192496/The-Queen-cheered-watching-Laurel-Hardy.html
So if its good enough for the Queen…….
BBS I might just write to invite her to one of our shows next time she’s in the area!

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

A belated Happy New Year to you all. Our next film show is this Wednesday, 18th January at the usual location, THE WHITE LION….24, Middle Street, BEESTON, NG9 1FX commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm in the upstairs function room – in the “Beeston cinema”.
All are welcome and entry is free.

This Wednesday just happens to fall on Babe Hardy’s birthday….and not just any birthday, he was born 18th Jan 1892 and so we’ll be celebrating the 125th university of his birth…yes that’s 125 years ago! We have a strong programme of Hal Roach Studio short film subjects planned which reflects the day, Babe’s talents or his real life personality. I’m also taking the opportunity to show a solo one-reel (10 mins) silent comedy film from 1915 where a young Babe Hardy plays a very prominent role. We will also be showing latter age film, newsreel and home movie clips of Babe from the 1950s.

Yes, there will be a birthday cake, usual snacks…..and of course the famous raffle, any unwanted christmas presents would be gratefully accepted.

After Wednesday, our next film show will be the usual 3rd Wednesday….February 15th.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you this Wednesday to celebrate Babe’s 125th birthday. Please bring friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Our “Boys at the Bull” film show is Saturday, June 18th at the Bull Inn in Bottesford 1pm -6pm. It is FREE and all are welcome. Stan’s sister “Beatrice Olga” ran the pub with her husband Bill Healey in the early 1950s. Stan & Ollie would occasionally visit the pub on their travels between venues during their theatrical tours of the UK. Notable visits include Easter Day 1952 and Christmas Day 1953 during their theatrical engagement at the Nottingham Empire theatre. The Bull Inn is worth a visit as there are photos/ press clippings that mark their visits. This year we will be theme-ing the film show “Stan & Olly-inpics at the Bull” in recognition of the future Olympics in Brazil. If anyone wants to join me, I’ll also be visiting the village of Barkston (north of Grantham) in the morning….to lay some flowers on Arthur Jeffersons grave (Stan Laurel’s father) and to visit the Plough Inn (Beatrice Olgas first pub, which Stan & Ollie visited in 1947). Meet outside the Stag Inn, Barkston for 11am and I’ll take you round this little village – with so many L&H connections.

Fraternally Yours,
Dave T
(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Please join us for a FREE film show:

Every 3^rd Wednesday of the month

7:30 – 10:30pm

At: White Lion Bar & Kitchen (home of The Beeston Cinema),
24 Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 1FX.  Opposite Tesco’s

This is a family film show and ALL ARE WELCOME

This is organised by the Derby & Nottingham Beau Hunks tent – your local group of the international Laurel & Hardy appreciation society aka ‘The Sons of the Desert’. We are a friendly bunch, always looking for new members. No membership fees, subscriptions or entrance charges, just lots of laughs in the company of Stan and Ollie.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.

For further details contact Dave Tomlinson at

01332-673685 or email DTomlinson@Tinyworld.co.uk