March Meeting 2024 March 15, 2024

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, March 20th, 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.

Following a request, this month our film show will be pay a little homage to our friends north of the border…with a showing of the Laurel & Hardy feature film “Bonnie Scotland” from 1935. in this, the Boys travel to Scotland so that Stanley McLaurel can claim his inheritance following the passing of his grandfather…the late Angus Ian McLaurel….things don’t go well and they find themselves being recruited in the army under a certain Sergeant Major “Leatherpuss”….native Scott, James Finlayson. This will be supported by the Scottish related silent “Putting Pants on Phillip” from 1927 and another James finlayson talkie short film “Our Wife” from 1932 with the lovely Bonnie Babe London – which I failed to show last month. Doh!!

This month we’ll also be paying a birthday tribute to our favourite villain….Walter “Mugsy-Tiger” Long whose birthday it was on March 6th (1879) – I’m hoping to celebrate his 145th birthday with a showing of one of his best talkie shorts with the Boys….the boxing brilliant film “Any Old Port” from 1933.

We’ll also show another cartoon, “Hop, Skip and a Chump” from 1942 with a L&H connection all thanks to Ant & Jo Mitchell-Waite and clips from the Scottish leg of the UK theatre tours. There’ll be the usual raffle – all donations gratefully accepted….and of course the loyal toasts.

As I mentioned last month -our afternoon film show at the Bull Inn, Bottesford has been booked for Saturday 15th June….so please mark this date in your diary. Our show will be based on the Boys take on matrimony and it will celebrate their “on screen” wives. So of course we will be showing one of their best features “Sons of the Desert” from 1933. From the recently issued “Laurel and Hardy Year One – the Newly restored 1927 silents” US-based Blu-ray box set, I’m also hoping to show the best available copy of “Love em and Weep” – which will be a treat. In the morning, we will also visit Barkston where Stan Laurel’s father has been laid to rest in the village’s small cemetery and the Plough Inn where he lived with Olga and was visited by the boys in 1947. So, it should be another fine day. Best of all – it’s a FREE event.

Our next show will be on the 3rd Wednesday…April 17th.

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)

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February Meeting 2024 February 16, 2024

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show will be next Wednesday, February 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 – entry is free.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all – I hope you have been able to spend some quality time with your loved ones today. “L.U.G.H…love..” is in the air and in our film show next week we hope to continue with the theme that we started last month, where Ollie is in love, wooing and serenading his ladies fair, just as the “gay caviars used to do in the olden days” all with a view to marriage. on the evening, we will be showing 4 films starting with a silent film that was entitled “Stone Age Romance” when it was first released on 8mm film for the home market. This will be followed by our main full-length feature of the evening – “Swiss Miss” from 1938. This will then be followed by two talkie film shorts where Ollie fails to marry his intended fiancee.

At the break I’ll be taking the opportunity to pay a visual musical tribute to two key supporting players at the Hal Roach film studios for L&H whose universities of their births fall in this month. These are the delightful Anita Galvin (born Anna Frances Garvin on Feb 11th 1906) and the hugely immense Tiny Sandford (born Stanley J. Sandford on Feb 26th 1894). I’ll also be showing another L&H based cartoon entitled “The Timid Toreador”, a Columbia cartoon from December 1940. This is the last L&H based cartoon featuring the famous Porky Pig.

Yes, there will be the usual raffle, with some exceptional prizes this month…which amazingly aptly reflect the films we hope to show. Any donated raffle prizes would also be gratefully accepted. Thankfully, we don’t have a massive outlay at our meetings – but the raffle is run to cover those costs (eg hire of the room and to cover our special events such as Christmas buffet and the bull Inn shows). So I wish to thank you for your continued support of this.

On the news front.. “The Lucky Dog” theatre company are again performing their Laurel & Hardy play “Hats Off to Laurel & Hardy” at the Leicester Guildhall on Saturday 24th February 6pm as part of the Leicester comedy festival. As mentioned last month, this is undoubtedly the best L&H biographical play. It’s a 2hr play with an interval and at just £10 a ticket it’s certainly value for money. You can book this online on the Leicester comedy film festival website. indeed, yes, I’ll be going…so hopefully that won’t put you off!!

I’ve booked the Bull Inn, Bottesford for our afternoon film show for Saturday 15th June….so please mark this date in your diary. After last years ‘lite” event I’m hoping to put on a full film show this year. I’ve not thought of a theme as yet…but any thoughts or ideas of what you would like to see or what you might even be able to contribute to would be gratefully accepted. This is a show for us, all in celebration of the Boys…and of course Stan Laurel’s birthday is just the day after. For those who are new to the tent…the Bull Inn at Bottesford is the pub run by Stan Laurel’s sister, Beatrice Olga, in the 1950s with her husband Bill Healey. Stan & Ollie visited the pub numerous times during their 1952 and 1953/4 UK theatrical tours…particularly during their theatrical stays in Nottingham. The pub celebrates this special time with many photos/memorablila adorning the walls in the lounge…and every year we put on a film show for all to enjoy. In the morning, we will also visit Barkston where Stan Laurel’s father has been laid to rest in the village’s small cemetery. So, it should be another fine day. Best of all – its a FREE event.

On a sad note…Paul our Grand Vizier has just informed me that his father-in-law, Stan, has passed away. Stan was a delightful and charming character, full of life, and as many of you know he wonderfully made it to his 100th birthday just before Christmas. Stan was a regular member of the tent and of the Derby Hats Off tent…he loved Laurel & Hardy. Our hearts and warm thoughts go out to Paul and Amanda and their family at this very difficult time. We will certainly toast young Stan and all our absent friends at our meeting next week.

After Wednesday, our next film show will be on the usual 3rd Wednesday….March 20th when we will be showing more L&H films we haven’t seen in a while.

So, hope to see you next Wednesday. As its a belated Valentine’s show…please do bring your wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, partners or even other peoples’ partners…..and of course friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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January Meeting 2024 January 14, 2024

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

A belated Happy New Year to you all. Our next film show will be next Wednesday, January 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 – entry is free.

This Wednesday just happens to be the eve beforeo Babe Hardy’s birthday….he was born 18th Jan 1892. So, we’ll be celebrating the 132nd university of his birth…yes that’s 132 years ago! We have a strong programme of Hal Roach Studio short film subjects planned which are all Ollie-centric, including a showing of our very own namesake film, “Beau Hunks” from 1931 ( with the ever-illusive….Jeannie Weennie, aka Jean Harlow).

I’m also taking the opportunity to show the Boys first credited L&H film at the Hal Roach studio “45 minutes from Hollywood” from 1926. This is more a Babe Hardy solo venture in support Glen Tryon. This is because Stan only plays a very fleeting role in disguise so as to avoid being seen or even credited!!! More about this on Wednesday. As we haven’t seen this film for 4 years…it’s overdue an airing.

I’ll also be showing yet Another Fine L&H based cartoon in the intermission, with thanks going to Ant and jo Mitchell Waite. This one is entitled “Hollywood Steps Out” from May 1941…it’s a very good cartoon depicting many many film stars of the day including Bing Crosby and his horses, the Marx brothers, the 3 stooges, Tarzan. There’s no Stan…but Ollie is seen dancing on the dance floor. Yes, I did screen it last summer but I’ve had a few requests to re-show it – so your wish is my command. Indeed, I’ll also screen, Babe’s “Dough Boy” cameo appearance at the horse races from Bing Crosby “Riding High” film from 1950.

Yes, there will be birthday cake…..and of course the in-famous raffle, any unwanted Christmas presents would be gratefully accepted as we had a pretty good clear-out at the Christmas show.

I have also secured two 2024 L&H calendars from the calendar store…one I can sell for £7.20 (ie 40% off the £12 rrp) and the other I will put in the raffle. First come first served on the evening – so get there early!!

On the news front…there are two L&H related theatre productions coming soon to a theatre near you! Firstly, “The Lucky Dog” theatre company are again performing their Laurel & Hardy play “Hats Off to Laurel & Hardy” at the Leicester Guildhall on Saturday 24th February 6pm as part of the Leicester comedy festival. Undoubtedly this is the best L&H biographical play ever. The main actors are members of the Sons of the Desert and they perform regularly at UK and European L&H conventions. The 2 hr play was written with the full support of the Sons…particularly Dean McKeown from the Fra Diavolo tent in Bonnie Scotland. I know that many of you have seen this play before. At just £10 a ticket it’s certainly value for money and worth another look. You will need to book this online on the Leicester comedy film festival website. Indeed, I’ll be going.

Secondly, celebrity pianist and playwright Neil Brand, has put a 2 hr Laurel & Hardy show together entitled “An evening of Laurel & Hardy” and it’s currently on-tour around the UK. Unfortunately, the nearest venues to us are Lichfield Garrick theatre (Tues 23rd Jan) and Newark Palace theatre (Weds 24th Jan) both at 7.30pm. Tickets are also a little pricey at £22.50. Neil Brand certainly knows his stuff…he was a regular at the silent film festival, and he wrote the radio and then later film play, Stan. So undoubtedly it should be very good and I’ve read good reviews of it. I’ll be going to the Garrick theatre.

After Wednesday, our next film show will be the usual 3rd Wednesday….February 21st when we will be having a belated Valentines film show with a screening of Swiss Miss…with Babe in Lough yet again but to another girl – a Swiss missl!!

So, hope to see you this Wednesday to celebrate Babe’s 132nd birthday. Please bring friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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December Meeting 2023 December 7, 2023

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our Christmas film show will be next Wednesday, December 13th, 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the usual place…THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW – in the outside function room.

All are welcome and entry is free.

It’s our Christmas film show……and as expected we will be screening the Boys in some of their best talkie shorts that cover the Christmas festive season – and of course, our annual screening of the Boys selling Christmas trees in Big Business! We also be showing another fine animated cartoon featuring Stan and/or Ollie – this time, a Popeye & Olive Oyl cartoon entitled “Putting on the Act” from 1940 where the cartoon duo contemplate making a vaudeville comeback on the theatrical stage.

There was another fine duo that made a comeback to the theatrical stage in 1953. That was Laurel & Hardy. They began their third and final variety tour of the UK at the New Theatre in Northampton on October 19th 1953. This was a 7-month tour that took on 26 venues around the UK. Of particular interest to us…was that after engagements in Northampton, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Newcastle, Birmingham and Hull, the Boys (and their wives) arrived in Nottingham …..on Sunday, December 13th 1953 – indeed YES, that’s EXACTLY 70 years ago to the day of our film show!!! They stayed at the County Hotel (next to the Nottingham Theatre Royal). They took a week off for rehearsals of their “Christmas Party” show at the Nottingham empire, where they would perform their “Birds of a feather” sketch supported by other variety acts. The show opened on December 21st and concluded on January 16th 1954…they performed approximately 60 shows over a 4 week period. That was two or three shows a day with Sundays off! Indeed, they had quite a tough time! Whenever they could, Stan & Ollie would commute the A52 to Bottesford and spend time with Stan’s sister, Beatrice Olga and her husband Billy at the Bull Inn. They spent Christmas Day at the Bull Inn…with Stan & Ollie serving the beers to the locals. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Tardis …but I hope to take a few moments out next Wednesday just to recomember this amazing time exactly 70 years ago. Below I’ve attached the original flyer for the 1953 Christmas Party at the Nottingham Empire.

Our pub owner has agreed that we can put on a small christmas fuddle….I’d say it will be more of a supper snack than a buffet…with a few sandwiches, nibbles and of course mince pies – its all free.

We also intend to run the usual raffle with some great prizes just for Christmas – but, as usual all donations are gratefully accepted.

All are welcome…so please feel free to invite your other halves, family and friends.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you on next Wednesday. If not, I wish you a Laurel Christmas and Hardy New Year. Our next meetings will be back to the usual 3rd Wednesday in the month…..starting with January 17th 2024 when we’ll be celebrating Oliver Hardy’s birthday, 132 years ago.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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November Meeting 2023 November 2, 2023

Our next film show will be on Wednesday, No-wonder 8th, 7.30pm till 10.30 pm at the usual place…THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW – in the outside function room.

Animal Magic is the theme of this months show where a number of animals feature in our films…and quite oddly they are never or rarely mentioned in our round of animal toasts at the end of the evening…so after this evenings show I think our animal roll-call will be a lot longer!!

Our main feature of the evening will be, as promised, the colorised version of Babes in Toyland (aka March of the Wooden Soldiers) from 1934. This is an 80min film that we haven’t seen since December 2004….so, it’s well well overdue a viewing. We don’t usually show “colorised” films but this film certainly lends itself to being colourised and Stan himself has been quoted as saying that his only regret about the original Toyland film that it was made in black and white! In the film, L&H play Ollie Dee and Stannie Dum, employees at the Toyland’s toy factory making toys in preparation for Christmas. The film uses a predominantly children’s theme in an effective attempt to appeal to all ages…so expect their usual L&H antics! In the “L&H Encyclopaedia”, Glen Mitchell writes that this is one of the most charming films ever made and retains a timeless appeal and he recognises that Toyland remains a Christmas perennial on US TV. In “Laurel & Hardy – the Magic Behind the Movies”, Randy Skredvedt identifies that Stan Laurel thought that it had the fewest imperfections and the greatest entertainment value of all his films. Babe Hardy, also counted it amongst his favourites.

In support, I will be showing three 2-reel L&H comedies. With one of these, “Hog Wild (1930)” we will be paying tribute to Dorothy Granger, although a minor supporting actress to Stan & Ollie, she appeared in many comedies for Hal Roach studios. She was born 21st November 1912.

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 “Mother Goose in Swingtime” from December 1939. In this cartoon a girl dreams she is in Mother Goose Land which is filled with many Hollywood stars including Stan & Ollie appearing as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. This was released only 5 years after Babes in Toyland.

Our Christmas meeting has been set for December 13th…we plan to show our usual Christmas fayre of delicious Laurel & Hardy films and to serve a mini-buffet for those who haven’t eaten for three whole days…

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

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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.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

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October 2023 Interim News October 5, 2023

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)

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September Meeting 2023 September 15, 2023

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.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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August Meeting 2023 August 15, 2023

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.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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July Meeting 2023 July 25, 2023

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.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

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The Beau Hunks Tent of The Sons of the Desert

The Nottingham branch of the Laurel and Hardy appreciation society

March Meeting 2024 March 15, 2024

February Meeting 2024 February 16, 2024

January Meeting 2024 January 14, 2024

December Meeting 2023 December 7, 2023

November Meeting 2023 November 2, 2023

October Meeting 2023 October 15, 2023

October 2023 Interim News October 5, 2023

September Meeting 2023 September 15, 2023

August Meeting 2023 August 15, 2023

July Meeting 2023 July 25, 2023

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