Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Happy new year to you all.

Our next film show is this forthcoming Wednesday, 15th January at our  NEW VENUE…..THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We will again be in the outside function room.

All are welcome and entry is free.

I hope you all had a great Christmas.  As per tradition, this month, we will be celebrating the university of the birth of Oliver Norvel Hardy…one half of undoubtedly the worlds greatest comedy team of all time.  He was born January 18th 1892, 128 years ago.  I have lined up another fine programme of Hal Roach studio films where Ollie puts in more than a stellar performance alongside Stan Laurel….providing everything From Soup to Nuts on his travels from Hollywood to Oxford!    I thought after showing “Home Helps” in November, we should complete the modern day “The Chump at Oxford” by showing the full original US slim-liner version of the film that was released in 1939….it’s a version I haven’t shown for at least 10 years.  Also, as its Babe’s birthday, I’m hoping to show a 2 reel Glenn Tryon silent from 1926 where Babe plays a good supporting role….it would be termed a solo film except that Stan puts in a fleeting and disguised appearance at the end of the film.    This will all be supported by a few popular talkie L&H short films. ….and yes, of course there will be a birthday cake!

We will also be continuing our series of cartoons with a Looney Tunes short from November 1934 entitled Buddy’s adventures.

We also intend to run the usual raffle with some great prizes –  as usual all donations are very gratefully accepted, especially those unwanted presents from Christmas.

I have just  FOUR  2020 Laurel & Hardy Calendars left…..they are now on sale at £5 each.  First come first served on Wednesday.

I’ve re-booked the venue for each and every 3rd Wednesday of the month….except for May, where due to circumstances within my control I’ve had to set it for May 13th!  Next meet though is Feb 19th with a showing of a tent favourite….Sons of the Desert.

I’m also targeting Saturday June 20th 2020 for our Laurel & Hardy film show at the Bull Inn, Bottesford.   I hope to firm this all up in the next week or two.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you on Wednesday.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our Christmas film show is this forthcoming Wednesday, 18th December at our  NEW VENUE…..THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We will be in the outside function room.  I’ll give the venue a ring beforehand to make sure they have warmed it up beforehand.

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!

Early in the evening, at about 8.30pm, we will be holding our 5th annual Kneesy Earsy Nosey competition….this is not just for the kids, it’s an open competition and anyone can join in and have a bit of fun.   But I hear you say…..what is this……well check this out on Youtube……and it will kind of explain it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiFEFL6ThRI

The clip is from the Laurel & Hardy film Fra Diavolo.  You now have just six days left to practice the basic movements.   There’s a tent trophy and a prize for the winner.  Denise,  Martin and our ex-tent champions will be on hand to show you the basic movements on the night…..Denise, incidentally is a 3-times world champion from the Wigan Laurel & Harday – but she’s not permitted to compete!!

We also have a Christmas based cartoon from 1933 entitled “The Merry Old Soul” and a one or two other Christmas based items.

The pub owner has agreed that we can put on a small christmas fuddle….I’d say it will be more of a super snack than a full buffet – just like we had last year!!   It’s free…we’ll bring the food so all you need to do is bring yourself, friends, relatives, etc.

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

I just have a few 2020 Laurel & Hardy Calendars left at £10 each making an ideal Christmas present for a friend, relative or even the boss.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you on Wednesday.  If not, I wish you a Laurel Christmas and Hardy New Year,

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,

Our next film show is next Wednesday, 20th Nowonder  at our usual NEW VENUE…..THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We will be in the outside function room.

All are welcome and entry is free.

As we are slowly but surely approaching the Christmas and Panto season, this month I’ve entitled our Laurel & Hardy film show “What a Dame!”.  We will be showing 4 of 7 films where Stan and/or Ollie dress up in drag and impersonate a member of the fairer sex.  As a tease, I can say that 3 of these films will be from the Hal Roach studio; a silent short, a talkie short and a 1980s cut-down re-issue of a feature film for the home market entitled “Home Helps”!

Our main feature, however, is the Fox Film “Jitterbugs” from 1943.  The 6 Laurel & Hardy Fox films don’t usually get good press from L&H aficionados, but from most accounts,  this is one of their best not necessarily because of the comedy (where there are some very good original gags) but because of the Boys fine acting.  We haven’t shown it for 8 years, so its certainly due an airing.  Vivian Blaine plays the main female lead (excluding Stan’s short time in drag as her aunt Emily).  Vivian is probably best known for her appearances on stage and in film of the musical “Guys and Dolls”.  She also appeared on the Boys 1954 This is Your Life episode.

We will also be continuing our series of short cartoons from the 1930s.    This month we intend to show “The Autograph Hunter” a 5 min Krazy Kat cartoon from 1934,  featuring many characterisations  of Hollywood celebrity at the Brown Derby Restaurant in LA, including  Laurel & Hardy washing and dropping dishes in the restaurant’s kitchen years before they did it for real in Thicker than Water (1935) and Swiss Miss (1938)……could the cartoon have been the influence for the film gag ?  See what you think.

We will have the usual raffle, any donations are always gratefully accepted.

I do still have a number of the “official” 2020 Laurel & Hardy calendars to sell.  I will be bringing these down to the meeting this month and I can still sell them at last years price of £10 each.  But in January, the price will have to go up 😉 !!

Our Christmas meeting is still in the Bridge Inn diary for Wednesday December 18th 7.30pm – I was given reasonable assurances that it  was unlikely to be trumped by a much better offer, but if it was we’d be given at least 2 weeks notice….so assume this is the date.    We plan to show the usual Christmas L&H short films, have a mini-buffet and yes we will be running our annual tent Kneesie Earsie Nosey ……the competition is open to all, so start practising your moves…..there’s less than 6 weeks to Christmas!

Hopefully, we’ll see you on Wednesday at the NEW VENUE.  This is a family friendly show – all are very welcome from 4 to 104 years.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

The bridge is now open so it is possible to get to the The Bridge Inn from both directions.

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
Our next film show is this Wednesday, 18th Septober  at our NEW VENUE…..THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We will be in the outside function room.  It should be noted that the road bridge itself is still closed and hence the pub can only be located by car from the north side of the road from Risley or Sandiacre, so as per usual plan your route accordingly.

All are welcome and entry is free.

This month we will be celebrating the the university of the birth of Billy Gilbert (on the 12th).  Billy made 11 films with Stan & Ollie at the Hal Roach film studios and I’m planning to show 4 of them, all released in 1932, which will include the Boys second feature film “Pack Up Your Troubles“.    In this film, the Boys are wanting to locate the grandparents of Eddie’s baby…..with surname Smith.  This causes much confusion and mayhem.  Billy Gilbert plays the big game hunter after he is told that his  future son in law hasn’t been completely honest with his daughter at their wedding.  We are also showing this feature in remembrance of Arthur Jefferson (Stan’s father) , who shares the same birthday as Billy G (September 12th)….his address at the time gets a mention in the film as the Boys peruse the telephone directory of Smiths…that is 49 Colebrook Avenue.

We will also be continuing our series of short cartoons from the 1930s.    This month we intend to show “The Village Blacksmith” a 5 min Terrytoons cartoon from 1933,  featuring a farmer called Al-Falfa with good animations of Laurel & Hardy, Jimmy Durante,  Will Rogers and Josephine Baker (who?) in a fantasy dream sequence!

We will have the usual raffle, any donations are always gratefully accepted.

As mentioned last month, I have taken stock of a number of the “official” 2020 Laurel & Hardy calendars from Rob Lewis.  I will be bringing these down to the meeting this month and I can sell them at  last years price of £10 each.

Our meetings continue to be on the 3rd Wednesday of the month with our next one on Octember 16th at 7.30pm.

Hopefully, we’ll see you on Wednesday at the NEW VENUE.  Please bring friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
Our next film show is this Wednesday, 21st August  at our NEW VENUE…..THE BRIDGE INN on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre NG10 5LW commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We will be in the outside function room.  It should be noted that the road bridge itself is closed and hence the pub can only be located by car from the north side of the road from Risley or Sandiacre, so do plan your route accordingly.

All are welcome and entry is free.

As twe are the Beau Hunks tent of the Sons of the Desert I think it is In order that we christen our new venue….or I should say our new watering hole/oasis in what is  the Sandy-acre of Nottingham, with a screening of, ….of course, our tents theme film….the desert film, Beau Hunks with the much travelled Jeannie Weenie!

This month is also the university of the births of James Henderson Finlayson (on the 27th)  and Charlie Hall (on the 19th).  So rather than me scratching my head for a rather strange and obtuse theme, this month I’ve prepared a list of 8 Laurel & Hardy talkie short films where James and/or Charlie Hall put in a fine appearance….indeed films we haven’t seen for at least 3 months.  So, by a democratic voting system of raising one’s hand, the tent will collectively chose which 3 films we will see that night.  Also, for one night only, the tent can chose if a film is shown in color or b/w!!. We will, however start the evening with a popular Charlie Hall silent b/w film.  The usual caos will be resumed next month

As its the school summer holidays you are cordially invited to bring all the kids….little and big kids alike, aged from 4 to 104!  Indeed, our shows continue to be family orientated.  We will also be continuing our series of short cartoons from the 1930s, where Laurel & Hardy have been animated.  We  have a good one this month….Walt Disney’s “The Pet Store” from  October 1933.  This parodies the blockbuster film from that year “King Kong”….with Minnie Mouse instead of Fay Wray being taken hostage by a gorilla that has escaped from a cage in the pet shop!.  At the start of the cartoon, the gorilla imitates Stan Laurel.

We will have the usual raffle, any donations are always gratefully accepted.

I have taken stock of a number of the “official” 2020 Laurel & Hardy calendars from Rob Lewis.  I will be bringing these down next month (september) – I’ve done a deal with Rob and I can sell these again at last years price of £10 each – with a little profit going into club funds – this will help to fund our Christmas buffet (a date o be defined).

Our meetings continue to be on the 3rd Wednesday of the month with our next one on September 18th at 7.30pm.

Hopefully, we’ll see you on Wednesday at the NEW VENUE.  Please bring friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Our film show venue The White Lion has closed and we are nomads again. Fortunately we have a tent.
Best wishes to the landlord Sergio for his next venture.

Can you help us find a new venue? Ideally close to our current location in Beeston. Some suggestions have been made last night which we will investigate – but if you know of any place that would be willing to accommodate us, on a 3rd Wednesday of each month, and hopefully not charge us, please let me know.  Ideally,  we need car-parking and sufficient room for 30+….preferably a separate and quiet room.

I’ll let you know as soon as we have found a new venue,

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

On a sad note, last night we toasted Ron Stokoe who sadly passed away last week at the age of 93.  Ron was the taxi driver that drove Stan & Ollie between theatre and hotel in Southend in 1952.  I know many of you would have met Ron at the Bull Inn last year, when Roger Robinson brought him up all the way from Southend.  He was certainly a wonderful and charming fellow and was a very popular member of the Saps tent and of the Sons at the desert at large.  He was a good friend of Denise and myself.  He will be sorely missed.  John Palmer has sent me a nice a photo of him which I’m sure he won’t mind me sharing.  John tells me that this was actually the first time Ron had ever sat in a Model T Ford and was quite a thrill for him.  RIP Ron.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
Our next film show is this Wednesday, 17th July  at the usual location, THE WHITE LION….24, Middle Street, BEESTON, NG9 1FX commencing at the usual time of 7.30pm.   We should again be upstairs.

All are welcome and entry is free.

We had an absolutely marvellous day at the Bull Inn, Bottesford in June.  First of all,  I’d like to thank all those that made that day such an MGM roaring success….Robin Cook for the film premiere of a restored version of the silent Duck Soup, Antony Mitchell-Waite for his interesting talk on his latest look-a-like research,  John Palmer for bringing his super Model T Car and Danny Lawrence for all his support throughout the day.  I’d also like to thank James Exton for opening up his home, the Plough Inn, during our visit to Barkston.  Secondly, I’d also like to thank you all for supporting us on the day…..and yes we hope to do it all again next year as we celebrate the tent’s 20 year anniversary.  I’m hoping to put a few photos up on our website in the near future (http://www.laurelandhardynottingham.uk/)  but if you can’t wait, just drop me an email and I’ll send you a copy of the Bull Inn group photo.

As you may be aware it is 50 years since Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon (July 20th 1969), with the Saturn V rocket being launched from Cape Canaveral on July 16th 1969.  The moon landings formed a big part of my childhood and, although I never wanted to be an astronaut, I was certainly inspired to follow an acadamic and  career path into science and engineering.  Sadly, there have been many many ridiculous conspiracy theories over the years about whether or not man has actually reached the moon….indeed ridiculous.  That’s because everyone knows that Stan & Ollie landed on the moon in the 1930s….or I should say crashed into the moon –  see the 3 images below for proof!

But seriously folks, this month, in recognition of this amazing feat of putting a man on the moon, I’ve put together a programme of Laurel & Hardy films where the “moon” is featured….indeed it was tough thing to do!!  I will, however,  say that we will be showing the Boys first ever feature film “Pardon Us”  from 1931….where Ollie sings “Lazy Moon”.

We will also continue our history of L&H cartoons – though I intend to skip forward to Sep 1966, with a 5 min short Larry Harmon “Laurel & Hardy Show” cartoon by Hanna Barbera entitled “Missle Hassle” where Stan & Ollie land on the moon!  Although, its a cartoon that is mostly focused towards our younger members (which includes myself), it is very interesting from an historical point of view.  It was released less than one year after the first US space walk from the Gemini missions and several months before the Apollo programme.  It also highlights the risks that were taken by those brave astronauts with  parallels  to the aborted Apollo 13 mission.   So, again you’ll see Stan & Ollie on the moon 3 years before Neil Armstrong!   We will have the usual raffle, all donations are gratefully accepted.

Our next meetings remains on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at on August 21st at 7.30pm.

Hopefully, we’ll see you on Wednesday.  Please bring friends and family – all are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)

Hello Laurel & Hardy friends,
This is a reminder that we have two film shows next week.

Our first film show is on  Wednesday, 19th June 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 – the “Beeston cinema”.   

In our Wednesday show we will be screening the “Elephant in the (court) room” film, “Zenobia” from 1939.  This was the film that caused the rather controversial and 100% fictitious argument in the recent “Stan & Ollie” film.  Zenobia is not very well favoured amongst Laurel & Hardy fans due to the obvious absence of Stan…but it certainly isn’t ,as some may think, a Langdon & Hardy comedy pairing  where Harry Langdon directly replaces Stan.  It is a much different film, a very gentle comedy where Oliver gets a chance to show off his prowess as a comedy actor and because it echoes back to his roots in the deep South…..South of what Sir….the south of l…Atlanta, Georgia.   It also has  a strong cast of familiar actors/actresses.   I have to admit, I like this film a lot  and over the years I’ve collected a lot of memorabilia associated with it including the original Hal Roach studios signed contract with Harry Langdon.   So please take it for what it is….an interesting one-off – its a film  we’ve only shown  once before in the tents 20 year history and certainly worth seeing again.   Of course, we will also be showing a number of Laurel & Hardy short films and a few interesting rarities/oddities….all with an animal theme as a prequel to our main event next Saturday.

Tomorrow as you will be aware (June 16th) will be the university of Stan’s birthday – 129 years ago….so indeed we will also be celebrating this on Wednesday with a piece of birthday cake and a bit of an unexpected birthday surprise….to be revealed on the night.   There will be the usual raffle (all donations gratefully accepted) and we’ll be continuing our series of cartoon animations, all in line with the evening’s theme.

All are welcome and entry is free.

Our second film show is on Saturday, June 22nd, 1pm-6pm, at the Bull Inn, Bottesford (NG13 0BW)  entitled “Laurel & Hardy’s ANIMAL CRACKERS“…and not the Marx brothers!.  This is a tribute to all the brilliant animals that appear in many  wonderful Laurel & Hardy films and to those that we toast….including Ethel the Chimp, MGM the lion and of course….. poor old Laughing Gravy!  Indeed, we will be showing many animal-related short Laurel & Hardy films during the day.  The highlight of the day will be a premiere screening of a fully complete and restored version of the silent short DUCK SOUP (1927).  This is Laurel & Hardy’s version of the film and not to be confused with another film of the same title by  the Marx brothers.  This will be shown by film historian, archivist and ex-projectionist tent member, Robin Cook.   For those that do like The Marx Bros –  they will make a briefly appearance during the day!

We will also have a number of special guests with us from all around the UK…..Antony and Jo Mitchell-Waite (from the Stoke Midnight Patrol Tent ) will be briefly talking about their recent and forthcoming series of books, first of which was entitled  “Two Peas in a Pod”…duh.  Our own Danny Lawrence will be selling/signing his superb book on Arthur Jefferson (Stan Laurel’s father).  Mark Hammond (from Brighton) is a well-known Laurel & Hardy autograph, memorabilia and playbill poster collector.   For a second year running, Rob Lewis (Grand Shiek of the UK Helpmates Tent and editor of the Laurel & Hardy Magazine) and his family will be joining us.  As many of you know, Rob has been a major ambassador for Laurel & Hardy not just in the UK but internationally through the UK Helpmates tent, Helpmates conventions and the L&H magazine which he has been doing for over 40 years.  He doesn’t usually travel to other tent events, so it is an honour for us for him to be with us again .   He has also been selling L&H merchandise for many many years….and will again be providing us with L&H calendars at Christmas.  Rob was an on-set consultant on the Stan & Ollie film…..but unfortunately not on the storyline!  We also hope to have Howard Parker with us (ex-Hats Off Derby tent Grand Shiek  and co-editor of the L&H Magazine).  I’ve also been informed that we will have representatives from a few other tents…including the Brats from Sheffield.

We will have the usual raffle and observational quiz.   The event is FREE and all are very welcome.

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 Bull Inn bar on Christmas Day 1953 which was during their 4 week “Laurel & Hardy Christmas Party” variety show at the Nottingham Empire theatre.  There are two plaques – one inside and one outside the pub that mentions their visits….though the years stated are not quite right!

On the morning of June 22nd,  we will again be visiting The Plough Inn in Barkston (4 miles north of Grantham) where Stan’s father, AJ,  and his sister, Beatrice Olga, once lived and ran the small pub during the 1940s – and where of course Stan & Ollie made at least one visit during their 1947 theatre tour.   We will also be visiting AJs grave in the village and paying our due respects to a very special father.    Those interested in this pre-event …please meet at the Stag Inn at the centre of this small village (NG32 2NB) at 10.30 am.   I expect to be at the Barkston & Syston cemetery at 10.45am and the the Plough Inn (22 West Street) at 11.15 am.

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 July film show will be on the usual third Wednesday July 17th.

So, hopefully,we’ll see you TWICE TWO next week.  All are welcome.

Fraternally Yours,

Dave T

(Grand Sheikh – Nottingham Beau Hunks tent)