Laurel and Hardy Society Sons of the Desert Way Out West Tent Los Angeles
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The Brushwood Gulch Gazette is the newsletter of the Way Out West Tent. It is published six times a year, shortly before regular tent meetings. Members receive the complete printed edition in the mail. The online edition features most of the articles found in the printed version, minus photos.


1933 Film Night - Seventy Five Years Old and Still Going Strong!

The Devil's Brother (also known as Fra Diavolo) was released on May 5, 1933. On Tuesday evening May 6, 2008, join us to celebrate The Devil's Brother 75th Anniversary. Besides the screening of The Devil's Brother, we will also attempt to photograph the most people ever doing the "Finger Wiggle" at the same time and have West Out West's first ever "Kneesy Earsy Nosey Competition". You ask, what more can we do on a Tuesday evening? We can also screen, Mickey Mouse's Mickey's Gala Premiere (with a cartoon appearance by Laurel & Hardy), Me and My Pal, and Charley Chase's Luncheon at Twelve (that includes 10 people that were also featured in Laurel & Hardy films). All of the films screened will be 75 years young this year!

In The Devil's Brother (1933), Stanlio and Ollio (Stan and Ollie) are forced to help the singing bandit, Fra Diavolo (Dennis King) to fleece Lord Rocberg (James Finlayson) and his Lady Pamela (Thelma Todd) of their money and jewels. The plot of The Devil's Brother is based on the opera "Fra Diavolo." When critics rank Laurel and Hardy's feature films, The Devil's Brother always ranks right up there with Sons of the Desert and Way Out West.

Walt Disney's Mickey's Gala Premiere (1933) is a cartoon within a cartoon, where most of the early thirties Hollywood Stars (Laurel & Hardy included) turn out at the Chinese Theater for Mickey's premiere of his film "Galloping Gaucho."

In Luncheon at Twelve (1933), Charley Chase unwittingly becomes part of a house painting team with disastrous results. Look closely, when watching the film. Can you spot the 10 players, including Charley Chase, that appeared in Laurel & Hardy films? Try and count them!

As always, our regular meetings take place at the Mayflower Club at 11110 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood. Doors open at 6:30 pm. The meeting starts at 7:15 pm. There will be "Fisher Franks" hot dogs and your choice of chips sold at the Mayflower Kitchen and drinks sold at the Mayflower Bar. There will be cake served at the second break. See you there on Tuesday May 6th!

Click here for a map to the Mayflower Club...


Kneesy Earsy Nosey Competition

All members who wish to enter the "Kneesy Earsy Nosey Competition" should sign up with Jimmy Wiley Jr. when they arrive at the meeting. The names of the members who sign up will be put in a derby and three names will be drawn. Right after the first break, the three members chosen will perform before our audience. Our audience will decide the winner by their applause. Originality will be taken into account.

"Kneesy Earsy Nosey" is an English kid's game that Stan does for Ollie about halfway into The Devil's Brother. You slap your hands on your knees and alternately pull you ear and your nose with each of your hands, as pictured below. For those of you that have forgotten how to do "Kneesy Earsy Nosey," take a look at your DVD or VHS copies of The Devil's Brother to refresh your memory. The routine is also available at YouTube at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DiFEFL6ThRI


Notes From Our March Meeting

With the help of Joachim Tropper (JT), Randy Johnson, Bob Duncan, Dave Griem, Bill Burgess, Jayne Barnhart, and Randy Skretvedt, Jimmy Wiley Jr. led the toasts and song to open our March video meeting. Thanks again to everyone who helped.

Our film program for the evening started off with our own video "106." In two and a half minutes it showed a scene from all of Laurel & Hardy's 106 films. For the first time at a Way Out West meeting, the only surviving reel of Now I'll Tell One followed. This rediscovered Charley Chase silent raised the total of films in which both Laurel & Hardy appeared from 105 to 106.

Then two familiar Laurel & Hardy films, Blotto and Their Purple Moment, were screened, but each in a unique way. The version of Blotto that we saw had restored scenes and music which were cut from the 1937 reissue of Blotto (the version that we normally see). Their Purple Moment was shown on a split screen, made up of the complete version of Their Purple Moment at the top and video of a live orchestra accompanying the film at the bottom.

Our March meeting ended with the screening of Our Relations. A special thanks goes to Jimmy Wiley III for all his work on the videos!


22nd Annual Last Remaining Seats

Beginning on Wednesday, May 28, 2008, and continuing the following five Wednesdays, the Los Angeles Conservancy will present their annual screenings of classic films at various theaters in downtown Los Angeles. The films this year are (in order of screening): Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Mildred Pierce, Goldfinger, Young Frankenstein, El Rey Del Barrio, and a night of The Navigator (Buster Keaton), Pay Day (Charlie Chaplin), and Get Out and Get Under (Harold Lloyd).

All of the screenings start at 8:00 pm. Each film will be preceded by a special introduction and a short program. Tickets cost $18.00 for non-memebers of the Conservancy. You can get more information and purchase tickets online at http://www.laconservancy.org/