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.

Ollie Again Gets Stan’s Help and Advice at January 15th Meeting

Join us at The Mayflower Club on Tuesday night, January 15th, to celebrate Babe’s 121st birthday. In each of our four films for the evening, we will give you lots of examples of Ollie asking Stan for help and getting advice from Stan (whether Ollie asks for it or not). We thought about getting a cake that was big enough to hold 121 lighted candles, but between the cost of the cake and the possible problems from the local fire department, we decided that it wasn’t a good idea. Instead, we will have two large cakes that should satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.

Our film program will open with County Hospital (1932). The plot of the film is simple. Stan visits Ollie in the hospital, where Ollie is recovering from a broken leg. Soon, with Stan’s help and advice, everything that could go wrong goes wrong. Billy Gilbert is Ollie’s doctor.

In Chickens Come Home (1931), Ollie’s life seems to be going great. He is partners with Stan in a successful business and is also a candidate for mayor. When a women from his “past” (Mae Busch) pays him a visit, Ollie asks for Stan’s help. Thelma Todd plays Ollie’s wife and James Finlayson plays Ollie’s butler. As an added attraction, after Chickens Come Home we will screen the infamous Hadji Ali and his “regurgitation act” from Politiquerias (the Spanish version of the film). Truly, you have to see it to believe it.

Next is Thicker Than Water (1935). Ollie’s domineering wife (Daphne Pollard) has an argument with Ollie and their boarder (Stan), when a furniture store owner (James Finlayson) comes to their home to inquire about their missing payment. When Fin leaves, Stan suggests to the Hardys that they should just empty their saving account and pay Fin off once and for all. Though Mrs. Hardy quickly rejects the idea, Ollie tells Stan that his advice is brilliant. Soon, without his wife’s consent, Ollie is off to the bank with Stan.

Our final film for the evening is Oliver the Eighth (1934). In the film, the Boys are partners in a barber shop. When they see a newspaper ad in the local Personals Column from a wealthy widow who is seeking a young man to possibly marry, the Boys each quickly answer the ad. When Ollie gets an invitation to meet the widow, Stan also shows up at the widow’s home to “help” and “advise” Ollie. The widow is Mae Busch.

The Mayflower Club is located at 11110 Victory Boulevard in North hollywood. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Our meeting starts at 7:15 p.m. “Fisher Franks” (100% beef hot dogs) with your choice of chips will be sold at The Mayflower Club Kitchen. Refreshments will be sold at The Mayflower Club Bar. Free birthday cake will be served on our 2nd break. Don’t miss a fun evening, see you on Tuesday January 15th!

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


It’s Time To Pay Your Dues

In 2013, we again will have six regular meetings at The Mayflower Club and a Special Event in October (at a location to be announced). All of our regular meetings are fully covered by your dues. Our Special Event, as always, will have a separate door charge. Our dues are unchanged from last year. 2013 meeting dates and dues rates are printed in the column to the right. If you want to pay your 2013 dues by mail, after we receive your check, we will mail a post card to you to exchange for any style bumper sticker we have at our sales table. Make your checks out to Sons of the Desert and mail them to: Lori McCaffery, 4313 Woodland Avenue, Burbank CA 91505.


Jack Hanlon

It seems lately that every time I write a newsletter, I have to report that another longtime member of Way Out West has passed away. This time it’s Jack Hanlon. Jack was the oldest surviving actor to appear in an Our Gang film. He also acted in Buster Keaton’s classic, The General. He passed on December 13th, in Las Vegas, just two months shy of his 97th birthday. When Kris, Jimmy III, and I last saw Jack in 2007, we were all still impressed by his friendliness, great stories, and zest for life.


From The Grand Sheik

Thanks to all of our members who donated canned goods and cash for the Maude Booth Family Center at our December meeting. Because of all your kindness and generosity, we were able to donate to the Center our largest donation in years! As always, you guys are great!

I’m happy to announce that Sons of the Desert has been added to the National Film Registry in 2012. It’s a great film and deserves the honor. To us Way Out West rooters, however, there is still a silver lining to Sons of the Desert going on the list. Next year, Way Out West will no longer split votes with Sons of the Desert! I don’t think that Way Out West will made the list right away, but I’m looking forward to meeting with fellow Sons at next year’s International Convention in Hollywood to come up with a coordinated plan of action to get Way Out West on the List, as soon as possible.

Check out King of the Nerds on TBS on Thursday, January 17th at 10:00. Our member Curtis Armstrong and his fellow actor friend Robert Carradine are co-hosts and executive producers for this new reality show. I talked with Curtis at our December meeting and he and Robert are very happy about the way that the show has turned out. King of the Nerds does not make fun of Nerds but showcases their talents. See for yourself on January 17th!


Notes From Our December Meeting

At our December meeting, we screened Big Business, The Fixer Uppers, and The Bohemian Girl. During our cocktail hour, we played Christmas music and our first two films for the evening were Christmas themed. So, by our second break, everyone seemed to be in a good Christmas spirit. We had a larger than normal crowd for a December meeting and a very enthusiastic audience. We also got a lot of canned goods and cash for the Maude Booth Family Center. All in all, it was a great meeting to close out the year.

Thanks to Doug George for playing the piano during our second break. Thanks to Burr Middleton for giving his us two great voice impersonations of his grandfather, Charles Middleton. Thanks to Dave Griem, Victor D’Agostino, James Romero, Bob Brauer, Ken Runyan, Bob Duncan, and Jayne Barnhart for helping me with the toasts and song.




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