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.

Marriage Laurel & Hardy Style April 19th

In most Laurel & Hardy films, the Boys are either single or just Ollie is married. On the night of Tuesday, April 19th, both Stan and Ollie will be married in all of the films that we screen. Look for the subtle differences in their characters.

We'll start the evening's film program off with Laurel & Hardy's silent short, We Faw Down (1928). In the film, Stan and Ollie want to join their pals at a poker game, but they don't want their wives (Bess Flowers and Vivien Oakland) to know. So what do they do? They tell their wives that they are going to an important business meeting. On the way to the poker game, the Boys decide to help a lady in distress (Kay Deslys). The ending scene of We Faw Down was later filmed almost exactly the same in Block-Heads (1938). Also some of the themes in We Faw Down appear in Sons of the Desert (1933).

In Come Clean (1931), the Hardys' quiet evening alone is soon interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Laurels. Gertrude Astor plays Ollie's wife, and Linda Loredo plays Stan's wife. Despite the Laurels' sudden arrival, things seem to be working out okay, until the Boys go out to buy ice cream and once again decide to help a lady in distress. This time the "lady" (Mae Busch) is really in distress.

In Twice Two (1933), by using wigs, dresses, and dubbed voices, Stan's wife (Babe) and Ollie's wife (Stan) are planning a surprise anniversary party for their husbands (Stan and Ollie). If I've confused you, let me try to simplify it. Stan's wife is played by Babe Hardy and Ollie's wife is played by Stan Laurel. Both couples were married on the same day (of course), so they both celebrate their anniversaries on the same day. Got it? As we all know, Laurel & Hardy planning something means trouble. Can two sets of Laurel & Hardys planning something mean "double trouble?"

Our last film for the evening will be Laurel & Hardy's classic feature, Sons of the Desert (1933). You probably all know the plot of the film, so I won't bother to repeat it. Just watch the film closely and enjoy Stan and Babe at their best. Watch the great performances of Mae Busch (Ollie's wife) and Dorothy Christy (Stan's wife). See how the Founders of the Sons of the Desert got their idea for our club. Check out the "wave motion" that they do in the "Sons of Desert Song" along with their humming. See why our first International Convention was held in Chicago. Look for the wax apple. Check out Charley Chase's great cameo appearance. Look for "Two Peas in a Pod." Most of all, enjoy the film! It's a treasure that deserves its honored place in our nation's Library of Congress. Finally, if you've never seen Sons of the Desert with an all Sons audience, now's your chance. I promise you won't regret it.

"Fisher Franks" (quarter pound 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 cake will be served during our second break. 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. Don't miss having a great time, see you April 19th!

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


Notes From Our February Meeting

Our films for February were: Love Business (Our Gang), Me and My Pal, Our Wife, Beau Hunks, and It Happened One Day (Charley Chase). We had a good turnout, but not quite as big as our January meeting. It was nice to see Dorothy DeBorba's "echo routine" with Chubby again. Our members liked it too.

I'm sorry to announce that the piano that T. Marvin Hatley played at our meetings for so many years has been replaced by The Mayflower Club. The old piano was still at the Mayflower Club, at our last meeting in February, so we got to take some farewell pictures of it. The good news is that it looked like the old piano would go to a good home, as two of our newest members seemed interesting in taking it.

Special thanks to Bob Duncan, Bob Brauer, Laura Reuthner, Jayne Barnhart, J.T. Tropper, and Dave Greim for helping me with doing the toasts, and singing "The Sons of the Desert Song."


From the Grand Sheik

I hope that some of you got to see Orson Bean's one man play, Safe At Home, that I wrote about in the Brushwood Gulch Gazette in February. If you did, I'd love to hear from you. Kris and I really enjoyed the play. For those of you that didn't see the play, Safe At Home is an autobiographical narrative of selected high points and low points in Orson Bean's life. What a life he's had! Orson, at 87, was on the stage by pretty much by himself for around 90 minutes. His high points would make you smile. His low points would almost make you cry. Between the points in his life, he told some very funny jokes, did some clever magic tricks, and even did a few audience participation tricks. The 90 minutes flew by. I've heard that he wants to take the play to Broadway. I hope that he succeeds.


In Memoriam

I'm sad to report that Al Bender has passed. Al was a long time member of our Way Out West Tent. He was always generous with his contributions of films and equipment to Way Out West.


 


L&H at the American Cinematheque in May

The American Cinematheque will host several Laurel & Hardy screenings May 6th, 7th, and 8th at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. Newly restored material from the UCLA Film and Television Archive will be digitally projected. Tickets are $11. For times and locations, see their website at americancinemathequecalendar.com/calendar/2016-05


L&H at the Old Town Music Hall in June

On the weekend of June 24th, 25th, and 26th, the Old Town Music Hall will once again do a special all Laurel & Hall film program. The Old Town Music Hall is located at 140 Richmond Street, El Segundo (310-322-2592). Their evening programs will begin at 8:15 on Friday and Saturday. Their matinee programs will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the theater is $10 per person or $8 for people 62 or older. Each program begins with a Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ audience sing-along. For information about other film programs at the Old Town Music Hall, go to oldtownmusichall.org/films.htm


 




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