Volume 28, Number 5
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Volume 28, Number 5 Contents:
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This is an old issue of the Brushwood Gulch Gazette, which has been archived for reference purposes. Although some links have been updated, the text of this archived newsletter remains unchanged. Please keep in mind that these articles have NOT been updated to reflect changes that may have occurred since they were originally printed. Return to the index of archived issues. |
July is a month filled with history. Our country declared its' independence and man landed on the moon for the first time. Yes, July is very historical. This July, however, is hysterical. The Way Out West Tent will meet again on Tuesday evening, July 11, 1995, at the Mayflower Club. The Mayflower Club is right where we left it, at 11110 Victory Boulevard (west of Vineland Avenue), in North Hollywood. The Famous Fabulous Fisher Franks will be looking for ways to park in your pouch and the Marvelous Mayflower Bar will be on hand to tease your tonsils with liquid treasures. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the meeting will begin at 7:30 PM. So, we'll count on seeing you Tuesday evening, July 11, 1995.
After the singing of the Sons of the Desert song and toasting the boys and company, the meeting of May 23, 1995 began. Announcements were made by Lori "Mama Hen" McCaffery. Joe Monte and Alan Barasorda, of the Los Angeles Conservancy, told about the "Last Remaining Seats" event that featured a Laurel and Hardy night on June 21, 1995. Also joining us for the evening were Jay Dare, the boys costumer at 20th Century Fox on Dancing Masters and The Bullfighters; Alice Jackson, the longtime friend of T. Marvin Hatley and founder of the T. Marvin Hatley musical scholarship; and Richard Bann, co-author of The Little Rascals-The Life and Times of Our Gang. The film program began with Charley Chase in Luncheon at Twelve, followed by the boys in a cameo appearance in the 1931 short, The Stolen Jools. Chickens Come Home rounded out the first half of the program. The evening finished up with Robert Youngson's compilation, Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's.
The Way Out West Tent will be hosting its' 28th Annual Banquet on Saturday evening, October 28, 1995, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in the heart of Hollywood. The cocktail hour will begin at 6:00 PM, and dinner will begin being served at 7:00 PM. On the menu, the main entree will be chicken picata, along with spinach salad, basket of bread with sweet butter, twice baked potato, vegetable de jour, seasonal berries in a chocolate shell, and a beverage. A childs plate for children up to 12 years of age, will consist of a chopped sirloin, with salad, dessert, and a beverage.
This year's theme will be "The Live Ghost," in keeping with the upcoming Halloween holiday. Celebrities (to be named in future newsletters), a raffle, film clips, awards, and a screening of "The Live Ghost" will round out the evening. We are also planning to add a new event to the banquet this year. A Way Out West Celebrity Panel will be made up of Our Gang and L&H celebrities (who wish to participate) for a question and answer session. The questions will come from the banquet diners. So, start thinking of your questions and to whom you would like to ask them. Due to time limitations and celebrity availability, we ask that you pick out one celebrity and ask one question, so that all who wish to get involved will be given a chance.
The cost for the banquet will be $45 per person, including secured valet parking. The childs plate (for children up to 12 years of age) is available for $15 each. The next morning, the Way Out West Tent will be leading a Laurel and Hardy locations tour. We'll be leaving from the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and we'll visit the Music Box Stairs, Perfect Day house, the graves of Stan and Ollie, plus much more. The cost for the Tour will be $20. So, mark these dates on your calendar.
On June 21, 1995 the Los Angeles Conservancy presented its' third film event of the current "Last Remaining Seats" program. Laurel and Hardy were featured in "Sons of the Desert." The evening began in Pershing Square, in downtown Los Angeles, with a Hawaiian barbecue and social. The festivities officially were underway when a parade, complete with the Granada Hills High School Marching Bard, Sons of the Desert delegates from the "Way Out West" Tent, "Unaccustomed As We Are" Tent, and even a delegate from Massachusetts, marched from Pershing Square to the beautiful Los Angeles Theatre.
The Los Angeles Theatre, which opened on January 30, 1931, was home for the evening's entertainment. Master of Ceremonies Jesse White welcomed the sold out crowd and introduced Gayle Hendrix-Harris who sang, "St. Louis Blues," Cheryl Chase (as Helen Kane) singing "Do Something" a la Betty Boop, Richard Halpern and the Bamboo Babies recreating the "Honolulu Baby" number from "Sons of the Desert," and Chuck McCann and Jim MacGeorge as Stan and Ollie along with Avery Schreiber as Billy Gilbert. Excellent music from the era (and the LeRoy Shield's library) was performed by Dean Mora and Mora's Modem Rhythmists. Joining in on the fun in the audience was Eleanor (Mrs. Buster) Keaton and Hugh Hefner (who sponsored the evening), both of whom rode in the parade in Star Laurel's 1947 Chrysler owned by "Way Out West's" Bart Williams. The film program got off to a roaring start with Stan and Ollie in "Brats" (1930). After the Mills Brothers performed "Dinah" (1933) in a bouncing ball cartoon, the boys, once again, took center stage in "Sons of the Desert" (1933). What an evening it was!
A tip of the derby goes to the Los Angeles Conservancy for the fine work that their staff and volunteers have done for the "Last Remaining Seats" series and their many other projects. A special thank you to Joe Monte (who directed Laurel and Hardy Night) and Alan Barasorda for their help and kindness that they extended to the "Sons". It really was an evening to remember.
The Caretaker's Daughter
Released October 11, 1925. Starring Charley Chase, Katherine
Grant, Symona Boniface, James Finlayson and James Parrott. After
unloading his troubled car to an unsuspecting customer at a used car
lot, Charley helps out a buddy by driving a woman to a cabin lodge.
Charley's suspicious wife and the lady's husband, who bought
Charley's junk car, follow Charley to the cabin. Hilarity ensues when
the caretaker and his three look-a-likes get into the act.
Sugar Daddies
Released September 10, 1927. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver
Hardy, James Finlayson, Noah Young, Charlotte Mineau, and Edna
Marion. Millionaire Fin relies on his lawyer (Stan) and his butler
(Ollie) to keep his romantic mishaps under control. Unfortunately,
after a party, Fin winds up married to a woman with a money hungry
daughter and a killer brother. The boys and Fin try to escape this
terrible trio via a funhouse on the boardwalk.
The Chimp
Released May 21, 1932. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy,
Billy Gilbert, Charles Gemora, James Finlayson, and Tiny Sandford.
When the circus folds, Stan wins the flea circus and Ollie wins
"Ethel" the chimp in lieu of their salary. The boys have their work
cut out for them trying to get Ethel past their landlord, whose wife
is also named Ethel. Chaos reigns when the landlord hears the name
Ethel coming from the boy's room.
Scram
Released September 10, 1932. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver
Hardy, Arthur Housman, Vivian Oakland, and Rychard Cramer. Having
been banned from town by an angry judge, the boys help out a drunk
and take him home. The drunk leaves when he realizes that he is not
in his home. The boys innocently help the lady of the house, who had
fainted, come to with water, which is really gin. Her husband comes
home to find his wife drunk and the boys with her. The husband is
none other than the judge who banned them from town.
A Haunting We Will Go
Released August 7, 1942. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy,
Sheila Ryan, Harry A. Jansen, Don Costello, and Elisha Cook, Jr.
Given 24 hours to leave town, Laurel and Hardy answer an ad for a
free trip to Dayton&emdash;but they must accompany a coffin. Unknown
to the boys, the coffin contains a "live" wanted fugitive. They wind
up working for Dante the Magician, when two con men sell the boys a
phony money-making machine and take all their money. Dante pays their
expenses and hires them. The coffin the boys were looking after gets
mixed up with Dante's magic coffin and winds up in his act.
80 years ago
75 years ago
70 years ago
65 years ago
60 years ago
55 years ago
1 year ago
Sources for Looking Back are:
Laurel and Hardy-The Magic Behind the Movies, by Randy Skretvedt
The Laurel and Hardy Book, edited by Leonard Maltin
June 3 Paulette Goddard Berth Marks 8 John and Rosina Lawrence McCabe Wedding Anniversary 8 Henry Brandon March of the Wooden Soldiers 8 Sheila Ryan Great Guns 8 Dorothy Coburn The Finishing Touch 9 Bob Cummings Sons of the Desert 10 Hattie McDaniel Zenobia 13 Ralph Edwards This is Your Life 13 Ellen Corby Hal Roach Script Girl 15 Harry Langdon Zenobia 16 Stan Laurel 18 Mae Busch July 2 Rychard Cramer Scram, Saps at Sea 2 Sidney "Woim" Kibrick Our Gang 5 John Elliot Sons of the Desert 5 Del Henderson Wrong Again, Laurel-Hardy Murder Case 5 Billy "Froggy" Laughlin Our Gang 12 Alice Cooke Stan Jefferson Trio 18 Lupe Velez Hollywood Party 18 Chill Wills Way Out West 18 Bill Patterson Way Out West Tent-Founding Grand Sheik 19 Vera Ralston The Fighting Kentuckian 19 Harvey Wasden Roach Studio Soundman 20 Muriel Evans Pack Up Your Troubles 20 Theda Bara 45 Minutes from Hollywood 22 Orson Bean Sons of the Desert-Co-Founder 23 Hank Worden The Bullfighters 29 Thelma Todd Another Fine Mess, Fra Diavolo
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