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NOTE: This is an old issue of the Brushwood Gulch Gazette, which has been archived for reference purposes.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. |
The Way Out West Tent will be up to their old tricks again on Tuesday evening, June 1, 1999. This date is different than the one printed in the previous newsletters, so be sure to make the change in your date books and on your calendars. As usual, we'll be meeting at the Mayflower Club located at 11110 Victory Blvd. (west of Vineland Avenue) in the city of North Hollywood. On the menu, we'll have a trivia game, a cake to honor the anniversary of Stan Laurel's birth and, of course, a great selection of films. The Fabulous Fisher Franks and the Mayflower Bar will accompany the festivities. We look forward to seeing you on June 1st.
The Way Out West Tent will be playing a trivia game at the next meeting and everyone in attendance is invited to play. When you arrive, you will be given a sheet of paper with some Laurel & Hardy/Way Out West Tent questions on it. During the course of the evening it will be up to you to answer the questions on the paper. Feel free to talk to the other members and guests to share answers to these questions. When you have finished your test, turn it in to Lori McCaffery, Bob Duncan, or John Duff. All questionnaires with the correct answers will be put into a box and a winner will be drawn after the last film. The winner must be in attendance at the end of the evening at which point a prize will be awarded.
The final Way Out West Tent banquet for this century will be held October 16th, at a very special location. The Culver Hotel will host this year's event. It is the site of several Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, and many other Hal Roach films. The Culver, built in 1924, has been recently remodeled and looks wonderful. The hotel's previous owners include The Fighting Kentuckian star, John Wayne. As you know, the Culver Hotel can be seen in such L&H films as Leave 'Em Laughing, Putting Pants on Philip, and We Faw Down. Charley Chase circled the hotel in his automobile several times in his hilarious two-reeler, Limousine Love. The banquet will honor the Culver Hotel's 75th anniversary and will be a buffet style dinner featuring meat, chicken, and fish entrees with vegetables and other accompaniments. We will have celebrities (to be announced), films, a raffle and more. The cost for the evening will be $40 for members and $45 for non-members. The dress is dressy/casual. The cocktail hour will begin at 6:30PM and dinner will begin at 7:30PM. One important note, however...the Culver Hotel cannot seat as many people as our previous banquets, so the number of reservations will be limited. Reservations will be taken on a first come first serve basis; once the banquet is sold out, no more reservations can be taken. So, please, get your reservations in early if you want to attend this year's banquet. It promises to be a night to remember.
After a long absence from regular programing, the films of Laurel and Hardy are returning to television in a new program hosted by Leonard Maltin. The show, titled Leonard Maltin Presents, appears weekdays on the Odyssey Cable Network. The 90-minute program starts at 1:00PM Pacific and 4:00PM Eastern, repeating nightly at at 9:00PM Pacific and Midnight Eastern time. The films, which are introduced by Mr. Maltin, include those of Laurel and Hardy--as well as others from the Hal Roach Studios. Odyssey is not offered by all cable systems, and some providers only carry the channel for certain hours each day; check your local listings to see if and when the channel is offered in your area. If it isn't available, we're afraid you'll have to move.
Jack and Cathy Taylor of the Seattle Beau Hunks Tent also point out: " For those taping the second showing of Leonard Maltin Presents keep your VCRs running. The late showing is followed by The Public Defender, a 1954/55 Hal Roach television show starring Reed Hadley (Racket Squad) as attorney Bart Matthews. (The Public Defender is shown daily at 10:30pm Pacific, 1:30am Eastern)."
And don't forget, you can find L&H television listings at http://www.wayoutwest.org/tv/.
On Sunday, April 18, 1999, the Way Out West Tent hosted an afternoon in honor of Eugene Jackson. Eugene, who played Pineapple in the Our Gang comedies, was on hand with his wife, Sue and their son, Eugene Jackson III. The program began with Bob Duncan introducing the first film of the day, Our Gang's The Mysterious Mystery, featuring Pineapple and the rest of the gang as detectives. This was followed by an interview with Eugene and his wife. Eugene shared his memories of the days at the Hal Roach Studios, his work with Mary Pickford, on the road with The Jackson Trio and his work in television. Sue reminisced about how she and Eugene met and married and how proud they are of their children. During the breaks, Eugene was autographing copies of his book, Eugene Pineapple Jackson - His Own Story. Soon after, Bob Duncan returned to introduce the next film, Our Gang's The Love Bug with Pineapple. Our feature for the finale was Robert Youngson's When Comedy Was King. A special thank you to author Richard Bann for bringing his print of The Mysterious Mystery for us to view. Also, we at the WOW tent want to thank Eugene, Sue and Eugene III for making this afternoon a pleasant one for all who attended.
The meeting of March 30, 1999, began with Bob Duncan introducing the first film of the evening, which was a Warner Brothers cartoon entitled, Hollywood Steps Out, featuring many of the Hollywood celebrities of the 1930s and 1940s (including Oliver Hardy). This was followed by the opening credits from an episode of The Adventures of Captain Marvel, introducing our special guest for the evening, Billy Benedict. Many thanks to Dave Griem for bringing the Captain Marvel film. Next, Bob Satterfield conducted an interview with Billy Benedict. The talk included a slide show featuring many photographs from Billy's career. He has worked with such stars as Bob Hope, Edward Everett Horton, The Bowery Boys, Rosina Lawrence, and Laurel and Hardy. Billy had very kind words for the boys, referring to them as "real gentlemen." A question and answer session with the audience followed. After the interview, Billy was photographed with a special cake in honor of his upcoming birthday. Up next was a book raffle that produced some very happy winners. Bob Duncan introduced our next two films, Berth Marks, and our feature for the evening, Great Guns. We also said farewell to our two faithful projectionists, Scott James and Mike Rogers, as this was their last meeting to thread up the film. We at the WOW tent want to tip our derbies to these two men for the many years of loyal service to the tent.
On April 14, 1999, actress Ellen Corby passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital. She was best remembered as Grandma Esther Walton on the television series, The Waltons. Laurel and Hardy fans knew her as the script girl from her days at the Hal Roach Studios. Ironically, she would play the part of a script girl in the 1968 film, The Legend of Lylah Clare. She received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Aunt Trina in the film, I Remember Mama. Her many film credits include: It's a Wonderful Life with James Stewart; Mighty Joe Young; Shane; Vertigo; Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte; and The Glass Bottom Boat. Her many television appearances include I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, and The Addams Family. In 1995, the Way Out West Tent presented her with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual banquet, held that year at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Born on June 13, 1914, in Racine, Wisconsin, Ellen Corby was 84 years old at the time of her death.
On April 22, the Watson family received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Billy, Bobs, Coy, Delmar, Garry, Harry, & Louise Watson were all child actors in Hollywood's early days. Bobs and Delmar are longtime honorary members of the Way Out West Tent, having both appeared in Our Gang Comedies. Over the years they have attended many of our meetings and banquets. We congratulate all of the Watsons for this notable achievement. The star is located at 6674 Hollywood Boulevard.
The 12th International Convention will be held July 20 - 23, 2000 in Tacoma, Washington. You can get an official registration form and other information by visiting the "Sea-Tac 2000" web site at http://members.aol.com/RoachStars.
He was born Dennis Pratt on November 2, 1897, in Warwickshire, Coventry, England. He became a call boy at the age of 14 to begin his stage career. By the time he was 19, he had made his first stage appearance. He had achieved success in both London and New York by the mid-1920's as a dramatic actor in Shakespearean and other classic roles as well a being a baritone in many stage operettas. He also appeared in several Broadway shows performing in both dramatic and musical roles. His film roles are few, such as, Monsieur Beaucaire, where he made his film debut, The Vagabond King, and Between Two Worlds. In 1953, he became an American citizen. His final film was in 1969, entitled Some Kind of a Nut. He died on May 21, 1971 in New York City at the age of 73. Laurel and Hardy fans remember him best as Fra Diavolo in their 1933 production of The Devil's Brother...Dennis King.
Bad Boy
Released April 12, 1925. Starring Charley Chase, Martha Sleeper, Evelyn Burns, Horace Kirkland, Noah Young, Eddie Borden, Leo Willis, and Olive Borden. Charley, known as Jimmy Jump in this two-reeler, is in the middle of a parental conflict. His father wants him to be a real man, but his loving mother seems to undo the father's work. When his girl friend leaves him, Charley goes to a rather tough dance hall to impress his girl as a rough guy.
County Hospital
Released June 25, 1932. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Billy Gilbert, William Austin, and May Wallace. Stan goes to visit Ollie in the hospital. Soon after, Ollie's broken leg is not his only concern. He is evicted from the hospital and has to ride home with a recently sedated Stan at the wheel of the car.
The Fixer Uppers
Released February 9, 1935. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Mae Busch, Charles Middleton, Arthur Housman, and Noah Young. Christmas card salesmen, Laurel and Hardy are going door to door trying to make a sale. On one of their stops, they meet a neglected wife who offers Ollie $50 to make her husband jealous. The plan backfires when the husband winds up challenging Ollie to a midnight duel.
Our Relations
Released October 30, 1936. Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Daphne Pollard, Betty Healy, James Finlayson, Alan Hale, Sidney Toler, Iris Adrian, Lona Andre, and Arthur Housman. Bert and Alf are sailors on shore leave, in the same town that Stan and Ollie live. Unbeknownst to any of them, Aft and Bert are Stan and Ollie's identical twin brothers. When the sailors get a hold of their captain's valuable ring, a couple of robbers come after the boys. Unfortunately, they are after the wrong pair.
85 Years Ago
80 Years Ago
75 Years Ago
70 Years Ago
65 Years Ago
60 Years Ago
Sources for Looking Back:
Laurel or Hardy - The Solo Films of Stan Laurel and
Oliver "Babe" Hardy, by Rob Stone
Laurel and Hardy - The Magic Behind the
Movies, by Randy Skretvedt
Smile When the Raindrops Fall, by Brian Anthony and Andy Edmonds
Meeting
AnnouncementMay
4 Edgar Dearing Two Tars
5 June Lang Bonnie Scotland
5 Harry Woods Block-Heads
8 Sam Lufkin Sons of the Desert, Saps at Sea
10 Johnny Arthur Our Gang, Pick a Star
11 Douglas Fowley The Big Noise
11 Peggy Lynch (Margaret Kerry) Our Gang
11 Doodles Weaver Swiss Miss
12 Lionel Bellmore Bonnie Scotland
18 Frank Capra Our Gang writer
20 Patricia Ellis Block-Heads
20 Vivien Oakland Way Out West, Scram!
20 Stanley Fields Way Out West
20 Edith Fellows The Devil's Brother, Our Gang
21 Ralph Sanford The Bullfighters
23 Max Davidson The Call of the Cuckoos
26 Dorothy Christy Sons of the Desert
28 Minna Gombell Block-Heads
29 Iris Adrian Our Relations
30 Virginia Karns Babes in Toyland
30 Stepin Fetchit Zenobia
June
3 Paulette Goddard Berth Marks
8 Henry Brandon Babes in Toyland
8 Sheila Ryan A Haunting We Will Go, Great Guns
8 Dorothy Coburn The Finishing Touch
8 Mary Carr One Good Turn
9 Bob Cummings Sons of the Desert
10 Hattie McDaniel Zenobia
10 William Seiter Sons of the Desert director
12 William Austin County Hospital
13 Ralph Edwards This is Your Life
13 Ellen Corby Script Girl at Hal Roach Studios
15 Harry Langdon Zenobia
16 Stan Laurel
17 Flora Finch Way Out West
18 Mae Busch L&H supporting player
24 Martha Sleeper The Chimp
The Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society, through the efforts of E.C.A.S. and Way Out West Tent member Dave Greim, has arranged to have four screenings of Eddie Cantor's 1930 early Technicolor classic, Whoopee! played at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo on the weekend of May 28th through May 30th. The Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society will also hold their Second Annual Southern California Convention on the weekend of July 16-18th. To find out more about these events or if you are interested in vending at the convention, please contact the E.C.A.S. president, Michelle Malik. Her phone number is (818) 907-8895 and e-mail Address: Cantorfan@aol.com.