January-February 2003 Volume 36, Number 1 NOTE: This is an old issue of the Brushwood Gulch Gazette, which has been archived for reference purposes.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.

Contents:

Snowstorm Hits the January W.O.W. Meeting Previous Meetings Harlem, Georgia: Oliver Hardy's Birthplace

2004 International Convention in Columbus, OH 2003 Meeting Schedule Birthdays

---

A Southern California Snowstorm Hits the January W.O.W. Meeting

Happy New Year to all members of the Way Out West Tent! Our first meeting of 2003 will be Tuesday, January 14 at the Mayflower Club, which is located at 11110 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin promptly at 7:15 p.m.

In keeping with the spirit of our harsh, Southern California winters, we will screen three frostbitten favorites. We'll start off with the classic Below Zero (1930), featuring the boys as musicians trying to earn a living on a snowy street corner. Then we'll see the boys trying to sneak their dog in from out of the cold, without their landlord's knowledge, in Laughing Gravy (1931). Our feature presentation for the evening will be Swiss Miss (1938), where Laurel and Hardy work at a lodge set amongst the snow peaked Alps. The meeting will also honor the birthdays of Oliver Hardy (January 18) and Hal Roach (January 14).

Please remember that everyone's membership is up for renewal as of the first of this year, regardless of when you joined the previous year. The good news is that dues will remain unchanged for the tenth year in a row. The even better news is that there will be one additional meeting this year, at no additional cost to members. So be sure to renew your membership soon, to take advantage of free admission to all of our upcoming meetings.

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

Previous Meetings

Our final meeting of 2002 took place in November, with a patriotic Veterans' Day salute to L&H in uniform. Screened that evening, to a full house, were Men O'War, The Midnight Patrol, and Pack Up Your Troubles. Those attending were treated to new (and more comfortable) seating at the Mayflower Club, as well as cake, and a book raffle. Canned goods were collected for the Maude Booth Family Center. This has long been a holiday tradition by our tent, and a record number of canned goods were donated this year. Thank you to all who contributed!

In December, the Way Out West Tent also held memorial services for tent members and former Our Gang stars Joe Cobb and Jay R. Smith. The service was conducted by Bob Satterfield, with some terrific biographical information provided by Richard Bann, and readings by John Duff and Jimmy Wiley Jr. Malcolm Boyd McNab performed "Amazing Grace" and "Going Home" on the bagpipes, in addition to playing "Taps" in honor of Jay R.'s military service. Both Joe and Jay R. were then seen together on screen with Oliver Hardy in Thundering Fleas.

Harlem, Georgia: Oliver Hardy's Birthplace

Oliver Norvell Hardy was born January 18, 1892 in the town of Harlem, Georgia. While he was "Ollie" on screen and "Babe" to his friends, he was simply Norvell as a child. On this 111th anniversary of that date, we take a look at the town in which Norvell Hardy was born, and how he is still remembered there today.

Harlem is located in eastern Georgia, near the city of Augusta. After exiting the Interstate, it is a short drive before encountering a large welcome sign (above). It proudly proclaims "Welcome to Harlem: Birthplace of Oliver Hardy." The recently opened Museum of Laurel and Hardy of Harlem, Georgia is located at 250 N. Louisville Street (US 221), one of the main streets in town. Down the street, local artists have painted several murals of the Boys on the side of a building (above). Although the actual building where Norvell Hardy was born no longer exists, a sign and plaque mark the site where his birthplace once stood.

In addition to the new museum, the annual Oliver Hardy Festival takes place the first Saturday in October. On this occasion, the town fills with fans from near and far. Hundreds of local merchants set up booths, there is live entertainment, and a parade, all in honor of their favorite son.

Several notable Oliver Hardy landmarks can be found throughout town. The most obvious is the water tower that looms over the downtown area. A standard fire hydrant has been also painted to resemble Mr. Hardy. In the Harlem Memorial Cemetery, you will find the gravestone of Oliver Hardy (right). This is the father of Oliver Norvell Hardy, who died November 22, 1892. The senior Hardy died less than a year after the birth of his son. Norvell Hardy later changed his name to Oliver Norvell Hardy, in honor of his father.

For more about Oliver Hardy in Harlem, visit the Museum of L&H of Harlem, Georgia website.

2004 International Convention in Columbus, OH

The 14th International Sons of the Desert Convention will be hosted by the Perfect Day Tent in Columbus, Ohio on July 15-18, 2004. More information can be found at the convention website.

2003 Meeting Schedule

The Way Out West Tent will meet five times this year, not including our annual banquet in October.

Tuesday, January 14............Mayflower Club
Tuesday, April 1...............Mayflower Club
Tuesday, June 10 ..............Mayflower Club
Tuesday, August 5 .............Mayflower Club
Saturday, October (TBA)........Annual Banquet
Tuesday, December 9............Mayflower Club

Birthdays