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NOTE: This is an old issue of the Brushwood Gulch Gazette, which has been archived for reference purposes.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. |
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It's Stan Laurel's birthday, so join us June 7th at the Mayflower Club to celebrate. We will see Stan and Ollie together in Night Owls (1930), Hog Wild (1930), and Another Fine Mess (1930), in addition to seeing Stan before Ollie in the silent short Collars and Cuffs (1923). There will also be birthday cake for everyone in attendance.
Actresses Edith Fellows and Marcia Mae Jones will also join us, schedules permitting. As a bonus, we will screen Our Gang's Mush and Milk (1933), which features both Edith and Marcia Mae as members of Our Gang.
For this one meeting only, there will be no hot dogs for sale. Sharron Fisher, who normally cooks and sells the hot dogs, will not be able to attend. Candy, cookies, and peanuts will be sold at the meeting, but no hot dogs will be served. We're sorry for any inconvenience and eagerly await volunteers to help Sharron in the kitchen, so that we don't have this problem in the future.
The meeting will take place at the Mayflower Club, located at 11110 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood. Doors will open at 6:30 PM and the meeting will begin at 7:15 PM. Although there will be no hot dogs for sale, the Mayflower Bar will still be open. See you on Tuesday, June 7th.
Click here for a map to the Mayflower Club...
Since our last meeting, several new books and videos have become available. A new book entitled A History of the Hal Roach Studios provides a historical overview of the "Lot of Fun." It was written by former Way Out West Member Richard Ward and is 288 pages. Another new book called Images of America: Culver City tells the history of downtown Culver City, which was used as a backdrop in many early Laurel & Hardy films. The author is Culver City historian Julie Lugo Cerra and the book is 128 pages. Both books are available from Amazon.com.
The Laurel & Hardy Collection Vol. II contains three of the Boys' best films: Way Out West, Block-Heads, and Chickens Come Home. This DVD is available now in North America.
Michael Rogers was my friend and colleague for 25 years. He recently died after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was the son of composer and jazz great Shorty Rogers. At a young age he met the world's best musicians and watched his father score movies and television programs. This helped form a lifelong interest in music and film. He played in bands, worked as a copyist, and spent the balance of his career in the music department at Universal Pictures. I worked on the Universal lot at the music publishing company and met Michael through a co-worker that knew Michael liked Laurel & Hardy as much as I did.
Michael and I had the pleasure of sharing the projectionist duties for the Way Out West Tent for over 12 years. One of my fondest memories was when we attended the convention in Las Vegas. Being avid film collectors we took a 16mm projector so that we could watch any films we bought in the dealer's room. We decided to check out the quality of our acquisitions and threaded up the projector. The familiar Blackhawk Films logo lit up the wall. It was then decided that if an eight foot image looked that good, perhaps a bigger one would be better. We directed the lens out of the hotel window to the hotel directly across from ours. There, bigger than life, were Stan and Ollie six stories high, projected for Las Vegas to see. We didn't show the entire movie, fearing that we might miss the convention if we were escorted out of town by the police. It was a great laugh and a great time. Michael was a wonderful and kind person that will be missed by all that knew him. --Scott James
Way Out West's April tour of Laurel & Hardy locations was a great success. Two buses loaded with fans visited Stan and Ollie's film locations, as well as their graves. Highlights included lunch and a tour of the park where Men 'O War was filmed, a plaque dedication at the train station from Berth Marks, and a climb to the top of the Music Box steps. New locations included the homes seen in Another Fine Mess, Love 'Em and Weep, and Me and My Pal.
Guiding the tour on one bus were Bob Satterfield and Lori Jones McCaffrey, with Jimmy Wiley Jr. and Bob Duncan on the other. Stan Laurel impressionist Jim MacGeorge said a few words at Stan's grave.
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Elmer Raguse |
Head of Roach Studios Sound Department |
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Peggy Lynch (Margaret Kerry) |
Our Gang |
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Our Gang | |
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Stan Laurel Birthday Celebration at June
Meeting