Fra Diavolo Returns To the Mayflower Club For the April 27th MeetingFra Diavolo Returns To the Mayflower Club For the April 27th Meeting
Sons of the Desert and Way Out West are usually first or second on everybody's list of their favorite Laurel & Hardy features. But which feature is their third best? A lot of Laurel & Hardy fans feel that The Devil's Brother should be at or near the top on any Laurel & Hardy favorite feature list. Decide for yourself, by joining us at our next meeting on Tuesday, April 27th, at the Mayflower Club.
The Devil's Brother (1933) is based on the 1830 Italian comic opera, "Fra Diavolo." Don't worry, the opera is not the main focus (but the music is great). Stan (Stanlio) and Ollie (Ollio) are on the screen for most of the film. Dennis King (the bandit Fra Diavolo), Thelma Todd (Lady Pamela Rocberg), and James Finlayson (Lord Rocberg) are the co-stars. The feature also introduces us to "Finger Wiggle" and "Kneesy Earsy Nosey," a couple of Stanlio's favorite games. To honor the film, we will have a "Kneesy Earsy Nosey" Contest, just before our second break (see below)
The evening's film program starts with the silent film Leave 'em Laughing (1928). In the film, Stan and Ollie accidentally get too much "laughing gas" while at the dentist. In Scram! (1933), vagrants Stan and Ollie are ordered to leave town by Judge Beaumont (Richard Cramer). While trying to leave town, they encounter a very intoxicated man (Arthur Housman).
The Devil's Brother has a funny scene where Stanlio and Ollio laugh out of control. Leave 'em Laughing and Scram! also have funny scenes where Stan and Ollie can't control their laughter. Which film has the funniest laughing scene? Judge for yourself.
Located at 11111 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood, the Mayflower Club doors open at 6:30 PM. Our meeting starts at 7:15 PM. As always, "Fisher Franks" hot dogs and your choice of chips will be sold at the Mayflower Club Kitchen and drinks will be sold at the Mayflower Club Bar. Free cake will also be offered during our second break.
Three Laurel & Hardy films, laughs, a Kneesy Earsy Nosey contest, camaraderie, food, refreshments, and free cake, what more could a Way Out West member ask for? See you Tuesday evening, April 27th at the Mayflower!
Click here for a map to the Mayflower Club...
Kneesy Earsy Nosey Contest
Anyone wishing to enter our Kneesy Earsy Nosey Contest should see Stan Taffel to sign up for the contest, as soon as you arrive at the meeting. We will put the names of everyone who signs up in a derby and draw four names for the contest. The winner will be decided by applause from our members. The contestants will be judged on quickness and originally. If you need to refresh your memory on how to do Kneesy Earsy Nosey and don't have a copy of The Devil's Brother at home, go to YouTube at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DiFEFL6ThRI to see how it's done.
24th Annual - Last Remaining Seats
Beginning May 26th and continuing for the next five Wednesdays, the Los Angeles Conservancy will present their annual screening of classic films at various theaters in downtown Los Angeles. The films this year are: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967), Strangers on a Train (1951), American Graffiti (1973), The Graduate (1967), Flor Silvestre (Wildflower) (1943), and Peter Pan (1924). Doors open at 7:00 PM and advance tickets are $20.00 each. For more information and to purchase tickets online go to www.laconservancy.org
From The Grand Sheik
It's not too late to sign up for the Sacramento Convention June 17-20, but it's getting close. If you have ever been even remotely interested in attending a Sons of the Desert Convention, this may be your last best chance. The odds of a Convention being hosted in California again anytime soon are near zero. As someone who has been to all of the SOD International Conventions since their beginning in 1978, I can promise that if you go you will have a great time. Way Out West currently has more members registered for the convention than any other tent. So how can you not have a great time being with friends from our tent and meeting new people who appreciate Stan and Babe as much as you do? Please look over the Convention web site at www.afmoasis49.com and see what they have planned. It's not too late to sign up, but it's getting close--really close.
Notes From Our March Meeting
It seemed like the good old days at Way Out West at our March meeting, when we had five celebrity guests at one meeting! Along with Brats and The Bohemian Girl, we also screened Our Gang's Our Gang Follies of 1936 and Love Business.
After a long absence Buckwheat's son, Bill Thomas Jr., joined us with a pleasant surprise--a new book he wrote about his father entitled "Otay!"--The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story. Ernie Weckbaugh (Our Gang) and his wife Patty joined us, as did Margaret Kerry (Our Gang). After screening Love Business, which showed us how Dorothy de Borba got her nickname "Echo," we all sang Happy Birthday to her (Dorothy's birthday was March 28th). Dorothy lives in Northern California and couldn't be with us at the meeting, but she told me by phone to tell everyone at the meeting that "she loves us all and would be present in spirit at the meeting." It was also great to see our favorite TV host and actor Tom Hatten again. Remember "Popeye and Friends" and "The Family Film Festiva"l on KTLA channel 5? Likewise, it was great to see and talk to actor Curtis Armstrong of the Revenge of the Nerds films, Moonlighting and many other films and TV shows (including one of my favorite movies, Ray).
Thanks to all the "regulars" who helped me give the toasts and sing The Sons of the Desert Song and thanks to all our celebrity guests.
