Laurel and Hardy and the Sons of the Desert are at the heart of Bowler Dessert magazine and Bowler Dessert Online
Bulletin
08.09.11.
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Dirty Work
Tent We are about to
resume our meetings in Octember, which we
hope will be revived
successfully. To coincide with
our return, I've just launched a new Dirty
Work social website. It's a forum and a
social site all in one. It takes some
getting used to at first, but is well
worth it once you get the hang of
it. As well as the
forum area, there is an option to create
groups. Perfect for the Sons. And I
encourage as many people to join and
create their own personal tent
group. There's an area
to share photos and video clips, and also
a live online chat option, so there's no
end to keeping in touch with the wonderful
world of Laurel and Hardy. The site can be
found at www.dirtywork.socialgo.com.
It's free to join and I invite everyone to
have a look at least! Gary
Winstanley Stan's school Plans to turn a burnt-out school once attended by Stan Laurel into a museum and community centre have received the royal seal of approval. The Stan Laurel Community Building Group was formed a few months ago with plans to renovate the derelict former King James I Boys Grammar School, in Bishop Auckland. Chairman Michael O'Neill has received a letter from The Prince Of Wales' Regeneration Trust. In the note sent to Mr O'Neill, the prince's assistant private secretary, Emily Cherrington, wrote: "The building sounds fascinating and how wonderful that your group is working so hard to try to save the building. The Prince of Wales has long been a supporter of projects which save and restore heritage properties and give them back to the local community to use." Laurel was a pupil at the school in 1902 while his father managed the Eden Theatre in the town. After the school closed, it was used by Bishop Auckland's operatic society and ballet group before it closed in 2000. The building, which is looked after by Durham County Council, suffered severe damage in 2007 in an arson attack, and campaigners fear it will be demolished if a suitable use cannot be found for it. The group's plans involve opening a drama centre and museum, part of which will be about Stan Laurel, as well as creating office space to lease to local groups. Anyone wanting to become involved in the project is invited to a meeting at Tindale Crossing pub, in Bishop Auckland, from 7.30pm on Thursday, September 29. Duncan Leatherdale in The Northern Echo (06.09.11.)
Tony Hillman Men o' War Tent As the evenings begin to draw in I'm sure you will be please to know that our meetings will start again with a great programme lined up for 17th September. Full details on our website at: http://sites.google.com/site/menowartent. Paul Harding
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Jitterbugs Tent Having been on a hiatus for a year, we met on Saturday 3rd September in our new venue, the RTE Social Club. In our 13 years, it is, believe it or not, the first venue we've secured that is free! It seems the Irish recession has caused a lot of places and people to reconsider the basics. . . Even though we hadn't met for a year, we had a great turnout and even attracted four new members. Another shock was the fact that when I suggested to our Keeper of the Celluloid, Stephen, that we show Sons of the Desert, he informed me that it was a film we had never shown before at any of our meetings! I couldn't believe it either. A great night was had and some laughs were heard as the applause rang out for my DVD presentation on the movie. The Jitterbugs got carried away! We plan another meeting on 12th November and the UK convention in Birmingham will have three Jitterbugs attending. We can't wait. Liam Muldowney
Job Culture Here's the the link to the trailer for my film Job Culture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aBWU4wiHh8. Jonathan Hayward
Clue The main crossword in What's on TV issue of 3rd September contained the clue "Oliver Hardy's partner. . . Laurel." Unfortunately the "n" in Stan didn't help with the answer to 8 down. Mind, it wouldn't have mattered if it did, as there were still quite a few other answers I couldn't get. They will put questions in on programmes I don't watch. Tony Hillman Susannah Re Tony Hillman's bit on Sister George, sadly Susannah York died on 15th January this year. Steve Robinson |
Laurel and HarDay
Wigan Evening Post (07.09.11.)
See also http://www.wigantoday.net:80/lifestyle/another_nice_success_as_sons_party_1_3751226
Boxing Rachel came across the
story of The Music Box (with alterations!)
in one of her school reading books by Oxford
Reading Tree. Grant
MacLeod Did you
see? John
Burton Arkwright is dealing with
his dithering regular customer Mavis, who cannot
decide between a large loaf or a small loaf
and a large tin of beans or a small tin of beans.
Finally, she decides and Arkwright exclaims, "You
sure know how to plan a meal, Mavis!" Open All Them Thar Hours.
Pom pom! Dave
Fullbrook
Mark Rodgers was watching BBC1 on 29th August
when a continuity announcer between programmes
said, "And now to commemorate the 10th Anniversity.
. . I mean Anniversary. "Mark wondered if this
slip-up may have had anything to do with it being a
University?
There was an episode of Open All Hours on
7th September on one of the Gold channels -
and this might have been spotted before by a
vigilant Son.