Banner from 1936
There were Laurel and Hardy clubs before the Sons of the Desert and a convention in 1936 in Paris had 2,000 delegates. JORIS LAROY, Grand Sheik of The Second Hundred Years Tent of Belgium, came across an original banner from that very convention. Joris tells his story exclusively here…
For a few years now I have been asked by somebody with a huge collection of film posters, to join him at the annual film fair in Ternat, where all things film are on stalls and sold to collectors.
Vending tables full of pellicule, lobby cards, posters, books, leaflets, memorabilia. Every time there was something more important to do, so I never seemed to get there. But finally, this year, on March, 9th, I joined Ronny in a paper-stacked car to the parish house of Ternat, near Brussels.
After installing his sales stand, I decided to take a stroll in the still-empty hall. Suddenly, I was as if struck by lighting, as I saw the boys’ picture on a banner, hanging down from a table at the end of a the hallway.
As I approached the table my heart began to throb in my throat because I realised it was no print, but a genuine banner, marked Brussels, with the distinct logo of the Laurel and Hardy-club! Only the discovering of Hats Off would beat this excitement I felt at that moment!
I approached the man behind the stall somewhat cautiously, beating around the bush, trying to hide my excitement a bit. It turned out that the banner was not for sale, but we had a very nice talk about our mutual interest for silent film and especially Stan and Babe.
Rob (that’s his name) went on to become a member of the tent, and at the next meeting he made the 120 km trip to our meeting, the last weekend of March.
He brought along the banner and told a little bit about it. And… he left it with us so I could take it to the UK convention in Harrogate!
At our next meeting in June or July, it will be returned to Rob, along with the story of the fuss it made…
Joris (right) with Marc De Coninck at the convention in Harrogate in May
