11.12.25.
The Laughing Gravy Annual
A special treat each Christmas comes from the Laughing Gravy Tent from Birmingham, and each year it seems to surpass previous editions! Packed with tent news, convention reports, a book and DVD review, plus a multitude of seasonal fun items, it is a true delight.
Congratulation go to Mandy and John.
Absent friends
As you might recall, I compile a record of all Sons we've lost during the year and post it in the final bulletin before the New Year as well as on Farcebook.
It's the time when I need to get on to this sad list, so if you can think of any fellow Sons of the Desert that have passed that I might not know about, please let me know. Don't rely on others to let me know - I'd rather hear several times about a fellow tent member or Sons luminary that has departed rather than not mention them, so please get in touch.
On tour
Martin and I went to Ulverston for the Dickensian weekend.
At the Panopticon raffle in August 2024 Martin won a Laurel and Hardy print donated by a Scottish artist Evy Craig. Martin gave the print to a young lad who happened to be a cousin of Tom Hawton's colleague.
At the Panopticon raffle in October 2024 Martin won the same print! He took the print to Mark at the Laurel and Hardy museum in Ulverston at the weekend.
Chris Craig
Saps at Sea Tent
The Saps at Sea Tent has found a terrific way of publicising its meetings.
Blu-Ray discs
Some readers have received the new Blu-Ray releases and report that they are terrific.
Spotted on the telly
In the official government opposition to the chancellor's budget, Kemi Badenoch pointed out that Keir Starmer wouldn't sack Rachel Reeves because he would go down with her, so Badenoch said 'We're stuck with them - Laurel and Foolhardy'.
Mark Rodgers
Spied on Facebook
In Yorkshire
I have just received my December issue of the excellent Best of British magazine. They are advertising features in the JANUARY issue which will be on sale from 2nd January. This will feature a story about LAUREL & HARDY in YORKSHIRE.
Dave Dearle
Men o' War Tent
Martin Kelner memories
I have just read a magnificent book by writer and broadcaster Martin Kelner about the history of TV sport broadcasting through all the decades.
On Page 2, Kelner describes how the 1966 World Cup Final was still part of the infancy of TV sport with amazingly limited airtime devoted to it on the schedule...
"If West Germany had not equalised in the final minute, we should all have been enjoying Laurel and Hardy in County Hospital (one of their best), where Stan brings hard boiled eggs and nuts to Ollie's bedside."
On Page 63, Kenneth Wolstenhome and Peter Dimmock's styles of TV commentary are compared to Stan and Ollie... not as in incompetently trying to move a piano up a huge flight of steps but in the sense that one would swan around the golf course while the brains of the unit would take care of everything technical and detailed.
It is a fantastic book, so much that we can identify with through the ages of television, radio and not always sports related. It is even more valuable to me, recalling the Martin Kelner link to the Stan Laurel Centenary weekend in 1990 when the BBC Radio 2 late show was broadcast from Ulverston with Ronnie Dunn and myself interviewed live from the museum on the Saturday night after a full day of revelry!
David Fullbrook
On the Trail of Mae Busch
I was in Melbourne for a few days and I had to try and visit the birthplace of Mae Busch.
She was born in 57 Page Street in the Albert Park area of the city (less than a mile from where the Formula 1 street circuit is situated). The property was later renamed 56 Park Street for reasons I’m unaware of, and has recently been sold.
She was born on 18 June 1891 as Annie May Busch in Melbourne, Australia to popular vaudeville performers Elizabeth Maria Lay and Frederick William Busch.
When little Annie was around six, the family moved to America, travelling via Tahiti and arriving in San Francisco in 1897. They later moved to New York where she was placed in St. Elizabeth’s Convent in New Jersey until around the age of 12, while her parents were travelling.
Mae worked on Broadway and for Mack Sennett before her true calling - when she first worked with Laurel and Hardy in 1927.
I can’t find how much the lovely if small mews residence went for, but similar 3 bed, 2 bath properties for sale in the area are up for between $1.7m and $2.5m Australian.
If you want to read more on the eternally popular Mae, here’s her page on the Chumps Website. I’ll update the page - https://beauchumps.wordpress.com/mae-busch/ .
My thanks to an ‘enthralled’ Mrs Grand Sheik for taking the pics…
Mike Jones
...and finally