12.12.22.
Good reading
Thank goodness the postman doesn't seem to be on strike when it comes to delivering quality mail. The Perry Winkle and the Laughing Gravy Annual have arrived and (as usual) are superb. Contact editor Roger Robinson for The Perry Winkle and John Ullah for the Laughing Gravy Annual. John is eager to remind us that Mandy Finney does most of the hard work in compiling the annual.
Austin Stigwood RIP
Garry Errock of the Be Big Tent wrote on Facebook, “Tim, Dave and I spent a very pleasant afternoon in the company of Austin’s son John “Stiggy” Stigwood, together reminiscing about Austin’s life - not only as our Vice Sheik but also his personal achievements.
New address for Dave Wilkinson
Dave Wilkinson, Grand Sheik of the Chickens Come Home Tent, has a new home address:
37 Seaview Drive,
Hest Bank,
nr Lancaster,
Lancs,
LA2 6BY.
The Laurel & Hardy Cabaret
The Laurel & Hardy Cabaret is a bumper package of routines, songs and dances linked with accurately recreated film inserts from the Boys' 30-year career. Featuring some classic movie sequences, along with some hilarious Music Hall sketches, the pair toured in the 1940s and 50s, you will be transported back to a more innocent time - yet still be amazed at how current their comedy remains.
SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2023 at The Broadway, Broadway, Barking IG11 7LS.
Charlie and Stan
I'm from a touring theatre company called Told by an Idiot. We are bringing back our critically acclaimed show 'Charlie and Stan' in 2023 - it's on at Wilton's Music Hall in London from 18th Jan till 4th Feb and then will be touring to Colchester, York, Southampton and Derby (full details here - https://www.toldbyanidiot.org/charlieandstan2023). The show is about the wonderful Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. The show toured in 2020 and 2021 and received a raft of 4 and 5 star reviews.
Jen Holton
Laurel & Hardy Advent Calendar
Dirty Work Pictures are running advent calendars, with a great Laurel and Hardy film clip each day. Go to
And don't forget the excellent series Recomember, from Dirty Work Pictures, which looks at reworking of scenes in Laurel and Hardy movies:
Big Business
American Fotoplayer Christmas Concert has a special Fin and L&H surprise at the 48 minute mark. You will love it!!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=307372607265978
Posted by the James Finlayson Fan Club on Facebook
Two Tickets to Broadway
Going through some old show biz cuttings and putting info onto IMDB I came across this regarding a 1951 film starring Janet Leigh and Tony Martin
Laurel and hardy had been lined up to play the parts of Leo and Harry but had to drop out because of an illness Stan had caught while making the French farce Atoll K which was their final film. They were replaced by the legendary vaudeville comic duo Smith and Dale whose career inspired Neil Simons play and later film The Sunshine Boys.
Tony Hillman
The Live Ghost Tent
On the telly
...and finally
Frances Hughes spotted your webmaster Willie McIntyre and Pat at the Dickensian Christmas Festival in Ulverston at the end of November, having the time of their lives.
