20.08.26.
North East Comedy Hall of Fame
On 10 Septober, Stan Laurel will be inducted into the North East Comedy Hall of Fame.
Stan's great niece Lyn and her daughter Claire will be presented with an award for Stan which is of course well deserved and somewhat overdue. The presentation will take place at the end of the first half, but unfortunately, I've been asked to say a few words too. Now in the hope that this small detail doesn't put you off, you can get your tickets here: https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/whatson/the-north-east-comedy-hall-of-fame/#Tickets_in
and before you book, please get in touch as I do have a voucher code for half-price tickets.
I might already have mentioned this, but Mark Sheridan, who is interred close to Madge Metcalfe (Stan Laurel’s mother), is also being recognised.
Laurel and HarDay
Don't miss this year's event in Wigan on 5th September.
Tickets £5.00 on the door.
At the Panopticon in Glasgow
Flying Elephaants Tent of Bolton
Next Meeting 1st September 2026 from 7:15 pm
Films:
The Battle of the Century
Beau Hunks
Laughing Gravy
Sons of the Desert
Hardy Hall
51 Church Street
Little Lever
Bolton
BL3 1BL
Waxing
In 1981 I visited the USA on a family holiday and we went to the Movieland Wax Museum, a famous landmark located on Beach Boulevard in Buena Park, California. Operating from May 1962 until October 2005, it was the largest wax museum in the United States featuring over 300 detailed wax figures set within 150 elaborate movie themed sets. Naturally I was drawn to the wax figures of Laurel and Hardy but I only had one of those throw away cameras with no flash so the picture I took was not great as you can see. Recently I found the original slide and put it through an AI app and got a much more pleasing result.
Mark Rodgers
BS: Does anyone know the whereabouts of those wax figures? Some of our American friends (or anyone for that matter) may know. I know the museum closed down in 2005 so it would be interesting to know what happened to them. Probably auctioned off somewhere.
Great artwork
Terrific new pencil drawing from Darrel Bevan of the Brats Tent of Sheffield
At work in Hexham
Our annual big screen event in Hexham on 15 August was a great success with 136 in attendance.
The theme was Laurel and Hardy at Work and so we enjoyed Busy Bodies, Dirty Work, Towed in a Hole and The Music Box.
Over 30 Chumps made the journey and it was great to welcome Sons from the Them Thar Hills Tent of Carlisle and our sister tent, the Beau Hunks of Nottingham.
Thanks again to the Forum for having us and also to everyone who came along to make it such a splendid afternoon.
Mike Jones on Facebook
...and finally