25.04.25.
The Sound of Laughter
Matthew Ross is organising and event with Glenn Mitchell and Dave Glass.
Matthew says…
“The Sound of Laughter” is an all-day event at The Cinema Museum in London on Saturday May 24th, celebrating film comedies of the 1930s. We're showing loads of classic and rare films on the big screen, with lots of them being screened on real film. Stan, Babe and other Hal Roach stars are front and centre on our programme: we'll be showing The Music Box on 35mm, and Our Wife on 16mm.
There will also be plenty of the boys' co-stars on show, with Thelma Todd, Charley Chase, Harry Langdon and Fin all appearing too! Plus we'll be showing great films and clips with Buster Keaton, Will Hay, Tom Walls, the Marx Brothers, Clark & McCullough, and loads more!
So, lots for L & H fans, and a good way to discover some of the other fantastic comedians of the era. Tickets are only £21 for the whole day, or you can just buy tickets for the special Hal Roach evening show.
Here's a YouTube trailer: https://youtu.be/A5eZj_V0NfE
And here's the link to the full programme and tickets: http://www.cinemamuseum.org.uk/2025/kennington-bioscope-presents-the-sound-of-laughter/
Hope to see you there!
At the Panopticon
In Droylsden
Paul Carroll spotted a poster in Droylsden Library, advertising a forthcoming talk, by the Grand Sheik of the Be Big Tent.
Wednesday 7th May
Droylsden Library Club, Manchester Road,
M34 6SF
10.00 - 11.30pm
After the Laughter
We are beyond thrilled to announce that our long-awaited book "Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy - After the Laughter" is now officially completed! After careful proofreading, we have slightly updated the page layout where needed, clarified some things in the text, performed further restoration on some images, and even added a few more!
With no less than 920 pages filled to the brim (of the derby hat) with interesting info, rare photographs, unpublished documents, vintage articles, and many letters, the Boys' post-career lives are covered in a way never before achieved.
In order to take you back to the 1950s and 1960s, the two included DVDs feature rare audio and footage, some of which has never before been released.
It may be a good time for those who haven't ordered yet to jump in and secure their copy / copies through https://www.laurelandhardyafterthelaughter.com/shop/book/stan-laurel-oliver-hardy-after-the-laughter-book-dvd-set
We realize it's been a long time and apologize for the long wait, but once you hold this extensively-researched and beautifully-illustrated tome in your hands, you'll realize the true scope of our labour of love and dedication to honour the most beloved comedy team of all time.
Michael, Nico & Tyler
Below Zero Tent
Kenneth Williams
Tony Bagley drew many of the sketches of Stan and Ollie featured on our website. Tony is a fan of vintage radio comedy and recalls fondly listening to Kenneth Williams performing as Sid Rumpo. Tony drew this marvellous sketch of his hero.
Message from Stan
Gaelic and Stan
There are many Gaelic learning resources on the web and this one SpeakGaelic has a lesson where one of the fluent speakers visits the Panopticon and gives a tip of the hat to Stan.... [Around the 15.00 min mark].
https://youtu.be/W7HHiln9_fY?t=868
As it happens he's not speaking Gaelic as the person at the Panopticon isn't a Gaelic speaker.
Glynne Macdonald
They lost their marbles!
By the way
Oliver Hardy claimed that, as a child, he toured the South with the Coburn Minstrels - his family said it never happened. He told interviewers that he studied law at the University of Georgia. In fact he never even finished high school. He said his father had been a lawyer, but he was a farmer, railroad construction supervisor and a hotel manager.
From The Laurel & Hardy Digest, available now
...and finally