16.07.26.
Christel Hoppe
Michael Schmitz was at Christel Hoppe’s funeral. He says:
It was a very nice religious ceremony in the Chapel of Heerdter Friedhof in Düsseldorf. Good speech with lots of details mentioned about her life.
The burial took place in the section of the cemetery for unmarked graves; she isn't lying directly next to Heinz, but nearby. Peter [Küppers] commissioned a beautiful floral arrangement and had the ribbons designed nicely, as you can see.
After the funeral, we went to a nearby inn — an old building dating back to the 16th century (1578).
The family brought along many photos of Christel — old ones, new ones, pictures from trips, conventions, and much more — which were passed around and viewed with great interest.
It was a beautiful, sunny day — the kind Christel would have enjoyed.
Harry Hoppe
There is a fine clip on YouTube of Harry Hoppe, from a television programme.
The Midnight Patrol Tent of Stoke
The Midnight Patrol Tent had a splendid weekend at the Artisan Tap in July.
Them Thar Hills Tent of Carlisle
Melvin McFadden reports that the first meeting of the Them Thar Hills Tent in their new venue, the Spencer Street Social Club, went well, with great staff and a good venue.
Call of the Cuckoos Tent of Glasgow
Spotted in Blackpool
Thought you might like to see a picture I spotted when I was at college in Blackpool in the 1980's. It was originally taken on a very grainy black and white film but I've recently enhanced it using AI to colourise it.
Mark Rodgers
On the ball
In the BBC's coverage of the Spain versus Belgium football World Cup quarter final on July 10th, one of the commentators in the first half of the match mentioned that when Belgian manager Rudy Garcia was irritated he had the habit of playing with his tie “like a skinny Oliver Hardy”… Nice to hear Laurel and Hardy getting a mention in such a big tournament!
Stan Fan
Hippodrome memories
Tony Bagley recalls that, two years ago, he stood and watched the old Dudley Hippodrome being pulled down to make way for a train station. When he was a kid, his mother would take Tony to the Hippodrome on a Sunday evening to watch wrestling (Billy Two Rivers etc), Tony recalls.
He sent us a programme from week commencing May 5th 1947, which advertised Laurel and Hardy as a coming attraction.
Tony sent us his drawing of George Formby, one of the stars who also played the Hippodrome.
On the telly today (16.07.26.)
Laurel and Hardy: Their Lives and Magic is on Sky Arts at 9.00pm. Highly recommended.
Block-Heads book
Tracy Tolzmann, Grand Sheik of the Block-Heads Tent of Minnesota, has written a short history on the Twin Cities' tent.
Entitled BLOCK-HEADS, sixty years of laughter with Laurel and Hardy and commemorating the tent's 60th anniversary it has 100 pages with 100 illustrations reviewing 525 meetings since the tent's founding on March 7, 1966.
t costs $15 including first class postage in the USA. Contact the tent for details via e-mail at mnblockheads@gmail.com.
From books to food
Mike Jones sold a lot of his books at the convention in San Diego and says, “Sales produced such a surplus that we will shortly be donating £500 to the Soup Kitchen.”
Congratulations!
...and finally