25.02.25.
Omnibus: Cuckoo
The 1974 Omnibus documentary Cuckoo (BBC4 20.02.25.) is singularly responsible for my love of the Boys. I remember it triggering my interest together with Paul Carroll, who suggested we go along to the Greyhound pub in Ashton, to attend a meeting of the Be Big Tent, then run by Peter Woods. There we met people who would become lifelong friends. It also led to a great many 'adventures' all of which I wouldn't have missed for the world. That Omnibus documentary, together with most of the L&H shorts being shown on BBC2 at 6.00pm around the same time, and an earlier memory of the Bob Monkhouse hosted Mad Movies, were responsible for many years of fun and nonsense for me.
Dave Williamson
The Live Ghost Tent of London
Once again you are invited to a meeting of fun and frolics in the company of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
We have meet and greet at 14.30 and films start at 15.00. Here is the March 8th meeting programme of The Live Ghost Tent:
Putting Pants on Phillip
Our Wife
The Fixer Uppers
Brats
Swiss Miss
All details can be found on the Cinema Museum website:
http://www.cinemamuseum.org.uk/.../the-live-ghost-tent.../
Hope to see you there.
Men o' War Tent of Colchester
Scots Magazine
This very strange notice appeared in The Scots Magazine this month (Feb 2025).
Bill Crouch
Little and Large
There is a great clip of Little and Large performing the At the Ball That’s All dance at
https://www.facebook.com/lightlogicindia/videos/9505693322798864
Grimsby visit
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy visited Grimsby during their final tour of the UK
Rachel Russell
BBC News
18 February 2025
An exhibition will offer visitors a chance to step back to a time when Laurel and Hardy were treading the boards.
The comedy greats performed in 1954 at the Palace Theatre in Grimsby, just a year before it closed.
Pictures of their performance will form part of the Lost Landmarks Exhibition, external at Grimsby Town Hall on Wednesday from 10:00 to 16:00 GMT.
It will also feature other long-gone buildings, including the Gloucester Arms, which had one of the longest bars in England, and the Rialto cinema, which became infamous for a flea infestation.
Adrian Wilkinson, an archivist with Lincs Inspire, said the nostalgic exhibition would present some of Grimsby's most colourful characters, such as "the zookeeper who invited an elephant to his wedding" and the "intrepid female balloonist who took off from People's Park".
Laurel and Hardy toured the UK for the last time in 1954. On 17 May, Hardy had a mild heart attack in Plymouth, forcing the duo to cancel the rest of the dates.
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here, external.
Spotted by Richard Smith
Ken Dodd tribute
There was a repeat of the 30 min Great Lives on Radio 4 Extra at 10.00 on Thursday 20th Feb. Stan Laurel, proposed by Ken Dodd.
From the website :
Ken Dodd explains to Matthew Parris why movie legend Stan Laurel inspired him to get into comedy. Features archive clips, including their memorable performance of The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine.
With comedy historian Glenn Mitchell.
It's available to download as a podcast from the BBC Sounds website, so there is no time limit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mdf0d
Dave Williamson
Did you know?
In 1994 a postcard which had been signed by Laurel and Hardy was donated by Ronnie Barker for auction for charity. It raised £300.
From The Laurel & Hardy Digest
...and finally
