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Next meeting — Saturday 14 June 2008

Meeting dates for 2008

Raffle in aid of the Laurel and Hardy Statue Appeal

Death of Joey Bishop

Death of Marcel Marceau

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***Next meeting — Saturday 14 June 2008***

Another Fine Gazette

Tent meetings — Schedule of 2008 meeting dates

Archived News — click here

Next Meeting

Our next meeting date is Saturday 14 June 2008. 

We shall have, for your delectation, a great programme of films lined up to tickle your fancy (told you it would be fun...it's not every day you get your fancy tickled!).  We will also screen our first DVD (available for purchase in 'Another Fine Bazaar' (the tent's shop)), which comprises of our appearance in Eamonn Holmes' programme Summer Season (broadcast in June 2005) and a special Elvis tribute to Laurel and Hardy as well as our own tribute to the boys on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Oliver Hardy's death in August 2007.

This is a FAMILY FRIENDLY event, and we have discounts at the door for families of four or more.  There are also discounts for members and children.

So there you are, a great night out for all the family.  Can there be a reason not to come...?

If you'd like to join then there's no better time than the present, since it's membership renewal time.  Membership is only £10 for the year and £8.00 for children under 18.  For that you receive many discounts as well as a 16 page quarterly magazine, which is professionally printed, and which has received many compliments from far and wide.  Interested?  If so here's a link to our web application form http://www.anotherfinesite.com/Web_Application_Form.htm.  Why not give us a try?  We know you'll enjoy it!

We look forward to seeing you on 14 June.  Oh yes...and don't forget to tell your friends and colleagues!

We Thank You!

Raffle in aid of the Laurel and Hardy Statue Appeal (November 2007)

Our good friend, John Ullah, has been instrumental in raising funds for the Sons of the Desert sponsored bronze statue of the boys, which will, when finished, be erected outside the Town Hall in Ulverston, the place of Stan Laurel's birth. 

John's latest venture is the raffle of a beautiful oil painting by a local artist (see Mandy Finney (right) with the painting).  He says...

"This is your chance to win a one-off painting (below). This original oil-on-canvas painting of the Boys, by Birmingham artist Caroline Scotcher, is to be raffled in aid of the Statue Appeal. Tickets are just £1 each and can be obtained from the Laughing Gravy Tent of Birmingham. The draw will be made on Thursday 6th December at our tent meeting. Please let me know if you would like any tickets.

Also, if you have a tent meeting before then, could you please ask your members if they would like to take part? I will enter their names on your behalf. Please note, to keep costs down, no tickets will be sent out. You can send your cheques, made payable to "Laughing Gravy", to John Ullah, 42 York Road, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6TG.

It really is a superb painting and I would like to thank Caroline for her kind donation. Good luck!"

If any Another Fine Mess tent members are interested please send the money to Keith and we shall ensure that you receive your raffle ticket numbers before the draw.  (You could pay for them at our meeting on 1 December if that is convenient.)

We hope that John manages to raise a substantial sum.

Death of Joey Bishop (October 2007)

US Tent member, Gino Dercola, reported that comedian, Joey Bishop — a former member of The Rat Pack (along with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr., and Peter Lawford) — died on 17 October. 

The lengthy obituary in the Washington Post on 19 October stated "His low-key style resembled that of Jack Benny, and he won early praise from no less an authority than Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy".  High praise indeed.

Death of Marcel Marceau (September 2007)

Sadly the brilliant French mime artist, Marcel Marceau, who was born on 22 March 1923, died on 22 September 2007, at the age of exactly 84½ years. 

Marcel was not just a mime artist; he was the very best in his field.  It was a skill similar to the skills employed by good silent stars who had to tell a story without sound. 

He was a great fan of, and inspired by, the best silent clowns in the early days of movie making, including Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Stan Laurel.