The 18th annual (held every
other year) international convention is being held July 17 - 22 in
Manchester New Hampshire. It is attended by folks who love a good
time and follow Laurel and Hardy. I have attended a few and had a
great time. During one convention in California, we staged a pie
fight to commemorate a scene from another of L&H movies. It
turned out to be the largest pie fight in the world and we were on
the TV show 'Real People'. Took me days to get the lemon custard out
of every nook and cranny of my body.
The 'Sons of the Desert' name is taken from a lodge that the boys
belonged to in the movie of the same name. It is an international
fraternal organization devoted to lives and films of comedians Stan
Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Each participating city has a "tent" with
the name taken from one of their movies. The exception is Detroit, which took the name 'Dancing Cuckoos' from the theme song.
The group is loosely formed and has never approved the bylaws, which
Stan Laurel said must maintain a 'half-assed dignity'. Meetings
consist of watching their old movies and enjoying drinks and
popcorn. Each year the bylaws are brought up for vote and
ceremoniously ignored. The leader of the group has the title
'Exhausted Ruler', also taken from one of the movies. It was formed
in 1964.