Sons of the Desert Convention

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.

Stan Laurel

Stan Laurel, born June 16, 1890 at Cumbria, England UK Died February 23, 1965. "If any of you cry at my funeral, I'll never speak to you again!" - Stan Laurel

I am a card carrying member of the 'Sons of the Desert', the official fan club of the boys (not the Texas country band). Stan gave his permission to form the group, 'as long as it maintained a certain half-assed dignity.'

Way back when, I was in the Michigan tent (group), called the Dancing Cuckoos (named after the song from one of their movies). Each state had a name taken after a movie and Michigan was the only one to use the name from a song. I had the chance to meet some of the supporting characters from their movies, Stan's daughter Lois and T. Marvin Hatley, who wrote some of the movie songs, including this one from the Sons of the desert movie LINK.

Below is my badge. Oh, and yes, I also have the obligatory fez.

The Sons of the Desert is still going strong and has groups all over the world. The last annual convention (held every two years) was in Amsterdam. This year's convention will be held in June, in Sacramento. Alas, the Texas tent has folded.

Stan Laurel: You remember how dumb I used to be?
Oliver Hardy: Yeah?
Stan Laurel: Well, I’m better now.

PS - It has been confirmed that Clint Eastwood is not Stan's son.