"You Have To Go.  You Swore An Oath."

One Man's Opinion
--Jim Dooley

It seems that most Laurel and Hardy web sites have the obligatory page describing the organization we members have come to know and love as THE SONS OF THE DESERT.  (The name, of course, is derived from the delightful 1933 feature film wherein "The Boys" concoct an elaborate plot to outsmart their wives and attend a lodge convention in Chicago...with disastrous results.)  Founded in 1965, this official (with Stan Laurel's blessing) Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Society formed "to perpetuate the spirit and genius of Laurel and Hardy," including "the preservation of their films and the encouragement of their showing everywhere.  It's been mentioned that Stan did not particularly care for "fan clubs" and wanted this organization to have more of an enduring purpose.

CLICK HERE to read the entire Articles of the Constitution!

In one aspect, it was not unlike THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS (a Society dedicated to the scholarly study of Sherlock Holmes) in that THE SONS OF THE DESERT sought to "lovingly study...the persons and films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy."  Through the years, the SONS have proven far less exclusive than the "by invitation only membership" of the IRREGULARS, but enthusiastic members have provided thought-provoking, scholarly efforts shedding new insights on so many aspects of the work of Laurel and Hardy.

Curiously enough, the biggest challenge facing the SONS has not been uncovering new research sources as the years diminish the number of eye witnesses.  No, the challenge has proven to be "the preservation of their films and the encouragement of their showing everywhere."  If you check the APPEARANCES section of this web site, you'll begin to appreciate the problem.

I'm a child of the 60's television generation.  I can't quite recall if my introduction to Laurel and Hardy was the two 50' silent abridgments of OUR WIFE that came with my Dad's Keystone Standard 8mm projector, or if I saw them first on television.  I do know that I became familiar with their features during weekday afternoons on FLIPPO'S EARLY SHOW (Columbus' irreverent and popular version of Bozo the Clown), and with the short films on Saturday mornings (right before the Saturday line up of cartoons).  As a Nickelodeon Theater projectionist at the Center Of Science & Industry, I had a chance to see more of their silent films.

And then, there was my film collection.  If the name "Blackhawk Films" makes your heart beat a little faster, you know what I'm talking about.  I collected in Standard 8 (until Super 8 won the gauge war) and I can still recall the thrill of my first "magnetic sound" purchase, PARDON US.  I had frequent showings for family and friends in the hot attic that housed the James Dooley Theater, and the centerpiece of the showings was often Laurel and Hardy.  Even when my collecting moved from film to laserdiscs, I still found Laurel and Hardy titles released through 3M (and, in the case of PARDON US and A CHUMP AT OXFORD, with footage I'd never seen before).

For the last decade, it has become harder and harder to find a Laurel and Hardy film, either for purchase of for casual viewing.  The DVD product in the United States (as of this writing) is dismal.  Some of the few titles that are available have been knocked off from worn out prints.  The most frequent listing to be found on television for Laurel and Hardy is an animated film with Scooby Doo.  (Hey, it's better than nothing at all!)  Summer family movie programs occasionally resurrect The Three Stooges, but seem to have never heard of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

And that brings me back to THE SONS OF THE DESERT.  You'll find Tents (member societies that derive their names from Laurel and Hardy film titles) scattered across the globe.  Each one is quite literally an Oasis for the aficionado of classic comedy in general, and the works of Laurel and Hardy in particular.  The hours I've spent at The Perfect Day Tent (Oasis # 42 in central Ohio) are treasured.  The background provided by Mark Turner has enhanced my enjoyment of the films so much.  And you haven't lived until you've attended an outdoor screening of a Stan and Ollie gem at Rick Lindner's house!

Best of all, THE SONS OF THE DESERT is a family friendly organization...despite all of the "cocktail" references you may have read in the Articles of the Constitution!  If we're ever going to stand a chance of continuing "the preservation of their films," it will come less from finding a complete color print of THE ROGUE SONG than it will from generating an interest in young people.  I'm always pleased when young folks attend our meetings.  Two are fairly regular attendees at our functions, and I've been testing the waters with my 5-year-old, Joanna, who adores BRATS, MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS, and WAY OUT WEST.

But, why is it important to preserve the films of Laurel and Hardy?  What do these comedies that were at their height of popularity in the 1920's through the 1940's possibly have to say to us today that is in any way relevant?  After all, they aren't especially loud, or particularly fast-paced, and they're not even in color, for goodness sake!  In fact, one critic once commented that their humor would most likely appeal to those with a child-like view of the world.  (Could it be a coincidence that many Laurel and Hardy fans are also avid Disney-philes?  And Walt Disney was said to enjoy Laurel and Hardy movies so much that he ran them for his animators to study.  If you doubt this, check out the expression on CASEY, JR after the crash!)

I think the answer does lie in the child-like innocence of the characters portrayed by Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  They approached the world with the innocent belief in the goodness of others.  Not unlike many of us, they reacted in surprise when the world took advantage of them, and their hurt response was often swift, impulsive, often to no avail, and hilarious.  Still, it didn't matter.  They persevered.  In essence, I think of Laurel and Hardy as celebrating our better natures.  My daughter, Joanna, perhaps captured it better when she said, "They're really, really nice people."

In a world filled with troubles, Laurel and Hardy can make us laugh...not at the expense of others, but as a brief respite from our worries.  THE SONS OF THE DESERT celebrate that and, in preserving the memory of Stan and Ollie, they are also preserving the notion that you'll get through today...and tomorrow.  THE SONS OF THE DESERT are helping to preserve a nostalgic way of looking at things; a way filled with hope and the ability to gently laugh at our own foibles.

I've made a number of friends since joining The Perfect Day Tent, and several more while serving as Webmaster for this web site.  So, I encourage you to seriously consider joining a Tent near you.  (Many have web sites that provide details of upcoming meetings.  See our LINKS page.)  Enjoy the films (Guaranteed).  Enjoy the company (How could you not?).

And enjoy being part of a positive influence.  Enjoy being a member of THE SONS OF THE DESERT.

                                                                    --December 20, 2002

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