A year ago today we started the day off back on the buses…headed to Stan’s beloved Oceana Apartment in Santa Monica before arriving in Culver City. Once there, we entered the Culver Hotel for an on-the-house drink while enjoying the films Putting Pants on Philipand Leave ‘Em Laughing(both of which feature the hotel). Next was a walking tour of downtown Culver City with film locations of Angora Love, Two Tars, Liberty, Hats Off, Bacon Grabbers, We Faw Down and more. Then we had lunch-on-our-own at one of the restaurants that actually appeared in the background of a Laurel and Hardy picture. (Delegates were divided into groups and rotated through the above activities.)
After a brief rest back at the hotel, we visited the Mecca of all Laurel and Hardy films, The Music Box steps. Then we headed to Pottsville for dinner and more fun. The actual Palms Station, which served as the Pottsville Station in Berth Marks, has been restored and moved to Heritage Square in Highland Park. This was also be the location of the Oliver Hardy Putting Contest, the 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Intra-Tent Journal, and the U.S. premiere of the Lucky Dog Theatre’s Hats Off to Laurel and Hardy. We took the official photo of all the Sons who attended every single international convention this evening.
All pictures are courtesy of Marcia Opal, except where otherwise noted.
Another big day at the convention. Sons would wear their red convention shirt, board the coaches and stop at the location of the Hal Roach Studios to see the plaque that was placed there during the Hollywood ’80 Convention and dedicated by Mr. Roach himself! Philip and Tony pose with the plaque.
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Once in Culver City Sons were divided up into three groups. One group would have lunch…
…one would tour the area…
…and the third would enjoy popcorn and drinks and watch films made at the Culver Hotel location!
Tour guide Jimmy Wiley shows the historic plaques outside the Culver Hotel, one which was placed by the Way Out West Tent
During the tour, conventioneers saw the location of the County Hospital/Going Bye Bye…
…Main Street of Culver City where so many Roach shorts were set…
…the L&H mural on the back side of the former hardware store…
…the plaque on the front of the hardware store placed by WOW tent…
…and Culver Studios (formerly Selznick).
All Sons and their red shirts took a group shot in front of the Culver Hotel making it the largest photo of Sons in front of a L&H filming location ever! (Photo by Maria Melnyk)
After a quick change at the hotel, sons boarded buses and stopped at the Music Box steps before arriving at Pottsville for the final banquet.
Vance Piper and Bob Zeroun played the boys.
Once at Pottsville…
Sons enjoyed a barbeque buffet and special desserts made by Rick Greene’s loving and talented wife Patty (these cupcakes were sponsored by Lee and Dee McBeath!).
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The dedicated dozen of Sons who attended every International Sons Convention since 1978 had their picture taken in front of the Pottsville station-another first!
Other activities included ice cream from a vintage ice cream man…
…the Oliver Hardy Golf Tournament sponsored by Roger and Sharon Gordon…
…and the raffle of L&H related items.
Carol Rugh put together a wonderful slide show of the Parade of Tents.
I hosted the Grand Council which had a brief bid for the next convention by Chris Coffey.
The highlight of the night was the North American premiere of the play Hats Off to Laurel and Hardy by Brits Tony Carpenter and Philip Hutchinson.
I closed out the evening by introducing the grandsons of Edgar Kennedy Mark and Glenn.