The Sons of the Desert
Encyclopedia
The Sons of the Desert is an international fraternal organization devoted to lives and films of comedians Stan Laurel
and Oliver Hardy
. The group takes its name from a lodge that Laurel and Hardy belonged to in the 1933 movie Sons of the Desert
.
In 1964, a few years after the book biography "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy" was published, author John McCabe
formed a small group of Laurel and Hardy admirers including Orson Bean
, cartoonist Al Kilgore, Chuck McCann
, and John Municino. McCabe created a mock-serious “constitution” that satirized the formalities of many social organizations. Stan Laurel endorsed and humorously revised the document; he suggested that members might wear a fez or blazer patch with the motto "Two Minds Without a Single Thought." Founding member Kilgore created a logo with the motto in Latin (in the spirit of Laurel’s dictum that the organization should have “a half-assed dignity” about it) as Duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum est (literally: "Two blank slates on which nothing has been written").
The first public Sons of the Desert meeting was held in New York City in 1965, shortly after Stan Laurel's death. McCabe's group quickly spread to other American cities, and then to other countries. In keeping with the tongue-in-cheek “desert” theme, each local chapter of the society is called a “tent,” and each is named after a Laurel and Hardy
film. There are over 100 active tents worldwide, and members meet regularly to enjoy Laurel and Hardy movies in an informal atmosphere. Many chapters formed in the 1960s are still active today.
In addition to local and regional meetings, Sons of the Desert holds international conventions, every two years since 1978. Most have been located in the United States but some have been held in other countries. Actors and technicians who worked with Laurel and Hardy are frequent guests, and rare films and memorabilia are exhibited.
The Sons organization has been profiled periodically in media outlets, usually in a newsworthy context (as when long-lost films have been discovered). In 1974 the British Broadcasting Corporation
featured the Sons in its documentary film "Cuckoo." NBC
's whimsical reality show Real People
brought the Sons to a national audience in 1980. The CBN
cable-television network scheduled a Laurel and Hardy movie marathon and invited Sons members from across America to take part in the live, national broadcast. A documentary film about the Sons organization was produced in 1987 by Alexander Marshall: Revenge of the Sons of the Desert is an Emmy Award-winning featurette showing the international membership at one of its conventions, with commentary by celebrity guests. The film is included in the DVD set The Laurel & Hardy Collection, Volume One (released in 2006).
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
and Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
. The group takes its name from a lodge that Laurel and Hardy belonged to in the 1933 movie Sons of the Desert
Sons of the Desert
Sons of the Desert is a 1933 American film starring Laurel and Hardy, and directed by William A. Seiter. It was first released in the United States on December 29, 1933 and is regarded as one of Laurel and Hardy's greatest films...
.
In 1964, a few years after the book biography "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy" was published, author John McCabe
John McCabe (writer)
John McCabe , born John Charles McCabe III, was a Shakespearean scholar and author, whose first book was the authorized biography of Laurel and Hardy....
formed a small group of Laurel and Hardy admirers including Orson Bean
Orson Bean
Orson Bean is an American film, television, and Broadway actor. He appeared frequently on televised game shows in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including being a long-time panelist on the television game show To Tell the Truth....
, cartoonist Al Kilgore, Chuck McCann
Chuck McCann
Chuck McCann is a film actor, television actor, stage actor, and a voice actor from Brooklyn, New York.-Early career:...
, and John Municino. McCabe created a mock-serious “constitution” that satirized the formalities of many social organizations. Stan Laurel endorsed and humorously revised the document; he suggested that members might wear a fez or blazer patch with the motto "Two Minds Without a Single Thought." Founding member Kilgore created a logo with the motto in Latin (in the spirit of Laurel’s dictum that the organization should have “a half-assed dignity” about it) as Duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum est (literally: "Two blank slates on which nothing has been written").
The first public Sons of the Desert meeting was held in New York City in 1965, shortly after Stan Laurel's death. McCabe's group quickly spread to other American cities, and then to other countries. In keeping with the tongue-in-cheek “desert” theme, each local chapter of the society is called a “tent,” and each is named after a Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
film. There are over 100 active tents worldwide, and members meet regularly to enjoy Laurel and Hardy movies in an informal atmosphere. Many chapters formed in the 1960s are still active today.
In addition to local and regional meetings, Sons of the Desert holds international conventions, every two years since 1978. Most have been located in the United States but some have been held in other countries. Actors and technicians who worked with Laurel and Hardy are frequent guests, and rare films and memorabilia are exhibited.
The Sons organization has been profiled periodically in media outlets, usually in a newsworthy context (as when long-lost films have been discovered). In 1974 the British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
featured the Sons in its documentary film "Cuckoo." NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's whimsical reality show Real People
Real People
Real People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
brought the Sons to a national audience in 1980. The CBN
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
cable-television network scheduled a Laurel and Hardy movie marathon and invited Sons members from across America to take part in the live, national broadcast. A documentary film about the Sons organization was produced in 1987 by Alexander Marshall: Revenge of the Sons of the Desert is an Emmy Award-winning featurette showing the international membership at one of its conventions, with commentary by celebrity guests. The film is included in the DVD set The Laurel & Hardy Collection, Volume One (released in 2006).