April 6, 1954
Dear Mrs [Nellie] Hinchcliffe-
Shall be pleased to meet the children & yourself for a few minutes after 1st. Performance Thursday.
With best wishes,
Sincerely-
(Haste)
Laurel & Hardy.
April 7, 1954
Miss Mary Sharon,
1415,No.Alta Vista
HOLLYWOOD. 46.CALIF.
My Dear Booth [Colman]-
Enjoyed your newsy letter of March 30th. especially your Film Clips - throughout they were excellent - just the type for us in "Birds of a Feather"! (of course you would have to put on us a Red Nose!)
Kidding aside Booth - am delighted to know you are going along OK & have some good irons in the fire, especially the "Josefa" Picture - which I think would be more valuable to you than "St. Joan" show - of course - either wouldn't do you any harm - but once a good performance on film - it remains the same forever - on the Stage it's never certain, as you fully know.
Thanks for clipping on the Translation Machine - sure interesting & amazing - what next? Also the Program of "St. Joan." Have been reading about the McCarthy business in "Time" & "Newsweek" mags - what a mess! Think now, we shall stay over here till Oct. The deal for Blackpool is practically settled for a 3 month engt. with an option of an extra month - to start in June - will of course continue with Delfont till that time, with the exception that we shall take a couple of weeks vacation before we open in Blackpool. (need a rest bad). Ben Shipman is looking into the Australian deal to follow, but if it doesn't materialize we shall of course return home - have an idea of taking our own show for a tour of Canada - Have never played there (as a Team) should do OK for a couple of months run. Pleased to note you got the odds & ends of literature I sent you - Thought they would interest you. ALl for now Booth. Eda sends her love & our wish for lots of good luck for you.
Bye & God Bless.
As ever-
P.S. Just recd. a letter from Mitchell Gertz - wants to make a deal for Colgate Comedy Hour on April 25th. Addressed us - c/o BERNARD DEL FONTE! What a Lad!
Joseph Raymond “Joe” McCarthy (1908-1957) was a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin who became the most visible public face of a period in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread Communist subversion. He was noted for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the United States federal government and elsewhere.
The Colgate Comedy Hour was an American comedy/musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars including Eddie Cantor, Martin & Lewis and Abbott & Costello.
April 7, 1954
Dear Mr Berry,
It was indeed most kind of you to invite us to tea at your home on Saturday - but afraid it is not possible - due to being our last day here. We have quite a deal to do in preparation to leave - packing etc - trust you will fully understand. However, we appreciate very much the nice friendly thought many many thanks.
With kind regards & every good wish to self & family-
Sincerely always-
Laurel & Hardy.
April 8, 1954
Dear Mr. Newham:-
Thanks for your interesting letter, you are perfectly correct, regarding my taking part in the celebration at North Shields on the event of "Relief of Mafeking" in 1900. My Dad (Arthur Jefferson) on the same night produced a show battle of Boers & Britons in Dockwray Square - Fireworks & bonfires etc. with impersonations of Lord (Bob) Roberts - Kitchener - Buller - Kruger etc. & myself as bugler Dunn - I still have a photograph of myself taken that day.
You certainly brought back some happy memories to me. Again thanks for the inquiry & appreciate your kind wishes.
Regards & best always,
Sincerely-
Laurel & Hardy.
April 14, 1954
My Dear Trixie [Wyatt]-
Thanks yours of 12th.inst. always pleased to hear from you. We had a nice week in Leeds - Bus. good for a change - We opened up good here too, but weather is starting to get nice - which is not good for the Theatres as people like to stay outdoors in the warm weather - Don't blame them! sSome of the acts on the bill saw Addie & Nelly Gibson in Grimsby - she told him she was coming to see me (Addie) but never showed up - I was a bit disappointed as I had looked forward to seeing her again the same as you & the others of the old Gang. Too bad. Jackie Harrison came to Leeds - looking much better than I saw him last in Manchester - nicely dressed & in a better frame of mind. I was pleased to see him appearing so well. He didn't seem to be drinking so much - only had two beers the whole time & refused more. I understand he is still out of a job, he says - due to his age (62) he is unable to get anything. It seems a shame, as he still very active (more than I am) & unable to work. I'm afraid he has got into a rut & has no incentive to try & do something. Jack Graham is nearly 70 & still manages to keep going & making a living - am sure Jackie could too if he really wanted to.
We go to Carlisle next (April 19) & may have the following weeks OUT (26th) THEN ALHAMBRA BRADFORD (May 3rd) We have a deal on to play a summer season in Blackpool starting end of June - but if it doesn't go through - we shall return to the States. I understand we are now booked up to June 7th - but we have not been notified yet - anyway will let you know as soon as definite. We passed through Durham & Newcastle last Sunday - & thought of you.
Well Dear - not much to tell you so will close - Eda joins in love & kind thoughts & again thanks for all your kindness & sweet thoughts. Eda would drop you a few lines, but it is difficult for her to write in English. She writes mostly in Russian - I know you will fully understand.
Bye Dear & God bless-
Sincerely always-
April 19, 1954
STAN LAUREL
c/o Bernard Delfont Ltd.
1-5 Jermyn Street
Haymarket Street, S.W. 1
London, England
My Dear Walterina [Hunter]:-
It was certainly nice to hear from you again & we all join in many thanks for the lovely Easter cards - it was very sweet of you & is much appreciated. We were disappointed when we read you were coming to see the show & you didn't drop in to see us back stage - we all would have been very delighted to see you as we were the last time in '52. However we hope you enjoyed the show & our new act. We had a lovely week in Edinburgh & really hated to leave "Bonnie Scotland," but hope we shall have the pleasure of coming back again in a year or so, & hope then you will pay us a personal visit!
We expect to return to U.S.A. end of June & I shall be pleased to send you a letter from California.
Well Dear, must close now. Trust all is well & happy with you & in good health.
With kindest regards & every good wish always from Olly - the Lassies & myself - & again many thanks for your kind thoughts & wishes.
Sincerely as ever-
Laurel & Hardy.
April 21, 1954
Her Majesty's Theatre,
CARLISLE.CUMBERLAND.ENG.
My Dear Booth [Colman]:-
Thanks yours 11th.inst.
Sorry to hear re the Powell picture being postponed. However, as you say if you can keep on TV till something real good breaks, you have notning to worry about. Frankly, I think these appearances are of great value to you & keep you in good view of the producers, which is much more impressive than an agent trying to sell you lfor a part with some stills of you, made up as Christ!
Too bad re Jim Timony - a great loss to Mae, she will he lost without him to handle her affairs. I read just recently, where she was going to make a TV series. I think it would be terrific. Is she in Hollywood? would like to drop a line of sympathy to her.
Ben Shipman left Paris for home last week end, he was here for about a month, but only saw him a couple of times. We are taking a rest next week (26tn.) & our route now is:-
MAY 3rd. Alhambra Theatre, BRADFORD.
MAY 10th. Hippodrome,Aston. (Birmingham)
MAY 17th. Palace Theatre, PLYMOUTH.
MAY 24th. Empire Theatre, SWANSEA.
MAY 31st. To Be Filled.
JUN 7th. To Be Filled.
This will the finish under Delfont management. We have a deal for a 12 weeks run in Blackpool commencing June 28th. at the South Pier, but unless some changes are made in the contract, we shall probably return home. We are tninking of making the trip by freighter, wnich stops at different foreign ports & through the Panama Canal. It would be a nice rest & very interesting. However, will let you Know our plans as soon as definite.
All for now Booth. Take good care of yourself.
Eda joins in love & best.
As ever:-
April 29, 1954
My Dear Booth [Colman]:-
Thanks yours 25th.inst.
Needless to tell you how pleased I was about the Schlitz TV. film & especially, they had to send for you. Great! I guess our letters crossed, as I gave you details of our plans up to June 7th. which will be our final date for Delfont. If nothing happens after that we shall probably be on our way home. We still can go to Australia - altho' the Tax situation is clear, the difficulty is, the amount we can tanke out in Dollars - so that is mainly tna cause which is holding us up. Just read in the London Express, tnat the English show that went to the "Flamingo" in Las Vegas for a five weeks run - folded up in two. I am rather surprised - really thought it would have been a terrific success & in fact held over - Can't imagine what happened - maybe you could get the low-down on it & let me know. Had a nice rest this week for a change so feel fit & ready to tackle the last six weeks. Ben Shipman arrived back home - had a letter from him yesterday - Note Mitch Gertz's arrangements for us at Paramount in Oct. I wonder if he ever thought of asking us about it - what a guy!
By the way Booth - there was a very successful show over here a few years ago - titled "THE ROYAL DIVORCE" a terrific script, a version of Nappy & Josephine - was written & produced by a W.W. Kelly who owned at the time The Shakespeare Theater in Liverpool - It would be a great piece of property for you as a show or Picture & would be worth your while checking up on it & getting a copy of the script also terms of rights - maybe now its in Public Domain - you could find out from the Lord Chamberlain's Office in London. I don't think the script would need any revisioning as it was beautifully written & been Historical you couldn't change the facts. Just a thought.
That's all for now Booth. Everybody is well. Eda sends her love & best & we are looking forward to seeing you again-
Kind thougnts always-
God bless.
As ever-
Just dropped a line to Del Henderson at the Motion Picture home - poor guy & sending him this week's "Performer" & "Stage" so you will know what happened when you don't get them!
A Royal Divorce was a British historical drama that portrayed the relationship between Napoleon I of France and his wife, Josephine Bonaparte from their first meeting until their divorce.
George Delbert “Dell” Henderson (1877-1956) was a Canadian-American actor, director and writer. He began his film career in the early days of silent film and appeared as a comic foil for such comedians as The Three Stooges, W.C. Fields and Laurel and Hardy. He played a Night Court Judge in Laurel and Hardy’s Our Relations (1936).