The Sons of the Desert is an organization with scholarly overtones and heavily social undertones devoted to the loving study of the persons and films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
“It is important, I think, to realize that Sons of the
Desert is not a fan club,” explained John McCabe, the team’s biographer, who
founded the Sons in 1965. “The word ‘fan’ derives from ‘fanatic’ and I hope we
are none of us that. I consider us ‘buffs,’ people having a connoisseur-like
affection for Laurel & Hardy, and being discriminating in that affection,
with fun as our goal and operative guide.”
Indeed, Jonathan Winters, Dick Cavett, Dick Van Dyke and
Soupy Sales were all members of Sons of the Desert. In light of the newly released biopic from the BBC, Stan & Ollie, the order has recently been fielding an
increased number of membership inquiries from younger people as well as people fans from around the world. Before he
died, Stan Laurel had advice to such fans, advising them to “have a hell of a lot of
fun,” and avoid taking themselves too seriously — even when things get tough."
(Good advice, now more that ever.)
He continued, “Don’t sit around and tear comedy apart. It is like a fine watch, and you’ll never get it together again,” he said. “And don’t ask me why people laugh—that is the mystery of it all.”
(Good advice, now more that ever.)
He continued, “Don’t sit around and tear comedy apart. It is like a fine watch, and you’ll never get it together again,” he said. “And don’t ask me why people laugh—that is the mystery of it all.”
