MANCUNIAN EVENTS

The Cuthbert Club News

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FRANK RANDLE'S GRAVESTONE REFURBISHMENT PROJECT WAS FULLY FUNDED BY THE GENEROUS DONATIONS MADE BY THE FOLLOWING: - THANKS TO: (alphabetical order) - Arthur Casson, Bill Wheeler, Bryan Leonard, Chris Carson, Cuthbert and Mrs Cuthbert, David Harding, David Pyper, Derek Kosky, Diane Speakman, The Eccles & District History Society, George Kelsall, James Ward, John Burscough, Jolly Roger, Ken Bowe, Leslie Davies, Lord Dave (Fowell) and Lady Julia of Chester, Mike Hudson, Neil Hemsley, North-West Film Archive, Paul Culkin, Phil Baker, Philip and David Williams, Rick and Albert Gallagher, Slim Ingram, Stan and Jude Challis, Steve Robinson, T Lancaster, Ted Martin, Tim and Mary Gill, Tony Hannan, Tony Hilton, Tony Wright, Trevor Hoyle.

The refurbishment of Frank Randle's original gravestone involves it being removed, refaced and relettered then put back in place for our unveiling ceremony on Saturday 10th July at Carleton Cemetery.

Everything will be clear for all to read including the inscription taken from the words found jotted on a scrap of paper tucked inside Randle's wallet by his wife Queenie, shown below
I got nothing that I asked for,
But everything I had hoped for,
Despite myself, my prayers were answered
I was among all men richly blessed

At the start of the project we needed to collect £295 to have a 'marker' placed on Frank's gravestone but because Blackpool Council rejected the original idea of a marker (their letter 19 March 2010*). We are very grateful to Slim Ingram who negotiated with the Cemeteries & Crematorium Manager and Blackpool Council to come up with an agreement regarding this complete refurbishment project and over £495 was raised to pay for this. Cuthbert will bring any extra monies remaining in the form of liquid celebratory refreshment on 10/07/10.

PAST EVENTS

SUNDAY 21st MARCH 2010 at 2pm - Cuthbert Club SCREENING: School for Randle + Shorts galore! The Albert Club, 39-41 Old Lansdowne Road, West Didsbury, M20 2PA

Friday, 19th February 2010 - As part of SHOWZAM! Cuthbert showed THREE Frank Randle movies in the fantastic Winter Gardens, Blackpool - he also presented his Mancunian talk and there was a lively q/a with Mike Blakeley afterwards - it was a great event for all!

Sunday 27th September 2009- Cuthbert gave a Mancunian Film talk and hosted a screening of OVER THE GARDEN WALL at the ALBERT CLUB in West Didsbury as part of the Didsbury Arts Festival - 18.00hrs and it was a grand do - a great time was had by all (see picture opposite)

11 July 2009 - the Cuthbert Club Funtime Memorial Day was a fantastic success - as usual!

4th/5th June 2009 - AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMEDY - at the University of Salford - organised by Cuthbert CP Lee and club-member Andy Willis

Saturday 21st March 2009- THE MANCHESTER HISTORIES FESTIVAL at Manchester Town Hall - 11.45 am CP Lee presents an illustrated talk on THE MANCUNIAN STUDIOS

Tuesday 27th January 2009 - Cuthbert hosted a Mancunian Films screening of HOME SWEEET HOME and showed his old shorts as usual - a great event at the Unicorn Inn, Manchester

FRANK RANDLE BLUE PLAQUE DAY 2007 - pictures here (click)

On Saturday July 5th 2008 Cuthbert Club members from Oswaldtwistle to Fuengirola, Brighton to Jersey made the trip to Blackpool's North Pier to pay tribute to our Frank and to toast the Cuthbert Club's plaque once again.

FRANK RANDLE REMEMBRANCE DAY 2008 - pictures here (click)

Monday 8th December 2008 - Leyland Historical Society Cuthbert presented Comedy Roots and Routes - Mancunian and Beyond at the Leyland Historical Society.

5TH/6TH June 2008 - FUNNY PEOPLE THESE FOREIGNERS - AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL COMEDY - held at the University of Salford and organised by Cuthbert and club-member Andy Willis.

Monday 7th April 2008 - Leyland Historical Society Cuthbert presented a feast of a Mancunian Films Programme for the Leyland Historical Society at the South Ribble Banqueting Suite, West Paddock, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 1DH Click for a map to the venue We hear from the Society's organiser Peter Houghton that Leyland has a good connection with our Frank as he was a visitor when in summer season in Blackpool. It seems that Dr Cank, a local GP was an old friend and would invite him over here for a tour of the local pubs. Frank would return the favour when a member of the Blackpool cast fell ill - Dr Cank would leave his practice in Leyland and look after the sick cast member as well as take his place in the cast until he was well enough to continue. And what of the poor patients of Leyland during these stints? I wonder if we shall ever know?!!

On Sunday 25th Nov 2007 the Salford Film Festival Mancunian Films Programme was presented by Cuthbert and everyone enjoyed a screening of SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IN THAT BOX? - Regional Comedy and Identity on British Screens - A Two-Day Conference was held at the University of Salford on 31st May / 1st June 2007. Guest speakers: Andy Medhurst, Richard Dacre

14th March 2007 - A wonderful turnout for our Dr CP Lee who presented: The Mancunian Film Company at the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust, Heritage Centre, Alexandra Road, Eccles. 7.30 pm . It were a Hot'un and a reet good do bah gum! (Arranged by the Eccles and District History Society - please visit their website for details - http://www.edhs.colsal.org.uk)

Saturday 3rd March 2007 - BBC2's Comedy Map featured Frank Randle via Keith Clifford and Cuthbert in Blackpool. Hurrah! www.bbc.co.uk/comedymap

Saturday 17th February 2007 - BBC2's Comedy Map featured the Mancunian Films Studios at 9.05 pm. And so it should! www.bbc.co.uk/comedymap

13 November 2006 - National Film Theatre, South Bank, London - Cuthbert and Mike Blakeley were hosts to an evening of Mancunian Movies entitled ''Projecting the Archive" where more than 100 people came to bathe in Mancunian's Cinematic splendour!

Photo Gallery of Cuthbert Club events - BIG thanks to our resident Cuthbert Snapster Tony Wright (Tony 2)

Wednesday 24th January 2007

Saturday afternoon -21 October 2006 - Manchester Comedy Festival - at the Comedy Store, 3 & 4 Deansgate Locks, Whitworth St, M1 5LH - as part of the Festival, CUTHBERT will be presenting a matinee show at the Comedy Store entitled Mancunian Movie Memories . It will be an afternoon for you to find out more about the Mancunian Film Company ... as the publicity says - "CP Lee takes you on a trip back in time to discover the roots of Northern Comedy. From 1925 to the 1960s the Mancunian Film Company produced dozens of Comedy films, many from their Studio in Rusholme. The Studio’s stars included George Formby, Les Dawson’s favourite Norman Evans, Tessie O’Shea and the manically brilliant Frank Randle (who would stalk through Manchester with a pistol in one hand and a bottle of whisky in the other!). Writer and broadcaster, CP, will talk about the Studio and its Stars and show an avalanche of clips from the movies in a special two-hour matinee session."

Sunday afternoon -22 October 2006 - Manchester Comedy Festival - at the Comedy Store, 3 & 4 Deansgate Locks, Whitworth St, M1 5LH - CUTHBERT will be presenting another matinee show - Can You Hear Me Mother - CUTHBERT gets together "a fun afternoon of Comedy, Person and Place … Cockney Wideboys … Cheeky Geordies … Gormless Northerners – Where do the Comedy stereotypes come from and how true are they? This Comedy Festival Panel brings together professionals and practitioners to discuss ideas of place and humour - past and present."