"Henry Brandon Film Festival"

Above, Henry Brandon as Chief Scar in The Seachers.

Since I decided to remain home this Christmas Eve, I watched a couple of movies this evening.

The first, with somewhat of a Christmas theme was the 1934 Laurel & Hardy/Hal Roach version of Babes In Toyland (MGM). Watching it is a bit of a Christmas tradition with me, like people will watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas. The movie is also known as March of the Wooden Soldiers.

Above, The Mittens and Merrick Butte in Monument Valley, Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After watching it, I decided to pop in the 1956 western classic, The Searchers starring John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Ward Bond and Natalie Wood. Since Henry Brandon played Silas Barnaby in Babes In Toyland, that gave me the idea to watch The Searchers as he played Comanche chief Scar. So, in a way, tonight was a "Henry Brandon Film Festival", if you will. The movie was primarily shot in Monument Valley by director John Ford.

I had met Brandon back in the 1980s when I was a member of the Los Angeles "tent" of the Sons of the Desert, the Laurel and Hardy fan organization. He was a regular attendee. I also met one of his co-stars of The Searchers, Hank Worden at a Sons of the Desert banquet.

Not a bad night of movie-watching on Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas!