Offer up a silent prayer

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), May 9, 2009

Byline: Wilf Lunn

I WENT to see Paul Merton's showing of old films at the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

He showed various films Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin etc finishing with a wonderfully preserved film starring Buster Keaton.

I understand there is a connection with Buster Keaton and Huddersfield.

James Mason, our local film star, bought Buster Keaton's house. He found a lot of forgotten Keaton films there. They helped to revive Keaton's career.

Here's one story Merton told which I thought particularly topical now people are being laid off.

He saw two men, one was digging holes and the other was filling them in.

Puzzled he asked: "What are you doing?" One replied: "There used to be three of us, the other chap put the trees in." So be careful who you sack..