NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Laurel and Hardy

Laurel and Hardy were the American-based comedy team of thin, British-born Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and heavy, American-born Oliver Hardy (1892-1957). They became famous during the early half of the 20th century for their work in motion pictures, and also appeared on stage throughout America and Europe. The team is considered one of the most famous and finest double acts in motion-picture history. Each brought talents from his solo career to the team. From art. ... From art. ... Way Out West is a Laurel and Hardy comedy film released in 1937. ... Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 â€“ 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer and director, famous as part of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, whose career stretched from the silent films of the early 20th Century until post-World War II. // Stan Laurel... Oliver Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 â€“ August 7, 1957) was an American actor, most remembered for his role in one of the worlds most famous double acts, Laurel and Hardy, with his friend Stan Laurel. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as...

The two comedians worked together briefly in 1919 on The Lucky Dog, released in 1921. After a period appearing separately in several short films for the Hal Roach studio during the 1920s, they began appearing in movie shorts together in 1926, and Laurel and Hardy officially became a team in 1927. They became Hal Roach's most famous and lucrative stars. Their most popular and successful films were the features Sons of the Desert (1933), Way Out West (1937), and Block-Heads (1938)^[1] and the shorts Big Business (1929), Liberty (1929), and their Academy Award-winning short, The Music Box (1932).^[2] The Lucky Dog was the first film featuring the famous comedy duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, later known as Laurel and Hardy. ... Short subject is an American film industry term that historically has referred to any film in the format of two reels, or approximately 20 minutes running time, or less. ... Harold Eugene Roach, Sr. ... The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sons of the Desert is a 1933 film starring Laurel & Hardy, and directed by William A. Seiter. ... Way Out West is a Laurel and Hardy comedy film released in 1937. ... Block-Heads is a 1938 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ... Big Business is a 1929 silent Laurel and Hardy comedy short subject directed by James W. Horne and supervised by Leo McCarey from a McCarey (uncredited) and H. M. Walker script. ... Liberty is a 1929 short comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy as escaped convicts who, while trying to change pants, wind up on a skyscraper in construction. ... // This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. ... The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy released in 1932. ...

The pair left the Roach studio in 1940, then appeared in eight "B" comedies for 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1941 to 1944. From 1945 to 1950 they did not appear on film and concentrated on their stage show. They made their last film, Atoll K, in France in 1950 and 1951 before retiring from the screen. In total they appeared together in 106 films. They starred in 40 short sound films, 32 short silent films, 23 full length feature films and in the remaining 11 films made a guest or cameo appearance. Twentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation (known from 1935 to 1985 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) is one of the six major American film studios. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... Atoll K, released in 1950, was the final film Laurel and Hardy made as a team. ... 1902 poster advertising Gaumonts sound films, depicting an optimistically vast auditorium A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as... Since its first use in 1851, a cameo role or cameo appearance has been a brief appearance in a play (or later, a movie) that stands out against the general context for its éclat or dramatic punch. ...

Before the pairing

Stan Laurel

Stan Laurel (June 16, 1890 – February 23, 1965) was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Ulverston, Lancashire (now Ulverston, Cumbria), England. His father, Arthur J. "A.J." Jefferson, was a showman who served as actor, director, playwright, and theatrical entrepreneur in many northern English cities. Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 â€“ 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer and director, famous as part of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, whose career stretched from the silent films of the early 20th Century until post-World War II. // Stan Laurel... Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 â€“ 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer and director, famous as part of the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy, whose career stretched from the silent films of the early 20th Century until post-World War II. // Stan Laurel... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Laurel began his career in Glasgow Britannia Theatre of Varieties and Panopticon music hall at the age of 16, where he crafted a comedy act largely derivative of famous music hall comedians of the day, including George Robey and Dan Leno. He gradually worked his way up the ladder of supporting roles until he became the featured comedian, as well as an understudy to Charlie Chaplin, in Fred Karno's comedy company. He emigrated to America in 1912 where he decided to change his name; he worried that "Stanley Jefferson" was too long to fit onto posters. He shortened it to "Stan" and added "Laurel" at the suggestion of his vaudeville partner, Mae Dahlberg. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Music Hall is a form of British theatrical entertainment which reached its peak of popularity between 1850 and 1960. ... George Edward Wade (20 September 1869 â€“ 29 November 1954), better known by his stage name, George Robey, was a British music hall star. ... Dan Leno (born George Wild Galvin, (December 20, 1860 - October 31, 1904) was an English music hall comedian whose act typically revolved around cockney humour and dressing up as a pantomime dame. ... An understudy is a theatrical term for someone who learns the lines and moves of a leading actor or actress in a theatrical play. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... Fred Karno - the stage name of Frederick John Westcott (March 26, 1866 - September 18, 1941) - was a theatre impressario. ...

He made his first film appearance in 1917 (Nuts in May) and continued to make more than 50 other silent films for various producers. At first he experienced only modest success as a solo comedian. Producer Hal Roach later attributed this to the difficulty in photographing Laurel's pale blue eyes on early pre-panchromatic film stock, perhaps giving the appearance of blindness (which, in his earliest films, Laurel tried to remedy by adding heavy defining makeup around his eyes). Moreover, Laurel did not have an identifiable or easily marketable screen character, like that of Chaplin, Harold Lloyd or Buster Keaton. Panchromatic is a term describing a type of photographic film that is sensitive to all wavelengths of visible light. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... Harold Clayton Lloyd (April 20, 1893 â€“ March 8, 1971) was an American film actor and director, most famous for his silent comedies. ... Buster Keaton (born Joseph Frank Keaton, October 4, 1895 â€“ February 1, 1966) was an American silent film comic actor and filmmaker. ...

It was only when Laurel began appearing in satires of popular screen dramas that audiences really took notice of him. Between 1922 and 1925 he starred in a number of films including Mud and Sand (a burlesque of Blood and Sand featuring Stan as "Rhubarb Vaselino") and Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde (with Stan playing both the genteel doctor and the manic monster). Many of these comedies had crazy visual gags along with Laurel's eccentric pantomime, establishing the star as an inspired "nut comic."

Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy (January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was born Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia, in the United States. Upon turning 18, he changed his first name to that of his father who had died years earlier, henceforth calling himself "Oliver Norvell Hardy." (His offscreen nickname was "Babe.") Oliver Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 â€“ August 7, 1957) was an American actor, most remembered for his role in one of the worlds most famous double acts, Laurel and Hardy, with his friend Stan Laurel. ... Oliver Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 â€“ August 7, 1957) was an American actor, most remembered for his role in one of the worlds most famous double acts, Laurel and Hardy, with his friend Stan Laurel. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Harlem is a city located in Columbia County, Georgia and is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. ...

By his late teens Hardy was a popular stage singer, and he operated his own moviehouse (the Palace Theater in Milledgeville, GA). He thought he could do better than some of the movie comedians he was presenting, so in 1913 he became a movie actor. Babe Hardy was quite versatile, playing heroes, villains, and even female characters. He starred or co-starred in more than 250 silent short films, about 150 of which have been lost. Milledgeville is a city in Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... A short film (also short or short subject) is a motion picture that is shorter than the average feature film. ...

He was much in demand as a supporting actor, comic villain, or second banana. For 10 years he memorably assisted star comics Billy West (a Charlie Chaplin imitator), Jimmy Aubrey, Larry Semon, and Charley Chase. Hardy was a member of Hal Roach's stock company when he began working regularly with Stan Laurel. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Billy West (September 22, 1892 - July 21, 1975) was an American film actor of the silent film era. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... Jimmy Aubrey Jimmy Aubrey (born October 23, 1887 in Liverpool, England; died September 2, 1983 in Woodland Hills, California) was an English actor who worked with both Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. ... Larry Semon (July 16, 1889 - October 8, 1928) was a film comedian during the silent era, mainly known for working with both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy) before they started working together. ... Charley Chase (October 20, 1893-June 20, 1940) was an American comedian, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies. ...

History

"Stan" and "Ollie": Hal Roach years

The first film encounter of the two comedians (as separate performers) took place in The Lucky Dog, produced in 1919 by Sun-Lite Pictures and released in 1921. Several years later, both comedians appeared in the Hal Roach production 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926). Their first "official" film together was Putting Pants on Philip, although their first pairing as the now familiar "Stan and Ollie" characters was The Second Hundred Years (June 1927), directed by Fred Guiol and supervised by Leo McCarey, who suggested that the performers be teamed permanently. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 556 pixelsFull resolution (2050 Ã— 1426 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 556 pixelsFull resolution (2050 Ã— 1426 pixel, file size: 2. ... The Lucky Dog was the first film featuring the famous comedy duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, later known as Laurel and Hardy. ... The Lucky Dog was the first film featuring the famous comedy duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, later known as Laurel and Hardy. ... Harold Eugene Roach, Sr. ... 45 Minutes From Hollywood is a two reeler made in 1926. ... The Second Hundred Years is a 1927 short comedy silent film starring Laurel and Hardy as convicts making an escape from prison. ... Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 - July 5, 1969) was a movie director, screenwriter and producer. ...

Hal Roach kept them a team for the next decade, making silent shorts, talkie shorts, and feature films. While most silent-film actors saw their careers decline with the advent of sound, Laurel and Hardy made a successful transition in 1929 with the short Unaccustomed As We Are. Laurel's English accent and Hardy's Southern American accent and singing brought new dimensions to their characters. The team also proved skillful in their melding of visual and verbal humor, adding dialogue that served to enhance rather than replace their popular sight gags. A sound film (or talkie) is a motion picture with synchronized sound, as opposed to a silent movie. ... Unaccustomed As We Are, was a 1929 comedy short film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, also featuring Mae Busch, in the first of several appearances as Mrs Hardy, Edgar Kennedy, and Thelma Todd. ...

Laurel and Hardy's shorts, produced by Hal Roach and released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, were among the most successful in the business. Most of the shorts ran two reels (10 minutes per reel), although several ran three reels long, and one, Beau Hunks, was four reels long. In 1929, they appeared for the first time in a feature as one of the acts in The Hollywood Revue of 1929 and the following year they appeared as the comic relief in a lavish all-Technicolor musical feature entitled: The Rogue Song. This film marked their first appearance in color. Considered a "lost film", only a few fragments of this production have survived, along with the complete soundtrack. In 1931, Laurel and Hardy's first starring feature was released, Pardon Us. Following its success, the duo made fewer shorts in order to concentrate on feature films, which included Pack Up Your Troubles (1932), Fra Diavolo (or The Devil's Brother, 1933), Sons of the Desert (1933), and Babes in Toyland (1934). Their classic short The Music Box, released in 1932, won the first Academy Award for Best Short Subject, (Comedy). Image File history File linksMetadata RogueSong22. ... Image File history File linksMetadata RogueSong22. ... The Rogue Song is a 1930 musical romance film which tells the story of a Russian bandit who falls in love with a princess, but takes his revenge on her when her brother rapes and kills his sister. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... Beau Hunks is: The title of a 1931 movie starring Laurel and Hardy. ... The Hollywood Revue of 1929: One of the earliest ventures into the new talkie format of motion pictures, this film, directed by Charles Riesner for MGM, brought together some top acts in a two-hour vaudeville show hosted by Jack Benny. ... Logo celebrating Technicolors 90th Anniversary Technicolor is the trademark for a series of color film processes pioneered by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation (a subsidiary of Technicolor, Inc. ... The Rogue Song is a 1930 musical romance film which tells the story of a Russian bandit who falls in love with a princess, but takes his revenge on her when her brother rapes and kills his sister. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... MOVIE: Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) Director: George Marshall, Ray McCarey Cast: Starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, With Don Dillaway, Jackie Lyn Dufton, Mary Carr, James Finlayson, Richard Cramer, Adele Watson, Tom Kennedy, Charles Middleton, Richard Tucker, Muriel Evans, Grady Sutton, C. Montague Shaw, Billy Gilbert. ... Fra Diavolo or The Devils Brother is a 1933 film starring Laurel and Hardy. ... Sons of the Desert is a 1933 film starring Laurel & Hardy, and directed by William A. Seiter. ... Babes in Toyland is a 1934 musical comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. ... The Music Box is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy released in 1932. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

Because the popularity of the double feature diminished the demand for short subjects, Hal Roach cancelled all of his shorts series, save for Our Gang. The final short in the Laurel and Hardy series was 1935's Thicker than Water. The duo's subsequent feature films included Bonnie Scotland (1935), The Bohemian Girl (1936), Our Relations (1936), Way Out West (1937) (which includes the famous song "Trail of the Lonesome Pine"), Swiss Miss (1938), and Block-Heads (1938). The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown. ... A poster for the 1931 Our Gang comedy Love Business featuring depictions of (from left to right): Pete the Pup, Jackie Cooper, and Norman Chubby Chaney. ... Thicker Than Water was the last short to star Laurel and Hardy. ... Bonnie Scotland is a 1935 feature film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Hal Roach for Hal Roach Studios and directed by James W. Horne. ... The Bohemian Girl is a 1936 feature film version of the operetta The Bohemian Girl by Michael William Balfe. ... Our Relations is a 1936 feature film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Laurel for Hal Roach Studios. ... Way Out West is a Laurel and Hardy comedy film released in 1937. ... Swiss Miss, is a 1938 comedy film directed by John G. Blystone, produced by Hal Roach and starring Laurel and Hardy. ... Block-Heads is a 1938 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ...

Style of comedy and notable routines

The humour of Laurel and Hardy was generally visual, but based on character development with slapstick used for emphasis. Their physical tête-à-têtes are quite complex, which is part of what sets them above other comedy acts. Their characters and closeknit relationship preclude them from making any real progress in even the simplest endeavors. For example, in Night Owls (1930) the boys want to enter a house without disturbing the occupants. Ollie pushes Stan through an open window, but they get into an argument and Stan closes the window on Ollie. Ollie signals for him to open the front door. Stan opens the door but steps out to greet Ollie, and lets the door close behind him. There are several variations of Ollie and Stan entering and leaving various doors and windows, until Stan finally rings the doorbell, alerting the butler who falls down the stairs, scaring Ollie out the door. Once again the team is back where it started. For other uses, see Slapstick (disambiguation). ... Night Owls is a 1930 Laurel and Hardy film. ... For other uses, see Butler (disambiguation). ...

Much of their comedy involves milking a joke, where a simple idea provides a basis from which to build several gags. Many of their films have extended sequences constructed around a single problem the pair is facing, without following a defined narrative. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In some cases, their comedy bordered on the surreal (Stan Laurel called it "white magic"). For example, Laurel would clench his fist and pour tobacco into it, as if it were a pipe. Then he flicked his thumb upward as if he held a cigarette lighter. His thumb would ignite, and he would matter-of-factly light his "pipe." The amazed Hardy, seeing this, would unsuccessfully attempt to duplicate it. Much later in the film Hardy would be terrified when his thumb suddenly caught fire! Unlit filtered cigarettes. ...

A famous routine the team often performed was a bizarre kind of "tit-for-tat" fight with an adversary.Typically, Laurel and Hardy accidentally damaged someone else's property. The injured party would retaliate by ruining something belonging to Laurel or Hardy, who would calmly survey the damage and find something else to vandalize. The conflict would escalate until both sides were simultaneously destroying property in front of each other. An early example of the routine occurs in their classic short, Big Business (1929), which was added to the Library of Congress as a national treasure in 1992. The word bizarre may refer to the following people or things: (Bizarre) is a word which means strange, weird, or completely out of the usual or expected. ... For Vandalism on Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Dealing with vandalism Vandalism is an act motivated by hostility to the arts and literature of a culture, or willful destruction or defacement of its built environment, construed to be in the spirit of the Germanic Vandals in their attacks on buildings of the... Big Business is a 1929 silent Laurel and Hardy comedy short subject directed by James W. Horne and supervised by Leo McCarey from a McCarey (uncredited) and H. M. Walker script. ... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ...

On-screen characterizations

The Laurel and Hardy onscreen personas are of two supremely brainless, eternally optimistic men, secure in their perpetual and impregnable innocence. Their humor is physical, but their accident-prone buffoonery is distinguished by their affable personalities and mutual devotion. They are 'children' in an adult world: a skinny-and-fat pair of life's innocent bystanders who run afoul of irate landlords, pompous citizens, angry policemen, domineering women, antagonistic customers, and apoplectic bosses. But they face the world together, no matter how disastrous the consequences, and their friendship sees them through more than 100 misadventures. If nothing else, they are gentlemen: "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy."

Laurel and Hardy had an inherent physical contrariety which was enhanced with small touches. Stan kept his hair short on the sides and back, but let it grow long on top to create a natural "fright wig" through his inveterate gesture of scratching his head at moments of shock or wonderment and simultaneously pulling up his hair. To achieve a flat-footed walk, he removed the heels from his shoes (usually Army shoes). When talking with Ollie, he would frequently look at his partner's forehead instead of his eyes, enhancing his out-of-this-world coloration.

Part of Laurel and Hardy's onscreen images called for their faces to be filmed flat, without any shadows or dramatic lighting. To invoke a traditional clown-like appearance, both comedians wore a light pancake makeup on their faces, and Roach's cameramen, such as Art Lloyd and Francis Corby, were instructed to light and film a scene so that facial lines and wrinkles would be "washed out." Art Lloyd was once quoted as saying, "Well, I'll never win an Oscar, but I'll sure please Stan Laurel." Clowning redirects here. ... Art Lloyd (Arthur Lloyd) (October 1896 - November 25, 1954) was an American cameraman and cinematographer who worked for Hal Roach Studios and filmed many of the Laurel and Hardy and Our Gang comedies. ...

Offscreen, Laurel and Hardy were quite the opposite of their movie characters: Laurel was the industrious "idea man", while Hardy was more easygoing. Although Hal Roach employed writers and directors such as H.M. Walker, Leo McCarey, James Parrott, James W. Horne, and others on Laurel and Hardy films, Laurel would rewrite entire sequences or scripts, have the cast and crew improvise on the soundstage, and meticulously review the footage for editing, often moonlighting to achieve all of these tasks. While Hardy did contribute to the routines, he was generally content to follow Laurel's lead and spent most of his free time on hobbies such as golf. Harley M. Beanie Walker (c. ... Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 - July 5, 1969) was a movie director, screenwriter and producer. ... Paul Parrott (August 2, 1898 - May 10, 1939), was an American comic actor and film director. ... Prew (December 14, 1880 - June 29, 1942) was an American Prew. ... Look up moonlighting in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Later feature films

By 1936, although the relationship between Laurel and Hardy remained strong, Laurel's dealings with producer Roach became strained amid a tangle of artistic differences. Roach insisted that his feature-length comedies should also contain musical numbers and/or subplots. (Roach always contended that if you watched any comedian for an hour at a time, "you'd be bored to hell with him.") Laurel maintained that such padding distracted from the team's comedy. Because of this friction, extended stand-off periods became common during the late 1930s, with Roach occasionally threatening to pair Hardy with someone else (he kept them under separate contracts).

Roach terminated Stan Laurel's contract in August 1938. The New York Times for August 18, 1938 reported: "Harry Langdon replaces Laurel as Hardy's partner...comedy series planned...Laurel placed under permanent suspension...Laurel was removed from the payroll when he declined to report for retakes for 'Blockheads' and for the subsequent Laurel and Hardy effort which was to have been started two weeks ago. Langdon will be teamed with Oliver Hardy in comedies. The first will be Zenobia's Infidelity," by H.C. Brunner..." is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Harry Langdon an American silent comedian who fared badly in sound films. ...

That film, Zenobia, was made with Hardy and Langdon. While the film did enjoy moderate success, it turned out to be the only pairing of Hardy and Langdon. During the dispute with Roach, Stan Laurel made alternate plans. The NY Times of Sept, 12, 1938, reported: Zenobia (also known as Elephants Never Forget (UK) and Its Spring Again) is a 1939 comedy film starring Oliver Hardy, Harry Langdon, Billie Burke, Alice Brady, James Ellison, Jean Parker, June Lang, Stepin Fetchit, and Hattie McDaniel. ...

Those films were not made, since by April of 1939 the dispute between Laurel and Roach was settled and the comedy team was again intact for further work with Roach. They made two films, A Chump at Oxford (1940) and Saps at Sea (1940), that Roach released through United Artists. Mack Sennett (1880 - 1960) Mack Sennett (January 17, 1880 â€“ November 5, 1960) was an innovator of slapstick comedy in film. ... A Chump at Oxford, directed by Alfred Goulding and released in 1940 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. ... Saps at Sea is a Laurel and Hardy film made in 1940. ... This article is about the film studio. ...

Hoping for greater artistic freedom, Laurel and Hardy split with Roach and signed with major studios 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. However, the working conditions were now completely different, as they were hired only as actors, relegated to the B-film divisions, and initially not allowed to improvise or contribute to the scripts. When the films proved popular, the studios gave the team more input, and Laurel and Hardy made a total of eight features through 1944. These films, if not the team's best, were extremely successful at the box office. Jitterbugs, released by Fox, has often been picked by critics as the best of these films. Twentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation (known from 1935 to 1985 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) is one of the six major American film studios. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... The term B-movie originally referred to a film designed to be distributed as the lower half of a double feature, often a genre film featuring cowboys, gangsters or vampires. ... Jitterbugs is a 1943 Laurel and Hardy feature film. ...

In 1941, Laurel and Hardy filmed a silent sequence as a public service for the Department of Agriculture; this footage was incorporated into the U. S. Government short The Tree In a Test Tube (1943). The duo demonstrated the uses of wood, especially as part of the war effort. The most remarkable thing about the film, narrated by MGM's Pete Smith, was that it was filmed in Kodachrome, only the second of their films to be shot in color. (There are also color home movies of Laurel and Hardy, some of which have been included in video releases of their Hal Roach films). The Tree In a Test Tube is a 1943 short film featuring Laurel and Hardy, with narration by Pete Smith. ... Pete Smith (born September 4, 1892, in New York - died January 12, 1979, in Santa Monica, California) was a film producer and narrator of short subject films from 1931 to 1955. ... Kodachrome is the trademarked name of a brand of color reversal film sold by Eastman Kodak. ...

In 1949, when Laurel was temporarily unable to work due to illness, Hardy made two solo appearances with his partner's blessings. He played the comic sidekick to John Wayne in Republic's The Fighting Kentuckian. Then, Frank Capra cast him as a racetrack gambler in an uncredited appearance in Riding High, starring Bing Crosby. For other persons named John Wayne, see John Wayne (disambiguation). ... The Fighting Kentuckian is a 1949 film starring John Wayne and Oliver Hardy. ... This article is about the film director. ... Riding High (1950) is a black and white musical racetrack film featuring Bing Crosby and directed by Frank Capra in which the songs were actually sung as the movie was being filmed instead of the customary lip-syncing to previous recordings. ... Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 â€“ October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ...

After spending the rest of the 1940s performing on stage in Europe, Laurel and Hardy made one final film together in 1950. Atoll K (also known as Utopia) was a French-Italian co-production directed by Leo Joannon, which was plagued by language barriers, production problems, and Laurel's grave health during shooting. Although the film contained some clever visual humor, its muddled storyline, bad voice dubbing, and Laurel's appalling physical appearance worked against its success. The film brought an end to Laurel and Hardy's film careers. Atoll K, released in 1950, was the final film Laurel and Hardy made as a team. ...

Final years

After Atoll K, Laurel and Hardy took several months off, so that Laurel could recuperate. Upon their return to the European stage, they undertook a successful series of public appearances in short sketches Laurel had written: "A Spot of Trouble" (in 1952) and "Birds of a Feather" (in 1953).

Laurel and Hardy returned to the United States in 1954. On December 1, 1954, the team made their only American television appearance, surprised by Ralph Edwards on his live NBC-TV program, This Is Your Life. An audible gasp came from the studio audience when the two were introduced, since — unlike Europeans — many were unaware that they were still alive and well. By the mid-1950s, partly due to the positive response from the television broadcast, the pair was renegotiating with Hal Roach for a series of NBC television specials (in color) to be called Laurel & Hardy's Fabulous Fables. However, plans for the specials were shelved, as the aging comedians suffered from declining health. is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ralph Livingstone Edwards (January 13, 1913 â€“ November 16, 2005) was a television host and producer. ... This Is Your Life was a television documentary series hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards. ... This article is about the television network. ...

In 1955, Laurel and Hardy made their final public appearance together, taking part in a BBC television program about the Grand Order of Water Rats, the British variety organization. It was titled "This is Music Hall". Laurel and Hardy provide a filmed insert during which they reminisce about their friends in British variety. They conclude the segment with thanks and a fond goodbye to their fans. Neither would have known this to be their farewell appearance, but there could have been none more appropriate. The footage is available at LaurelandHardy.org ^[3] The Grand Order of Water Rats is a United Kingdom entertainment industry charity. ...

Under doctor's orders to improve a heart condition, Hardy lost over 100 pounds in 1956. But after suffering several strokes (that some partly attribute to the rapid weight loss), he died of a major stroke on August 7, 1957. Longtime friend Bob Chatterton said Hardy weighed just 138 pounds at the end. A depressed Laurel did not attend his partner's funeral, due to his own ill health, explaining his absence with the line "Babe would understand." Had Hardy lived only a short while longer, he would have seen the triumphant return of Laurel and Hardy to movie theaters, in the Robert Youngson silent-film compilation The Golden Age of Comedy. is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Robert Youngson (November 27, 1917 â€“ April 8, 1974) was a film producer, director, and screenwriter. ...

For the remaining eight years of his life, Stan Laurel refused to perform, even turning down Stanley Kramer's offer to make a cameo in his landmark 1963 movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In 1960, Laurel was given a special Academy Award for his contributions to film comedy; he was invited to appear at the ceremonies but declined; when he received the statuette, he immediately dubbed it "Mr. Clean" since he was an avid television viewer and familiar with the popular commercials for the cleaning product. Stanley Kramer (September 29, 1913 â€“ February 19, 2001) was a Jewish-American film director and producer. ... Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is an American motion picture directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 of stolen cash by a diverse and colourful group of strangers. ...

Despite not appearing onscreen after Hardy's death, Laurel did contribute gags to several comedy filmmakers. Most of his writing was in the form of correspondence; he insisted on answering every fan letter personally, and his typewritten responses are highly prized souvenirs today. Late in life, he hosted many visitors of the new generation at his modest seaside apartment, including Dick Cavett, Jerry Lewis, and Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyke (who became a great friend of Laurel) did an imitation of Stan on his television show in 1963, which Laurel saw and wrote — much to Van Dyke's amusement — a lengthy set of "tips" to perfect the imitation. Laurel would live until 1965, surviving to see the duo's work rediscovered through television and classic film revivals. He died in Santa Monica, and is buried at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California. Richard Alva Dick Cavett (born November 19, 1936) is an Emmy-winning American television talk show host known for his conversational style and in-depth discussion of issues. ... For other persons named Jerry Lewis, see Jerry Lewis (disambiguation). ... Richard Wayne Dick Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925) is an Emmy-Award winning American actor of film, stage, and screen, comedian and dancer. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica is a coastal city located in Los Angeles County, California USA, by the Pacific Ocean, south of Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, west of Westwood, Los Angeles, and north of Venice. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

Aftermath

Posthumous revivals

After Stan Laurel's death in 1965, there were two major motion-picture tributes: Laurel and Hardy's Laughing '20s, Robert Youngson's affectionate compilation of the team's silent-film highlights; and The Great Race, a large-scale salute to slapstick that director Blake Edwards dedicated to "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy." Cover of the 2004 DVD release of The Great Race The Great Race is a 1965 semi-comical, semi-dramatic film directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Since the 1930s, the works of Laurel and Hardy have been re-released in numerous theatrical reissues, television revivals (both broadcast and cable), 16mm and 8mm home movies, feature-film compilations, and home video. When film colorization was introduced in 1983, the first film demonstrating the process was a Laurel and Hardy film.

Merchandiser Larry Harmon claimed ownership of Laurel's and Hardy's likenesses, and issued Laurel and Hardy toys and colouring books. He co-produced a series of Laurel and Hardy cartoons in 1966 with Hanna-Barbera Productions. ^[4] His animated versions of Laurel and Hardy also guest-starred in a 1972 episode of Hanna-Barbera's The New Scooby-Doo Movies. In 1999, Harmon produced a direct-to-video feature, the lackluster live-action comedy The All-New Adventures of Laurel and Hardy: For Love or Mummy, with actors Bronson Pinchot and Gailard Sartain playing the lookalike nephews of the original Laurel and Hardy, the nephews' names being Stanley Thinneus Laurel and Oliver Fatteus Hardy. ^[5] Larry Harmon (born Lawrence Weiss in 1925 in Toledo, Ohio, USA), is the longtime owner of the characters Bozo the Clown and Laurel and Hardy. ... Cartoon Network Studios, formerly known as Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ... The New Scooby-Doo Movies (sometimes called The New Scooby-Doo Comedy Movies) was the second incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. ... Bronson Alcott Pinchot (born May 20, 1959) is an American actor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Lost films

Virtually all of the Laurel and Hardy films survive, and have never gone out of circulation permanently. Three of their 106 films are considered lost, as they have not been seen in full since the 1930s. The silent Hats Off (1927) has vanished completely. The first half of Now I'll Tell One (1927) is lost and the second half has never been released on video. In the operatic Technicolor musical The Rogue Song (1930) Laurel and Hardy appear in 10 sequences, only one of which is known to exist. The Battle of the Century (1927) is the only other Laurel and Hardy film with missing content, a few minutes of footage bridging the first and second halves no longer exist. A lost film is a film which, for any of several reasons, is no longer in existence. ... Hats Off, is a short film made in 1927 by the Hal Roach Studios. ... Now Ill Tell One is a 1927 silent film starring Charley Chase and also featuring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. ... The Rogue Song is a 1930 musical romance film which tells the story of a Russian bandit who falls in love with a princess, but takes his revenge on her when her brother rapes and kills his sister. ... The Battle of the Century is a 1927 Hal Roach two-reeler starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who, although just teamed, had yet to take on their recognisible Stan and Ollie characters on a more or less permanent basis. ...

Music

The duo's famous signature tune, known variously as "The Cuckoo Song", "Ku-Ku", or "The Dance of the Cuckoos", was composed by Roach musical director Marvin Hatley as the on-the-hour chime for the Roach studio radio station. Laurel heard the tune on the station, and asked Hatley to use it as the Laurel and Hardy theme song. In Laurel's eyes, the song's melody represented Hardy's character (pompus and dramatic), while the harmony represented Laurel's own character (somewhat out of key, and only able to register two notes: "coo-coo"). The original theme, recorded by two clarinets in 1930, was re-recorded with a full orchestra in 1935. Laurel and Hardy were primarily comedy film actors. ... Thomas Marvin Hatley (April 3, 1905 - August 23, 1986) was an American film composer and musical director, best known for his work for the Hal Roach studio from 1929 until 1940. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ...

In the UK the song, "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" is the biggest posthumous hit by an artist not making No.1. It is also the first after-death success for a duo. The song made No.2 in the UK charts in December 1975.

In popular culture

The catchphrase most associated with Laurel and Hardy is almost always misquoted as "Well, that's another fine mess you've gotten me into." Ollie actually said, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." The phrase has passed into common usage and means to blame a partner for causing an avoidable problem. The phrase was first used in the The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930) and it was used later that year in the title to Another Fine Mess (1930). A variation of the phrase occurs in the Chickens Come Home (1931), when Ollie says impatiently to Stan, "Well...." with Stan replying, "Here's another nice mess I've gotten you into." The phrase is also reinterpreted in The Fixer-Uppers (1935) as "Well, here's another nice kettle of fish you pickled me in!" and in Saps at Sea (1940) as "Well, here's another nice bucket of suds you've gotten me into!" The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case is a Laurel and Hardy comedy film released in 1930. ... Another Fine Mess is a 1930 short comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. ... Chickens Come Home is a 1931 short film starring Laurel and Hardy and produced by Hal Roach. ... The Fixer Uppers is a 1935 short film starring Laurel and Hardy,directed by Charles Rogers and produced by Hal Roach. ... Saps at Sea is a Laurel and Hardy film made in 1940. ...

There are two Laurel and Hardy museums. The first in Laurel's birthplace (Ulverston, UK)^[6] and the second in Hardy's birthplace (Harlem, Georgia, USA).^[7]

In 1976 STV (Scottish Television) produced a half-hour play by Alex Norton called 'Stan's First Night' about sixteen year old Stan Jefferson's (Stan Laurel's real name) first appearance on stage at the Panopticon variety theatre in Glasgow.

In a 2005 poll, The Comedian's Comedian, the duo was voted the seventh greatest comedy act ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders, making them the most popular double act on the list.

The Sons of the Desert organization

The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known as "The Sons of the Desert", after a fraternal society in Sons of the Desert (1930). It was founded in New York in 1965 by Laurel & Hardy biographer John McCabe, with the sanction of Stan Laurel. Since the group's inception, well over 100 chapters of the organization have formed across North America, Europe and Australia. An Emmy-winning film documentary about the group, Revenge of the Sons of the Desert, has been released on DVD as part of The Laurel and Hardy Collection, Vol. 1. The Sons of the Desert is a Laurel and Hardy appreciation group started in the 1960s. ... Sons of the Desert is a 1933 film starring Laurel & Hardy, and directed by William A. Seiter. ... This article is about the state. ... John Charles McCabe III (November 14, 1920-September 27, 2005) was a Shakespearian scholar and biographer of Laurel and Hardy. ...

Bibliography

William K. Everson (b. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Scott MacGillivray (b. ... John Charles McCabe III (November 14, 1920-September 27, 2005) was a Shakespearian scholar and biographer of Laurel and Hardy. ...

Contents

Before the pairing

Stan Laurel

Oliver Hardy

History

"Stan" and "Ollie": Hal Roach years

Style of comedy and notable routines

On-screen characterizations

Later feature films

Final years

Aftermath

Posthumous revivals

Lost films

Music

In popular culture

The Sons of the Desert organization

Bibliography

See also

References

Public domain material

External links

Contents

Before the pairing GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Stan Laurel

Oliver Hardy

History

"Stan" and "Ollie": Hal Roach years

Style of comedy and notable routines

On-screen characterizations

Later feature films

Final years

Aftermath

Posthumous revivals

Lost films

Music

In popular culture

The Sons of the Desert organization

Bibliography

See also

References

Public domain material

External links

Before the pairing