User:Szzuk/L&H

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Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema. Composed of thin, English-born Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and heavy, American-born Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) they became well known for their visual slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the simple and timid victim of the pompous and easily irritated Hardy.[1] They made over 100 films together, initially short films before expanding into feature length films in the 1930s. Their films include Sons of the Desert (1933), the Academy Award winning short film The Music Box (1932), Babes in Toyland (1934), and Way Out West (1937). Their catchphrase Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into! is still widely recognised.

Prior to the double act both were established actors with Laurel appearing in over 50 films and Hardy in over 250 films. Although the two comedians first worked together on the film The Lucky Dog (1921), this was a chance pairing and it wasn't until 1926, when both separately signed contracts with the Hal Roach film studio, that they began appearing in movie shorts together.[2] Laurel and Hardy officially became a team the following year for the silent short film Putting Pants on Philip (1927). The pair remained with the Roach studio until 1940, then appeared in eight "B" comedies for 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1941 to 1945.[3] Disappointed by the reduced level of creative control they had had over their films they instead concentrated on stage shows from 1946 to 1950, embarking on a music hall tour of England, Ireland and Scotland.[3] In 1950 they made their last film, a French/Italian co-production called Atoll K, before retiring from the screen. In total they appeared together in 107 films. They starred in 40 short sound films, 32 short silent films and 23 full length feature films, and made 12 guest or cameo appearances.

A common comedy routine was a tit-for-tat fight. Their silent film Big Business (1929) which includes one of these routines was added to the Library of Congress as a national treasure in 1992. Notable Laurel traits included crying like a baby while being berated by Hardy and pulling up his hair when in shock. 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.

The works of Laurel and Hardy have been re-released in numerous theatrical reissues, television revivals, 16mm and 8mm home movies, feature-film compilations, and home video since the 1930s. They were voted the seventh greatest comedy act in a 2005 UK poll by fellow comedians. The duo's signature tune, generally known "The Dance of the Cuckoos", played on the opening credits of their films. The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known as The Sons of the Desert, after a fraternal society in their film of the same name.

Before the teaming[edit]

Stan Laurel[edit]

Main article: Stan Laurel

Stan Laurel (June 16, 1890 – February 23, 1965) was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Ulverston, Lancashire, England.[4] His father, Arthur Joseph Jefferson, was a theatrical entrepreneur and theatre owner in Northern England and Scotland, who with his wife was a major force in the industry.[5] Laurel was born into a family with theatre in it's blood.[6] In 1905 the Jefferson family moved to Glasgow to be closer to their business mainstay, The Metropole Theatre,[7] with Laurel making his stage debut in a Glasgow hall called the Panoptikon, a month short of his 16th birthday.[8] Arthur Jefferson secured Laurel his first acting job with a theatrical juvenile company, Levy and Cardwell, specialising in Christmas Pantomimes.[9] In 1909 he was employed by Britain's leading comedy impressario, Fred Karno,[10] working as a supporting actor and as an understudy of Charlie Chaplin.[11] Laurel said of Karno "There was no one like him. He had no equal. His name was box-office."[12] In 1912 Laurel left England with a Fred Karno Troupe, to tour the United States of America, Laurel expected the tour to be merely a pleasant interval in his life before returning to London, however he had in actuality emigrated.[13] In 1917 Laurel was teamed with Mae Dahlberg, they worked as a double act for stage and film and were common law husband and wife.[14] Laurel made his film debut with Dahlberg in Nuts in May (1917).[15] It was while working with her that he started using the stage name Stan Laurel, changing his name legally in 1931.[16] Dahlberg held Laurel's career back because she demanded parts in Laurel's films and her tempestous nature made her difficult to work with, dressing room arguments between the two were common, so film producer Joe Rock paid her to leave Laurel and return to her native Australia.[17] In 1925 Laurel joined the Hal Roach film studio as a director and writer and between May 1925 and September 1926 he was credited in atleast 22 films.[18] Laurel starred in over 50 films for various producers before teaming up with Hardy.[19] However without Hardy he experienced only modest success because it was difficult for producers, writers and directors to figure out what character he might be playing, and American audiences knew him either as a "Nutty burglar" or as a Charlie Chaplin imitator.[20]

Oliver Hardy[edit]

Main article: Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy (January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was born Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia.[21] As a tribute to his father (who died when Norvell was very young), he took his father's first name (although not legally), henceforth calling himself "Oliver Norvell Hardy." His offscreen nicknames were "Ollie" and "Babe." Hardy's nickname "Babe" originated during his (pre-Laurel) early silent film career. Hardy was a frequent visitor to an Italian barbershop near the Lubin Studios in Jacksonville, Florida where he worked. After cutting his hair and giving him a shave, the barber would then pat his face with talcum powder whilst saying, "That's nice a baby!" With the barber's Italian accent, "baby" sounded like "Babe." That nickname stuck with Hardy for the rest of his life. Hardy was billed as "Babe Hardy" in his early films.[22]

By his late teens, Hardy was a popular stage singer, and he operated his own movie house in Milledgeville, Georgia, the Palace Theater, financed partially by his mother.[23] Seeing film comedies inspired him with an urge to take up comedy himself and in 1913, he began working with Lubin Motion Pictures in Jacksonville, Florida. He started out by helping around the studio with lights, props and other duties, gradually learning the craft as a script-clerk.[23] Around the same time, he married his first wife, Madelyn Salosihn.[24]

In 1914, Babe acted in his first film called Outwitting Dad.[22] Between 1914 and 1916, Babe made 177 shorts with the Vim Comedy Company, which were released up to the end of 1917.[25] Exhibiting a versatility in playing heroes, villains and even female characters, Hardy became much in demand as a supporting actor, comic villain or second banana. For the next 10 years he memorably assisted star comics Billy West, a Charlie Chaplin imitator, Jimmy Aubrey, Larry Semon and Charley Chase.[26] In total, Hardy starred or co-starred in more than 250 silent shorts, about 150 of which have been lost. While in New York, his abortive effort to enlist in 1917 led him and his wife, Madelyn, to seek new opportunities in California.[27]

Films together before the teaming[edit]

Laurel and Hardy appeared for the first time together in The Lucky Dog (1921).

Laurel and Hardy appeared in 9 silent films together before officially becoming a team.[28] Their first film together was The Lucky Dog (1921), the exact date the film was produced isn't recorded, however film historian Bo Bergulund dated it between late 1920 and January 1921.[29] The plot sees Laurel befriended by a stray dog who after a number of lucky escapes saves Laurel from being blown up by a stick of dynamite while Hardy was a mugger attempting to rob Laurel.[30] It was a chance pairing of two separate performers and the association was so casual that they gave interviews in the 1930s in which they had both forgotten it entirely.[31] In 1925 both Laurel and Hardy had separately joined the Hal Roach film studio. Laurel as a film director and comedy writer and Hardy as a supporting actor, the following year Roach was relaunched his operation under the heading of 'All Star Comedies' which involved long term contracts for his regulars including Laurel and Hardy. [32] His intention was to create a new star[33]

They next appeared in 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926).[34] Their third film was Duck Soup (1927), their film supervisor Leo McCarey would re-use the film title in the classic Marx Brothers film Duck Soup (1933). [35] laurel was started as a director by F. Richard "Dick" Jones[36]

History[edit]

Teamed together for silent films[edit]

Laurel speaking to John McCabe said "Of all the questions we're asked, the most frequent is how did we come together? I always explain that we just came together naturally."[37] Laurel and Hardy were joined by accident and grew by indirection.[38] In 1926 both were part of the Roach Comedy All Stars, this was a group of actors of similar standing who took part in a series of films, quite uniwittingly their parts became larger and the parts of their fellow stars became less because they were the best actors.[39] The teaming was suggested by Leo McCarey who was their supervising director between 1927-1930, during this period McCarey and Laurel jointly devised the team's format.[40] After the teaming they played the same characters for 30 years.[41] Laurel was

By 1929 Laurel was the head writer, the writing sessions were gleeful chaos, Stan had three or four writers who joined him in a perpetual game of 'Can You Top This?'[42] As Laurel so obviously relished writing gags, Hardy was more than happy to leave the job to his partner.[43] Laurel was also the uncredited film director, he ran the Laurel and Hardy set no matter who was in the director's chair, but never felt compelled to assert his authority. Roach remarked "Laurel bossed the production. With any director if Laurel said 'I don't like this idea,' the director didn't say 'Well, you're going to do it anyway.' That was understood."[44] As Laurel made so many suggestions there wasn't much left for the credited director to do.</ref>Skretvedt 1987 p. 61</ref>

Hal Roach was the most imortant person character in their film careers, he brought them together officially as a team and paid their wage for over 20 years.[45] Charley Rogers worked closely with the three men for many years and said "It could not have happened if Laurel, Hardy and Roach had not met at the right place and at the right time.[46] Their first "official" film together was Putting Pants on Philip (1927).[47] The plot sees Laurel as Philip a young Scottish man newly arrive in the United States in full Kilted splendour, after various mishaps surrounding the kilt his uncle played by Hardy tries to put him in trousers.[48] Of all their films Big Business (1929) despite having no sound is by far the most consistently acclaimed, even moreso than the academy award winning The Music Box (1932)[49]

although their first appearance as the now familiar "Stan and Ollie" characters was The Second Hundred Years (June 1927).[50]

Talking films[edit]

Laurel and Hardy in The Flying Deuces (1939)

Laurel and Hardy's first starring feature film was Pardon Us (1931).[51] The most memorable Laurel and Hardy film is The Music Box (1932), the image of the duo forever pushing a piano up a tremendous flight of steps has stuck in the public consciousness.[52] The film won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Subject in 1932.[53] While many enthusiasts claim the superiority of The Music Box, their silent film Big Business (1929) is by far the most consistently acclaimed.[54] The plot sees Laurel and Hardy as Christmas tree salesman involved in a classic Tit for Tat battle with James Finlayson.[55] Big Business was added to the Library of Congress in the United States as a national treasure in 1992. Sons of the Desert (1933) is considered Laurel and Hardy's best feature film.[56]

In 1929 the silent era of film was coming to an end and most silent-film actors saw their careers decline with the advent of sound.[57] Silent film actors failed to make the transition because they decided their prime duty was to tell stories in words, and they misused sound through over-emphasis or there was poor recording. Laurel and Hardy avoided this pitfall because they decided to continue making primarly visual films, they did not ignore sound but they were not ruled by it.[58] They proved skillful in their melding of visual and verbal humor,[59] and made a seemless transition to the talking era in their first sound film Unaccustomed As We Are (1929). The title took it's name from the familiar phrase "Unaccustomed as we are to public speaking".[60] In the opening dialogue Laurel and Hardy began by spoofing the very slow and self conscious speech of the early talking actors, a routine they would use regularly.[61]

They appeared for the first time in a feature film 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 (1930). 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) and Sons of the Desert (1933). [2] Their classic short The Music Box, released in 1932, won the first Academy Award for Best Short Subject, (Comedy).[62]

The popularity of the double feature diminished the demand for short subjects and 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).

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,[63] he was generally content to follow Laurel's lead and spent most of his free time on hobbies such as golf.

Babes in Toyland (1934) retains a timeless appeal and remains a perennial on American T.V. at Christmas.[64] Hal Roach spoke scathingly about the film and Laurel's behavior during it's making. Laurel was unhappy with Roach's plot and after an argument was allowed to make the film his own way. The rift permanently damaged Roach-Laurel relations to the point that Roach claimed that after Toyland he no longer wished to produce Laurel and Hardy films, although their association continued for another 6 years. [65]


By 1936, although the relationship between Laurel and Hardy remained strong, Laurel's dealings with producer Roach were strained amid a tangle of artistic differences. Roach insisted that his feature-length comedies should also contain musical numbers and/or subplots. 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 threatening to pair Hardy with someone else. Laurel countered Roach's announcement in October 1938 by announcing he had signed for Roach's old rival Mack Sennett to star in comedy features for his new Sennett Pictures Corporation Studio.Those films were not made, since by April 1939, the dispute between Laurel and Roach was settled and the comedy team was again reunited for further work with Roach. They made two more films for Roach, A Chump at Oxford (filmed in 1939, released 1940) and Saps at Sea (1940). Both of these films were released through United Artists, as Roach's distribution arrangement with MGM had ended in 1938. As their new agreement with Roach was non-exclusive, Laurel and Hardy also starred in The Flying Deuces (1939), a feature-length remake of Beau Hunks (1931) produced and released by RKO Radio Pictures.

A number of their films were reshot with Laurel and Hardy talking in Spanish, Italian, French or German.[66] The plots for these films were similar to the English language version although the supporting cast were often native language actors. Laurel and Hardy couldn't speak a foreign language and they received voice coaching to reproduce their lines. Pardon Us (1931) was reshot in all four foreign languages. Blotto (1930), Chickens Come Home (1931) and Below Zero (1930) had a French and Spanish version.

The duo's "Cuckoo" theme tune was composed by Roach musical director Marvin Hatley as the on-the-hour chime for the Roach studio radio station.[67] Generally known as "The Dance of the Cuckoos" it was copyrighted with the name "Ku Ku" and was first heard on the opening credits for Blotto (1930) and the Spanish version of Night Owls (1930)[68] 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 (pompous 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's English accent and Hardy's Southern American accent and singing brought new dimensions to their characters.[69]

Later feature films[edit]

In 1940 Laurel and Hardy left the Hal ROach film studio why?. Between 1941 and 1945 they made 6 feature films for 20th Century Fox and 2 for MGM, Laurel's relations with 20th Century executives were particularly bad[70] because they refused to let Laurel and Hardy use their usual characters, instead they had to act character parts given to them, consequently the films went from bad to worse.[71] Laurel and Hardy's two films with MGM were similar, Laurel speaking to John McCabe said "We had no say in those films and it sure looked it. So we gave up the ghost."[72] I can't tell you how much it hurt me to do those picutres, and how ashamed I am of them."[73]

Laurel and Hardy made one final film together Atoll K (1951), it was a French and Italian co-production directed by Leo Joannon, which was plagued by language barriers, production problems, and both Laurel and Hardy's grave health issues during shooting, Hardy began to lose weight precipitously and developed an irregular heartbeat while Laurel experienced painful prostate complications.[74] Critics were disappointed with its storyline, English dubbing, and Laurel's sickly physical appearance.[75] The film was not a success, and brought an end to Laurel and Hardy's film careers.[74]

Final years[edit]

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).[76]

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. Lured to the Knickerbocker Hotel as a subterfuge for a business meeting with producer Bernard Delfont, the doors opened to their suite #205, flooding the room with light and the voice of Ralph Edwards. The telecast was preserved on a kinescope and later released on home video. Partly due to the positive response from the television broadcast, the pair was renegotiating with Hal Roach Jr. for a series of color NBC television specials to be called Laurel and Hardy's Fabulous Fables. However, plans for the specials were shelved, as the aging comedians suffered from declining health. [76]

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, titled This is Music Hall. Laurel and Hardy provide a filmed insert during which they reminisce about their friends in British variety. They made their final appearance on camera in 1956 in a home movie titled "One Moment Please". The film was shot by a family friend at Stan's home, it is without audio and lasts three minutes.

Under doctor's orders to improve a heart condition, Hardy lost over 100 pounds (45 kg; 7.1 st) in 1956. Several strokes resulted in loss of mobility and speech. He died of a major stroke on August 7, 1957. Longtime friend Bob Chatterton said Hardy weighed just 138 pounds (63 kg; 9.9 st) at the time of his death. Hardy was laid to rest at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood.[77]

Just after Hardy's death, Laurel and Hardy returned to movie theaters, as clips of their work were featured in Robert Youngson's silent-film compilation The Golden Age of Comedy. 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. 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. Late in life, he hosted many visitors of the new generation of comedians and celebrities, including Dick Cavett, Jerry Lewis, Peter Sellers, Marcel Marceau and Dick Van Dyke. Laurel lived until 1965, surviving to see the duo's work rediscovered through television and classic film revivals. He died on February 23 in Santa Monica, and is buried at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California.[78]

Style of comedy[edit]

The humor of Laurel and Hardy was generally visual with slapstick used for emphasis. They often had physical arguments with each other, which were quite complex and involved cartoon violence and their characters preclude them from making any real progress in even the simplest endeavors. Much of their comedy involves milking a joke, where a simple idea provides a basis from which to build several gags without following a defined narrative.

Laurel and Hardy had an inherent physical contrariety, Stan Laurel was of average height and weight, but appeared small and slight next to Oliver Hardy, who was 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall[75] and weighed about 280 lb (127 kg) in his prime. Laurel kept his hair short on the sides and back, but let it grow long on top to create a natural "fright wig". At times of shock he would simultaneously cry while pulling up his hair. In contrast, Hardy's thinning hair was pasted on his forehead in spit curls and he wore a toothbrush moustache. To achieve a flat-footed walk, Laurel removed the heels from his shoes. Both wore Bowler hats, with Laurel's being narrower than Hardy's, and with a flattened brim. The characters' normal attire also called for wing collar shirts, with Hardy wearing a standard neck tie which he would twiddle and Laurel a bow tie. Hardy's sports jacket was too small for him and done up with one straining button, whereas Laurel's double breasted jacket was loose fitting.

A common routine the team often performed was a "tit-for-tat" fight with an adversary. This could be their wives often played by Mae Busch, Anita Garvin and Daphne Pollard or with a neighbour, often played by Charlie Hall or James Finlayson. Laurel and Hardy would accidentally damage someone else's property, with the injured party retaliating 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, and one of their short films, which revolves entirely around such an altercation, was titled Tit for Tat (1935).

In some cases, their comedy bordered on the surreal, a style Stan Laurel called "white magic." [79] For example, in Way Out West (1937), Laurel clenches his fist and pours tobacco into it, as if it were a pipe. Then, he flicks his thumb upward as if he held a lighter. His thumb ignites, and he matter-of-factly lights his "pipe." The amazed Hardy, seeing this, would unsuccessfully attempt to duplicate it throughout the rest of the film. Much later in the film, Hardy finally succeeds - only to be terrified when his thumb catches fire.

Rather than showing Hardy suffering the pain of misfortunes such as falling down stairs or being beaten by a thug, banging and crashing sound effects were often used so the audience could visualize the scene for themselves. Hardy often looked directly at the camera, breaking the fourth wall, to express his frustration with Laurel to the film audience.

Offscreen, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were quite the opposite of their movie characters: Laurel was the industrious "idea man," while Hardy was more easygoing.[63]

Why Girls Love Sailors was a significant film for Hardy because it gave him two of his most enduring trademarks. The first was his "tie-twiddle" to demonstrate embarassment, Hardy while acting had been met with a pail of water in the face, he said "I had been expecting it but I didn't expect it at that particular moment. It threw me mentally and I couldn't think what to do next so I waved the tie in a kind of tiddly-widdly fashion to show embarrassment while trying to look friendly." [80] His second trademark was the "camera look" in which he breaks the fourth wall, Hardy said "I had to become exasperated, so I just stared right into the camera and registered my disgust"[81]

Influence and legacy[edit]

Silhouette portrait of the duo in Redcar, England

Catchphrases[edit]

The catchphrase most used by Laurel and Hardy on film is:

The phrase was first used in The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930).[82] In popular culture the catchphrase is often misquoted as "Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten me into." The misquoted version of the phrase was never used by Ollie on film; the misunderstanding stems from the title of their film Another Fine Mess (1930).[83] Numerous variations of the quote appeared on film. In Chickens Come Home (1931), Ollie says impatiently to Stan, "Well...." with Stan replying, "Here's another nice mess I've gotten you into." In Thicker than Water (1935), the phrase becomes "Well, here's another nice kettle of fish you pickled me in!". In Saps at Sea (1940) it becomes "Well, here's another nice bucket of suds you've gotten me into!".[84]

The Sons of the Desert[edit]

Main article: The Sons of the Desert

The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known as The Sons of the Desert, after a fraternal society in their film Sons of the Desert (1933).[85] It was conceived by Laurel and Hardy's official biographer John McCabe, who wrote the society's tongue in cheek constitution, and created with the full blessing of Laurel. The first meeting of The Sons of the Desert took place in New York City in 1965 with the founding members McCabe, Orson Bean, Al Kilgore, Chuck McCann and John Municino. Since the societies creation, individual branches known as "Tents" have formed around the world. The tents often take their name from one of Laurel and Hardy's films with members of each tent known as "Sons".[86]

Posthumous revivals[edit]

Since the 1930s, the works of Laurel and Hardy have been re-released in numerous theatrical reissues, television revivals (broadcast, especially public television, and cable), 16mm and 8mm home movies, feature-film compilations, and home video. After Stan Laurel's death in 1965, there were two major motion-picture tributes: Laurel and Hardy's Laughing '20s, Robert Youngson's compilation of the team's silent-film highlights; and The Great Race, a large-scale salute to slapstick which director Blake Edwards dedicated to "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy." For many years the duo were impersonated by Jim MacGeorge (as Laurel) and Chuck McCann (as Hardy) in children's TV shows and television commercials for various products.[87]

There are two Laurel and Hardy museums, one in Laurel's birthplace, Ulverston, United Kingdom,[88] and the other in Hardy's birthplace, Harlem, Georgia, United States [89]

Based on a 2005 poll of the top 50 comedians featured in The Comedian's Comedian, a TV documentary broadcast on UK's Channel 4 on January 1, 2005, 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.[citation needed]

Numerous colorized versions of copyright-free Laurel and Hardy features and shorts have been reproduced by a multitude of production studios. Although the results of adding color were often in dispute, many of the popular titles are currently only available in the colorized version. The color process often renders the print into an "unwatchable" state, while some scenes were altered or deleted, dependent on the source material used.[90]

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.[91]

Most 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.[92] 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 yet to be 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 along with the complete soundtrack. [93]

A compilation of songs from their films titled Trail of the Lonesome Pine was released in 1975. The title track was released as a single in the UK and reached #2 in the charts.

Filmographies[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ "Laurel and Hardy". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  2. ^ a b Smith 1984, p. 24.
  3. ^ a b McGarry 1992, p. 67.
  4. ^ Louvish 2002, p. 11
  5. ^ Louvish 2002, p. 14
  6. ^ Louvish 2002, p.12
  7. ^ Louvis 2002, p. 22
  8. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 200
  9. ^ Louvish 2002, p. 25
  10. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 159
  11. ^ Louvish 2001, p. 18.
  12. ^ McCabe an affectionate biography 1987 p. 26
  13. ^ McCabe: An Affectionate Biography 1987 p. 42-43
  14. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 169
  15. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 158
  16. ^ Louvish 2002 p. 113.
  17. ^ Louvish 2002 p. 170
  18. ^ Louvish 2002 p. 182
  19. ^ McCabe:Affectionate Biography 1987. p. 249
  20. ^ Louvish, 2002. p. 117
  21. ^ Louvish 2001, p. 37.
  22. ^ a b McCabe 1989, p. 19.
  23. ^ a b Bergen 1992, p. 26.
  24. ^ Everson 2000, p. 22.
  25. ^ McCabe 1989, p. 30.
  26. ^ Louvish 2001, pp. 107–108.
  27. ^ McCabe 1989, p. 32.
  28. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 330
  29. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 181
  30. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 180
  31. ^ Barr, p.9.
  32. ^ louvish 2002, p. 184
  33. ^ McCabe:An Affectionate Biography 1987, p. 118
  34. ^ Gehring 1990, p. 273.
  35. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 96
  36. ^ McCabe Affectionate biography 1987 p. 106
  37. ^ McCabe: An affectionate biography. 1987 p. 117
  38. ^ McCabe:Affectionate biography 1987 p. 118
  39. ^ McCabe:Affectionate biography 1987 p. 120
  40. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 188
  41. ^ Skretvedt 1987. p. 54
  42. ^ Skretvedt 1987, p. 50
  43. ^ Skretvedt 1987, p. 52
  44. ^ Skretvedt 1987 p. 59-61
  45. ^ McCabe: An Affectionate Biography. 1987 p. 98
  46. ^ McCabe : An Affectionate Biography p. 100
  47. ^ Gehring 1990, p. 62.
  48. ^ Mitvhell 2010, p. 229
  49. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 39
  50. ^ Gehring 1990, p. 32.
  51. ^ Gehring 1990, p.23.
  52. ^ Skretvedt 1987 p. 230
  53. ^ McCabe The Comedy World of Stan Laurel 2004, p. 73.
  54. ^ Mitchell 2010 p.39
  55. ^ Mitchell 2010, p.38
  56. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 268
  57. ^ Sagert 2010, p. 40.
  58. ^ McCabe :Affectionate Biography 1987, p. 153
  59. ^ Gehring 1990, p. 42.
  60. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 305
  61. ^ Louvish 2002, p. 252
  62. ^ McCabe The Comedy World of Stan Laurel 2004, p. 73.
  63. ^ a b Gehring 1990, p. 5.
  64. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 27.
  65. ^ Mitchell 2010, p. 28.
  66. ^ Fullerton, Pat. "Laurel & Hardy Overseas." patfullerton.com. Retrieved: April 20, 2011.
  67. ^ Louvish 2001, p. 267.
  68. ^ Mitchell 2010 p.197.
  69. ^ Gehring 1990, p. 41.
  70. ^ McCabe An Affectionate Biography 1987, p. 238
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  74. ^ a b McGarry 1992, p. 73.
  75. ^ a b Mitchell, Glenn. The Laurel & Hardy Encyclopedia. London: Batsford, 1995. ISBN 978-0-7134-7711-5.
  76. ^ a b McCabe 1975, p. 398.
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  86. ^ Mitchell 2010 p. 269
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  89. ^ Root, Robin. "Laurel and Hardy Museum and Harlem, Georgia Visitor Info Center." www.laurelandhardymuseum Retrieved: March 1, 2010.
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  91. ^ Krurer, Ron. "Laurel and Hardy cartoons by Hanna-Barbera." toontracker.com. Retrieved: March 1, 2010.
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  93. ^ Haines 1993, p. 13.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Andrews, Robert, Famous Lines: A Columbia Dictionary of Familiar Quotations. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997. ISBN 978-0-231-10218-6.
  • Barr, Charles "Laurel & Hardy". Movie Paperbacks Caifornia, 1967.
  • Bergen, Ronald. The Life and Times of Laurel and Hardy. New York: Smithmark, 1992. ISBN 978-0-8317-5459-4.
  • Everson, William K. The Complete Films of Laurel and Hardy. New York: Citadel, 2000, First edition 1967. ISBN 978-0-8065-0146-8.
  • Gehring, Wes D. Laurel & Hardy: A Bio-Bibliography. Burnham Bucks, UK: Greenwood Press, 1990. ISBN 978-0-313-25172-6.
  • Haines, Richard W. Technicolor Movies: The History of Dye Transfer Printing. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1993. ISBN 978-0-89950-856-6.
  • Lanes, Selma G. The Art of Maurice Sendak. New York: Harry N. Abrams; 2nd revised edition, 1998, first edition, 1980. ISBN 978-0-8109-8063-1.
  • Louvish, Simon. Stan and Ollie: The Roots of Comedy. London: Faber & Faber, 2001. ISBN 978-0-571-21590-4.
  • McCabe, John with Al Kilgore and Richard W. Bann. Laurel & Hardy. New York: Bonanza Books, 1983, First edition 1975, E.P. Dutton. ISBN 978-0-491-01745-9.
  • McCabe, John. The Comedy World of Stan Laurel. New York: Robson Press, 2004, First edition 1974, Doubleday & Co. ISBN 978-0-940410-23-7.
  • McCabe, John. Mr laurel and Mr Hardy: An affectionate biography Robson Books Ltd U.K. First edition 1976. ISBN 0-86051-327-0.
  • McGarry, Annie. Laurel & Hardy. London: Bison Group, 1992. ISBN 978-0-86124-776-9.
  • Mitchell, Glenn. The Laurel & Hardy Encyclopedia. New York: Batsford, 2010, First edition 1995. ISBN 978-1905287710.
  • Sagert, Kelly Boyer. Flappers: A Guide to an American Subculture. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 2010. ISBN 978-0313-37690-0.
  • Smith, Leon. Following the Comedy Trail: A Guide to Laurel & Hardy and Our Gang Film Locations. Littleton, Massachusetts: G.J. Enterprises, 1984. ISBN 978-0938817055.

External links[edit]

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