Chaplin might have been the greatest comedian, Keaton the most inventive, Lloyd the most exciting but it is unlikely any of them delivered as much laughter and genuine love as Laurel and Hardy. It is not surprising that in the midst of war Stalin and Churchill were fond of screening their comedies. Their secret was the dignity with which they faced life, grown up children yes but dignified in their genuine regard for each other. Stan and Ollie were a unified whole in every picture unlike other comedy teams who often swindled each other.

They were both excellent actors and although Ollie was the nominal straight man he was so much more than that, often he delivered as many laughs as Stan with his classic "camera looks" of exasperation that any human being could be so dumb !


Stan Laurel born Arthur Stanley Jefferson came from an English Music Hall background (he was Charlie Chaplin's understudy in a Music Hall act which came to the US in 1910). Stan found little success as an individual silent comedian and before he teamed with Ollie was beginning to think gag-writing and direction was more his forte. Oliver "Babe" Hardy was in great demand in the silent era as a comedy heavy working for Chaplin imitator Billy West and Larry Semon.

By the mid 20s both men were under contract to Hal Roach studios. They began appearing together in supporting roles in several films and a chemistry began to build. The contrast between them was obvious and director Leo McCarey encouraged the growth of Laurel and Hardy into a team. It took them perhaps a couple of years to solidify those dumb but dignified characters but they made several excellent silent shorts including : The Battle of the Century (1927), You're Darn Tootin' (1928), Two Tars (1928) and Big Business (1929).

Their first talkie Unaccustomed As We Are (1929) revealed that their voices were perfect. Sound gave new reality to their world of crooked policemen and nagging wives. The early 30s represented the peak of their careers with a succession of classic shorts : Hog Wild (1930), Laughing Gravy (1931), Helpmates (1931), The Music Box (1932) and Towed In A Hole (1932).

Stan later believed they never should have made feature films but film economics made it a necessity. The features haven't lasted as well as the shorts but they are still entertaining and they made two practically flawless ones : Sons of the Desert (1933) and Way Out West (1937).

After Saps at Sea (1940) the team left Roach, Stan had contract disputes with Hal dating back to 1934 but Roach at least gave them creative freedom, meaning they could portray the characters pretty much as they liked. This changed when they worked at the factories of 20th Century Fox and M-G-M in the Forties where studio writers reduced Stan and Ollie to mindless cretins in need of medical attention. They toured the music halls of Europe in the late Forties and early Fifties, making one final film in France, the completely forgettable Atoll K (1951).
Despite the fact they hadn't made any great films since the Thirties the Boys were cheered wherever they went. Worldwide fans had a chance to give them a final farewell. Thankfully Laurel and Hardy films are still shown regularly on TV at least in the UK allowing new generations to discover the magic of their work.


FILMOGRAPHY

1921    A LUCKY DOG (short)    isolated, fortuitous co-appearance in same film
1926    45 MINUTES FROM HOLLYWOOD (short)    joint appearance but not as a team
1927    THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (short)    performer
1927    CALL OF THE CUCKOOS (short)    performer
1927    DO DETECTIVES THINK? (short)    performer
1927    DUCK SOUP (short)    performer
1927    HATS OFF (short)    performer
1927    LOVE 'EM AND WEEP (short)    performer
1927    PUTTING PANTS ON PHILIP (short)    performer
1927    SAILORS, BEWARE! (short)    performer
1927    THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS (short)    performer
1927    SLIPPING WIVES (short)    performer
1927    SUGAR DADDIES (short)    performer
1927    WHY GIRLS LOVE SAILORS (short)    performer
1927    WITH LOVE AND HISSES (short)    performer
1928    THE FINISHING TOUCH (short)    performer
1928    FLYING ELEPHANTS (short)    performer
1928    FROM SOUP TO NUTS (short)    performer
1928    HABEAS CORPUS (short)    performer
1928    LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING (short)    performer
1928    SHOULD MARRIED MEN GO HOME? (short)    performer
1928    THEIR PURPLE MOMENT (short)    performer
1928    TWO TARS (short)    performer
1928    WE FAW DOWN (short)    performer
1928    YOU'RE DARN TOOTIN' (short)    performer
1929    ANGORA LOVE (short)    performer
1929    BACON GRABBERS (short)    performer
1929    BERTH MARKS (short)    performer
1929    BIG BUSINESS (short)    performer
1929    DOUBLE WHOOPEE (short)    performer
1929    THE HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929 (feature)    performer
1929    THE HOOSE-GOW (short)    performer
1929    LIBERTY (short)    performer
1929    MEN O' WAR (short)    performer
1929    PERFECT DAY (short)    performer
1929    THAT'S MY WIFE (short)    performer
1929    THEY GO BOOM (short)    performer
1929    UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE (short)    first talkie
1929    WRONG AGAIN (short)    performer
1930    ANOTHER FINE MESS (short)    performer
1930    BELOW ZERO (short)    performer
1930    BLOTTO (short)    performer
1930    BRATS (short)    performer
1930    HOG WILD (short)    performer
1930    THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE (short)    performer
1930    NIGHT OWLS (short)    performer
1930    THE ROGUE SONG (feature)    performer
1931    BE BIG (short)    performer
1931    BEAU HUNKS (short)    performer
1931    CHICKENS COME HOME (short)    performer
1931    COME CLEAN (short)    performer
1931    LAUGHING GRAVY (short)    performer
1931    ON THE LOOSE (short)    cameos
1931    ONE GOOD TURN (short)    performer
1931    OUR WIFE (short)    performer
1931    PARDON US (feature)    performer
1931    THE STOLEN JOOLS (promotional short)    cameo appearances
1932    ANY OLD PORT (short)    performer
1932    THE CHIMP (short)    performer
1932    COUNTY HOSPITAL (short)    performer
1932    HELPMATES (short)    performer
1932    THE MUSIC BOX (short)    performer
1932    PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES (feature)    performer
1932    SCRAM! (short)    performer
1932    THEIR FIRST MISTAKE (short)    performer
1932    TOWED IN A HOLE (short)    performer
1933    BUSY BODIES (short)    performer
1933    THE DEVIL'S BROTHER/ FRA DIAVOLO/BOGUS BANDITS (feature)    performer
1933    DIRTY WORK (short)    performer
1933    ME AND MY PAL (short)    performer
1933    THE MIDNIGHT PATROL (short)    performer
1933    SONS OF THE DESERT (feature)    performer
1933    TWICE TWO (short)    performer
1933    WILD POSES (short)    cameos in "Our Gang" comedy
1934    BABES IN TOYLAND/ MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS (feature)    performer
1934    GOING BYE-BYE! (short)    performer
1934    HOLLYWOOD PARTY (feature)    performer
1934    THE LIVE GHOST (short)    performer
1934    OLIVER THE EIGHTH (short)    performer
1934    THEM THAR HILLS (short)    performer
1935    BONNIE SCOTLAND (feature)    performer
1935    THE FIXER UPPERS (short)    performer
1935    THICKER THAN WATER (short)    performer
1935    TIT FOR TAT (short)    performer
1936    THE BOHEMIAN GIRL (feature)    performer
1936    ON THE WRONG TREK (short)    cameos in Charlie Chase comedy
1936    OUR RELATIONS (feature)    also produced by Laurel
1937    PICK A STAR/ MOVIE STRUCK (feature)    performer
1937    WAY OUT WEST (feature)    also produced by Laurel
1938    BLOCK-HEADS (feature)    performer
1938    SWISS MISS (feature)    performer
1939    THE FLYING DEUCES/ FLYING ACES (feature) performer
1940    A CHUMP AT OXFORD (feature)    performer
1940    SAPS AT SEA (feature)    performer
1941    GREAT GUNS (feature)    performer
1942    A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO (feature)    performer
1943    AIR RAID WARDENS (feature)    performer
1943    THE DANCING MASTERS (feature)    performer
1943    JITTERBUGS (feature)    performer
1943    THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE (Forest Service documentary short)    performer
1944    THE BIG NOISE (feature)    performer
1944    NOTHING BUT TROUBLE (feature)    performer
1945    THE BULLFIGHTERS (feature)    performer
1950    UTOPIA/ ATOLL K/ROBINSON CRUSOELAND (feature)    performer