For one, they amplified the nuances that made them seem the opposite of one another when it came to body structures. There were other things that helped the two create the image they did too. With those trademark bowler hats and The Cuckoo Song that became synonymous with most of their performances on screen, the two took to comedy like no other during the time. They were also the few who made the transition from the silent film era to the talkies, and in both versions, proved that they could pull off just about anything that was thrown at them. The Classical Hollywood era stood witness to some cinematic greats and Laurel and Hardy were the pioneers in their craft who chose this time to bless us with some great cinematic memories.
The Little Things That Made Them a Huge Success Instead, it was their first work on contract with Hal Roach Studios titled 45 Minutes From Hollywood that was often mentioned as the duo’s first real work. The 1921 film, although quite enjoyable, rarely sprung up in conversations, and even Stan and Oliver often mentioned how they easily forgot their first film together.
The first work that had the two stalwarts first working together was The Lucky Dog. “You could always cut to a closeup of either one, and their reaction was good for another laugh,” Hal had once said. This was when Hal first paired the duo and recalled often that all it took was one glance at them together to know that this pairing would surely work. The problem was the color of Stan’s eyes! Light blue in color, the film technology of the time just wouldn’t capture the color of Stan’s eyes right, and it was only when the panchromatic film was introduced to cinema that Stan Laurel could pop into the frame without worrying about how his eyes would turn out on screen. There was one challenge though, and this challenge prevented Hal from making Stan a part of his works for at least a year. Hal Roach had already been working with Hardy for some time when he saw Laurel’s work in vaudeville and decided that he would be a great addition to his comedic team. Despite coming from two different countries, destiny had an amazing story written out for them, and soon enough, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy would meet to play their part in it. Learning the craft of comedy by taking on odd jobs at the studios of Lubin Motion Pictures in Jacksonville, Hardy was soon the one to go to for every role from supporting ones, second banana in double acts, to even roles of the comic villain. The initial years of his work saw him being mentioned in the credits as Babe Hardy. In 1912, a chance tour to the US introduced a young Laurel to the immense potential Hollywood held for an entertainer like him, and what was only supposed to be a quick tour, turned out to be a new life in America.ĭuring the same time, Hardy was beginning to create his own name in the industry and even had an impressive list of works to his name. Laurel was in awe of everything that Fred stood for, and as Charlie Chaplin’s understudy, learned everything he could from these two stalwarts of comedy. Laurel’s first big break in entertainment came when the famous Fred Karno took him under his wings. Hardy wasn’t a novice when it came to the entertainment industry either, and the Palace Theater that he operated was even financially supported by his mother. Laurel was born to entertainers and made his debut on stage when he was not even 16 years old. While Laurel’s birth name was Arthur Stanley Jefferson, Hardy’s was Norvell Hardy. While Stan Laurel was an Englishman born in Lancashire, England in 1890, Oliver Hardy was born a couple of years later in 1892 in Harlem, Georgia, and was as American as one could be.
Two Entertainers Who Were Not Even From the Same CountryĪnd to think that they were not even from the same country! That’s true, and we’re sure not many of you even knew about this until now. The tragedies were many and despite what they led the world to believe, behind those comedic sequences were struggles and heartbreaks too. And yet, despite the happiness they spread through their works, life wasn’t always a cakewalk for these two pioneers of the black and white era of filmmaking.
Even today, all you have to do is put on one of their shows and laughter is always around the corner. The laughter they continue to deliver even after their passing is testimony to the immense talent they had as well as the unique camaraderie they shared, easily one of the elements that helped them deliver such great work. Two actors who were the kings of comedic entertainment when they were at the top of their game, Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel were arguably the most popular comedic duo the world of comedic entertainment has ever seen. The very mention of Laurel and Hardy helps us conjure hilarious images of doing what they always did best - make us laugh.
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