Laurel and Hardy were a comedy duo act during the early Classical
Hollywood era of American cinema. The team was composed of Englishman
Stan Laurel (1890â€"1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892â€"1957).
They became well known during the late 1920s to the mid-1940s for
their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy and childlike
friend of the pompous bully Hardy. The duo's signature tune is known
variously as "The Cuckoo Song", "Ku-Ku", or "The Dance of the
Cuckoos". It was played over the opening credits of their films and
has become as emblematic of the duo as their bowler hats.Prior to
emerging as a team, both actors had well-established film careers.
Laurel had appeared in over 50 films as an actor (while also working
as a writer and director), while Hardy had been in more than 250
productions. The two comedians had previously worked together as cast
members on the film The Lucky Dog in 1921. However, they were not a
comedy team at that time and it was not until 1926 that they appeared
in a short film together, when both separately signed contracts with
the Hal Roach film studio. Laurel and Hardy officially became a team
in 1927 when they appeared together in the silent short film Putting
Pants on Philip. They remained with the Roach studio until 1940 and
then appeared in eight B movie comedies for 20th Century Fox and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1941 to 1945. After finishing their film
commitments at the end of 1944, they concentrated on performing in
stage shows and embarked on a music hall tour of England, Ireland, and
Scotland. They made their last film in 1950, a French-Italian
co-production called Atoll K.They appeared as a team in 107 films,
starring in 32 short silent films, 40 short sound films, and 23
full-length feature films. They also made 12 guest or cameo
appearances, including the Galaxy of Stars promotional film of 1936.
On December 1, 1954, the pair made their one American television
appearance, when they were surprised and interviewed by Ralph Edwards
on his live NBC-TV program This Is Your Life. Since the 1930s, the
works of Laurel and Hardy have been released in numerous theatrical
reissues, television revivals, 8-mm and 16-mm home movies,
feature-film compilations, and home videos. In 2005, they were voted
the seventh-greatest comedy act of all time by a UK poll of fellow
comedians. The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known
as The Sons of the Desert, named after a fictitious fraternal society
featured in the film of the same name.
Hollywood era of American cinema. The team was composed of Englishman
Stan Laurel (1890â€"1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892â€"1957).
They became well known during the late 1920s to the mid-1940s for
their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy and childlike
friend of the pompous bully Hardy. The duo's signature tune is known
variously as "The Cuckoo Song", "Ku-Ku", or "The Dance of the
Cuckoos". It was played over the opening credits of their films and
has become as emblematic of the duo as their bowler hats.Prior to
emerging as a team, both actors had well-established film careers.
Laurel had appeared in over 50 films as an actor (while also working
as a writer and director), while Hardy had been in more than 250
productions. The two comedians had previously worked together as cast
members on the film The Lucky Dog in 1921. However, they were not a
comedy team at that time and it was not until 1926 that they appeared
in a short film together, when both separately signed contracts with
the Hal Roach film studio. Laurel and Hardy officially became a team
in 1927 when they appeared together in the silent short film Putting
Pants on Philip. They remained with the Roach studio until 1940 and
then appeared in eight B movie comedies for 20th Century Fox and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1941 to 1945. After finishing their film
commitments at the end of 1944, they concentrated on performing in
stage shows and embarked on a music hall tour of England, Ireland, and
Scotland. They made their last film in 1950, a French-Italian
co-production called Atoll K.They appeared as a team in 107 films,
starring in 32 short silent films, 40 short sound films, and 23
full-length feature films. They also made 12 guest or cameo
appearances, including the Galaxy of Stars promotional film of 1936.
On December 1, 1954, the pair made their one American television
appearance, when they were surprised and interviewed by Ralph Edwards
on his live NBC-TV program This Is Your Life. Since the 1930s, the
works of Laurel and Hardy have been released in numerous theatrical
reissues, television revivals, 8-mm and 16-mm home movies,
feature-film compilations, and home videos. In 2005, they were voted
the seventh-greatest comedy act of all time by a UK poll of fellow
comedians. The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known
as The Sons of the Desert, named after a fictitious fraternal society
featured in the film of the same name.
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