The Laurel and Hardy Story: Laughter and Heartbreak
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The mention of Laurel and Hardy helps us conjure up hilarious images of what they’ve always been best at – making us laugh. The two actors Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel were the kings of comedy entertainment at the height of their game, and they are arguably the most popular comedy duo the comedy entertainment industry has ever seen. Even after their passing, the laughs they continued to give is a testament to the tremendous talent they possessed and the unique friendship they shared, which is easily one of the factors that helped them do such a great job. Even today, all you have to do is put on a show of them and the laughter is always around the corner. Yet despite the joy they spread through their work, life wasn’t always easy for these two pioneers of the black-and-white film era. There are many tragedies, and as much as they lead the world to believe, there are also struggles and heartbreaks behind these comedy sequences.
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two entertainers not even from the same country
And think they’re not even from the same country! This is true, and we’re sure many of you didn’t even know about it until now. Stan Laurel was an Englishman born in Lancashire, England in 1890, while Oliver Hardy was born a few years later in Harlem, Georgia, in 1892, and was as American as possible. Laurel’s real name was Arthur Stanley Jefferson, and Hardy’s real name was Norville Hardy.
Laurel was born as an entertainer and appeared on stage before the age of 16. Hardy is not new to the entertainment industry either, and he even has financial support from his mother for the Palace Theatre he runs. Laurel’s first big break in entertainment came when the famous Fred Karno put him under his wing. Laurel was in awe of everything Fred stood for, and as Charlie Chaplin’s backup, he learned everything he could from these two comedy stalwarts. A chance trip to America in 1912 exposed young Laurel to the enormous potential Hollywood had for entertainers like him, and what was supposed to be a quick trip turned out to be a new life in America.
At the same time, Hardy was starting to make a name for himself in the industry and even had an impressive list of works.During the first few years of his employment, he was baby hardy mentioned in the creditsLearning comedy skills through odd jobs at the Lubin Motion Pictures studio in Jacksonville, Hardy quickly became a go-to for every role, from a supporting role to the second banana in a double act, and even a comedy villain. Despite coming from two different countries, fate has written an amazing story for them, and soon, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy will meet and play their roles in it.
How Laurel and Hardy’s Story Began
Hal Roach had been working with Hardy for a while when he saw Laurel’s work in vaudeville and decided to make him a great addition to his comedy team. But there was a challenge that prevented Hal from making Stein a part of his work for at least a year. The problem is the color of Stan’s eyes! Light blue, the color of Stan’s eyes could not be captured correctly by film technology at the time, and it was only when full-color films were introduced to cinemas that Stan Laurel could come into the picture without worrying about how his eyes would appear on the screen.
This was the first time Hal was paired with the pair, and he often recalled that just one glance at them knew the pair was going to work. “You can always cut to a close-up of any one, and their reaction is perfect for another laugh,” Hal once said.The first work that the two loyal fans collaborated on for the first time was lucky dog. The 1921 film, while fun, is rarely seen in conversation, and even Stan and Oliver often mention that they easily forget their first film.Instead, it was their first work under contract with Hal Roach Studios, titled 45 minutes from Hollywood This is often referred to as the duo’s first real work.
The little things that made them great success
The era of Classical Hollywood saw some of the biggest movie stars, Laurel and Hardy were pioneers of their craft, and they chose to bring us some fond movie memories at this time. They’re also one of the few who made the transition from the era of silent films to the age of talkies, and in both versions, they’ve proven that they can accomplish pretty much anything thrown at them.with those iconic bowler hats and The song of the cuckoo It became synonymous with most of their onscreen performances, and both enjoyed comedy as much as anyone else during this time.
There were a few other things that helped the duo create the image they did. On the one hand, they magnify the nuances that make them appear opposite each other in terms of body structure. Although Stan is of average build, the way he portrays himself on screen makes him look thin and thin, which is in stark contrast to Oliver’s 6-foot-plus build, which is noticeably fatter. The duo’s different hairstyles for most of their work and Oliver’s toothbrush moustache are also well thought out, and these nuances add to their contrasting features. Even the bowler hats they wear vary – Stan’s is a bit narrower, Oliver’s fits more closely to his round face and stays on the rounder side. Of course, their clothes are also a major contributor. The loose fit makes Stan look thinner, and whatever Oliver wears, they must be at least one size smaller, so the taut buttons accentuate his plumpness. All in all, aside from their unparalleled chemistry and their individual talent for acting, it’s these little things that add to their character and make them a visual treat even before they start any performances!
buzzwords that made them more popular
While Laurel and Hardy’s films relied heavily on brick-and-mortar slapstick comedies in the silent era, talkies have given their comedies new life. With their ability to express the humor they’re now so popular with, the two did it with gusto! As they keep adding more and more work to their portfolio, there are a lot of buzzwords associated with the duo, some more famous than others. Lines like “Tell me again” that have Hardy ask the forgetful Laurel to repeat an idea he just mentioned, or “Okay, this is another bad mess you’ve got me into” are A synonym for the duo. Some of the other lines that are still remembered as trademarks Laurel and Hardy include, “We’ve had a lot of weather lately”, “You can lead the horse to the water but you have to lead the pencil” and “Why don’t you do something about it” Anything to help me?”
The catchphrase, the great talent of the two, the love that the two show even though they attack each other in every sequence on screen, like they manage to help ordinary people forget their troubles and enjoy their antics, among other things A dozen untold secrets came together to take the pair by storm. A particular example shared by Laurel gives us a glimpse into the impact these two comedic characters have had on people’s lives, and also shows the love that people show in return. Talking about the welcome they received when their ship arrived in Cove, Ireland, Laurel said they both found the admiration, attention, love and affection to be overwhelming. “There were hundreds of boats whistling and a bunch of people screaming on the dock. We just didn’t understand what the hell was going on,” Laurel wrote, telling us the two often found themselves getting attention wherever they went How surprising. “Then something happened that I will never forget. The bells at Cobh church started ringing our theme song ‘Dance of the Cuckoos’ and Babe looked at me and we cried. I will never forget that day. Never. .”
The stories and words today may bring tears to our eyes, but the emotion and awe behind them also tell us that despite all the attention, Stan and Laurel remain humble and down-to-earth in their hearts. It’s really hard to imagine in this day and age that a hit movie can be on the minds of most artists, and we’re glad to have two artists who are always amazed at the love they get from fans.
Amazing job lineup
When Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy first started working together, we’re sure neither the actors nor the people who work with them could have imagined that these two would end up garnering so much popularity for their work . They started running in 1921 and gradually picked up the pace a few years later, and the huge number of fans they continued to gain meant there was no turning back. When we look back at all the work the two ended up doing together, the list is truly impressive!
A total of 107 films were shortlisted, including 32 short films of the silent era, 40 short films of the sound era, and 23 feature films.Some of the most popular include Another mess, sailors beware, chicks coming home, sea sap, flying equals, busy bodies, son of desertthicker than water, we are not used toFixer-Uppers, Way Out West, baby in toylandbrat, oliver VIII, music box, and chunky.
The tragedy behind the laughter
Both Oliver and Stan suffered personal losses early in their lives. Stan lost his mother when he was 18, relatives say he never really fully recovered from the loss, and Oliver’s loss was even more tragic. Oliver lost his father when he was a baby, and the reason behind even using the name Oliver is actually in honor of his father. Then, when he was a teenager, his brother misjudged a dive and jumped to his death on what was supposed to be a fun day of swimming and frolicking, right before his eyes.
In terms of personal struggles, both artists shared a number of health issues, which often hindered their later work as well. Oliver was always on the heavy side, so he suffered a lot. In addition to the taunts you have to face at every moment, the weight brings several…
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