123 years ago a man named Oliver Hardy was born. This man of course would become part of one of the greatest comedy teams, this world had ever seen. That team of, course was Laurel and Hardy.
The most famous image of Laurel and Hardy was of course them pushing a piano up a flight of stairs. This film was the classic, The Music Box. The same flight of Stairs in this film were also used in The Three Stooges short "An Ache in Every Stake". In that film Curly carries a block of ice up those same steps. The Music Box was directed by James Parrott who had actually co-stared with Stan Laurel, as an actor, back before Stan teamed up with Ollie (Hardy). This film also features Billy Gilbert playing a supporting role. Gilbert had stared along side Stan and Ollie in plenty of their shorts, and was also the voice of Sneezey in Disney's Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. So from 1932, directed by James Parrott and Staring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Billy Gilbert, here is The Music Box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUjkSvdrug
Laurel and Hardy began their Careers in the days of silent film. It is a true testament to their talents how well they adapted to talkies. By the end of the silent era, they were already working with some of their greatest collaborators, such as directors Leo Mcarey(who would also direct the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, as well as some other classic comedies such as The Awful Truth), and James Parrott, producer Hal Roach, actor James Finnlayson, and writer H.M. Walker. Here is one of their best silent films, Big Business, from 1929, directed by J. Wesley Horne and Leo Mcarey, and staring Laurel and Hardy as well as James Finnlayson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TRneBC98Gk
Laurel and Hardy only made one color film in their careers. This is an odd film in their filmography. They did their part in the film during a lunch break, while working on feature films for 20th Century Fox. This film was also a Pete Smith Specialty. Pete Smith did many films like this where he would narrate over a film without dialogue in a playful and humorous manner. As such Laurel and Hardy don't have any dialogue in this short. This is also a WWII propaganda piece that speaks about the importance of wood for the war effort. So from 1943, directed by Charles McDonald, and starring Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, and Pete Smith, here is Tree In A Test Tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmRoOFLS74
-Michael J. Ruhland
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