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
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Classic Film Comedy Short Stories #3
After many of his early films were destroyed in a fire, Harold Lloyd made sure he owned all of his films to make sure none of them were damaged as his early films were.
After having a stroke during the making of 1947's Half-Wits Holiday Curly had to retire from The Three Stooges, however he was able to make a cameo appearance in Hold That Lion, which came out later the same year therefore Hold That Lion is the only Stooge film in which Curly and Shemp appear together in.
Charles Lamont directed Abbott and Costello Meet The Keystone Kops. He had directed both Abbott and Costello and The Keystone Kops before making the film.
Joe Besser was the only Stooge never to appear in a feature length Three Stooges film.
Stan Laurel often worked very close to his directors. Therefore you could say he almost co-directed most Laurel and Hardy films.
Stan Laurel directed the 1925 Short Yes, Yes, Nanette, Which featured Oliver Hardy. So that short is an example of Laurel and Hardy working together before they ever appeared together on camera.
-Michael J. Ruhland
After having a stroke during the making of 1947's Half-Wits Holiday Curly had to retire from The Three Stooges, however he was able to make a cameo appearance in Hold That Lion, which came out later the same year therefore Hold That Lion is the only Stooge film in which Curly and Shemp appear together in.
Charles Lamont directed Abbott and Costello Meet The Keystone Kops. He had directed both Abbott and Costello and The Keystone Kops before making the film.
Joe Besser was the only Stooge never to appear in a feature length Three Stooges film.
Stan Laurel often worked very close to his directors. Therefore you could say he almost co-directed most Laurel and Hardy films.
Stan Laurel directed the 1925 Short Yes, Yes, Nanette, Which featured Oliver Hardy. So that short is an example of Laurel and Hardy working together before they ever appeared together on camera.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Classic Film Comedy Short Stories #2
Shemp was actually a Stooge before Curly. The Stooges were originally part of an act called Ted Healy and his Stooges. This act originally consisted of Ted Healy, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard. The act had appeared on vaudeville, and in supporting roles in various films. Shemp got angry over Healy's drinking, and so he left. For this reason Shemp and Moe's younger brother Curly Howard took his place. After parting with Healy, The Stooges got their own series of short films. Because of parting with Healy, they were renamed The Three Stooges. After Curly suffered from a stroke he was replaced by Shemp, who because they had left Ted Healy was happy to join them again.
William A. Seiter who directed what is considered to be Laurel and Hardy's best film, Sons of the Dessert, also directed what is considered to be one of the Marx Brothers' weakest films, Room Service.'
Duck Soup was a flop when it was first released. In fact it almost ended The Marx Brothers' career. This is hard to believe now because not only is it an extremely popular film, but it is an extremely funny one as well. Duck Soup was the most zany, and least story ordinated film to star the Marx Brothers. This is why after Duck Soup, they went to MGM, where producer Irving Thalhgberg, told them at MGM they could get a much bigger audience by being in films with much more story. This included having a side-story about young lovers, and more musical numbers. Even if later Marx films would slip in quality, the first two of these films (the two in which Thalhgberg was still alive to work on (he died during the making of A Day At The Races) worked especially beautifully. Those two films (A Night At The Opera, A Day At The Races) were not only huge financial successes, but great artistic successes as well, and remain some of the great comedy movies to this day.
Boris Karloff refused to be in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, because he loved the carter of the creature a lot, and felt appearing as the creature in a farce would be an insult. Of course those of us fans of the movie know that it was not an insult to the character at all. However Karloff later appeared in both Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, and Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was originally going to be named The Brian of Frankenstein, however the name was thought to sound too much like a serious horror movie.
Character actor James Finnlayson (who appeared often with Laurel and Hardy) made an annoyed exclamation whenever his character was hit. That annoyed exclamation would serve as the inspiration for Homer Simpson's "D'oh".
The 1940 short, You Nazty Spy!, directed by Jules White, written by Felix Alder, and Clyde Bruckman, and staring The Three Stooges was the first American film in which an American actor played Hitler (that actor was Moe Howard). Both director Jules White and actor Moe Howard considered this the best film they worked on.
Laurel and Hardy were the only one of the classic American comedy teams to first appear together on film. Marx Brothers had come from Broadway, Abbott and Costello from vaudeville and radio, The Three Stooges from vaudeville. They first appeared together in 1921's The Lucky Dog. Although in this short they weren't yet a team, and had yet to have their characters defined, it is historic for being the first time they appeared together. You can watch it below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImmhCo3jDg
-Michael J. Ruhland
William A. Seiter who directed what is considered to be Laurel and Hardy's best film, Sons of the Dessert, also directed what is considered to be one of the Marx Brothers' weakest films, Room Service.'
Duck Soup was a flop when it was first released. In fact it almost ended The Marx Brothers' career. This is hard to believe now because not only is it an extremely popular film, but it is an extremely funny one as well. Duck Soup was the most zany, and least story ordinated film to star the Marx Brothers. This is why after Duck Soup, they went to MGM, where producer Irving Thalhgberg, told them at MGM they could get a much bigger audience by being in films with much more story. This included having a side-story about young lovers, and more musical numbers. Even if later Marx films would slip in quality, the first two of these films (the two in which Thalhgberg was still alive to work on (he died during the making of A Day At The Races) worked especially beautifully. Those two films (A Night At The Opera, A Day At The Races) were not only huge financial successes, but great artistic successes as well, and remain some of the great comedy movies to this day.
Boris Karloff refused to be in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, because he loved the carter of the creature a lot, and felt appearing as the creature in a farce would be an insult. Of course those of us fans of the movie know that it was not an insult to the character at all. However Karloff later appeared in both Abbott and Costello Meet The Killer, and Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was originally going to be named The Brian of Frankenstein, however the name was thought to sound too much like a serious horror movie.
Character actor James Finnlayson (who appeared often with Laurel and Hardy) made an annoyed exclamation whenever his character was hit. That annoyed exclamation would serve as the inspiration for Homer Simpson's "D'oh".
The 1940 short, You Nazty Spy!, directed by Jules White, written by Felix Alder, and Clyde Bruckman, and staring The Three Stooges was the first American film in which an American actor played Hitler (that actor was Moe Howard). Both director Jules White and actor Moe Howard considered this the best film they worked on.
Laurel and Hardy were the only one of the classic American comedy teams to first appear together on film. Marx Brothers had come from Broadway, Abbott and Costello from vaudeville and radio, The Three Stooges from vaudeville. They first appeared together in 1921's The Lucky Dog. Although in this short they weren't yet a team, and had yet to have their characters defined, it is historic for being the first time they appeared together. You can watch it below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cImmhCo3jDg
-Michael J. Ruhland
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Classic Film Comedy Short Stories #1
To give credit were it is due this new set of posts called "Classic Film Comedy Short Stories" is heavily inspired by Animation Antidotes from the website http://cartoonresearch.com/. I am a fan of this website and am purposely using it's idea.
In the Abbott and Costello movie "Hold That Ghost"(1941), the musical numbers by the Andrew Sisters were added after the movie was completed. This was because the last two Abbott and Costello movies (Buck Priviates, and In The Navy) had featured The Andrew Sisters and had been very financially successful. Director Arthur Lubin said he was not aware these songs were being added to his film at the time. The musical numbers however were great and made a good film even better.
In his autobiography Charlie Chaplin un-modestly claimed that "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) was his most clever movie. It was indeed a masterpiece though it was his first financial flop.
"Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) was originally an idea for a serious movie based on the real life murder Henri Désiré Landru. This idea was conceived by Orson Welles, and Welles wanted Charlie Chaplin as the lead actor. However Chaplin saw the potential for a great comedy, and he did not want to work under another director. So Chaplin bought the idea and directed it his own way. The film does contain a credit saying "Based off an idea by Orson Welles".
The movie "Snow White and The Three Stooges" (1961) was originally going to be directed by comedy legend Frank Tashlin. Frank Tashlin had directed many great Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, along with "The Son of Paleface", "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter", and the best Martian and Lewis film (In my opinion) "Artists and Models". However Frank Tashlin's plan for the movie would go too much over budget for 20th Century Fox's taste so he was replaced by Walter Lang. This was not Walter Lang's first time directing The Stooges. He had directed the 1933 feature "Meet The Baron", which while it did not star The Stooges (It starred Jimmy Durante and Jack Pearl), the Stooges did have supporting roles in that film. "Snow White and The Three Stooges" turned out to be a great film but one that was drastically different than what Stooge fans were suspecting. (Yes this film goes past my cut off date, but I am including it because The Three Stooges made many films within my included dates)
The Fredrico Fellini film "I Vitelloni" (1953) featured the soon to be popular Italian comedian Alberto Sordi as the character Alberto. However he was not popular at this time. In fact promoters for the film keep his name off all the advertisements for the movie, because the were afraid people would not see it if they knew Sordi was in it. The film however was a huge hit and made both Fredrico Fellini and Alberto Sordi household names in Italy, and it is easy to see why.
When Buster Keaton's film "Seven Chances" (1925) was previewed before an audience, Buster noticed that people were laughing during a chase scene at a part he didn't suspect. He then noticed that he happened to knock over a few pebbles. Keaton added to this by making the pebbles trigger boulders, therefore creating what is considered the films best moment.
-Michael J. Ruhland
In the Abbott and Costello movie "Hold That Ghost"(1941), the musical numbers by the Andrew Sisters were added after the movie was completed. This was because the last two Abbott and Costello movies (Buck Priviates, and In The Navy) had featured The Andrew Sisters and had been very financially successful. Director Arthur Lubin said he was not aware these songs were being added to his film at the time. The musical numbers however were great and made a good film even better.
In his autobiography Charlie Chaplin un-modestly claimed that "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) was his most clever movie. It was indeed a masterpiece though it was his first financial flop.
"Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) was originally an idea for a serious movie based on the real life murder Henri Désiré Landru. This idea was conceived by Orson Welles, and Welles wanted Charlie Chaplin as the lead actor. However Chaplin saw the potential for a great comedy, and he did not want to work under another director. So Chaplin bought the idea and directed it his own way. The film does contain a credit saying "Based off an idea by Orson Welles".
The movie "Snow White and The Three Stooges" (1961) was originally going to be directed by comedy legend Frank Tashlin. Frank Tashlin had directed many great Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, along with "The Son of Paleface", "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter", and the best Martian and Lewis film (In my opinion) "Artists and Models". However Frank Tashlin's plan for the movie would go too much over budget for 20th Century Fox's taste so he was replaced by Walter Lang. This was not Walter Lang's first time directing The Stooges. He had directed the 1933 feature "Meet The Baron", which while it did not star The Stooges (It starred Jimmy Durante and Jack Pearl), the Stooges did have supporting roles in that film. "Snow White and The Three Stooges" turned out to be a great film but one that was drastically different than what Stooge fans were suspecting. (Yes this film goes past my cut off date, but I am including it because The Three Stooges made many films within my included dates)
The Fredrico Fellini film "I Vitelloni" (1953) featured the soon to be popular Italian comedian Alberto Sordi as the character Alberto. However he was not popular at this time. In fact promoters for the film keep his name off all the advertisements for the movie, because the were afraid people would not see it if they knew Sordi was in it. The film however was a huge hit and made both Fredrico Fellini and Alberto Sordi household names in Italy, and it is easy to see why.
When Buster Keaton's film "Seven Chances" (1925) was previewed before an audience, Buster noticed that people were laughing during a chase scene at a part he didn't suspect. He then noticed that he happened to knock over a few pebbles. Keaton added to this by making the pebbles trigger boulders, therefore creating what is considered the films best moment.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Charlie Chaplin Carnivial #1
We are going to start our look at Charlie Chaplin today with the 2nd film staring him, Kid Auto Races at Venice. When Keystone Film Company got a hold of Chaplin, they didn't quite know what to do with him. The first film with him, Making A Living(1914), was artistically a huge failure. The film simply wasn't funny. So what Keystone decided to do was to visit a soapbox racing event for children, and let Chaplin purposely interrupt the filming, letting Charlie improvise how he interrupts it, and hoping something funny would happen. This film was also the first in which Chaplin wore his immortal costume, that would soon be recognized as his Little Tramp character. While this film unsurprisingly does not have the polish later Charlie Chaplin films would , it still remains quite entertaining today. From 1914 and directed by Henry Lehrman, here is Kid Auto Races at Venice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyVu8fx36j4
Twenty Minutes of Love marked the first time Mack Sennet, head of Keystone Film Company, allowed Charlie Chaplin to direct his own films. While Chaplin would later try to get away from, the slapstick for the sake of slapstick, style of humor of Keystone by creating more motivation for the slapstick, here he plays by the rules of the Keystone style of comedy. This is a fast, fun, and purely slapstick short. From 1914, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring Minta Durfee, Edgar Kennedy, Gordon Griffith, Chester Conklin, Josef Swickard and Hank Mann, here is Twenty Minutes of Love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ5sShqrJcQ
Next comes one of Charlie Chaplin's great masterpieces, A Dogs Life. This film was Chaplin's first film for Frist National. You will notice in here a strong break from the type of humor at Keystone. The pace is slower, and all the jokes come from the story and characters, and have clear motivations. You will also notice the story line is more defined and there is drama present. Chaplin wanted to show that comedy and drama could be combined, and he proved his point masterfully. Here we can see Chaplin as a fully formed artist in this true cinematic masterpiece. From 1918, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring Chaplin's long time costar Edna Purviance, and Charlie's brother Sydney Chaplin, here is A Dog's Life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oqCepIkqc
Charlie Chaplin's films were rightfully sensations world wide, and he was one of the first filmmakers to be hailed as a great artist. Therefore the image of the Little Tramp appeared everywhere. His image could be seen in a comic strip in the newspaper, toys, animated cartoons (done by Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivian, two artist who would bring us the silent Felix the Cat cartoons) and anywhere else you can think. Actors such as Billy West (not to be confused with the cartoon voice actor) made a career imitating Chaplin in films. One of my favorite uses of the Little Tramp outside of Chaplin's own films is the appearance of an cubist animated tramp appearing in the classic French Avant-Garde film, Ballet Mecanique. Besides the animated appearance of Chaplin's Little Tramp there is much more this film offers. It is also a brilliant representation of the struggle of humanity against the attack of mechanization. In fact this film is such an artistic success that co-director Fernand Leger, considered giving up his highly successful painting job to become a film maker. Sadly for the world of film this never happened, but at least we have this artistic masterpiece. So from 1924, and directed by Fernand Leger, and Dudley Murphy, here is Ballet Mecanique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QV9-l-rXOE
-Michael J. Ruhland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyVu8fx36j4
Twenty Minutes of Love marked the first time Mack Sennet, head of Keystone Film Company, allowed Charlie Chaplin to direct his own films. While Chaplin would later try to get away from, the slapstick for the sake of slapstick, style of humor of Keystone by creating more motivation for the slapstick, here he plays by the rules of the Keystone style of comedy. This is a fast, fun, and purely slapstick short. From 1914, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring Minta Durfee, Edgar Kennedy, Gordon Griffith, Chester Conklin, Josef Swickard and Hank Mann, here is Twenty Minutes of Love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ5sShqrJcQ
Next comes one of Charlie Chaplin's great masterpieces, A Dogs Life. This film was Chaplin's first film for Frist National. You will notice in here a strong break from the type of humor at Keystone. The pace is slower, and all the jokes come from the story and characters, and have clear motivations. You will also notice the story line is more defined and there is drama present. Chaplin wanted to show that comedy and drama could be combined, and he proved his point masterfully. Here we can see Chaplin as a fully formed artist in this true cinematic masterpiece. From 1918, directed by Charlie Chaplin, and also staring Chaplin's long time costar Edna Purviance, and Charlie's brother Sydney Chaplin, here is A Dog's Life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9oqCepIkqc
Charlie Chaplin's films were rightfully sensations world wide, and he was one of the first filmmakers to be hailed as a great artist. Therefore the image of the Little Tramp appeared everywhere. His image could be seen in a comic strip in the newspaper, toys, animated cartoons (done by Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivian, two artist who would bring us the silent Felix the Cat cartoons) and anywhere else you can think. Actors such as Billy West (not to be confused with the cartoon voice actor) made a career imitating Chaplin in films. One of my favorite uses of the Little Tramp outside of Chaplin's own films is the appearance of an cubist animated tramp appearing in the classic French Avant-Garde film, Ballet Mecanique. Besides the animated appearance of Chaplin's Little Tramp there is much more this film offers. It is also a brilliant representation of the struggle of humanity against the attack of mechanization. In fact this film is such an artistic success that co-director Fernand Leger, considered giving up his highly successful painting job to become a film maker. Sadly for the world of film this never happened, but at least we have this artistic masterpiece. So from 1924, and directed by Fernand Leger, and Dudley Murphy, here is Ballet Mecanique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QV9-l-rXOE
-Michael J. Ruhland
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