Stan Laurel - Biography - IMDb Stan Laurel Biography Showing all 75 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (2) | Spouse (5) | Trade Mark (5) | Trivia (42) | Personal Quotes (13) | Salary (4) Overview (4) 5' 8" (1.73 m) Mini Bio (2) Stan Laurel came from a theatrical family, his father was an actor and theatre manager, and he made his stage debut at the age of 16 at Pickard's Museum, Glasgow. He traveled with Fred Karno 's vaudeville company to the United States in 1910 and again in 1913. While with that company he was Charles Chaplin 's understudy, and he performed imitations of Chaplin. On a later trip he remained in the United States, having been cast in a two-reel comedy, Nuts in May (1917) (not released until 1918). There followed a number of shorts for Metro, Hal Roach Studios, then Universal, then back to Roach in 1926.

His first two-reeler with Oliver Hardy was 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926). Their first release through MGM was Sugar Daddies (1927) and the first with star billing was From Soup to Nuts (1928). Their first feature-length starring roles were in Pardon Us (1931). Their work became more production-line and less popular during the war years, especially after they left Roach and MGM for Twentieth Century-Fox. Their last movie together was The Bullfighters (1945) except for a dismal failure made in France several years later ( Utopia (1951)). In 1960 he was given a special Oscar "for his creative pioneering in the field of cinema comedy". He died five years later. ( 23 August 1926 - 28 September 1935) (divorced) (2 children) Trade Mark (5) Usually played a childishly innocent man who always looked up to his good friend Oliver Hardy , whether it was deserved or not. Common schticks included crying in cases of great predicaments, taking instructions literally at all times and mixing up his lines.

He and Hardy often had a scene in their films where they would get into a fight with another person that consisted solely of destroying property. The duo would destroy something the opponent values while the opponent ooks on and does not resist. When they are done, the opponent does the same to them, while they refrain from resisting, and so on. Wide, "hanger-in-my-mouth" smile, spiky hair sported in all of his films, and of course, the "whiny face" for which he is famous. Completely vacant stare into the camera, accentuated by white pancake makeup. Gaze into the camera with arms up and palms out in a "What now?" gesture. Subtle substitution of the word "me" for "my", as in the line from Way Out West: "Wait a minute while I spit on me hands." Trivia (42) His light blue eyes almost ended his movie career before it began. Until the early 1920s, filmmakers used black-and-white Orthochromatic film stock, which was "blue blind".

Hal Roach cameraman George Stevens (the same George Stevens who would later become an acclaimed producer/director) knew of panchromatic film and was able to get a supply of it from Chicago. This new film was sensitive to blue and recorded Laurel's pale blue eyes in a more natural way. Stevens became Laurel's cameraman on his short films at Roach. When Laurel teamed with Oliver Hardy , the team made Stevens their cameraman of choice. Had two children with his first wife, Lois: a daughter, Lois Laurel ; and a son, Stanley Robert (born May 7, 1930; died May 16, 1930), who was born two months prematurely and died nine days later. Laurel first appeared with his future partner, Oliver Hardy , in The Lucky Dog (1921), which was filmed in 1919, but not released until 1921. He always thought that his "whining face" was humiliating, but the producers forced him to do it in most of his movies since the public loved it. Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Los Angeles, California, USA.

Suffered a nervous breakdown on the death of his longtime film partner and friend, Oliver Hardy , and according to his friends, never fully recovered. Turned down a cameo role in Stanley Kramer 's gigantic farce It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). Had always been a huge fan of westerns, and after he became a success, his company, Stan Laurel Productions, financed a series of low-budget musical westerns starring singing cowboy Fred Scott . The films were made for and released by the independent Spectrum Pictures rather than Hal Roach Studios, which made Laurel's and Oliver Hardy 's films, or MGM, which released them. The Scott westerns seldom, if ever, made any money, but Laurel's enthusiasm for them never waned until his accountants showed him that they were getting to be a major drain on his finances, at which time he reluctantly dropped his participation. Subject on one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. He is shown with his partner Oliver Hardy . The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld .

The other comedians honored in the set are Edgar Bergen (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy); Jack Benny ; Fanny Brice ; and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello . Appears on sleeve of The Beatles ' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". He and Mae Laurel lived as a common-law couple, as Mae was legally married to someone in her native Australia when she met Stan in 1918. They parted in 1925 by mutual consent and Mae returned to Australia. At the time of Oliver Hardy 's death in 1957, Stan was too ill to attend his late partner's funeral. Had said that out of all the impersonations done of him, he liked actor Dick Van Dyke 's the best. Van Dyke even got to perform that impersonation on one of the episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) and after it premiered, he called Laurel to ask his opinion. Laurel said he liked everything but one detail, the hat wasn't right. Van Dyke said he found Laurel's number in a Santa Monica, California, phone book.

His and Oliver Hardy 's films had and still have great success in Italy where they are known as "Stanlio e Ollio". He was voted, along with comedy partner Oliver Hardy , the 45th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. The death of his partner Oliver Hardy left him a broken man, so much so that he fell into a deep depression and swore never to do comedy again. He didn't. In the eight years between Hardy's death and his own, he repeatedly turned down offers to do public appearances. He and Oliver Hardy have been and continue to be very popular in Germany under the name of "Dick und Doof" (Fatty and Stupid). Fell off a platform and tore ligaments in his right leg during the filming of Babes in Toyland (1934). An extra named John Wood from the film Babes in Toyland (1934) sued him and his stunt double, Ham Kinsey , claiming back injuries after Laurel and Kinsey threw him in the ducking pond on the set. The lawsuit specified $40,500 in damages, but was settled out-of-court. Is portrayed by Jim Plunkett in Harlow (1965).

In his later years, he was a close friends with Dick Van Dyke . Dick delivered the eulogy at Stan's funeral. He was greatly admired by Jerry Lewis . When Lewis had his own production company in the early 1960s, he repeatedly tried to hire Stan for his creative team. Stan refused, despite the impressive salary. According to Lewis, he would send scripts to Stan who would read them and write suggestions in the margins. Is portrayed by Matthew Cottle in Chaplin (1992). Stan was greatly admired by Peter Sellers . Sellers claimed that the "Laurel" character was his inspiration when he created the "gardener" character in Being There (1979). While rarely credited as a writer or director, he was the driving creative force behind the team of he and Oliver Hardy --whenever Hardy was asked a question about a gag, story idea, plotline, etc., he always pointed to Laurel and said, "Ask Stan." Laurel often worked well into the night, writing and editing their films. In his later years, he was arguably the most approachable of all movie stars, keeping his phone number in the phone book, welcoming all sorts of visitors, and responding to his fan mail personally.

His partner Oliver Hardy was an inveterate golfer, often setting up his own little putting green on the set so he could practice between takes. Laurel once joked to a reporter interviewing him that golf was Hardy's only "bad habit". When the reporter asked if he had any bad habits, Laurel--who had been married and divorced five times--replied, "Yes, and I married them.". Suffered a stroke in June 1955. Although Stan is recorded as being born in Ulverston Cumbria, he never knew it. He was actually born in Ulverston Lancashire. Ulverston became part of Cumbria under the "Local Government Act 1972" and became part of Cumbria two years later in 1974; nine years after Stan died. A comedian until the very last, Stan Laurel, just minutes away from death on February 23, 1965, told his nurse he would not mind going skiing right at that very moment. Somewhat taken aback, the nurse replied that she was not aware that he was a skier.

"I'm not," said Stan, "I'd rather be doing that than have all these needles stuck into me!" A few minutes later, the nurse looked in on him again and found that Stan had quietly passed away. He was a staunch Democrat. He was a heavy smoker until he suddenly gave up when he was about seventy. Laurel insisted that the quote attributed to him, "You know my hobbies; I married them all." was actually dreamed up by the publicity department. Because the Roach studio was smaller than the majors, the indoor sets were relatively close to each other, and the actors often visited other sets between takes. Matthew "Stymie" Beard picked up Stan's Irish children's derby and wore it whenever Stan put it down. Stan eventually gave Stymie a hat, which became Stymie's trademark as much as it was Stan's. Stan removed the heels from his shoes while filming. It helped him accent his already humorous walk. Stan's famous hairstyle was created by accident. He and Babe had shaved their heads to play convicts in The Second 100 Years (1927), and it grew back very unevenly and refused to stay down.

Others on the Roach lot laughed, so Stan began to cultivate the new look. Offscreen, he combed it straight back, as did Oliver Hardy . The character Mickey in Maurice Sendak 's book "Mickey in the Night Kitchen" is a caricature of Stan Laurel, while the bakers are caricatures of Oliver Hardy . He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960. In Germany, Stan and Ollie were known as Dick und Doof. In Holland, Stan and Ollie were known as Dikke und Dunne. In Spain, Stan and Ollie were known as El Gordo y El Flaco. David Jason is one of his, along with Oliver Hardy's biggest fans. When Jason put on weight after playing Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds of May (1991), he couldn't fit into a dinner jacket for the BAFTA Awards; he claimed he looked like Hardy wearing something belonging to Laurel. Personal Quotes (13) If any of you cry at my funeral, I'll never speak to you again! A friend once asked me what comedy was.

That floored me. What is comedy? I don't know. Does anybody? Can you define it? All I know is that I learned how to get laughs, and that's all I know about it. You have to learn what people will laugh at, then proceed accordingly. [on Oliver Hardy 's death] The world has lost a comic genius. I've lost my best friend. Crazy humor was always my type of humor, but it's the quiet kind of craziness I like. The rough type of nut humor like The Marx Brothers I could never go for. [about the eight films he and Oliver Hardy made at 20th Century-Fox in the 1940s] We had no say on those films, and it sure looked it. What business do we have telling people who to vote for? They probably know more about it than we do. [on Dick Van Dyke ] Dick is a very clever comic, very talented, he does resemble me facially but thats about all, firstly, he is much taller and his mannerisms are entirely his own style. I enjoyed very much meeting him, a very interesting chap.

[on the death of Oliver Hardy ] Ben Shipman called me the day before and told me Babe had taken a turn for the worse and the end was expected any hours, even knowing this, the final news came as a shock to me. However, I think it was a blessing - poor fellow must have been really suffering (they discovered recently he had a bad cancer condition), so under the circumstances there was no hope of his ever recovering. What a tragic end to such a wonderful career. [on Charles Chaplin ]: Just the greatest. [on a comic he refused to name]: Very funny when he's not being dirty. I can't stand him. People have always loved our pictures. I guess that's because they saw how much love we put into them. [on Oliver Hardy ] He really is a very funny fellow, isn't he? I don't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with Charles Chaplin . Salary (4) Happy Birthday, Stan Laurel, British Half of Classic Comedy Duo | Anglophenia | BBC America Happy Birthday, Stan Laurel, British Half of Classic Comedy Duo By Leah Rozen | 5 years ago Stan Laurel, with donuts, in Hollywood in 1932.

(Bettmann/Corbis / AP Images) Here’s a tip of our bowler hat to the memory of one of the world’s funniest Englishmen, who was born 122 years ago today (June 16). That would be Stan Laurel, the thinner, shorter, British-born half of the classic Hollywood comedy team, Laurel and Hardy. Laurel was known for his gentle demeanor, sad smile, spiky hair, slouchy walk and propensity for getting into trouble. As Oliver Hardy, his mustachioed on-screen partner, could be counted on to mutter in many of their 100-plus films, “Here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into.” (The phrase is frequently misquoted as, “Here’s another fine mess…” Arthur Stanley Jefferson was born in 1890 at his grandparents’ house in Ulverston, England. His father was a music hall performer and theater owner, so young Stan was to the stage born. By the time he was 20, he was touring the U.S. with a comedy troupe in which he served as the understudy to Charlie Chaplin. He returned to England after that visit but came back to the U.S.

several years later and began appearing in films. He and Hardy were first paired as a comedy team at the Hal Roach Studios in 1926. The duo clicked with moviegoers and, having easily survived the transition from silents to talkies, continued steadily to churn out movies through 1945. They also toured and made personal appearances, including being interviewed in this newsreel to promote a visit to England: <noscript><iframe width="500" height="281" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></noscript> Their single most famous routine is probably their hapless attempt to deliver a piano to a house located at the top of a large, steep, concrete stairway in The Music Box (1932). The 29-minute short, which won an Oscar, has been studied for decades in film and comedy classes for its pure slapstick perfection. The friendship between the two men extended beyond the movie set. When Hardy died at age 65 in 1957, Laurel released a statement saying, “The world has lost a comic genius. I’ve lost my best friend.” He refused to perform without his partner, turning down lucrative offers.

In 1961, Laurel was awarded a special Oscar for “his creative pioneering in the field of cinema comedy.” He was too ill to appear at the ceremony; Danny Kaye accepted the award for him. You can take a look at it here . Laurel died four years later at age 74 and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles. Laurel may be buried in the U.S., but his memory remains strong in the UK. In his hometown of Ulverston, there’s a Laurel and Hardy Museum . Its gift shop offers Laurel and Hardy cuff links for an on-line price of £8.50 ($13.30). And a bronze statue of Laurel and Hardy – it depicts the pair leaning against a lamppost – was unveiled in the center of town in 2009 . ——————————– Does Stan Laurel still make you laugh?

——————————– Oliver Hardy - Biography - IMDb Oliver Hardy Biography Showing all 66 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (3) | Trade Mark (10) | Trivia (43) | Personal Quotes (4) Overview (5) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Although his parents were never in show business, as a young boy Oliver Hardy was a gifted singer and, by age eight, was performing with minstrel shows. In 1910 he ran a movie theatre, which he preferred to studying law. In 1913 he became a comedy actor with the Lubin Company in Florida and began appearing in a long series of shorts; his debut film was Outwitting Dad (1914). He appeared in he 1914-15 series of "Pokes and Jabbs" shorts, and from 1916-18 he was in the "Plump and Runt" series.

From 1919-21 he was a regular in the "Jimmy Aubrey" series of shorts, and from 1921-25 he worked as an actor and co-director of comedy shorts for Larry Semon . In addition to appearing in two-reeler comedies, he found time to make westerns and even melodramas in which he played the heavy. He is most famous, however, as the partner of British comic Stan Laurel , with whom he had played a bit part in The Lucky Dog (1921). in the mid-1920s both he and Laurel wee working for comedy producer Hal Roach , although not as a team. In a moment of inspiration Roach teamed them together, and their first film as a team was 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926). Their first release for Roach through MGM was Sugar Daddies (1927) and the first with star billing was From Soup to Nuts (1928). They became a huge hit as a comedy team, and after several years of two-reelers, Roach decided to star them in features, their first of which was Pardon Us (1931).

They clicked with audiences in features, too, and starred in such classics as Way Out West (1937), Babes in Toyland (1934) and Block-Heads (1938). They eventually parted ways with Roach and in the mid-1940s signed on with Twentieth Century-Fox. Unfortunately, Fox did not let them have the autonomy they had at Roach, where Laurel basically wrote and directed their films, though others were credited, and their films became more assembly-line and formulaic. Their popularity waned and less popular during the war years, and they made their last film for Fox in 1946. Several years later they made their final appearance as a team in a French film, a troubled and haphazard production eventually, after several name changes, called Utopia (1951), generally regarded to be their worst film. Hardy appeared without Laurel in a few features, such as Zenobia (1939) with Harry Langdon , The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) in a semi-comedic role as a frontiersman alongside John Wayne and Riding High (1950), in a cameo role.

He died in 1957. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu> Spouse (3) ( 7 November 1913 - 17 November 1921) (divorced) Trade Mark (10) Usually played a childishly bossy man who barely tolerated his friend, Stan Laurel , but still valued him as someone to whom he could feel superior. With Stan Laurel, they often had a scene in their films where they would get into a fight with another person that consisted solely of destroying property.The duo would destroy something the opponent values while the opponent looks on and does not resist. When they are done, the opponent does the same to the duo, while they refrain from resisting and so on. Black hair always combed forward and a small mustache The "slow burn" - looking into the camera, often with an expression of exasperated suffering over what his on-screen partner had just done.

The tie-twiddle, used to convey a sense of coyness or embarrassment Every puddle his character stepped in appeared to be endlessly deep (He would step into a small puddle and would suddenly be over his head in water) Most famous costume was a dark suit, a black necktie, and a dark bowler hat The line, usually directed toward Stan Laurel: "Here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" On introducing himself: "I'm Mr. Hardy and this is my friend Mr. Laurel." To Stan: "Why don't you do something to *help* me?" His large frame compared to the thin Stan Laurel Trivia (43) Related to Captain Hardy (as in "Kiss me Hardy" - Nelson). Had appeared in over 400 movies. Best known for his work with Stan Laurel . Interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California, USA. Subject of one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. He is shown with his partner Stan Laurel . The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld .

The other comedians honored in the set are Edgar Bergen (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy), Jack Benny , Fanny Brice , and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello . His favourite pastime was playing golf, which he learned from comedian Larry Semon . Appears on sleeve of The Beatles ' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". When Ollie died in 1957, his partner, Stan Laurel , pledged he would never perform again. Despite offers, he never did. Used Babe Hardy for a screen name until convinced by a numerologist that the longer screen name, Oliver Hardy, would bring him success. Billy Wilder planned on doing a film with him and Stan Laurel in the 1950s. The film would have opened with each of them sleeping in one of the letter O's of the Hollywood sign. The plot centered on a woman coming between them. The project was aborted owing to Ollie's failing health. His father, also named Oliver Hardy, was a successful lawyer who died when Norvell, as he was known to his family, was ten months old. At a time when few women had careers, his mother supported the family by running a highly successful hotel.

Despite rumors over the years, he did not die from the effects of obesity--quite the contrary. Dieting on doctor's orders, he took off too much weight too fast, going from 300+ pounds to 150 in a matter of a few weeks, weakening his constitution well past the danger point. It was becoming dangerously underweight in this manner that brought about his final illness and death. He was voted, along with comedy partner Stan Laurel , the 45th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Laurel and Hardy's films had and still have great success in Italy, where they are known as "Stanlio and Ollio". Their voices being dubbed into Italian in a very funny and colorful way accentuates their funny lines. He and partner Stan Laurel have been and continue to be very popular in Germany under the name of "Dick und Doof" (Fatty and Stupid). His voice in the Italian version of his and Stan Laurel 's shorts and features was that of Alberto Sordi . Entered St. Vincent's Hospital to have his tonsils removed the day after filming wrapped on Babes in Toyland (1934).

Is portrayed by John Fox in Harlow (1965) He and partner Stan Laurel have been and continue to be very popular in Spain, Mexico and Latin America under the name of "El Gordo y El Flaco" (The Fat One and The Thin One). He and partner Stan Laurel have been and continue to be very popular in Hungary under the name of "Stan és Pan". In 1930, he lived at 621 North Alta Drive in Beverly Hills, California. Suffered a severe stroke on September 12, 1956 that left him paralyzed and unable to speak. He was the only child of Oliver Hardy and his second wife; both of them had two children from an earlier marriage; Oliver had two boys, and his second wife had two girls. Still popular in Brazil where he and partner Stan Laurel are known as "O Gordo e O Magro" (Fat and Skinny). Had a mild heart attack in May 1954. Was a member of the Lakeside Country Club and close friends with John Wayne and Bing Crosby . According to letters written by Stan Laurel , Hardy had advanced cancer at the time of his death from two strokes.

A heavy smoker, Hardy had been suffering from heart problems since the filming of Utopia (1951), and his weight had ballooned from 250 to 350 lbs. An avid sportsman, Hardy became interested in hunting. After he shot his first deer, he walked to the animal expecting to field-dress it. However, the deer was still alive, and looked Hardy directly in the eyes. He never picked up a gun again. A man of many interests, Hardy was an excellent cook, card player, golfer, singer and dancer, and unlike "Ollie", was always impeccably tailored. Off camera, he and Laurel both combed their hair straight back, as was the fashion of their time. Lucille Hardy tells the story of Babe, her brother, and several others building elaborate chicken coops for the birds they raised. In true Laurel and Hardy fashion, they were too big to move out the door of the shed where they had been built, and had to be taken apart and reconstructed outside.

Stan Laurel - 必应 Sign in Stan Laurel Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer and film director, most famous for his role in the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. With his comedy partner Oliver Hardy he appeared in 107 short films, feature films and cameo roles. Laurel began his career in the British music hall, from where he took a number of his standard comic devices: the bowler hat, the deep comic gravity, and the nonsensical understatement. His performances polished his skills at pantomime an ... (展开) d music hall sketches. Laurel was a member of "Fred Karno's Army," where he was Charlie Chaplin 's understudy. The two arrived in the US on the same ship from Britain with the Karno troupe. Laurel began his career in films in 1917 and made his last appearance in 1951. From 1928 onwards he appeared exclusively with Oliver Hardy. Following his comedy partner's death in 1957 Laurel officially retired from the screen.

In 1961, Laurel was given a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award for his pioneering work in comedy. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. In a 2005 UK poll to find the Comedians' Comedian, Laurel and Hardy ranked top among best double acts and seventh overall. In 2009, a bronze statue of the duo was unveiled in Laurel's hometown of Ulverston, Cumbria. Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer, and film director, most famous for his ... Stan Laurel came from a theatrical family, his father was an actor and theatre manager, and he made his stage debut at the age of 16 at Pickard's Museum, Glasgow. Stan Laurel的用法讲解 德语助手是权威的德语在线词典,为您提供Stan Laurel的中文意思,Stan Laurel的读音,Stan Laurel的同义词,Stan Laurel的反义词,Stan Laurel的例句。 Laurel and Hardy were a comedy double act during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema.

The team was composed of thin Englishman Stan Laurel (1890 ... Born 1890-6-16 · 126 years old Stan Laurel came from a theatrical family, his father was an actor and... Visit IMDb for Photos, Filmography, Discussions, Bio, News, Awards, Agent, Fan Sites. Stan Laurel Interview 1957 (FULL). Recorded one week after Oliver Hardy died - YouTube Stan Laurel Interview 1957 (FULL). Recorded one week after Oliver Hardy died Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jan 7, 2013 Dr Arthur B. Friedman interviews Stan Laurel for Turning Point on August the 14th, 1957, only a few days after the death of his comedy partner, Oliver Hardy.

In this 74 minute interview Stan talks about many things including: Oliver Hardy's death; His beginnings in a juvenile pantomime company; Working for his father in his theatres; How and why he became a comic; Understudying Charlie Chaplin in the Fred Karno Troupe; The hardships, good times, partnerships and professional jealousy of his vaudeville career; His family; His early film career with Larry Semon, Bronco Billy, and Hal Roach; How he became a gag writer and director after struggling to find a comic character; How he was teamed with Oliver Hardy and his return to films; Early film making techniques, where gags come from and off the cuff shooting techniques; His relationship with Oliver Hardy and how their characters developed; Silent, talkie and feature length films; The worldwide appeal of Laurel and Hardy; His retirement, hobbies, health and fan mail. Category Stan Laurel Stan Laurel " He of the funny ways " Stan Laurel , the tall, thin, "dumb" half of the team of Laurel and Hardy, is an interesting individual in his own right.

One of the pioneers of motion picture comedies, he and his partner Oliver Hardy were two of the rare individuals who made the successful transition from silent movies to talking picturesbut he is much more than that. For instance, few people are aware that he had a successful film career before teaming with "Ollie," or that he produced, directed, wrote and edited much of the work that "The Boys" created. In many ways, his life parallels that of another film comedy great, Charlie Chaplin. Did you know that, unlike the southern Ollie, Stan was English? And did you know he was Chaplins understudy on the stage in their home country of England? Childhood /Early Years Stan was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on June 16, 1890 in Ulverston, North Lancashire, England. ( Now part of Cumbria ) His parents, were both active in the theater.. In his early years, he spent much time living with his grandmother, as his father, A. J. Jefferson, managed a number of different theaters. Stan had a natural affinity for the theater, with his first professional performance on stage at the age of sixteen.

Stan Laurel's Early Stage Experience In 1910, Stan Laurel joined Fred Karno's troupe of actors, including a young man named Charlie Chaplin. For some time, Stan was Chaplin's understudy. The Karno troupe toured America, and brought both Chaplin and Stan to the United States for the first time. Unlike Chaplin, Stan left the Karno troupe and remained in the United States. From 1916 to 1918, Stan teamed up with Alice and Baldwin Cooke, who become lifelong friends. It was around this time that Stan met another person who would have a major impact on his life -- Mae Dahlberg. Beware the Ides of Mae - Stan Laurel's first great love Mae, another performer, was married to an estranged husband in her native Australia. Even so, she and Stan Laurel soon became romantically involved. Like Chaplin, Stan would become involved time and again with a woman unsuited for him, normally to his detriment. Mae was temperamental, and abrasive, which caused no small damage to the couple both personally and professionally. It was at this time that Stan adopted the stage name of Laurel -- at Mae's suggestion.

Stan and Mae were performing together when Stan was offered $75.00 per week to star in two-reel comedies. After the making of Stan's first film, Nuts in May (1917), Universal offered him a contract. Stan accepted, and created his first screen persona, Hickory Hiram. The contract was short-lived, however, and was cancelled during a reorganization at the studio. Stan and Mae returned to their vaudeville act, although he later worked for "Bronco" Billy Anderson. One of the films made with Anderson was The Lucky Dog, where Stan was briefly on screen with a supporting actor -- Oliver Hardy. It would be many years, however, before the duo would act together again, creating the world-famous team of Laurel and Hardy. Hello, Joe -- Goodbye Mae - Stan Laurel begins full-time film work In 1924, Stan had forsaken his stage career to work full time in films, now under contract with Joe Rock. The contract called for Stan to make twelve two-reel comedies. The contract also had one unusual stipulation -- that Mae was not to appear in any of the films.

It had become obvious to everyone who knew Stan that Mae's temperament was hindering his career. In 1925, when Mae started interfering with Stan's work, Joe Rock offered her a cash settlement and a one-way ticket back to her native Australia, which she accepted. Without any distractions, Stan finished the twelve films ahead of schedule, although he was still technically under contract to Joe Rock. Stan next joined the Hal Roach studio as a writer and director, but due to the contract with Joe, could not act in any of the films. The Roach Years - Laurel and Hardy, not quite together Stan began directing films at the Hal Roach Studio, including a 1926 production called Yes, Yes, Nanette, starring another new addition to the Roach lot named Oliver Hardy. However, Stan couldn't stay away from the camera himself for long, and started acting again -- this initiated a short-lived lawsuit.

Eventually, Stan remained at Roach, and found himself working together more and more often with Oliver Hardy, though not yet as the team they became world-famous for -- Laurel and Hardy; instead, Stan found himself "teamed" with another person, Lois Nielson, whom he wed at August 13, 1926. The Boys - Laurel and Hardy form the great comedy team In 1927, the team of Laurel and Hardy was officially 'born' on film with the release of Duck Soup (no relation to the Marx Brothers' movie of the same name). The film is based on a sketch written by Stan Laurel's father, called 'Home from the Honeymoon.' Another birth happened in Stan's life on December 10th, 1927 -- his daughter Lois. Unlike Oliver ("Babe" to his friends), Stan was immersed in every facet of moving making, from writing to directing to editing to the final cut. A "Stan" is Born - Stan Laurel's screen character becomes defined Unlike Chaplin's "Little Tramp" character, Stan Laurel's character of "Stan" developed slowly over time.

In Duck Soup, his character (named James Hives) is similar to "Stan", though not quite finished. In their next few films, "Stan" (under various names) becomes more developed in the team of Laurel and Hardy. For example, his characteristic hair-scratching first occurred after filming The Second Hundred Years in which Laurel and Hardy portrayed convicts, complete with shaven heads; as it grew back in, it itched, and he scratched it, getting laughs from the people on the set -- so he added that to "Stan's" repertoire. Did You Hear That? Laurel and Hardy make the transition to talking films Unlike many of their contemporaries, Laurel and Hardy were able to make the transition from silent movies to talking pictures smoothly (their first 'talkie' picture was 'Unaccustomed As We Are'). Other classic talking Laurel and Hardy features followed, including "Another Fine Mess," a personal favorite. This feat is more amazing considering the hectic pace that they worked at in the Roach studio. "After the picture was assembled, we previewed it and if no re-takes were needed, we started to prepare the next story.

If Roach was anxious for us to get started, wed go into production almost right away after finishing a picture, and complete the script as we went along. We would start out with an idea, go along working on it as we were shooting, and then we would frequently deviate from the original idea. We worked hard, but there was no real pressure. It was fun, particularly in the silent days." -- Stan Laurel Laurel and Hardy at the Roach Studio Although the pace was hectic, and Stan Laurel did not have the creative control that he desired, Laurel & Hardy's time at the Roach studio was prolific, and profitable, both personally and professionally. Stan arranged for his longtime friends Alice and Baldwin Cooke to be hired at the studio -- they appear in several of the boys' most well-known films, such as A Perfect Day, Be Big , The Bohemian Girl and Babes in Toyland (also known as The March of the Wooden Soldiers). In 1930, personal tragedy struck -- Lois gave birth to a son, Stanley Robert, but the child was two months premature and died nine days later. Despite his grief, Stan began filming Pardon Us , Laurel and Hardys first feature film shortly afterwards.

In December 1931, Stan began filming The Music Box. This was one of Laurel and Hardy's finest films, and one for which they deserved and won an Oscar, as well as filming the classic County Hospital. Stan felt the need for a vacation, and decided to visit his father in the United Kingdom in the summer of 1932 -- Ollie and his wife, Myrtle, joined them, and the vacation was turned into a working tour, with enormous crowds greeting them everywhere they went. Interestingly enough, it was on this tour that Stan's friendship with Ollie blossomed. Although they previously had always maintained a very good working relationship, they spent little time together outside of the studio. This changed during the tour, and the two comedians became the best of friends. "Babe was like a brother to me. We seemed to sense each other. Funny, we never really got to know each other personally until we took the tours together. When we made pictures it was all business even though it was fun. Between pictures we hardly saw each other. His life outside the studio was sports, and my life was practically all work, even after work was over.

I loved editing and cutting the pictures, something he wasn't interested in. But, whatever I did was tops with him. There was never any arguments between us, never." --- Stan Laurel Personal Trouble for Stan Laurel Upon returning from the tour, Stan Laurel resumed his hectic work schedule, filming some of their finest short films, including Sons of the Desert and Busy Bodies, among others. His marriage to Lois suffered, and in the spring of 1933, Stan met Ruth Rogers. The two began seeing each other socially, and Ruth began visiting Stan on the set. Lois filed for divorce in October. In addition, Stan's brother, who had moved to the USA years before and was working as Stan's chauffeur, died during a routine dental procedure. In April of the next year, Stan and Ruth married. Conflicts & Connubial Bliss -- Stan Laurel's search for happiness In August, Stan Laurel began the filming of Babes in Toyland, one of Laurel and Hardy's most beloved films. However, this children's film exacerbated the tension between Stan and the Roach studio. Hal Roach had written the original story, which Stan thought would not work as a vehicle for Laurel and Hardy.

After numerous discussions, Stan wrote his own story line, further alienating himself from Hal Roach. In 1935, The Boys began working on Bonnie Scotland. Stan's wife Ruth visited on the set frequently, and even made the suggestion for their next film -- a comedy western (Way Out West). However, like Stan's previous attempts, this marriage ended in divorce the following year, despite Stan and Ruth's obvious love and affection for each other. And, to add insult to injury, Mae Dahlberg returned from Australia, and sued Stan for alimony -- contending that she had been Stan's common law wife from 1919 to 1925. As if this wasn't enough, his contract at Roach was about to expire, and he didn't care for the provisions. Stan did not want to extend his contract under his existing terms, and Roach insisted on including a morals clause -- perhaps not unreasonably, given the amount of time and negative publicity generated by Stan's marital difficulties. As a solution, Stan formed the Stan Laurel Productions film company, which had a non-exclusive contract with Hal Roach Studios.

The first film the new company made for Roach was Swiss Miss, which went into production in December of 1937. And, proving that an old dog can't learn new tricks, Stan got married on January 1, 1938, to Vera Illiana Shuvalova. At this point, Stan's life reads like one of Laurel and Hardy's scripts -- Ruth flew to their honeymoon hotel, raising a ruckus that their divorce wasn't final -- in reality, it had become final a few days previously. Like Mae, Vera had a nasty temper, and brought trouble on Stan's head almost immediately. Predictably, they were divorced in May of 1940. Also predictably, he continued to have trouble with Hal Roach studios, ending with his contract being terminated by Roach for general insubordination. After enduring a trial (and re-trial) over drunken driving charges stemming from one of his conflicts with Vera in 1939, Stan counter-sued the Roach studio. In a nutshell, all lawsuits were eventually dropped, and Stan returned to the Roach studios.

The first film Laurel and Hardy made back at Roach Studios was A Chump at Oxford, in which Stan Laurel plays both his lovable, dim-witted character, as well as an intelligent professor. However, it did not appear that smooth sailing was in the cards at Roach Studios -- their next film was one of their most famous, Flying Deuces -- and Stan insisted on a major re-write to make it more adaptable to Laurel and Hardy's comedic style. Their next film, Saps at Sea, was to be their final film for Roach Studios. Their contracts expired in April, 1940. Their very next step was to go on a national tour from September through December. In each of the twelve major cities they performed in, reviews were favorable and the crowds were enthusiastic. In January of 1941, Stan re-married Ruth Rogers. Now for the Bad News - lean times for Stan Laurel Unfortunately for Laurel and Hardy, no major studio came knocking to their door with a contract. Despite their popularity, as evidenced by their national tour, studio tastes had changed.

In April of 1949, they received a non-exclusive contract from Fox Studios, calling for one motion picture with the option of nine more over the next five years. Stan and Ollie accepted, but came to realize the disadvantages of working at a major studio. Unlike Roach Studios, there was no creative input; Stan could no longer control the filming, even to the limited degree that he could at Roach. Also, they were seen as relatively small cogs in the Fox machine, with none of the family atmosphere they had taken for granted at Roach, and buttonholed as making "B" grade movies. In May of 1941, Stan and Ruth separated again. In 1943, Ruth filed for divorce again -- only to later withdraw the divorce suit later. In 1945, Ruth filed for divorce yet again, which was granted in 1946. Shortly afterward, Stan Laurel married yet again, to a Russian opera singer named Ida Kitaeva Raphael. This marriage was different from all of Stan's previous marriages in one important way -- it was successful.

As Ida herself said, "No more divorces for Stan Laurel!" Stan was truly happy in this marriage, perhaps for the first time. European Tour - Laurel and Hardy still a major attraction With their film career at a standstill, Laurel and Hardy toured Europe, playing The Driver's License sketch written by Stan. Initial plans were to play two weeks at the London Palladium, and then four weeks at various provincial theaters, for a total of six weeks. However, it was so successful, the tour was expanded to eleven months. Laurel and Hardy played the Coliseum in London, then Denmark, Sweden, France and Belgium. They did not return home until January of 1948. Health Issues, and a Sickly Movie - a sad, final hurrah for Laurel and Hardy In 1949, Stan discovered that he had diabetes. Focusing on his health instead of work, he encouraged Ollie to make two films without him that year (including The Fighting Kentuckian, with John Wayne). In 1950, Laurel and Hardy received an offer to make a film in France, which they accepted. This film, Atoll K (also known as Utopia), was politely described as a disaster.

While not the worst film ever made (the opening scene in the lawyers' office is actually quite humorous), the film as a whole is probably the worst film Laurel and Hardy ever made. The script required a major re-write by Stan, and both Stan and Ollie suffered serious medical illnesses during the filming. The fact that the multi-national cast didn't speak a common language surely didn't help. Once they returned home, they spent some time recovering their health. In 1952, they did another tour of England doing a new sketch by Stan Laurel, based on Night Owls, one of their 1930's films. The tour was so successful that they returned the next year with another new sketch by Stan. However, during their 1953 tour, Stan was taken seriously ill, and was unable to perform for several weeks. In May of 1954, Oliver Hardy suffered a slight heart attack, which cancelled the tour -- their last tour, due to health reasons. In December of that year, they were surprised with an appearance on the TV show "This is Your Life." As Stan said, "It was a staggering experience.

We've been planing to do something on TV, but we certainly never intended to start out on an unrehearsed network show!" Closing Days - the end of Laurel and Hardy In 1955, Laurel and Hardy were planning a television series, The Fables of Laurel and Hardy, based on children's' stories, produced by Hal Roach, Jr. These plans were postponed when Stan Laurel suffered a stroke on April 25, 1955. Stan recovered, and in 1956 was planning to get back to work, when Oliver suffered a major stroke. Ollie was paralyzed, and confined to his bed for several months before his death on August 7, 1957. Stan, under his doctor's orders due to his own poor health, was unable to attend the funeral of his long-time partner and friend. After Oliver's death, Stan realized he would never work again -- although he kept busy writing gags and sketches for fellow comedians. He was recognized with a special Oscar for his pioneering work in the field of comedy in 1961. Stan Laurel passed away on February 23, 1965, a few days after suffering a heart attack.

Arthur Stanley Jefferson (1890 - 1965) - Genealogy Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States Immediate Family: June 16 1890 - Ulverston, Lancashire, England Death: Feb 23 1965 - Santa Monica, California, United States Parents: Arthur J Jefferson, Margaret Anne Jefferson Wife: Lois Jefferson, Virginia Ruth Laurel, Vera Ivanova Laurel Children: Lois Laurel-Hawes, Stanley R. Laurel Siblings: 1901 - 8 Dockwray Sq, North Shields, Northumberland, England Parents: June 16 1890 - Ulverston Lancaster Death: Feb 23 1965 - Santa Monica, California, Parents: Aug 23 1926 - Los Angeles, California, United States Wife: brother About Stan Laurel Best remembered as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy, Stan Laurel's film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film The Music Box (1932).

In 1961, Laurel was given a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award for his pioneering work in comedy. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. He was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on June 16, 1890 in his grandparents' house at 3 Argyle Street, Ulverston, Lancashire, England. His parents, Arthur and Margaret ("Madge") Jefferson, were both active in the theatre and always very busy. In his early years, he spent much time living with his grandmother Sarah Metcalfe. Naturally inclined toward a life in the theater, he returned to work with his parents at his father's Metropole Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland after completing his required studies at English schools in Bishop Auckland and Tynemouth. Laurel made his stage debut at the age of 16 - much to chagrin of his father, who wanted Laurel to go into the management side of the business - and was soon a member of a touring company. Later, he joined Fred Karno's group of traveling performers where he eventually became an understudy to none other than Charlie Chaplin . In 1910, the company embarked on a U.S.

tour and young Laurel went with them, only to later go out on his own with several other actors, writing and performing his own original material that included a sketch called "The Nutty Burglars." It was around this time that he changed his last name to Laurel and teamed with his common-law wife at the time, Mae Dahlberg , a vaudevillian actress with whom he co-starred in his first short silent film, Nuts in May (1917). It was a period of transition for Laurel, as he vacillated between the smoke-filled stages of vaudeville and the early sound stages of Hollywood, where he appeared in an early, pre-Laurel and Hardy film that also featured Oliver "Babe" Hardy , titled The Lucky Dog (1921). Eventually, Laurel committed himself to cinema fulltime, when he signed a 12-picture contract with producer-director Joe Rock.

The deal, however, held one most unusual stipulation - that Mae Dahlberg, who many felt had become a hindrance to Laurel's career, would not appear in any further films alongside her "husband." Additionally, a separate deal was made with Dahlberg that included several thousand dollars and a one-way ticket to her homeland of Australia. Both Laurel and Dahlberg accepted their respective offers. When his deal with Rock came to an end, Laurel next went to work at the hugely influential Hal Roach Studios. Initially, Laurel intended to work for Roach primarily as a writer and director on such films as Yes, Yes Nanette (1925), which starred his future performing partner, Hardy. Fate stepped in, however, when after Hardy suffered a minor accident, Laurel was enlisted to help out with acting duties as a temporary member of Roach Studios' Comedy All Star Players.

Laurel began sharing screen time with Hardy in several two-reel shorts, including their first onscreen pairing for Roach Studios, 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926), followed by Duck Soup (1927) - long thought lost until its rediscovery in 1974 - and Slipping Wives (1927), in which a neglected wife entangles handyman Laurel in a scheme to make her artist husband jealous. Stan and Ollie soon became fast friends, and at the suggestion of the studio's supervising director Leo McCarey, they began being paired specifically as a team. It was under the guidance of McCarey that Laurel and Hardy began to sculpt their winning formula in shorts such as Sugar Daddies (1927) and With Love and Hisses (1927). Although the act evolved rapidly, their trademark costumes of ties and bowler hats did not appear until their eighth film Do Detectives Think? (1927), and McCarey and Roach would both later cite Putting Pants on Philip (1927) as the first official "Laurel and Hardy" film.

By the end of that year, the silent comedy team had caught on so well with the public that there was no turning back, yet no one except the nurturing Roach would have allowed them the time and leeway they needed for their creative growing pains to play out. A rarity among his contemporaries, Roach understood comedy and gave his people the freedom to get things just right, saving the pair from the kind of major studio meddling that so blunted the genius of Buster Keaton at the height of his genius. Laurel and Hardy each beautifully complemented the other's screen presence, with their opposite personality and physical traits somehow creating a perfect match. On their way to becoming Hollywood's greatest acting team of the silent era, they appeared in dozens of classics that included From Soup to Nuts (1928) and Leave 'Em Laughing (1928). Inherently good natured, although clearly not the smartest guys in any given room, they somehow maintained their decency in a callous world that constantly inflicted its cynicism upon them. And audiences loved them for it.

Despite suffering defeats at the cruel hands of fate, Stan and Ollie dusted themselves off to face whatever calamity befell them with renewed optimism, lampooning life's difficulties in a way that appealed to children and scholars alike in films such as Habeas Corpus (1929). Stanley, the bungling simpleton, seemed to always get under his portly partner's skin, whether it was due to sabotaging his painstakingly laid plans, or simply knocking him off a perched ladder. So convincing was their tempestuous onscreen relationship, that for years Stan's daughter Lois harbored a grudge against the imposing Hardy for bullying her frail daddy. Unlike so many of their silent-era contemporaries, the advent of sound - or the "talkies" - did not toll the funeral bell for the careers of Laurel and Hardy. Nor did they feel compelled to alter their approach to their material to any large degree, as Stan and Oliver's voices thankfully matched their established onscreen personalities quite well. Additionally, the inclusion of sound effects only served to punctuate their brand of physical comedy.

With Unaccustomed as We Are (1929) Laurel & Hardy officially entered the realm of pictures with sound and audiences could not have been more thrilled. Within two short years, they made their feature-length film debut with Pardon Us (1931) for Roach, although they would still continue their prodigious output of shorts concurrently until 1935. An early milestone of the comedy duo's talkies came with The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930) in which Oliver employed his famous catchphrase "Here's another nice mess you've gotten us into" for the first time; over the years the line would be mistakenly quoted as "Here's another fine mess you've gotten us into" by even the most knowledgeable of film fans. Certainly, a critical high point came when The Music Box (1932), arguably their best short, won the first Academy Award ever given in the category of Best Short Subjects (Live Action Comedy).

Though it is the features of this period - especially Sons of the Desert (1933) and Babes in Toyland (1934) - that are best remembered, the shorts, less flawed by extended lulls in the action and at times rudderless plots, represented their highest artistic achievement. When Roach eventually abandoned shorts as commercially impractical, 'The Boys' nonetheless continued making funny films through the end of the decade, benefiting from the creative contributions of veteran silent comedian Harry Langdon who received screenplay credit on Blockheads (1938), The Flying Deuces (1939), A Chump at Oxford (1940), and Saps at Sea (1940). In all, Laurel and Hardy appeared in over 70 films for Roach between the years 1926 and 1940, excelling in a rare studio environment that allowed unfettered creative freedom. Such free reign, however, did come at a price. After a bitter disagreement over the direction of Babes in Toyland, Laurel and Roach's professional relationship became increasingly frayed.

After a series of dust-ups, work stoppages, and threatened lawsuits, Laurel and Hardy finally jumped ship and took their comedic wares to larger studio operations. Unfortunately, neither 20th Century-Fox nor MGM were willing to cede as much creative control to the boys as Roach had. From 1941-45, Laurel and Hardy appeared in a total of eight films for the two studios, but as they became increasingly dissatisfied with being regarded merely as work-for-hire actors, the comedy team abandoned film in lieu of a return to their artistic roots on the stage. After performing in theatrical venues throughout Europe for the remainder of the 1940s, Laurel and Hardy were lured back to cinema for the French-Italian co-production Atoll-K - released in the U.S. years later as Utopia (1951). From the beginning, Atoll-K was plagued by problems that included a substantial language barrier, a weak script and inexperienced director, as well as the increasingly poor health of its stars. The film - which took nearly a full year to complete - proved to be a critical disaster upon its release. Sadly, it would also mark the final feature film collaboration between Laurel and Hardy.

Following an extended recuperation period, Laurel returned to the stages of Great Britain and Western Europe with Hardy for an extended series of well-regarded performances of various sketches written by Laurel. Then, in late 1954, the iconic comedy team made their first and only American television appearance when they were surprised in an episode of This is Your Life (NBC, 1952-1961). While the installment of the popular biography program reignited public interest in them and talk of a Laurel and Hardy television series ensued, the rapidly declining health of both comedians scuttled any such plans. Despite a weight-loss regimen prescribed by his doctors, Oliver Hardy died after a series of strokes in 1957. In the years that followed the death of his longtime friend, a devastated Laurel refused to perform onscreen, although he reportedly contributed various gags and comedic bits via correspondences with several filmmakers. In 1960, Laurel received an honorary Academy Award for his many contributions to film comedy.

However, even these lofty accolades would not be enough to draw him out of retirement, as evidenced by his turning down a cameo role in director Stanley Kramer's comedy spectacular It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). The aging comedian quietly lived out his remaining days in Santa Monica, CA with his fourth wife, Ida. In those later years he was known to graciously receive visits from celebrity fans that included Jerry Lewis and Dick Van Dyke , during which he would pass along Golden Age anecdotes and comedy wisdom. Stan Laurel passed away on Feb. 23, 1965 at the age of 74.

Question: Who was Stan Laurel's comedic partner?
Answer: Oliver Hardy