The Silver Screen Oasis

Judith:

Did you know there is a website for Ollie? I don't know anything about the guy who set it up but here is a link if you want to look. I haven't looked very hard at it but thought I'd pass it on.

http://www.oliverhardy.com/

Thanks, Chris - I don't think I've seen this website before.

Did you notice the copies of newspaper ads for L&H movies? The website creator wonders about a movie theater ad from 1929 for a Laurel & Hardy "talking skit" called "Just Like a Man." I did a little research just now, and found an entry about it on a L&H webring message board from a Dutch Sons of the Desert Member, who thinks that "Just Like a Man" was the original title for L&H's first talkie, Unaccustomed As We Are. It's entirely possible.

And isn't Babe Hardy a doll? Always makes me think of Twice Two, where his wife (played by Stan in drag) talks baby-talk to him and calls him "Pudgy-Wudgy." Tee-hee.

I love "Twice Two." Isn't that the only time Hardy dressed up as a woman?
I know it's different but I like "Brats" since they play dual roles.

I like that picture of Hardy half way down the front page. He looks like he is in a western. Looks mean too. (I have to read more of it when I have time.)

The man looked like he had fun.

Brats is my daughter favorite Laurel and Hardy film, I can't blame her, it's really funny, I've watched it so many times with her and it still makes me laugh. Especially when Ollie opens with bathroom door.......

I think Laurel and Hardy mostly confuse me because there are so many good films to choose from and I'm still learning to select the right title with the film I want to watch. Some are easy Laughing Gravy is the one with the dog........The Music Box, the one with the piano. The one with the Christmas tree is Big Business, You're Darn Tootin the one with the trousers that get ripped off, Berth Marks is the one on the train, then I get confused. It's probably just me

charliechaplinfan wrote:Brats is my daughter favorite Laurel and Hardy film, I can't blame her, it's really funny, I've watched it so many times with her and it still makes me laugh. Especially when Ollie opens with bathroom door.......

I think Laurel and Hardy mostly confuse me because there are so many good films to choose from and I'm still learning to select the right title with the film I want to watch. Some are easy Laughing Gravy is the one with the dog........The Music Box, the one with the piano. The one with the Christmas tree is Big Business, You're Darn Tootin the one with the trousers that get ripped off, Berth Marks is the one on the train, then I get confused. It's probably just me

No, not true, dear. I've been an L&H fan for over 50 years, and I still don't have all the titles straight. Part of that confusion is due to the fact many of their films, which may have been forgotten or rarely shown when I was a child, subsequently came into circulation. Also - many of their movie plots were re-used, especially from silents to sound, so they are easily confused with each other. Doesn't matter -- they are all essentially the same; the same, but different.

Judith & Bogie:

It's unbelievable!!!!

On August 23rd there are 32 films by Stan and Ollie. Lots of never seen on TCM short films and the usual list of features.

Among the shorts are "Night Owls", "Hog Wild", Helpmates", Scram", and "Their First Mistake." The most notable feature is "A Chump At Oxford." "Chump" is also on in June but not apparently for Canada.

Write it down.

Yee-Haw!!!

Leonard Maltin's Selected Short Subjects lists forty Laurel and Hardy sound shorts over the 1929-1935 period.

A quick look at my Index shows that most of these sound shorts were shown in the 1980s and 1990s by AMC, CBN/Family Channel, or the various incarnations of the Comedy Channel. A number of those shown by CBN/Family and The Comedy Channel were colorized.

The Laurel and Hardy sound shorts missing from my Index include:

#5 They Go Boom (1929)
#18 Come Clean (1931)
#22 Any Old Port (1932)

AMC showed many of the Laurel and Hardy sound shorts in the 1990s. There was a Laurel and Hardy marathon in 1993 that included Spanish language versions of these:

#8 Blotto (1930)
#12 The Laurel Hardy Murder Case (1930)
#14 Be Big (1931)
#15 Chickens Come Home (1931)

Since 2006 TCM has run just a few Laurel and Hardy sound shorts:

#8 Blotto (1930)
#15 Chickens Come Home (1931)
#23 The Music Box (1932)
#28 Towed in a Hole (1932)
#36 Them Thar Hills (1934)
#37 The Live Ghost (1934)
#38 Tit For Tat (1935)

P.S. Thank you MovieMan for pointing out my oversight of The Live Ghost

"The Live Ghost" has been shown as it is on my On Demand for the second go-round.

I got most of the L&H shorts from WOR broadcasts back in the 80's. You can imagine the quality is at best fair. I did my best to edit commercials but a wide spread re-airing of the these would be wonderful.

My copy of "Helpmates" was colorized. It made me ill that they, whoever they are, did it but I'd rather have it than not.

I have a 21 disc box set that was released as region 2, that covers every film available. I could sit and watch them all day with my daughter. For some reason they're better when watching with someone, especially in the company of a child. I think that's part of their popularity that a lot of the gags are childlike and aren't likely to go over anyone's head.

Their child like quality is part of their charm. That doesn't make them stupid, as some would claim, but maybe naive in some ways.

Apart from the humor they generate I've always thought their undying loyalty, on screen and in real life, was a great part of their appeal. No matter the situation, the difficulty and even the pain involved you knew they would still be the best of friends. The humor, whether broad, surreal or accidental, I think could speak to anyone. It's a big part of why they were so popular the world over.

One of my favorites doesn't even have them in their L&H characters. It's "Putting Pants On Phillip." Stan's a Scotsman come to America for a visit. It revolves around the novelty of his kilt and his fascination for American women.

I've seen that. Didn't Stan always say his favorite film with Ollie were the silents. You've hit the nail on the head Movieman, their loyalty to one another has a lot to do with their charm, even when Ollie is at his most exasperated he never turns his back completely on his hapless buddy.

I'm sure this has probably been asked here but did anyone see Stan it was made by the BBC in 2006 and features flashback through their careers and a fictional account of Stan by Ollie's bedside. It brought tears to my eyes.

Hey all.

Going through the blog at Greenbriar I found a article on Stan and Ollie's Fox comedies. Ollie had a little tatoo. Never knew that.

The date is for April 10, 2006 so you may have to scroll down a little.

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot. ... chive.html

If anyone has OnDemand (at least on Comcast) "Chickens Come Home" is taking a week on the bill. You'll find it under the "Shorts" section.

Just a gentle reminder for anyone who might be interested that SUTS gives the boys their day this Saturday, the 23rd. Lotso f first run short films that run mostly in the early morning with a few scattered through the afternoon.