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As well as an introductory essay and biographies of both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Robb covers every Laurel and Hardy short film, the move from silent movies to the sound classics of the 1930s and the feature films of the 1930s and 1940s, complete with information on the inspiration for each film and the reaction of critics and audiences. There’s also a handy reference section listing other books about Laurel and Hardy, interesting web sites and the availability of their 106 films.
British-born Stan Laurel and American Oliver Hardy were teamed up at the struggling Hal Roach studios in the 1920s and embarked on a series of hilarious short silent films. They soon established a classic screen partnership and became instantly recognizable comic icons in their crumpled suits and bowler hats. Laurel and Hardy were the most successful of all the film comics who made the difficult transition from silent shorts to sound and then to feature films, enjoying unparalleled success from the 1920s through the 1950s. Regular and repeated screenings of their work through the 1970s and 1980s on television brought shorts like the Oscar-winning classic The Music Box to new generations, while in recent years the entire rarely-seen back catalogue of silent Laurel and Hardy films has become available to film buffs, comedy fans, and collectors on a series of DVD releases. This guide contains a handy reference section listing other books about them, interesting websites, and details on availability of their 106 films. From Another Fine Mess to Way Out West, this is the one-stop celebration of the films and lives of Stan and Ollie.
‘[These] guides are packed to the margins with important facts and enlightening commentary.’ — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Brian J. Robb