Message Board

February, 27th 2009

Anyone know the routine of Laurel asking Hardy what time it is and Hardy looks at his watch, which is on the top of his wrist and pours his drink in his lap. Then Hardy asks Laurel what time is it to get Laurel to pour his drink in his lap and it backfires because Laurel wears his watch under his wrist and ends up pouring his drink on Hardy's lap as well?

Jerry (USA / Kansas)

February, 25th 2009

In the summer of 2009, a selection of Laurel and Hardy feature length and short films will be shown on Channel 4 as part of their "Laurel and Hardy Afternoon". This will include a new documentary.

Ross Owen (Scotland)

February, 24th 2009

Hello! My Mother is a distant relative of Stan Laurel, so we're told. She was born near Ulverston and brought up just outside of Sunderland.
While i was involved in a charity walk for the War Dead in France on the somme, I chanced upon a town called 'Albert' which is in the heart of the Somme. The town is twinned with Ulverston and is alive with Laurel and Hardy! All the residents are obsessed with the comedy duo, and i spent a very enjoyable evening in the 3 Pidgeons pub, entertaining the locals with my head scratching! Just thought i'd mention it as anyone interested would surely love this tiny town. Best wishes, Peter Speller. (u.k Kent)

February, 23rd 2009

On this day in 1965 the world lost who i feel is the funniest person ever to live. Stan Laurel. The man was a pure genius, and will always be remebered as one half of the greatest comedy duo ever, alongside his pal Oliver Hardy. Both Stan and Ollies films are still shown to this day, which is a true testiment to their talent. God bless you Stan.

Lee Bottomley (England)

It is wonderful to see this great site up and running again. I espeically look forward to more of Richard Bann's always interesting essays.

You say that you are in the process of restoring the Laurel and Hardy foreign versions, and mention the Italian, French and Spanish sound tracks. Does this mean that all the foreign versions from the 1930's has now been found, or is it more recent dubbings of other actors voices on the soundtrack?

Best wishes,
Peter Mikkelsen (Copenhagen, Denmark)

The following titles have been found and released as refilmings, (i.e. foreign versions in which Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy speak foreign languages including French, German, Spanish and Italian):
Spanish: DE BOTE EN BOTE, LOS CALAVERAS, LADRONES, TIEMBLA Y TITUBEA, LA VIDA NOCTURNA, NOCHE DE DUENDES, POLITIQUERIAS and French: LES CAROTTIERS, UNE NUIT EXTRAVAGANTE.
The others are dubbed. The sound of both, the dubbed and the refilmed foreign versions, has been digitally cleaned (de-noised, de-crackled, de-hummed) and carefully remastered.

February, 20th 2009

I have just fallen in love AGAIN, with the worlds greatest comic pair that have ever and will ever walk this earth.
Watching their films over again, I have just laughed and laughed. The world would be a better place, if everyone sat and watched a few L & H films.
Best of luck with the site!

Alan (Dublin, Ireland)

February, 18th 2009

I have a limited edition signed print by Gregory of Laurel and Hardy. I think it is a pencil drawing with Laurel and Hardy dressed, I think, as choir boys and in the middle of them is a vicar or minister? Don't know anything about it or Laurel and Hardy. Can someone give me some info please as I would like to sell this item. Many thanks

Helen (Boscombe, Bournemouth)

I once saw Stan destroy a travel trailer while preparing a meal (I think it was breakfast). It was the funniest scene I have ever seen. I don't know the name of the film...can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks.

SFP (USA)

To SFP, I think the film you mean is called "Them Thar Hills", it is where Ollie is prescribed a caravan trip into the mountains to cure his gout.

Alex (Blackpool, England)

February, 17th 2009

Hi I have a plaster of paris colour mould of laurel and hardy, its approx 2.5ft wide and approx 2ft in height it really is quite unique can anyone suggest where I could sell the cast
thanks
pete (scotland)

HI... I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT THE NAME OF THE BACKGROUND MUSIC USED IN A LOT OF THE L&H SHORTS. ONE TUNE WAS USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ALSO ANY IDEA WHERE I CAN GET A COPY OF IT.

paul (uk/london)

A lot of the background music in the L&H Shorts has been re-recorded very accurately by a group called the Beau Hunks'.

Alex (Blackpool, England)

February, 16th 2009

How great to see the website back 'online'!

Having collected most of the 2004 UK DVD releases (congratulation on the superb restoration work), I would be very interested to know if there are plans for missing titles such as "Bonnie Scotland" or "The Devil's Brother" to be released? Or are the rights to these films held separately?

Also I think many L&H fans, including myself, would be interested to know if Charley Chase's sound shorts are being considered for a release? These are too good to be kept hidden forever.

Kind regards
Alex, Blackpool, England

Alex - Yes, the rights to "Bonnie Scotland", "The Devil's Brother" as well as the FOX and MGM titles produced between 1941 and 1945 are held seperately.
The L&H Team

February, 15th 2009

does anybody no the film were they put a tv aerial up and end up recking the house thanks steve (uk)

That would be Hog Wild Steve.
Ross Owen (Scotland)

February, 13th 2009

It's wonderful to see this website up and running again! I stumbled upon it while looking for information regarding DVD releases of Laurel & Hardy material for home viewing. I noticed, however, that for about 4 years or so, nothing changed. I checked back periodically to see if anything new had happened, and imagine my surprise today when I checked?!

I was originally a Three Stooges fan as a child, but I did like L & H and "Our Gang" as well. This came through my father and grandfather's influence. When I got older, and realized just how much the Stooges repeated the same old tired jokes and finger pokes, I remembered Laurel & Hardy; and with the help of the American Movie Classics channel, which would show L & H shorts btween films on Saturday mornings, I was able to view and eventually tape record 4 of their all-time classic shorts. It was a few years after that, with the help of my new computer, that I discovered your wonderful site. My friends have helped me as much as possible with my desire to see all things Laurel & Hardy, but I still haven't seen more than about a dozen shorts and only about 4 or 5 of their feature length movies.

The thing that I love the best about L & H is, I think, the way that Hardy brings the veiwer into the L & H world; and he does this with those little sideways glances at the camera. He always seems to be asking, "Can you believe this?" or "What next?".

I have never laughed at the 3 Stooges or other comedy duos the way I laugh at Laurel & Hardy. And while I have seen some modern movies with raunchy humor that I laughed at harder upon initial viewing, the L & H films keep me laughing at a consistent level whereas those modern raunchy movies lose their shock-value humor with successive viewings. Laurel & Hardy are timeless.

What the world needs now is for all of the available shorts and features to be realeased...whether they are restored or not. The message must be put out there...the 3 stooges were funny, but Laurel & Hardy are much funnier. And they always will be.

Good Luck with your site!

Joel K. (USA)

February, 12th 2009

Hi im just trying to find out about a silent short called Panghaied that Laurel & Hardy had made eary in the 1920's. It's set in Doldrums saloon. thank's David. (Melbourne, Australia)

I noticed in the list of shorts that there is no mention of a feature called "CHIMNEY SWEEPS" which I have on tape. Has anyone else seen this one ? Its very funny

George (USA)

I presume this is a re-titled licensed or unlicensed reissue of DIRTY WORK?

February, 11th 2009

Dear friends I' m an Italian fan of Our Stan & Babe. I read in Your beautiful website there is a process of restoring the Laurel and Hardy foreign versions. "In 2008 the Italian, French and Spanish sound tracks were digitally cleaned and synced to the preserved Library of Congress material. The restored Italian versions are now available on DVD, distributed by Universal". This is the Problem: the restored Italian versions to be preserved in some cases are incomplete: A Chump At Oxford loose few parts in the bank scene where the director thanks Stan and Babe and many others parts in the same movie, Saps At Sea loose the final sequence, Our Relations also,few dialogues slower or faster in shorts and in films. This is because people involved in the restoration takes the audio from colorized versions or incomplete. But It is possible to found complete dialogue I have this! The others italian fans also! It is also possible to contact Sons Of The Desert in Italy (Noi Siamo Le Colonne) people that loves Laurel & Hardy and expects the definitive good versions! Sorry for my english and for my complaints but I don't want to watch Laurel and Hardy the following years incomplete or different from the original purpose. I say It is possible to make an italian decent version we have the material! Thanks

Marco Tondolo marton71 from Laurel & Hardy italian forum

We very much regret to hear about your complaints, because we invested an enormous amount of time, effort and money into restoring the foreign versions.
In order to compile a product with a viewing quality superior to what was available in Italy so far, we combined the best image, the preserved Library of Congress material, with sound from various sources.  We spent a lot of time screening several generations of material in numerous formats. The longest and therefore most complete sound available to us, then was digitally cleaned, carefully remastered and synced to the Library of Congress picture. We strived to keep the films as complete as possible, but in a few instances, where we did not have an Italian sound track, we had to cut the image.
If you have access to any of the “missing” sound, we would very much appreciate if you could send us a copy.

The L&H Team

February, 10th 2009

I have been a huge Laurel and Hardy fan all my life. I remember my grandfather taking me to Vendrome in LA and telling me those were the steps Laurel and Hardy moved the piano down!!! I was mesmerized man ... Those steps are SO in graved in my mind now ... The greatest comedy team of all time bar none.

I just wish I could get all those shorts and films on DVD to share with my children now ...

It's hard to show people how talented Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy were not being able to show the actual footage you know??

But it is indelibly ingraved in my mind forever and I am SO thankful I was there to see them perform and they are forever in my heart and in my mind.

And it's not just the comedy, but the spirit and generosity and simplicity and just plain joy of life that lives on ...

Jeff Henninger (USA)

could you tell me the name of one of their films.
It is one where Hardy is about to get married and while waiting for the car to take him to the church. Stan brings a jigsaw to his house and starts to piece it together and everyone gets involved. I have been trying to find a copy for some time .Could you tell me the title and is it still (avabile? spelling) to buy.

thank you very nicerly

arthur Metcalfe (Bradford bd10 9bp yorkshire)

The one with the jigsaw puzzle is Me and My Pal. I can recommend a book called What was the film when? which gives a brief synopsis of all the boys' films. It's ISBN number is 0-9528760-2-7.

andy booth (halifax)

February, 9th 2009

I'm trying to find the name of the film that the boys did a cameo comedy bit in. As I remember it, They were at a bar, with a spanish lady, and they get into a Egg fight of sorts, she makes the boys break an egg in their hands ,and in there hats. and the boys get back at her. eventually having her break an egg when she sits down on the bar stool...can anyone help with the name of the film.

NED

I believe the scene you are talking about appeared in "The Bullfighters".
Alex (Chicago)

The boys do the same 'egg' routine during their cameo role in a film called Hollywood Party (1934).
Ross Owen (UK)

February, 8th 2009

my kids love watching laurel and hardy they think they great and they only 10 .13 . 16 and they been watching them for a few years they got every dvd

DAVID GARFOOT (england)

Hi everyone. I have come accross an 8MM film made by Carnival Films. "House for Rent"
I have been unable loacate any reference to it under any site Laurel & Hardy Site.
Can any one help. Is this Rare? Please email me.

Mike (Philadelphia)

One would assume this a re-titled version of Another Fine Mess.

I can confirm that this is a brief scene from "Another Fine Mess!"

The scene where Stan (Dressed in Ed Dunn's Butler's uniform tries to get rid of "Lord Plumtree" (Charlie Gerrard) and his wife "Lady Pamela Plumtree" (Thelma Todd, but after seeing the cop outside the door he reluctantly continues the charade and calls for "Col.Buckshot". Ollie, who is on the stairwell of the manorhouse, hears Stan's call and runs upstairs. Again, Stan calls him and forced to continue this charade..Ollie tells "Hives" (Stan) to show the guests to the solarium (meaning the sunroom. Stan does his slow confused take and then taking his lordship's top hat,cane and gloves takes them into the parlour, only to slip on a rug and fall right onto "Lord Plumtree's" high hat squashing it into a crushed top hat. "Lord Plumtree" gives Stan a annoyed glare and Stan tries to hide the damaged headpiece.

Ross Owen (Scotland)

February, 7th 2009

Hi
Please can any one tell me the name of the film where Stan and Ollie play there wives as well

Margaret (England)

You are thinking of their short "Twice Two".
Alex (Chicago)

Brilliant site, well done.

I have a Laurel and Hardy garden knome. They are sitting on a bench. It is weathered as has been used. Does it have a value please. It is abbout 8" high and 10" long. I think its made of stone.

Thank you
Barry (Crawley)

Bless your hearts for this web site! Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were the funniest comedians ever! I have a collection of some of their films on video tape with hoe footage narrated by Lois Laurel. No matter how many times I have watched those films I always laugh until I cry. Both men were sheer genius' when it came to comedy and no one will ever be able to replace them. Truley the greatest! And as Stan said in one film, "you can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead"!

Rosie (United States)

February, 5th 2009

my dad past away leaving wot is beleived to be the largest collection in the south of england it will be auctioned at chiswick auction rooms in march i have a photo site you mite like to show your members its at photobucket under martin els2 i hope tou enjoy thanx martin

martin (plymouth england)

collection is now in the safe hands of chiswick auctions uk
here are a few pics of some of the collection http://s478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/martinels2/
martin (February, 17th 2009)

Congratulations, great site, enjoyable and interesting to browse.

Since it's a new, or I'd better say refurbished, site with a new structure, it might be a good idea for those folks who are using links into the middle of the old site's contents to check those links and update them as appropriate, even though this new site covers the most frequently used ones anyway.

I found links to this site in Arabia, China, Georgia (Europe/Asia), Japan, just to name a few, and even other rather distant places in the galaxy. There are fans all over the world.

Many thanks for this beautiful site, lots of luck and success
Kind regards
Rod

February, 4th 2009

It`s phantastic to hear that the foreign versions are in the process of restoring and will be released in 2009.
Wonderful to hear, that the german versions will be released by Kinowelt in 2009.

2009 is really a "Laurel & Hardy"-year!!
Great website - many thanks!

Michael Ehret

Congratulations on your very beautiful site dedicated to Stan and Babe, it is with great pleasure that I have noticed that has taken over the task. I hope the future more and more full of satisfaction for all of us fans of Laurel & Hardy.

Ciao
Giancarlo Manfredini (Don Camillo)
Cremona - Italy
Italian Member of the Tent of the Sons of the Desert Oasis 165

It is great to see this site back in action, I can't wait to see what is in store for us all.

Dean McKeown

February, 3rd 2009

Welcome back. I've just spent an enjoyable hour looking through the site and it's just great. Looking forward to more fascinating facts and findings. 2009 is getting better every day !!

PS.Thanks for the Blockheads download

Dani Barker

please can anybody tell me the name of the film in which i think it is stan who gets tortured on a stretch bed and they both walk out at the end and stan is about 7feet tall. i have all the box sets but have not come across this film.
kind regards
steve

Steve, you're thinking of "The Bohemian Girl"
and may I say Welcome back to the Official Site

Leo

May I be one of the first to welcome the official site back. It's an absolute delight to see this wonderful website back in action. Thank you.

Ross Owen