Stanley Laurel and Hardy Oliver, popularly known as Laurel and Hardy, formed one of the most celebrated and lovable comedian teams and still considered as one of the most successful comedy duo of the Hollywood.
Laurel, whose real name was Arthur Jefferson, was born in 1890. He was an English comedian. As a stage actor, in most of his performances, he played such roles which typically exhibited in a combination of dances, music and clowning. He subsequently travelled to America and started appearing in American films since 1917. Similarly, Hardy came from Georgia – USA. He was born in the year 1892. He first appeared on stage at the age of 8 only. He started film acting in 1914.
Both appeared in dozens of silent films before they began their successful partnership in 1927 in a silent comedy Putting Pants on Philip. In the next thirty years they made talking pictures and achieved great success with films like Sons of the Desert (1934), Way Out West (1937) and Blockheads (1938).
Their humours came from the contrast between the small, thin and confused Laurel and the big, fat and irritable Hardy. They made over 200 films between 1927 to 1945 in a style shaped by them, which ranged from simple visual jokes to slow paced funs to charm the appreciative audience. Famous cine critic Charles Barr remarked in his monograph on “Laurel and Hardy” (1968) that Laurel and Hardy were the most universal of comics in range and in appeal. The truth is that their work was extremely variable and grew upon until they were hilarious, irresistible and cherished.
With the passing away of Hardy in 1957, the journey of the successful duo ended. And in 1965, Laurel also breathed his last at the age of 75.