European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 28, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Looks Laurel Hardy by Sam Bauman staff writer was always a glorious moment. The eyebrows would go up the lips would purse and triple chins would Flap. Then Oliver Norvelle he liked the full dignified sound of his name Hardy in his Rich fruity baritone would say with resignation another Fine mess you be gotten me into then with lips quivering eyes filling with tears and hands nervously chasing each other Arthur Stanley Jefferson better known As Stan Laurel would blubber but Ollie. And thus another Laurel and hard comedy would be reeling along Ollie the know it All cursed with his bumbling Friend or. Laurel both surrounded by a sea of troubles shrewish wives in tolerant police Superior waiters. Their jokes whether two reel three reel or feature length Seldom came As sur Prises. Rather they were carefully constructed each Topping the preceding one to a towering moment of Absurdity. It is doubtful that Laurel and hard had any idea they were creating High classic comedy when they teamed up under the Wing of husky Hal Roach in 1926 after knocking around film studios for years. Today the comedy duo is the Center of an enthusiastic revival much like the recent Humphrey Bogart Boom with lovers of Art film queuing up to see such offerings As big business a chump at Oxford Fly ing deuces and the Oft butchered babes in  the revival now has the official stamp of Success with the publication of the films of Laurel and Hardy by Wil Liam k. Everson from which the Pic Tures on this Page Are reprinted Cour Tesy of the Citadel press. Obviously a labor of love although at $7.95, profit must have had something to do with Steverson s study is blessed wit hundreds of Good photos and text that is neither breathlessly naive nor stridently worshipful. How Good Are the Laurel and Hardy films Hal Roach who produced their greatest efforts today a Hale and Hearty 75, hag this to say i be been at film festivals where Charlie Chaplin s old comedies Are played Roach produced Chaplin Yorksas Well. To my Surprise the gags that i roared at when i first saw the get hardly any laughter from today s audiences. But the Laurel and hard pictures get laughs in All the places where we planned them to be at  the two became a team largely by Accident. Although both worked on the Roach lot and haphazardly worked to Gether in Lucky dog a 1917 epic they did t join forces until 1926. Both had been in films since 1917, Laurel Asa comic and Hardy because of his tremendous Girth As the villain Orthe cop on the beat. Laurel came to show business naturally via an English theatrical family. He joined a music Hall troupe and in1910 came to the United states. For a while he understudied Chaplin. Hardy was Georgia born and at onetime considered a singing career. How Ever films won out and he As Well a Laurel was something of a fixture on the Roach scene when they teamed up for a forgettable epic titled forty five minutes from  from there the Rise if not meteoric was at least steady until toward the end Laurel got bit by the directing Bug and was bounced off the Roach lot. In Between they created Many Miles of memorable celluloid. What did Laurel and Hardy offer tothe movie goer first Everson writes they could subtly make themselves inferior to the audience not so much in a sense of humility As in personal ability. In Laurel and Hardy we can All recognize human failings that Are not too exaggerated. Children seem to like and understand Laurel & Hardy Best of All perhaps because the two comedians Are adults. Reacting in a genuinely child like manner. Women As a group like Laurel & Hardy not at All. The method acting of Laurel and Hardy was simplicity itself. Like Chil Dren with a set off building blocks writes Everson they d take a single idea and on its base build  the Best example of this technique per haps was their classic big  the plot was almost Barren a squabble would develop Between Laurel and Hardy and James Finlayson their regular foil in front of whose Home they had parked their car. That s it beginning and end. But a the details. Finlayson infuriated by the pair stalks out to the car and snaps off a Radiator decoration. Laurel and hard Trade glances March to the House and rip off a Mailbox. Finlayson eyes pop Ping As he1 watches turns around and rips off a fender. Hardy takes an a to Finlayson s House window. Finlayson grabs the Radiator and wrenches it off. And on into chaos gag piling on gag Hardy s famous stare into the audiences he mutely pleads for tolerance he knows he does t have Laurel with adept twitch straightening his tie while wrecking a  the Laurel and Hardy version of the War Between the sexes which Isth real reason most women think their films silly Hardy rises to a Brill an Sunrise plasters Down his Patent leather Black locks minces his elephantine bulk to breakfast and glories in Bacon just right and eggs just firm. To show his appreciation to the Little woman he pays her a flowery compliment says Everson puckers his lips into a kiss and transfers that kiss to his spouse with an eloquent gesture of his  mid table and without looking up from what she is doing mrs. Hard intercepts his Loving Finger and bites it with a resounding crunch Laurel s speciality was the mind boggling obliviousness to reality such As the scene in which he stands waiting to talk to Hardy a bomb spluttering away in his hand Nice and Lack rounded and with White lettering conveniently explaining that it is a bomb. When Hardy finally recognizes Laurel existence after Stan has been reduced to tears Laurel says Ollie what should do with this As is often the Case with those dealing in Public fancy the March of event finally passed Laurel and Hardy by. Their last film atoll a was made in 1952 and was a mishmash of unhappy conflicting purposes. Besides its director was a figure then under the Black Cloud of communist charges which so terrorized Hollywood in the 1950s. So the film flopped and the two retired to oblivion. Hardy died aug. 7, 1957, a Shadow of his former robust self but still Alert and alive with wit. Stan died feb. 23,1965, after a series of illnesses. But they cavort on in 8mm Home movie clips in 16mm fan clubs in 35mm ver Sions on  Don t think any comedians have Ever brought More laughter to the world than Laurel & Hardy writes Everson in his introduction. Keaton was wittier and cleverer Chaplin a greater Overall artist and dramatist. But in terms of sheer laugh Content and brilliance of comic invention and construction Laurel Hardy take second place to no  Early publicity shot teams Stan with stuffed Mutt. Page 12 massive Hardy was frequent cop in pro team Days. The stars and stripes a Mimi Jean Harlow teamed with comics in double  one of duo s funniest movies was big business in which they and Finlayson above Battle. Trick photography permitted pair to play own fathers in 1930 the stars and stripes  Page 13