The Five Greatest Movie Comedy Teams of All Time: Laurel and Hardy
By John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109857)
Los Angeles, California
May 17, 2016 9:51am CST
Laurel and Hardy are more than the most successful comedy team in movie history. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are cultural icons and pioneers in movie comedy whose influence extends to what you see today. Unlike other acts who formed in vaudeville, Stan and Ollie were screen veterans when director Leo McCarthy paired them in 1926. They stayed together until 1950 and became legendary giants of comedy from silent to sound pictures.
The duo were masters of slow subtle comedy in which they turned any situation into a mess created by naivety and stupidity. Lauren and Hardy are instantly recognizable figures being the ultimate fat man skinny man team. Toothpick Stan wore a perpetual idiotic smile, scratched his head in frustration and started sobbing when overcome. Blustery Ollie did slow burns, nervously twiddled his tie and glared directly at the camera when exasperated by Stan.
Their timing was impeccable and these comic geniuses stand in the pantheon of giants alongside Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd upon which all future movie comedy was founded on.
15 people like this
13 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
17 May 16
I really loved these guys John.
Going to enjoy listening to them now.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79571)
• United States
17 May 16
Laurel & Hardy can still make me laugh with their slap-stick humor
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
17 May 16
I remember watching them when I was a kid. Love their Who's On First Sketch.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 May 16
Who's on first was done by Abbott and Costello.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
17 May 16
@JohnRoberts Aaaah well shucks I am old after all lol. A while after commenting I was thinking perhaps I was wrong on that lol.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
18 May 16
Classic, Classic comedy. Whenever I'm helping move something, my go-to line is "let's not turn this into a Laurel and Hardy movie."
1 person likes this
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
18 May 16
They were very funny in a slapstick kind of way. I watched them as a kid.
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
18 May 16
I adored them - I've been to the Stan Laurel museum in Ulverston, where he was born - a terrific museum
@DeborahDiane (40042)
• Laguna Woods, California
18 May 16
That era of comedians was wonderful! I loved Laurel & Hardy, as well as Charlie Chaplin.
@JudyEv (325321)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 May 16
This duo were so entertaining. To look so dumb and be so funny they had to be very creative and clever.
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
18 May 16
i recall a cartoon how starring Laurel and Hardy. i loved them with Popeye and the 3 stooges.
