Laurel And Hardy - Good, clean, classic comedy!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Pack Up Your Troubles (1932)

A wonderful feature film from the guys sees them enlisted to fight in the First World War before volunteering to help a fallen comrades young daughter find her grandparents.

Although it lacks the inspirational timeless moments of say Way Out West (1937), Pack Up Your Troubles is still effortlessly entertaining and Stan in particular made me laugh. Witness the scene where the charming girl relates the tale of Goldilocks and puts Mr. Laurel to sleep. It's beautifully choreographed with only the slightest movements from Laurel as he gradually nods off. In fact the film impresses most in it's quieter moments with these working a lot better than the slapstick.

Having said that. The boys still manage to dump waste in their General's quarters, capture a German platoon, ruin a wedding, rob a bank and even do the ironing...badly.

Still ahead of the rest some 85 years later.

[Susan Foreman]

Stan and Ollie filmed this skit on location in Times Square on Broadway (New York City) in 1932. The police had to enforce crowd control while the Boys do their thing

It's amazing to think that two big name film STARS were permitted to get out amongst 'the people', and to perform a sketch without being interrupted or accosted

It's also good to see that the police were more than happy to send themselves up and entering into things

How many of today's 'stars' would be brave enough to do something like this?

[Dave Boy]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

Apparently the guy in the mirror is John McCabe, the founder 'The Sons Of The Desert', which (as I'm sure we all know) is the international Laurel and Hardy appreciation society

I was in Sons Of The Desert for quite a few years. Four of us were in HELPMATES 'Tent' which covered Kent, Surrey and Sussex area.

[Susan Foreman]

Fin, Stan and Ollie with a couple of British Tars during the making of 'Saps At Sea'

Both my dad and my granddad would be turning in their graves at the angle those sailors have their hats at!

[Susan Foreman]

Stan, Ollie and friends at the White House in 1942

It's like a 'Who's Who' of cinema's greats!!

[Susan Foreman]

Stan Laurel's 'motion picture employee' ID card from 1942

Looks like he made a mistake when filling it out - he's fallible like the best of us!

[Demoncrat]

Watching Helpmates & Hog Wild. Household DIY L&H style

[Susan Foreman]

It looks like the Stan and Ollie season on Talking Pictures TV has been a success, and the channel is looking at doing some more films - the shorts this time

"The Laurel & Hardy Talkie Shorts.
As we begin negotiations to bring the Laurel and Hardy shorts to the #TalkingPicturesTV channel, we wondered which ones we should start with! Tell us below what is your top 3 favourites for the 40 talkie shorts listed...."

[nosferatu42]

Busy bodies, County hospital and The Music Box are my favourites.

[Demoncrat]

I always dig out The Laurel & Hardy Murder Case for Halloween.