Bruce Calvert
2007-08-03 21:31:28 UTC
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_6521848
L.A. still laughing at Laurel and Hardy
BY DENNIS McCARTHY, Columnist
Article Last Updated: 08/01/2007 10:04:23 PM PDT
"That's another fine mess you've gotten us into, Stanley."
"I'm sorry, Ollie."
If you're old enough to remember the comedy of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy,
you're probably smiling right about now. Hard not to.
Just thinking about the crazy, slapstick antics of the head-scratching
Laurel and tie-wagging Hardy still make people laugh almost 60 years after
their last movie.
Still makes them come from all over the world for a two-day pilgrimage on
the streets of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley to see dozens of
local sites where the venerable comedy team shot scenes for classic movies
that got renewed life and laughs from younger generations on TV and videos.
Last weekend, more than 120 of the comedy duo's most avid fans - many of
them members of the Laurel and Hardy international fan club, Sons of the
Desert - followed Jimmy Wiley Jr., Wayne Thomas Yorke and Brian Mulligan
down dozens of streets and back alleys to stand on hallowed ground where
their heroes Stan and Ollie once stood.
"They were gentle, fun-loving people, visiting a couple of old friends they
loved," said Yorke, who plays the overweight, triple-chinned Hardy on the
tour.
The Valley
Village actor had donned his derby, ugly tie, wrinkled white shirt and tight
black suit for the weekend to join his old pal Mulligan, who plays Laurel.
The two share one of those "you've got to be kidding" stories. They first
played Laurel and Hardy in a stage production of the movie "Another Fine
Mess" in 1975 when they were in ninth grade in Vancouver, Canada.
After high school and acting classes, Mulligan went to New York and Yorke
went to Los Angeles to pursue their careers, only to find themselves, more
than 30 years later, living in the same city again and still plying their
trade - still doing Laurel and Hardy.
"Only I don't need the pillow anymore," said Yorke, who plays the Orkin bug
man in TV commercials.
Wiley organized the two-day tour that drew fans from as far away as England,
Canada, Hawaii and the East Coast, where there are active Laurel and Hardy
fan clubs named after movies the comedy team made.
"In two days, we covered sites where 25 different Laurel and Hardy movies
were made, in addition to visiting their gravesites at Valhalla Memorial
Park in North Hollywood (Hardy) and Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills (Laurel),"
said Wiley, head of the 250-member Way Out West local fan club.
"We were able to locate the movie sites from still photographs taken from
their films. It took years of detective work, walking down a lot of streets
matching the photos with the sites."
As the years pass, the appreciation of the comedy team only grows, said
Wiley, whose Web site is www.wayoutwest.org.
Because funny is funny, whether it's Stanley scratching his head and
apologizing to Ollie in that squeaky voice, looking like he's about to cry,
or Ollie smiling and wagging his tie sheepishly at a good-looking woman who
won't give him the time of day.
"There was an innocence and gentleness to both men that just captivated
you," Wiley said. "There was no straight man. They were both comedians who
worked so well together.
"They made millions of people laugh, and still do."
Whether it's pushing a piano unsuccessfully up a steep flight of steps or
getting themselves into another fine mess.
Stan and Ollie made us laugh.
L.A. still laughing at Laurel and Hardy
BY DENNIS McCARTHY, Columnist
Article Last Updated: 08/01/2007 10:04:23 PM PDT
"That's another fine mess you've gotten us into, Stanley."
"I'm sorry, Ollie."
If you're old enough to remember the comedy of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy,
you're probably smiling right about now. Hard not to.
Just thinking about the crazy, slapstick antics of the head-scratching
Laurel and tie-wagging Hardy still make people laugh almost 60 years after
their last movie.
Still makes them come from all over the world for a two-day pilgrimage on
the streets of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley to see dozens of
local sites where the venerable comedy team shot scenes for classic movies
that got renewed life and laughs from younger generations on TV and videos.
Last weekend, more than 120 of the comedy duo's most avid fans - many of
them members of the Laurel and Hardy international fan club, Sons of the
Desert - followed Jimmy Wiley Jr., Wayne Thomas Yorke and Brian Mulligan
down dozens of streets and back alleys to stand on hallowed ground where
their heroes Stan and Ollie once stood.
"They were gentle, fun-loving people, visiting a couple of old friends they
loved," said Yorke, who plays the overweight, triple-chinned Hardy on the
tour.
The Valley
Village actor had donned his derby, ugly tie, wrinkled white shirt and tight
black suit for the weekend to join his old pal Mulligan, who plays Laurel.
The two share one of those "you've got to be kidding" stories. They first
played Laurel and Hardy in a stage production of the movie "Another Fine
Mess" in 1975 when they were in ninth grade in Vancouver, Canada.
After high school and acting classes, Mulligan went to New York and Yorke
went to Los Angeles to pursue their careers, only to find themselves, more
than 30 years later, living in the same city again and still plying their
trade - still doing Laurel and Hardy.
"Only I don't need the pillow anymore," said Yorke, who plays the Orkin bug
man in TV commercials.
Wiley organized the two-day tour that drew fans from as far away as England,
Canada, Hawaii and the East Coast, where there are active Laurel and Hardy
fan clubs named after movies the comedy team made.
"In two days, we covered sites where 25 different Laurel and Hardy movies
were made, in addition to visiting their gravesites at Valhalla Memorial
Park in North Hollywood (Hardy) and Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills (Laurel),"
said Wiley, head of the 250-member Way Out West local fan club.
"We were able to locate the movie sites from still photographs taken from
their films. It took years of detective work, walking down a lot of streets
matching the photos with the sites."
As the years pass, the appreciation of the comedy team only grows, said
Wiley, whose Web site is www.wayoutwest.org.
Because funny is funny, whether it's Stanley scratching his head and
apologizing to Ollie in that squeaky voice, looking like he's about to cry,
or Ollie smiling and wagging his tie sheepishly at a good-looking woman who
won't give him the time of day.
"There was an innocence and gentleness to both men that just captivated
you," Wiley said. "There was no straight man. They were both comedians who
worked so well together.
"They made millions of people laugh, and still do."
Whether it's pushing a piano unsuccessfully up a steep flight of steps or
getting themselves into another fine mess.
Stan and Ollie made us laugh.
--
Bruce Calvert
--
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com
Bruce Calvert
--
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com