Stan Laurel, died 40 years ago today (Feb. 23, 1965), 74

[Rob Petrie]

x-no-archive: yes

In fond remembrance of one of the greatest comedians of all-time:

Arthur Stanley Jefferson
aka Stan Laurel, 74

Died on this date 40 years ago today, and I remember reading Stan's obituary
in the paper the next day and was saddened to hear of his passing.

Dick Van Dyke delivered the eulogy at Stan's funeral.

Stan was Dick's idol, and said of all the impersonations of himself, Dick's
was the best.

Dick got to do a Stan Laurel impersonation in one of his sitcom episodes,
fortunately when Stan was still alive to see, appreciate, and gave him
feedback: Dick was great, but the hat he used wasn't right. (#54, 'The Sam
Pomerantz Scandals', Filmed: Feb. 5, 1963; Aired: Mar. 6, 1963)

Henry Calvin ('Sgt Garcia' on "Zorro" tv series) did the 'Oliver Hardy'
character; Born: May 25, 1918; Died: Oct. 6, 1975, at only 57.


Stan Laurel, 74

b. June 16, 1890 Ulverston, Cumbria, England
d. Feb. 23, 1965 Santa Monica, CA


R.I.P., to one of the greatest comedians and comic writers who ever lived.

[Steverino]

I turned nine that month. This is one of those photographic memories
from childhood. I heard the news of Laurel's death from Peter Jennings
on ABC News. He was anchorman for a couple of years way back when, then
they sent him on assignments for quite a while, ultimately calling him
back to the anchor chair when he was more mature. It was a typical and
brief reporting of a celebrity's passing. As I recall it Jennings
seemed genuinely distressed when he read the item. It would be like
reporting that Santa Claus died wouldn't it?

Nobody could ever do a perfect Laurel or Hardy impersonation. Van Dyke
did a good job: probably better than any others I've seen personally.
Henry Calvin was really very good too. Calvin's character in the Walt
Disney "Babes in Toyland" was quite Hardy-like too, with that silent
Laurelesque partner, what was that actor's name? Gene Sheldon maybe?

Calvin did Hardy's voice on a "Larry Harmon's" L&H kiddie record (a 45)
I had too. Larry Harmon himself did Laurel's voice on the record I'm
pretty sure. I think (am I right?) Harmon and Calvin were the voices on
the TV cartoons, too, but while Harmon sounded good on my record, he
wasn't always good on the cartoons. I've rarely seen the cartoons. I've
got a VHS with a few of them that I've watched once. They never played
on my local TV stations.

Well, we don't need cartoons, or "For Love or Mummy". Kurt Vonnegut
called L&H "two angels of my time." There never really was a Santa
Claus but Stan and Ollie will always be floating around us somewhere or
somehow. They'll celebrate their 115th and 113th birthdays this year
along with us.

Steve

[Rob Petrie]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Steverino
I turned nine that month. This is one of those photographic memories
from childhood. I heard the news of Laurel's death from Peter Jennings
on ABC News. He was anchorman for a couple of years way back when, then
they sent him on assignments for quite a while, ultimately calling him
back to the anchor chair when he was more mature. It was a typical and
brief reporting of a celebrity's passing. As I recall it Jennings
seemed genuinely distressed when he read the item. It would be like
reporting that Santa Claus died wouldn't it?
Nobody could ever do a perfect Laurel or Hardy impersonation. Van Dyke
did a good job: probably better than any others I've seen personally.
Henry Calvin was really very good too. Calvin's character in the Walt
Disney "Babes in Toyland" was quite Hardy-like too, with that silent
Laurelesque partner, what was that actor's name? Gene Sheldon maybe?

Henry Calvin ('Sgt. Garcia') and Gene Sheldon ('Bernardo') acted on
"Zorro" (1957-1959),
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050079
if you remember that tv classic, with the late Guy Williams (also of "Lost
in Space").
That reminds me of the time I loved it when Guy Williams "reprised"
his 'Zorro' role on "Lost in Space" once in an episode where he was
(sword-type) fighting another man.

Post by Steverino
Calvin did Hardy's voice on a "Larry Harmon's" L&H kiddie record (a 45)
I had too. Larry Harmon himself did Laurel's voice on the record I'm
pretty sure. I think (am I right?) Harmon and Calvin were the voices on
the TV cartoons, too, but while Harmon sounded good on my record, he
wasn't always good on the cartoons. I've rarely seen the cartoons. I've
got a VHS with a few of them that I've watched once. They never played
on my local TV stations.
Well, we don't need cartoons, or "For Love or Mummy". Kurt Vonnegut
called L&H "two angels of my time." There never really was a Santa
Claus but Stan and Ollie will always be floating around us somewhere or
somehow. They'll celebrate their 115th and 113th birthdays this year
along with us.

Stan (June 16, 1890), 115; Ollie (Jan. 18, 1892), 113.

[Steverino]

I turned nine that month. This is one of those photographic memories
from childhood. I heard the news of Laurel's death from Peter Jennings
on ABC News. He was anchorman for a couple of years way back when, then
they sent him on assignments for quite a while, ultimately calling him
back to the anchor chair when he was more mature. It was a typical and
brief reporting of a celebrity's passing. As I recall it Jennings
seemed genuinely distressed when he read the item. It would be like
reporting that Santa Claus died wouldn't it?

Nobody could ever do a perfect Laurel or Hardy impersonation. Van Dyke
did a good job: probably better than any others I've seen personally.
Henry Calvin was really very good too. Calvin's character in the Walt
Disney "Babes in Toyland" was quite Hardy-like too, with that silent
Laurelesque partner, what was that actor's name? Gene Sheldon maybe?

Calvin did Hardy's voice on a "Larry Harmon's" L&H kiddie record (a 45)
I had too. Larry Harmon himself did Laurel's voice on the record I'm
pretty sure. I think (am I right?) Harmon and Calvin were the voices on
the TV cartoons, too, but while Harmon sounded good on my record, he
wasn't always good on the cartoons. I've rarely seen the cartoons. I've
got a VHS with a few of them that I've watched once. They never played
on my local TV stations.

Well, we don't need cartoons, or "For Love or Mummy". Kurt Vonnegut
called L&H "two angels of my time." There never really was a Santa
Claus but Stan and Ollie will always be floating around us somewhere or
somehow. They'll celebrate their 115th and 113th birthdays this year
along with us.

Steve

[James Neibaur]

Post by Steverino
Harmon and Calvin were the voices on
the TV cartoons, too

I think Hardy's voice on the cartoons was Jim MacGeorge, who looks more like
Laurel and does Stan alongside Chuck McCann as Ollie on occasion.

JN