Discussion:
Laurel and Hardy solo films: Summary
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Jim R.
2009-02-04 17:46:08 UTC
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Not that anybody cares except me, but I culled this summary over a
period of years, mostly from Rob Stone's excellent book "Laurel or
Hardy: The solo films of Stan Laurel and Oliver 'Babe' Hardy," plus
some later rediscoveries after his book was published in 1996.

The first number in each group is the number of films that are known
to survive. The second number is the number of films that Oliver or
Stan is known to have appeared in. (Oliver first because his film
career started earlier.) Years are production years.

The number that have been released on home video, and, in particular,
DVD, is a completely different matter!

Disclaimer: Any errors below are due to gremlins, and are not my
fault.

OLIVER HARDY WITHOUT STAN LAUREL (1914-50, mostly through 1926):
107 of 276 films total
4 of 54 split reelers
20 of 89 one-reelers
76 of 121 two-reelers
7 of 12 full-length feature films

Lubin (1914-5): 7 of 65
4 of 54 split reelers
3 of 11 one-reelers
Edison (1915): 5 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Wharton Bros. (1915): 2 of 5
1 of 4 serial chapters
1 of 1 full length feature film ("The Lottery Man")
"New York Miscellaneous" (1915): 2 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Vim (1915-7): 8 of 66 (all one-reelers)
"Plump and Runt," with Billy Ruge: 7 of 35
King Bee (1917-8): 16 of 27
with Billy West: 15 of 26
Universal/L-KO (1918): 4 of 9
Vitagraph (1919-23): 24 of 48
with Jimmy Aubrey: 6 of 26
with Larry Semon: 18 of 20
full-length feature films: 0 of 2
Larry Semon independents (1924-5): 4 of 6
full-length feature films: 2 of 4
Arrow (1924-5): 7 of 7
with Bobby Ray: 4 of 4
with Billy West: 3 of 3
Fox (1924-5): 1 of 3
full-length feature film: 0 of 1 ("The Gentle Cyclone," with Buck
Jones)
Mack Sennett (1926): 1 of 1 ("Crazy to Act")
Hal Roach (1925-39): 23 of 26
1 of 1 one-reeler ("Yes Yes Nanette")
with Charley Chase: 6 of 6
Stan Laurel collaborations: 7 of 8
full-length feature films: 2 of 2 (one sound: "Zenobia")
Other later films (1938-50): 3 of 3
1 of 1 one-reeler ("Hollywood Handicap")
2 of 2 full-length feature films


STAN LAUREL WITHOUT OLIVER HARDY (1917-27):
49 (+6) of 63 films total
(Note: the pluses are for films that have only partially survived.
Some have survived more than others.)
16 of 20 one-reelers
26 (+6) of 42 two-reelers
1 of 1 three-reeler

And...
15 (+1) of 18 films that he worked on for a week or more, but did not
appear in
(all at Hal Roach Studios, 1925-6)
(I didn't write down the number of one-reelers!)

Bernstein (1917): (pt.) of 1 ("Nuts in May")
Universal (1917): 0 of 4
0 of 2 one-reelers
Rolin (1918): 3 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Vitagraph (1918): 3 of 3 (with Larry Semon)
Amalgamated (Anderson) (1922-3): 5 (+2) of 7
1 of 1 three-reeler ("Mud and Sand")
Plus "The Lucky Dog" (1921)
Hal Roach (1) (1923-4): 22 (+2) of 25
13 of 13 one-reelers
Joe Rock (1924-5): 10 (+1) of 12
Hal Roach (2) (1925-7): 6 of 6

That's the lot. All but one of the surviving Stan Laurel solos have
been released on DVD by one source or another. The sole exception is
the surviving second reel of "When Knights Were Cold," his last film
for G. M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson, produced in early 1923.
Jim R.
2009-02-04 18:53:46 UTC
Permalink
Correction! Chalk this one up to the gremlins.

Stan Laurel's total should read
...
_32_ (+6) of 42 two-reelers
...
not 26.
D. D. Degg
2009-02-08 02:26:04 UTC
Permalink
Mark Evanier today featured a Hardy sans Laurel short.
Here's a link to the short
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/comedy/watch/e74395QCwykPwm
and a link to the Evanier posting
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2009_02_07.html#016628

D.D.Degg
s***@yahoo.com
2009-02-09 23:15:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jim R.
Not that anybody cares except me, but I culled this summary over a
period of years, mostly from Rob Stone's excellent book "Laurel or
Hardy: The solo films of Stan Laurel and Oliver 'Babe' Hardy," plus
some later rediscoveries after his book was published in 1996.
The first number in each group is the number of films that are known
to survive. The second number is the number of films that Oliver or
Stan is known to have appeared in. (Oliver first because his film
career started earlier.) Years are production years.
The number that have been released on home video, and, in particular,
DVD, is a completely different matter!
Disclaimer: Any errors below are due to gremlins, and are not my
fault.
 107 of 276 films total
    4 of  54 split reelers
   20 of  89 one-reelers
   76 of 121 two-reelers
    7 of  12 full-length feature films
Lubin (1914-5): 7 of 65
   4 of 54 split reelers
   3 of 11 one-reelers
Edison (1915): 5 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Wharton Bros. (1915): 2 of 5
   1 of 4 serial chapters
   1 of 1 full length feature film ("The Lottery Man")
"New York Miscellaneous" (1915): 2 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Vim (1915-7): 8 of 66 (all one-reelers)
   "Plump and Runt," with Billy Ruge: 7 of 35
King Bee (1917-8): 16 of 27
   with Billy West: 15 of 26
Universal/L-KO (1918): 4 of 9
Vitagraph (1919-23): 24 of 48
   with Jimmy Aubrey: 6 of 26
   with Larry Semon: 18 of 20
   full-length feature films: 0 of 2
Larry Semon independents (1924-5): 4 of 6
   full-length feature films: 2 of 4
Arrow (1924-5): 7 of 7
   with Bobby Ray: 4 of 4
   with Billy West: 3 of 3
Fox (1924-5): 1 of 3
   full-length feature film: 0 of 1 ("The Gentle Cyclone," with Buck
Jones)
Mack Sennett (1926): 1 of 1 ("Crazy to Act")
Hal Roach (1925-39): 23 of 26
   1 of 1 one-reeler ("Yes Yes Nanette")
   with Charley Chase: 6 of 6
   Stan Laurel collaborations: 7 of 8
   full-length feature films: 2 of 2 (one sound: "Zenobia")
Other later films (1938-50): 3 of 3
   1 of 1 one-reeler ("Hollywood Handicap")
   2 of 2 full-length feature films
 49 (+6) of 63 films total
 (Note: the pluses are for films that have only partially survived.
Some have survived more than others.)
   16 of 20 one-reelers
   26 (+6) of 42 two-reelers
    1 of 1 three-reeler
And...
 15 (+1) of 18 films that he worked on for a week or more, but did not
appear in
   (all at Hal Roach Studios, 1925-6)
   (I didn't write down the number of one-reelers!)
Bernstein (1917): (pt.) of 1 ("Nuts in May")
Universal (1917): 0 of 4
   0 of 2 one-reelers
Rolin (1918): 3 of 5 (all one-reelers)
Vitagraph (1918): 3 of 3 (with Larry Semon)
Amalgamated (Anderson) (1922-3): 5 (+2) of 7
   1 of 1 three-reeler ("Mud and Sand")
   Plus "The Lucky Dog" (1921)
Hal Roach (1) (1923-4): 22 (+2) of 25
   13 of 13 one-reelers
Joe Rock (1924-5): 10 (+1) of 12
Hal Roach (2) (1925-7): 6 of 6
That's the lot. All but one of the surviving Stan Laurel solos have
been released on DVD by one source or another. The sole exception is
the surviving second reel of "When Knights Were Cold," his last film
for G. M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson, produced in early 1923.
s***@yahoo.com
2009-02-09 23:19:03 UTC
Permalink
Hey Jim,

Would love to get a by title breakdown of your detailed breakdown.

By the way, Steve Massa came up with another Edison that Babe is in.
Details to follow soon... But that only makes 2 titles (The Lottery
Man being the other) that have come to light, that I know of. Do you
know of others? I mean plenty known films have had prints come to the
surface but I am unaware of any other out and out discoveries...
except perhaps a few newsreel appearances.

Rob

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