2016-01-18 Mon

Oliver Hardy, a film comedy and one half of ‘Laurel and Hardy’ was born today, 18th January in 1892. Laurel and Hardy were a comedy double act during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema. The team was composed of thin Englishman, Stan Laurel and heavyset American, Oliver Hardy.

They made over 100 films together, initially two-reelers (short films) before expanding into feature length films in the 1930s. Their films include Sons of the Desert (1933), the Academy Award winning short film The Music Box (1932), Babes in Toyland (1934), and Way Out West (1937). Hardy’s catchphrase “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!” is still widely recognized.

Oliver Hardy exhibited versatility in playing heroes, villains and even female characters. For 10 years he memorably assisted star. In total, Hardy starred or co-starred in more than 250 silent shorts of which roughly 150 have been lost.

USA issued a stamp on August 29th 1991, which depict the caricature was designed by the veteran artist 'Al Hirshfield ' and available in a set of stamps entitled ' Comedians by Hirshfield '.

A stamp from Gambia, issued in 1989 as a set of entertainers, with Laurel and Hardy in a full sheet of 20 stamps. In the top right hand side of the stamp it shows the then leader of Gambia, just like UK stamps show the Queen.