Among Stan’s many talents was to hilariously use his thumb as a lighter, much to the amazement of Ollie. Their arrival on the scene in the silent age of the Twenties positioned them to become the first superstars of the “talkies” era, enabling Laurel to step out of the shadow of Charlie Chaplin, a man he’d understudied earlier in his career.

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Michael Heatley

There have been many great double acts in the history of comedy, but Laurel & Hardy stand first and foremost in that roll of honour. With Stan shambling and lugubrious standing next to the irascible Ollie, they were funny before even a word was spoken. Not surprising, really, since they first made their name in the silent-movie era.

The pairing came together in the mid Twenties by accident rather than design, but the effect was immediate. Laurel & Hardy made the transition to the talkies with ease, and their joint career continued the upward trajectory that had begun when they first joined forces. In an historic partnership lasting three decades, the comedy duo made just over 100 films spanning the silent era and the Fifties.

Stan Laurel took his final bow in 1965, eight years after his partner. But their fame and influence lives on as strongly as ever in the current digital era. Lookalikes ply a roaring trade, and the disparate double acts who’ve been inspired by them could fill a book of their own.

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