Laurel & Hardy

Laurel & Hardy fans will love this book. I certainly did. The warmth and affection that John McCabe had for both Stan and Ollie comes through on every page. While the focus is more on Laurel, Hardy comes off well in the chapters devoted to him.I wish there had been more pictures, but the text more than made up for it. Don't be surprised if you find yourself whistling the "cukoo song" while reading this book. The "boys" are gone, but the laughter they created is still with us, unlike the current crop of "comedians".

I wish they'd put Stan and Ollie back on TV to show another generation how wonderful these two are. There's no doubt that they remain as funny today as they did back in their prime. I'm a big fan and have many of their DVD's. I wanted to know about the duo and this book informed me greatly.Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy is a riveting biography of the two men. It took me only a few hours to get through. It concentrates mostly on Stanley who was the creative genius behind the pair, but this only heightens interest in the chapter on Ollie, which is written in interview form. I liked the way the book started with Laurel failing miserably on his first attempt at performing, with his Dad in attendance. His perseverence was incredible as he subbed for Chaplin during the early days before hard work and the luck to be partnered with Mr Hardy, finally garnered him some success.The book, written after many interviews with Stan, has got a very appealing narrative. We get insights into the making of their films, answering questions about how the pair came together and how most of their routines got started. It's very enlightening.What I found most surprising was the undercurrent of emotion throughout. Its author obviously had a wonderful adoration for the pair and Stan, while speaking to him is very nostalgic about the past. I love the parts where Stan met Chaplin after many years, after they both had made it. And where, years after their filmic success, when they were touring Europe, the church bells in Cobh played out their theme tune.If you have any interest in Laurel and Hardy, you must get this book.

A great book. If you are a Laurel & Hardy fan get this book. Very few pictures but a lot of quality information. A realistic look at team team's early years, hayday and then fall after leaving Hal Roach. It is obvious John McCabe loves Laurel & Hardy. A GREAT BOOK.

McCabe knows Laurel & Hardy both well. He spent a lot of time with both of them interviewing and preparing the book. This is not a biography (although McCabe would write biographies of both men), it is a look at what inspired the creative genius behind the funniest comedy team in film history. McCabe studies the backgrounds of both men and how that influenced them both. He looks at how they began and tells what comedians influenced them as they matured. He tells of how they developed their wonderful films and how the process went of developing an idea. McCabe knows this all secondhand from Stan and Ollie, but it still seems fresh.