We're a year too late to wish comedy-meister and movie legend Hal Roach (January 14, 1892 - November 2, 1992) a happy 125th birthday, so we will wish Hal a Happy Birthday on his 126th!
Mr. Roach, who began working in films as an extra in 1912, was still making personal appearances AFTER he hit 100 years of age!
Fittingly, the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is presenting its monthly L&H/Our Gang matinee on Mr. Roach's natal anniversary, today!
The Laurel & Hardy Talkie Matinee program is The Sounds of Silents: the transition to talkies. The lineup includes L&H in Unaccustomed as We Are and They Go Boom, plus Our Gang in Boxing Gloves and Small Talk. Showtime is at 4PM Pacific Standard Time.
Several of the comedians and comediennes who consistently get the biggest, loudest, longest belly laughs from this blogger starred in films produced by the Hal Roach Studio, a.k.a. The Lot Of Fun. Even the much-maligned Harry Langdon early talkies by Roach will predictably send this film buff into unstoppable giggles, chortles, howls and guffaws.
All-time favorite films include such hilarious comedy shorts as Laurel & Hardy in From Soup to Nuts, Liberty, Two Tars, Big Business and Helpmates; Charley Chase in His Wooden Wedding, Mighty Like A Moose, Limousine Love, The Pip From Pittsburg and Mr. Bride; Max Davidson in Pass The Gravy and such classic Harold Lloyd features such as Why Worry and Safety Last!.
All were produced by Hal Roach.
In addition, among the most-read entries on this blog were two about the Our Gang comedies, produced by Hal Roach Studios from 1922 to 1938.
So we tip our brown derbies respectfully to Hal, Stan & Babe and all the others who made audiences laugh making and starring in movies produced by The Lot Of Fun.
Thanks for the laughs, Mr. Roach!
Let's finish this post with some hilarious films guaranteed to provoke plenty of belly laughs!
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