Four early films by Stan Laurel - Film Screening & Live Music

About this event

Four early films by the great Stan Laurel – with spontaneous music from Lyndon Owen & Ethel Brunhilde Pritchard Four short comedy films by the great Stan Laurel with spontaneous music from Lyndon Owen and Ethel Brunhilde Pritchard. Many people don’t realise Stan Laurel was a Hollywood star before he teamed up with Oliver Hardy and went on to make their 107 films as the comedy duo. Born in Ulverston in 1890, Stan took the same ship to the USA as Charlie Chaplin and made his first film in 1917. It was only in 1927 that the “Laurel & Hardy” duo were formed. A master of visual gags and slapstick which he developed from music hall and being a member of Fred Karno’s troupe. Tonight we have four lesser known early films, all parodies of popular culture at the time: “Mud and Sand” 1922 – a take on “Blood and Sand” the bullfighting romance starting Rudolph Valentino. Stan appears as Rhubarb Vaselino (26 mins) “Gas and Air” 1923 – Antics at the garage, aptly named “Weak End Gas”, where Stan is a hapless mechanic in love with the boss’s daughter. The boss is not in love with Stan (10 mins) “Frozen Hearts” 1923 – Set in Russia at the end of the 19th century. Peasant Stan duels with the ruling elite in Tsarist Russia for the affection of his girl.