ePub The Construction of Whiteness: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Race Formation and the Meaning of a White Identity by From University Press of Mississippi in History

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*Includes pictures. *Includes Laurel and Hardy's own quotes about their lives and careers. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “Mr. Hardy was beginning to forget things but Mr. Laurel had no fear of losing his memory - As a matter of fact; Mr. Laurel never had a memory to lose.” – Title card in Hog Wild A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures; but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series; readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute; while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. By the 1920s; English comic Stan Laurel had been in dozens of films and American Oliver Hardy had appeared in hundreds; but it was not until they formed a duo together in 1926 that they began to be noticed. Once they did; however; Laurel Hardy became one of the most famous comedy teams in American history; with a career that spanned 4 decades and included over 100 combined shorts and feature films. Even today; nearly 60 years after their last performances together; Laurel Hardy are still popular; alongside legends like The Three Stooges and Abbott Costello; and their routines are still watched across the globe. Perhaps most importantly; Laurel Hardy were forerunners of slapstick comedy and thus influenced those that followed. Their complementary styles of slapstick humor; with the thin; childish Laurel acting as a foil for the overweight and overly pompous Hardy; offered a template for others to follow; and the duo established several famous gags that other acts like the Stooges subsequently mimicked. For example; when Laurel occasionally came up with a smart idea; something completely out of character; the surprised Hardy would ask him to repeat what he just said; and Laurel would be unable to replicate it. That theme would recur with Curly and the Stooges; and Laurel Hardy’s use of “D’oh!” has been made even more famous by Homer Simpson in The Simpsons. Of course; the physical aspects of their slapstick; which often included destruction and mayhem; proved popular for them and several groups as well. American Legends: Laurel Hardy examines the lives and careers of one of America’s most famous comedy teams. Along with pictures of important people; places; and events; you will learn about Laurel Hardy like never before; in no time at all.