#When were laurel and hardy movies made series#

In addressing this task, here are some of the issues which have faced both the two corporate successors in interest to Hal Roach Studios in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres (ownership of the library was split forty years ago), and also to such preservation institutions as the United States’ Library of Congress and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. What has happened to all these film elements over the years? Who has attempted to restore and then preserve the motion pictures created at Hal Roach Studios? What have the results been, particularly with respect to Laurel & Hardy? And what can the rest of us do – if anything, at this late date – to help save what is left? Gelbspan, used to shake his head and lament, “Bankruptcy really hurt this corporation.”

The studio’s veteran licensing executive, Herbert R. The really tortured existence of the film library began as bankruptcy approached and the already greatly diminished number of prints and pre-print material finally began to wear out from over-use, to deteriorate, and to vanish, at an accelerated pace. Whatever such elements had survived through 1960 when the studio ceased active production, it was almost by accident, and not by design. It was a substantial inventory of assets to manage, numbering upwards of a million ten-minute reels. This meant that the universe of Hal Roach Studios original 35mm camera negatives, dupe negatives, fine grain master positives (lavenders), work prints, answer prints, file prints, track prints, and exhibition prints was maintained not only in special vaults on the home lot in Culver City, but also in these three distributors’ labs and storage depots all over the world. Of Laurel & Hardy’s work, e.g., Pathe distributed DUCK SOUP (1927), M-G-M released ANOTHER FINE MESS (1930), and United Artists issued A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940). Roach produced the films but these organizations managed the manufacturing, issuance and storage of all the duplicating negatives, as well as at least a hundred exhibition prints, per title, worldwide. The theatrical releases were handled successively by the distribution arms of Pathe, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and United Artists. Until his son bankrupted the studio in 1960, Roach made nearly 2,000 short subjects, feature films and television programs.

Now there is a way everyone can get involved, by donating funds, at any level of participation. Also, unfortunately, the surviving original nitrate elements have suffered decades of benign neglect.įrustrated fans who know and care about saving and sharing the films have long asked how they can aid in this effort to restore and preserve the battered remaining nitrate, recently deposited at the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Too many prints and negatives wore out, is the simple answer. Threatened? How could movies like these, so widely seen for so long, be at risk of disappearing forever in first-class quality copies? Because they were too popular. Anyone who has seen their work is likely to agree on the importance of preserving these threatened movies for future generations to discover, study and enjoy.

#When were laurel and hardy movies made series#

Memorable series were built around star names Harold Lloyd, Our Gang, Charley Chase, Will Rogers, Thelma Todd, Harry Langdon, and Laurel & Hardy. In 1914 Hal Roach began his career as an independent producer, specializing in comedy. Roll your mouse over the pictures to read the captions. Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Photos & Captions