HAVANA, Cuba.- Among the most pleasant childhood memories of many Cubans are Sundays in front of the television, waiting for the children’s matinee, that assortment of audiovisuals that included, in addition to the current film, Cartoonsongs from children’s movies and, of course, the silent comedy.
Among the most anticipated of that supplement were the adventures of Fat and Skinny (Oliver Hardy and Stanley Laurel), those silent comedy geniuses who made children and adults laugh so much. Precisely on a day like today, but in 1890, skinny Stanley was born in Ulverstone, United Kingdom, into a family linked to the theater, calm and happy.
In this atmosphere of stability, warmth, and banter, Laurel’s attraction to performance art was sparked. Her career began when she was sixteen years old, and shortly thereafter, she began acting as a stand-in and impersonator for Charles Chaplinan extremely difficult task because he had to learn the gestures and movements of the actor to be able to replace him in case of loss.
In 1918, during a tour of the United States, Stanley Laurel acted for the first time with Oliver Hardy in the film Lucky Dogan ordinary experience for both of them, who would not meet again until several years later, with very different results.
After some time accepting minor roles in films that went unnoticed, Stanley was reunited with Hardy and they shared the scene. The Fat and Skinny duo had not yet been born, but the comic potential between the two actors was evident.
At the end of 1918 the duo emerged, which quickly became famous in the United States. They shot countless movies and went to the UK on a scheduled tour of only six weeks, but ended up extending it by a year; such was the reception and acceptance of his art in Laurel’s homeland. They even performed for King George VI and the Queen consort, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
In 1933 they shot what is considered their best film: Sons of the desertwhose repercussion was such that the title of the film was chosen to baptize the club of fans most important that the Fat and the Skinny have had.
In the forties the quality of his films declined greatly; but in the following decade his fame had a significant rebound that took them twice to the United Kingdom. However, health problems began to plague them both, especially Hardy, who suffered a mild heart attack.
The second half of the decade was difficult for both. Laurel suffered a stroke, and Hardy, after several heart attacks and strokes, died in 1957. Stanley gave up acting, but continued to write scripts and gags for other comedians. The death of his inseparable friend had touched him deeply.
In 1961 Stanley received an honorary Oscar in recognition of his artistic career. He would die four years later from a severe heart attack.
