Arthur B Friedman talks to Stan Laurel
Recorded August 14th 1957, just 1 week after Oliver Hardy died.
(listen to the complete interview below - over 1 hour long)
Dr Arthur B. Friedman interviews Stan Laurel for Turning Point on August the 14th, 1957, only a week after the death of his comedy partner, Oliver Hardy. In this 66 minute interview Stan talks about many things including:
Oliver Hardy’s death;
His beginnings in a juvenile pantomime company;
Working for his father in his theatres;
How and why he became a comic;
Understudying Charlie Chaplin in the Fred Karno Troupe;
The hardships, good times, partnerships and professional jealousy of his vaudeville career;
His family;
The Stan Jefferson Trio;
Costumes;
His early film career with Larry Semon, Bronco Billy, and Hal Roach;
How he became a gag writer and director after struggling to find a comic character;
How he was teamed with Oliver Hardy and his return to films;
Early film making techniques, where gags come from and off the cuff shooting techniques;
His relationship with Oliver Hardy and how their characters developed;
Silent, talkie and feature length films;
The worldwide appeal of Laurel and Hardy;
His retirement, hobbies, health and fan mail.
