In it's first reel was a boxing match between Laurel and heavy Noah Young. One of the first movies Laurel & Hardy made as a team was the classic Battle of the Century (1927) which is best remembered for the climatic pie fight with a cast of hundreds that ends the film. This turned out to be a success and the team continued to work together making films for Roach until 1940.
In 1926 both Laurel and Hardy found themselves supporting comedian James Finlayson, but they worked so well together on film that Roach soon decided to try them out in their own series. Roach had recognized that Hardy had talents beyond being a heavy and had cast him as different supporting characters in many films. There he was reintroduced to Oliver Hardy, who had years earlier acted as a heavy in one of Stan Laurel's solo films. At Roach's studio Laurel was once again lured into acting in comedies supporting other comedians. His films failing to be hits, Laurel settled for directing, and began working for his old friend Hal Roach. Because of his large bulky size Hardy quickly became one of the leading heavies ( actors used primarily as villains in comedies ) while Laurel spent years groomed to be the next Chaplin. Both Laurel and Hardy made the transition to the film industry in the 1910s when the now famous Hollywood studios were just beginning. In other words Laurel & Hardy and Abbott & Costello were more similar than different.Īll four men began as stage performers, Laurel in music halls, Hardy in vaudeville, and Abbott & Costello in burlesque. The East Side Kids/Bowery Boys had a large rotating cast. The Marx Brothers were also a trio, originally beginning as a quartet with Zeppo in the 1930s. The Three Stooges were always a trio, replacing members as they retired or died off. Finally, the majority of the other successful comedy teams had more than two people.
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And both teams worked almost exclusively in black & white films which sets them apart from the teams who worked in the late '50s and beyond releasing full color movies that defined their careers. Other teams did pictures for multiple studios, or for studios who were reluctant to syndicate all their films to television. Universal was able to do the same with Abbott & Costello. Since Laurel & Hardy worked for Hal Roach studios for most of their career, that created the situation where most of their films could be sold as a block to the same syndicate and aired on a weekly basis. Television syndication was another factor.
No others screen comedians have stayed together as a team as long, and unlike teams such as Martin & Lewis, neither team went on to successful solo careers that dwarfed their team projects. So why are the two teams often compared to each other? For one they alone dominate the field of comedy duos. The argument is almost as futile as debating apples vs oranges.
Abbott & Costello specialized in verbal burlesque routines. Abbott & Costello were from the 1940s and early 1950s. Laurel & Hardy were from the late silent era and 1930s. One age old argument of classic cinema is the debate over who was the better comedy team Laurel & Hardy or Abbott & Costello.
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