Forgotten Hollywood

   Sons of the Desert, the official International Laurel & Hardy Society, is co-sponsoring the exhibition in the heart of Hollywood. Laurel and Hardy were solo performers who were cast separately in silent films, but within a year after they were fortuitously paired together at the Hal Roach Studios in 1926

   Hal Roach’s life was colorful, as anything ever portrayed on film. In addition to Laurel and Hardy, Hal Roach Studios brought to fame such actors as Harold Lloyd, the Our Gang tots (better known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach’s Rascals), bombshell actress Thelma Todd, Zasu Pitts, and Charley Chase. Other performers who graduated from Roach comedies on the path to stardom were such actors as Jean Harlow, Janet Gaynor, Fay Wray, Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, and Boris Karloff.

   Roach’s powerful film of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men was possibly his masterwork and One Million B.C. was notable for his collaboration with D.W. Griffith. John Wayne, Buster Keaton and John Ford were among the many big name stars and directors who worked on Roach television shows.

   Objects pertaining to Hal Roach include his honorary 1984 Oscar and a Hal Roach Studios camera, while Harold Lloyd items include a makeup case, glasses, and rare film posters and photos. Additional Laurel & Hardy ephemeras consist of film posters, photographs, scripts, sheet music, scrapbooks, personal photos and letters, and Al Hirschfield-designed window cards.

   The Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building is located at 1660 N. Highland Ave. at Hollywood and Highland.

Until next time>                               “never forget”