Oliver Hardy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oliver Hardy
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Hardy in 1938
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| Born |
Norvell Hardy
January 18, 1892 Harlem, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | August 7, 1957 (aged 65) North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1914–1955 |
| Spouse(s) |
Madelyn Saloshin
(m. 1913; div. 1921)Myrtle Reeves
(m. 1921; div. 1937)Virginia Lucille Jones
(m. 1940) |
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Oliver Norvell Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was a famous American comic actor. He was one half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. This famous duo started in the silent film era and worked together from 1926 to 1957. Oliver Hardy appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 films. These included short films, full-length movies, and small guest roles. His first film was Outwitting Dad in 1914. Before joining producer Hal Roach, he was often known as Babe Hardy in his silent films.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Oliver Hardy was born Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia. His father, also named Oliver, had fought in the American Civil War. Hardy's mother was Emily Norvell. His father died less than a year after Norvell was born. Norvell was the youngest of five children.
As a child, Hardy was sometimes a bit difficult. When he was in fifth grade, he went to Georgia Military College in Milledgeville. In 1905, at age 13, he attended Young Harris College. He wasn't very interested in school. However, he loved music and theater from a young age. He joined a theater group and even ran away from boarding school to sing with them.
His mother saw his talent for singing. She sent him to Atlanta to study music. But he often skipped lessons to sing at the Alcazar Theater for a small fee. In 1912, he briefly studied law at the University of Georgia. He mostly did this to play football.
As a teenager, Hardy started calling himself "Oliver Norvell Hardy." He added "Oliver" to honor his father. He used "Oliver" as his first name in all official records after that. Hardy also joined a group called Freemasonry in Jacksonville, Florida. This helped him with a place to stay when he was starting in show business. He and Stan Laurel later joined the Grand Order of Water Rats, another show business group.
Career Highlights
Starting in Movies
In 1910, a movie theater called The Palace opened in Hardy's hometown. He worked there as a projectionist, ticket taker, and manager. He became fascinated with movies. He believed he could act better than the people he saw on screen. A friend told him to move to Jacksonville, Florida, where films were being made. He moved there in 1913.
In Jacksonville, he sang in cabarets at night. During the day, he worked at the Lubin Manufacturing Company. He met Madelyn Saloshin, a pianist, and they married in 1913.
The next year, he made his first movie, Outwitting Dad (1914). He was billed as O. N. Hardy. In his personal life, people called him "Babe" Hardy. He was billed as "Babe Hardy" in many later films. Hardy was a big man, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing up to 300 pounds. His size often led him to play villains. But he also starred in funny short films. By 1915, Hardy had made 50 short films.
He moved to New York and made films for other studios. He then returned to Jacksonville. He made films for the Vim Comedy Company. After that studio closed, he worked for King Bee studio. He worked with other comedians like Billy Ruge and Billy West. He often played villains in these films.
Between 1916 and 1917, Hardy also directed ten short films, which he also acted in.
In 1917, Hardy moved to Los Angeles. He worked for several Hollywood studios. He made over 40 films for Vitagraph between 1918 and 1923. He mostly played the "heavy" (bad guy) for Larry Semon. In 1919, he separated from his first wife, and their divorce was final in 1921. In November 1921, he married actress Myrtle Reeves.
In 1921, he appeared in The Lucky Dog. This movie starred Stan Laurel. Hardy played a robber trying to hold up Stan's character. They didn't work together again for several years. In 1924, Hardy started working at Hal Roach Studios. He appeared in the Our Gang films and with Charley Chase. In 1925, he played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. That same year, he was in Yes, Yes, Nanette!, which Stan Laurel directed.
In 1926, Hardy was supposed to be in a film called Get 'Em Young. But he had to go to the hospital after a cooking accident. Stan Laurel, who was working as a writer and director at Roach Studios, took his place. Laurel continued to act and appeared in 45 Minutes from Hollywood with Hardy. However, they didn't have any scenes together in that film.
Teaming Up with Stan Laurel
In 1927, Laurel and Hardy started appearing in scenes together. They were in films like Slipping Wives and Duck Soup. The director at Roach Studios, Leo McCarey, noticed how much audiences loved them together. He decided to team them up, which led to the start of the famous Laurel and Hardy series later that year.
They made many short movies. Some famous ones include The Battle of the Century (1927), known for a huge pie fight. Others were Should Married Men Go Home? (1928) and Two Tars (1928). In 1929, they made their first "talking pictures" like Unaccustomed As We Are. They continued with films like Blotto (1930) and Another Fine Mess (1930).
In 1929, they appeared in their first full-length film, Hollywood Revue of 1929. In 1930, they were in a musical called The Rogue Song, which was their first appearance in color. In 1931, they starred in their first full movie, Pardon Us. They kept making movies until 1935. Their 1932 film The Music Box won an Academy Award for best short film.
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In 1937, Oliver Hardy and Myrtle Reeves divorced. While Stan Laurel was dealing with a contract issue, Hardy made a film called Zenobia (1939) with Harry Langdon. Eventually, new contracts were made, and the team made The Flying Deuces (1939). While working on this film, Hardy met Virginia Lucille Jones, a script girl. They fell in love and married the next year. They had a very happy marriage for the rest of his life.
In 1939, Laurel and Hardy made A Chump at Oxford and Saps at Sea. After leaving Roach Studios, they started performing for the USO. They supported Allied troops during World War II.
In 1941, Laurel and Hardy signed with 20th Century-Fox and later Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. These studios made bigger films. At first, the comedians were only actors. They had to let the studios handle the writing and editing. But their films were very popular. Slowly, Laurel and Hardy were allowed more creative control. They made eight films during the war years and remained very popular.
In 1947, Laurel and Hardy went on a six-week tour of the United Kingdom. They weren't sure how people would react, but they were incredibly popular everywhere they went. The tour was extended to include other countries like Scandinavia, Belgium, and France. They even performed for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. They continued to perform live in the UK and France until 1954. They often used new comedy routines that Laurel had written.
In 1949, Hardy's friend John Wayne asked him to be in his movie The Fighting Kentuckian. Hardy had worked with Wayne before. He wasn't sure at first, but Stan Laurel encouraged him to take the role. In 1950, director Frank Capra asked him to play a small role in Riding High with Bing Crosby.
From 1950 to 1951, Laurel and Hardy made their last film, Atoll K (also called Utopia). The story was simple: Laurel inherits an island, and they find a new island rich in uranium. This makes them powerful and wealthy. However, the film was made by different European companies. The cast and crew couldn't easily talk to each other. Also, Laurel had to rewrite the script to fit their comedy style. Both actors also got very sick during filming.
Laurel and Hardy made two live television appearances. One was in 1953 on a BBC show called Face the Music. The other was in December 1954 on NBC's This Is Your Life. They also appeared in a filmed part for a BBC show in 1955, which was their last appearance together. They planned to make a TV show series based on Mother Goose stories in 1955. But the series was put on hold because Stan Laurel became ill. Later that year, while Laurel was getting better, Hardy had a heart attack and a stroke. He never fully recovered.
Later Years and Death
Oliver Hardy had a mild heart attack in May 1954. After this, he started taking care of his health. He lost a lot of weight, over 150 pounds, in just a few months. This changed how he looked completely. Some people thought he might have had cancer, which could explain his fast weight loss. Both Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel were smokers.
Hardy had a major stroke on September 14, 1956. This left him unable to speak for several months and confined to his bed. His wife, Lucille, took care of him at home. He had two more strokes in early August 1957. He then went into a coma and passed away on August 7, 1957, at age 65. He died from a blood clot in his brain.
After he was cremated, his ashes were placed in the Masonic Garden of Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood. Stan Laurel was very sad about losing his "dear pal and partner." His doctor advised Laurel not to go to the funeral because of his own poor health. Laurel said that "Babe would understand."
Legacy
- Oliver Hardy has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.
- Laurel and Hardy were both inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats.
- There is a small Laurel and Hardy Museum in Hardy's hometown of Harlem, Georgia. It opened in 2002. The town also holds an annual Oliver Hardy Festival.
- The movie Stan & Ollie (2018) told their story. Steve Coogan played Laurel, and John C. Reilly played Hardy.
Filmography
Images for kids
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Hardy in 1938
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Oliver Hardy's signature
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Historical marker in Milledgeville, Georgia, that tells the story of Hardy's time in that town
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Advertisement with Hardy for A Day at School (1916), part of the Plump & Runt series
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The Guilty Ones, one of ten shorts directed, or co-directed by 'Babe Hardy'
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With Stan Laurel in The Lucky Dog (1921), six years before they became a team
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Hardy played a supporting role in Isn't Life Terrible? with Charley Chase, and Katherine Grant (1925).
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Movie poster for Another Fine Mess (1930)
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Laurel and Hardy in The Flying Deuces (1939)
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The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)
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Grave of Oliver Hardy at Valhalla Memorial Park
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Statue of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy outside the Coronation Hall Theatre, Ulverston, Cumbria, England
See also
In Spanish: Oliver Hardy para niños
