COMEDY STARS LAUREL & HARDY EXHIBIT, CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF LAUGHTER.
WesthollywoodToday.blogspot CA April 10 2026
Story by Karen Ostlund
The new exhibit titled “Laurel and Hardy: Masters of Comedy” opened April 9, at The Hollywood Museum, celebrates 100 years of laughter today.
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| (left) Founder of the Hollywood Museum, Donelle Dadigan with the The Laurel family. |
Donelle Dadigan (Founder/President of The Hollywood Museum said of the masters of comedy: “We are thrilled to showcase the entertainment contributions of one of the most popular and iconic film comedy teams of all time, STAN LAUREL & OLIVER HARDY.
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| Laurel and Hardy costumes at the Hollywood Museum. |
The new exhibit at The Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building features original costumes from their films, props, movie posters, vintage photographs, and collectibles from the LAUREL & HARDY’s career.
The Laurel and Hardy costumes on display are from the films “The Bull Fighter”, “Bonnie Scotland”, and “Way Out West”.
Props are from the films “Brats,” "Sons Of the Deserts" and "Fezzes".
Memorabilia featured are Stan Laurel’s make up case, Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurels iconic boller hats, posters, scripts, original photos, original merchandise from their film career.
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| Stan Laurel make-up kit at the Hollywood Museum. |
Attendees included actors, film-industry entertainers, historians, and Stan Laurel’s great-granddaughter;
Among them: Donelle Dadigan (Founder/President of The Hollywood Museum), Michele Lee (Knots Landing), Tyrone Dubose (Unsung), Rico Anderson (S.W.A.T), Kate Linder (Y&R), Geoffrey Mark (Award winning Author), Kathy Garver (Grammy Nominee/Family Affair), Darby Hinton (Daniel Boone), Maria Conchita Alonso (Music Star), Patrick Labyborteaux (Little House on the Prairie), Alice Amter (Big Bang Theory),Hal Eisner (FOX TV News Reporter for 38 years), Jax Malcom (His great grandmother Jean, worked as a furrier and made fur coats for the wives of both Laurel and Hardy), Danny Arroyo (“Pluribus").
Laurel and Hardy (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy) were widely recognized as one of the most influential and enduring comedy duos in cinema history, from the late 1920s to the mid-1950s.
They transitioned from silent film to "talkies," captivating global audiences with a blend of slapstick, physical comedy, and a "quiet kind of craziness" that contrasted Laurel’s childlike, clumsy innocence with Hardy’s pompous but lovable demeanor.
Stan Laurel, was the creative force who handled much of the writing and gag, and known as the frail, innocent, and confused character, while Oliver Hardy, was often called "Babe" and the "straight man" in charge.
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| (left) Robert Satterfield is a dedicated Laurel and Hardy historian, with The Laurel Family, Cassidy, Lucy and Tommy. |
Laurel and Hardy were masters of visual humor, frequently using props and elaborate physical altercations (such as in The Music Box, 1932) to create comedic situations that transcend language barriers.
Their films are famous for lines such as, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into," usually uttered by Hardy to Laurel.
They maximized the potential of sound in film, utilizing Laurel’s high-pitched, childish voice against Hardy’s refined Southern drawl.
The team starred in 107 short and feature films together, including classics like Sons of the Desert (1933) and Way Out West (1937).
Their on-screen bond matched their off-screen friendship. When Hardy suffered a stroke and was forced to retire, Laurel refused to perform with anyone else, marking the end of their partnership with his death in 1957.
Laurel and Hardy were awarded an Honorary Oscar in 1961 for their contribution to film comedy. As of 2026, the comedy duo's 100-year legacy is still celebrated, with their films restored in 4K.
www.thehollywoodmuseum.com
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