The Laurel & Hardy Podcast

In a bumper Episode 24, the Podcast has reached a pivotal moment in Laurel and Hardy’s cinematic history. Today’s film in focus, Habeas Corpus was not only the boys’ first out-and-out scare-comedy, but it was also the moment Stan and Babe took their first steps toward the talkies.

Joining Patrick on this deep-dive into Habeas Corpus is first-time guest and scare-comedy expert, Paul Castiglia. Paul discusses the genesis of the comedy horror film, discusses his Laurel and Hardy backstory and answers the infamous Atoll Question.

In addition, Patrick also welcomes regular Laurel and Hardy author and expert, Randy Skretvedt to take a close look at the film’s synchronised music and effects track.

If you like your Podcasts packed full of interesting information, enjoyable conversation, movie clips and much more besides, then you’ll love Episode 24.

To read the blog on Habeas Corpus, click here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/filmography/

Stay in touch with all the latest Blogcast news, including updates on my forthcoming book, Laurel & Hardy: Silents by subscribing to the free newsletter here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/contact/

To visit Paul Castglia’s ‘Scared Silly’ blog, click here: http://scaredsillybypaulcastiglia.blogspot.com/

Join in the discussion and become an official Blog-Head by joining the Blog-Heads Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2920310948018755

To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra’s music contained in these podcasts, click here: https://amzn.to/2CgeCbK

For more information about The Laurel & Hardy Blog, click here: http://www.blog-heads.com/

To find the best Laurel and Hardy books and DVD and Blu-Rays visit The Laurel & Hardy Blog’s Amazon storefront, click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/laurelandhardyblog

*Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate and as such any purchases made using the above links will help to support this podcast, whilst not costing you a penny more.

In this very special bonus episode of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, Patrick chats with star of TV and stage Jeffrey Holland. Jeffrey is someone who can rightly be referred to as a member of UK TV royalty. His acting career on both stage and screen over the years has been prolific, appearing in such TV classics as Dad's Army, Are You Being Served? It Ain't Half Hot Mum, but he became a household name for his roles in the celebrated sit-coms, Hi-De-Hi, You Rang M'Lord and Oh, Doctor Beeching.

Since 2013, Jeffrey has been touring with his one-man stage show entitled, '...and this is my friend, Mr Laurel', a play in which he plays Stan reminiscing about his life and career. Jeffrey also talks about his earliest memories of Laurel and Hardy and ultimately faces the Atoll Question.

To learn more about Jeffrey Holland, click here: https://www.jeffreyholland.co.uk/

To book tickets to see Jeffrey in '...and this is my friend, Mr Laurel', at The Lighthouse in Poole, Dorset, click here: https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2022/and-this-is-my-friend-mr-laurel/

For more information about The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, click here https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/

Stay in touch with all the latest Podcast news, including updates on my forthcoming book, Laurel & Hardy: Silents by subscribing to the free newsletter here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/contact/

To subscribe to the all-new Laurel & Hardy Magazine, click here: https://www.laurelandhardymag.com/

Join in the discussion and become an official Blog-Head by joining the Blog-Heads Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2920310948018755

To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra’s music contained in these podcasts, click here: https://amzn.to/2CgeCbK

To purchase a copy of Randy Skretvedt’s incredible book, Laurel & Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies, click here: https://amzn.to/3Dpl1P3

To find the best Laurel and Hardy books and DVDs and Blu-Rays, visit The Laurel & Hardy Blog’s Amazon storefront, click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/laurelandhardyblog

*Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate, and any purchases made using the above links will help support this podcast whilst not costing you a penny more.

In this bumper Episode Eighteen, Patrick welcomes Laurel and Hardy and Hal Roach Studios expert Richard W. Bann to the Podcast for the very first time.

Richard is one of the foremost authorities on anything and everything connected to the Hal Roach Studios, including not only the films they produced but also its history, reputation and legacy as well.

Richard shares his Laurel and Hardy backstory, about how he discovered Stan and Ollie and the Hal Roach Studios in general and also his career history. He also discusses with Patrick the film in focus, 1928 silent short, Their Purple Moment.

To finish, Richard also answers the ever-difficult Atoll question.

This is easily the longest episode of the Podcast to date and with good reason. If you’re a true fan of the boys and the Lot of Fun, you won’t want to miss a minute of this one!

Join in the discussion and become a member of the Podcast's online community by joining the Blog-Heads Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2920310948018755

To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra’s music contained in these podcasts, click here: https://amzn.to/2CgeCbK

For more information about The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, click here: http://www.blog-heads.com/

To find the best Laurel and Hardy books and DVDs visit The Laurel & Hardy Podcast's Amazon storefront, click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/laurelandhardyblog

To read the blog on Their Purple Moment’ click here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/2021/11/05/22-their-purple-moment/

To watch Chris Bungo’s locations ‘Then and Now’ video for Their Purple Moment, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZFg-WaDXnY

Joining us on this special bonus edition of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast is a man who has had a number of guises in his life, including as an actor, singer, and playwright, and to that list, he can now add the title author. In 2021, he published an extensive biography of music hall impresario, Fred Karno, entitled Fred Karno: The Legend Behind the Laughter .

No discussion of Stan Laurel, Laurel and Hardy – or comedy in its wider sense can be complete without recognising the impact of Fred Karno, and so it is with great pleasure that we welcome on to Episode 23, author, David Crump.

On the show, Patrick chats to David about his own background before discussing the life and career of Fred Karno, with a specific focus on Karno’s involvement with Stan Laurel and later, about his brief spell working at the Hal Roach Studios.

As part of the show, we also hear a couple of extracts from two interviews with Stan Laurel, held in the late 1950s, in which Stan talks about joining the Karno troupe and his tour of the vaudeville circuits of the USA.

Episode 23 also sees the welcome return of the infamous ‘Atoll Question – but which items will David choose to with him onto his desert island?

The interviews sampled in this episode are:

1) Stan Laurel interviewed by Arthur B. Freidman in 1957

2) Stan Laurel interviewed by Tony Thomas in 1959

To purchase a copy of Fred Karno: The Legend Behind the Laughter, by David Crump, use my affiliate link here: https://amzn.to/3aeW10h

To join the ‘Blog-Heads’ Facebook Community, click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2920310948018755

For more information about The Laurel & Hardy Blog, click here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/

To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra's music contained in these podcasts, click here: https://amzn.to/2CgeCbK

In this 25th episode of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, Patrick provides an update on his forthcoming book, Laurel & Hardy: Silents and makes a special announcement about the future of The Laurel & Hardy Magazine. The main business of the day, however, is to take a close look at the 1928 silent short, We Faw Down. To help him with the analysis of the film, Patrick welcomes back to the Blogcast Canadian film historian, Chris Seguin. In addition to discussing the film in focus, Chris also provides interesting context by talking about silent comedy star Larry Semon's demise which was happening concurrently with Laurel and Hardy's rise to greatness.

To read the blog on We Faw Down visit: http://www.blog-heads.com/

Join in the discussion and become an official Blog-Head by joining the Blog-Heads Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2920310948018755

To subscribe to The Laurel & Hardy Magazine, click here: http://www.laurelandhardymag.com/

To stay up to date with book releases and everything else, join The Laurel & Hardy Blog's mailing list here: https://laurel-and-hardy-blog.com/contact/

To visit Chris Seguin's blog, click here: http://thescribefiles.blogspot.com/

To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra’s music contained in these podcasts, click here: https://amzn.to/2CgeCbK

For more information about The Laurel & Hardy Blog, click here: http://www.blog-heads.com/

To find the best Laurel and Hardy books and DVDs visit The Laurel & Hardy Blog’s Amazon storefront, click here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/laurelandhardyblog

*Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate and as such any purchases made using the above links will help to support this podcast, whilst not costing you a penny more.