Oliver Hardy solo comedies - Directed by Stan Laurel - Part 1 (1924-5) "Yes, Yes, Nanette"

This is Part 1 in a collection of short films featuring Oliver Hardy in the years before he teamed up with Stan Laurel. First up is Larry Semon's racing car comedy "Kid Speed" (1924). Semon was a star film comedian of the day and Ollie was a member of his stock company. This short is loaded with wild stunts and sight gags. Boxing legend James J. Jeffries has a small role as a blacksmith. Next up is "Yes, Yes, Nanette," a 1925 Hal Roach comedy short co-directed by Stan Laurel. James Finlayson is featured as a newly married man who meets his wife's less-than-welcoming family. Ollie has a small role as one of the wife's ex-boyfriends. Even Pete the Dog from Roach's Our Gang comedies gets in on the fun. Rounding out this segment is the first part of "The Paperhanger's Helper," a condensed version of the 1925 short comedy "Stick Around" that was released to the home movie market by Castle Films in the late 1940s. Ollie, as he often did at this time, plays a comic villain type who pushes around his smaller sidekick, played by Bobby Ray. It somewhat foreshadows the Laurel & Hardy relationship that lay in the future. This film concludes at the start of Part 2 of this series! Enjoy!

[@voicegirl555]

Happy Happy Birthday Oliver Hardy! I think of you always with a smile. You gave such joy to the world.

[@MyBearo]

Thank you for this marvel

[@rimshot2952]

Wow! This is great stuff. Never seen this before, and i have been a huge L&H fan for 42 years. It must have been Destiny, for Laurel an Hardy to team up and become the legends they now are. Thank you very much for posting.

[@mart0the0tart]

Sorry but Stan didn't direct Kid Spees or The Paperhangers Helper (Stick Around). He only directed Ollie in Yes Yes Nanette, Wandering Papas(AKA Enough To Do) and Madame Mystery. Ward Hays directed Stick Around and Larry Semon with Noel Smith directed Kid Speed

[@rackinfrackin]

I think those three titles should be added to the official L&H canon. After all, Stan and Babe both worked together on them, even if Stan doesn't actually appear on screen.

[@russianbear4959]

Holy quak the stuntwork.....amazing and very dangerous

[@horacetwiddlepass2714]

Also known as The Four-Wheeled Terror. Nothing to do with Stan Laurel. Directed by Larry Semon.

[@eleventhdr1]

wow scott joplin ragtime in this flim and this was 1925!

[@eleventhdr1]

1924!

[@rackinfrackin]

That actually looks like Oliver Hardy's handwriting at 01:51 - I've seen his autograph enough times to recognize it.

[@mrsbrownandhercat]

I'm sure you're correct.

[@horacetwiddlepass2714]

Yes I recognise it too.

[@stefanopedrazzini798]

Hardy, beautiful actor...

[@thomastimlin1724]

Paper Hangers (Part 3): quite a training film for the L and H format. too bad it wasn't Laurel instead of Larry Semon in this. With L and H, you COULD slow it down, and it would be better, because of Hardy's subtle gestures and slow burn of frustration, and Laurel's confused looks and clumsiness. They were superior actors, with meticulous rehearsal and execution.