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Petition to get Laurel and Hardy films back on TV
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For decades upon decades, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's brand of humour have been the inspiration behind many of today's (and yesterday's) comedians. Today, almost 100 years since they first graced our screens, their movies are still loved worldwide by audiences of all ages. So why aren't they shown on TV any more? It seems the executives who commission TV programmes for terrestrial television think people have forgotten Laurel and Hardy and that they wouldn't attract enough viewers to justify showing them. Let's prove them wrong. We need at least 20,000 signatures on this petition to prove that the public want to see Laurel and Hardy films on terrestrial television again. Even if it's only during holidays like Christmas, Easter, Summer etc. Don't let future generations miss out on the works of Laurel and Hardy.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/please-show-laurel-and-hardy-on-tv-again-so-future/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/please-show-laurel-and-hardy-on-tv-again-so-future/
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Sad but true.
Samuel beckett and spike Milligan were huge fans-of the absurd and beautiful relationship between the two.
Kids like Stan, and adults see themselves in the vain pomposity of Ollie.
that's if they get a chance of course.
Quite an assumption.
All the great Movie Legends are dead, what we have now with a few exceptions, are just pale imitations.:(
That is the truth.
yes they are....and?
And they are still a damn sight funnier than a lot of living comedians.
Everyone hates 3D
totally disagree
Exactly
How true, less than 20 years ago they always had a season of a Legendary stars films running over Christmas on the BBC. The problem is that most of the people in charge are probably too young to remember, or just don't care about these magic names.
The other day we had The Lady Vanishes, The 39 Steps and Notorious back to back on BBC2 so I don't think there is a particular aversion to showing old films on terrestrial telly.
And as for there being no appetite for slapstick can you think of many comedy films aimed at children in the last decade and half that haven't consisted of huge amounts of slapstick? Slapstick is the one form of comedy that transcends all age, language and cultural barriers and is truly universal.
Back to Laurel and Hardy though.
I love watching old Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd films and I am a huge, obsessive fan of the Marx Brothers but I often find myself watching those films and, while I appreciate everything that's happening in them and I know that they are very funny, I don't necessarily laugh at the whole thing. Particularly if I'm watching them on my own.
Laurel and Hardy on the other hand have me creased up in laughter from start to finish in their films. Even though you can see every joke coming a mile off they are still delivered so perfectly that you can't help yourself. I think a big part of it was in their use of subtle facial expressions to get laughs. Just one sideways glance from Stan, one set of rolled eyes from Ollie or one double-take from the previously mentioned, great James Finlayson is enough to leave me weak.
I've signed the petition but I not personally too worried about having them back on telly because I have most of their stuff on DVD anyway. However, anything that gets Stan and Ollie exposed to lots of people who may not have seen them before can only be a good thing.
Really? BBC2 showed a full length 'black and white' Abbot and Costello film today.
I bought the original 'complete collection' box set a few years ago which included the booklets and it's a crackin' set, I love it! but my kids just don't want to know. I thought it was just them, but it isn't, their friends aren't interested in L&H or similar films either.
Anything PSP, smartphone, internet related, blah, blah, blah... and now you've grabbed their attention.
Research has shown that 1000's of children of today like Laurel and Hardy films.
In.all seriousness, I grew up with Laurel and Hardy as a cartoon in the 1980s. It was good and I know my kids would enjoy it now.
There may be some hope on the horizon though. BBC2 will be showing old b/w films every Saturday and Sunday mornings starting from Sat 5th Jan as part of the Beebs daytime revamp. I'm clinging onto the hope they dig out a few L&H films to show as part of this new look schedule. Here's hoping, it's the best chance we've had to get L&H back on the BBC in quite a few years.
That's great news - many thanks :)