<P> Prior to emerging as a team, both actors had well - established film careers . Laurel had appeared in over 50 films while Hardy had been in more than 250 productions . The two comedians had previously worked together as cast members on the film The Lucky Dog in 1921 . However, they were not a comedy team at that time and it was not until 1926 that they appeared in a movie short together, when both separately signed contracts with the Hal Roach film studio . Laurel and Hardy officially became a team in 1927 when they appeared together in the silent short film Putting Pants on Philip . They remained with the Roach studio until 1940 and then appeared in eight "B" movie comedies for 20th Century Fox and Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer from 1941 to 1945 . After finishing their movie commitments at the end of 1944, they concentrated on performing in stage shows and embarked on a music hall tour of England, Ireland, and Scotland . In 1950, before retiring from the screen, they made their last film, a French - Italian co-production called Atoll K . </P> <P> They appeared as a team in 107 films, starring in 32 short silent films, 40 short sound films, and 23 full - length feature films . They also made 12 guest or cameo appearances that included the Galaxy of Stars promotional film of 1936 . On December 1, 1954, the pair made one American television appearance when they were surprised and interviewed by Ralph Edwards on his live NBC - TV program This Is Your Life . Since the 1930s, the works of Laurel and Hardy have been released in numerous theatrical reissues, television revivals, 8 - mm and 16 - mm home movies, feature - film compilations, and home videos . In 2005, they were voted the seventh - greatest comedy act of all time by a UK poll of fellow comedians . The official Laurel and Hardy appreciation society is known as The Sons of the Desert which was named after a fictitious fraternal society featured in the Laurel and Hardy film of the same name . </P> <P> Stan Laurel (June 16, 1890--February 23, 1965) was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Ulverston, Lancashire (today Cumbria), England into a theatrical family . His father Arthur Joseph Jefferson was a theatrical entrepreneur and theatre owner in northern England and Scotland who, together with his wife, was a major force in the industry . In 1905, the Jefferson family moved to Glasgow to be closer to their business mainstay of the Metropole Theatre, and Laurel made his stage debut in a Glasgow hall called the Britannia Panopticon one month short of his 16th birthday . Arthur Jefferson secured Laurel his first acting job with the juvenile theatrical company of Levy and Cardwell, which specialized in Christmas Pantomimes . In 1909, Laurel was employed by Britain's leading comedy impresario Fred Karno as a supporting actor, and as an understudy for Charlie Chaplin . Laurel said of Karno, "There was no one like him . He had no equal . His name was box - office ." </P> <P> In 1912, Laurel left England with the Fred Karno Troupe to tour the United States . Laurel had expected the tour to be merely a pleasant interval before returning to London; however, he migrated to the U.S. during the trip . In 1917, Laurel was teamed with Mae Dahlberg as a double act for stage and film; they were living as common law husband and wife . The same year, Laurel made his film debut with Dahlberg in Nuts in May . While working with Mae, he began using the name "Stan Laurel" and changed his name legally in 1931 . Dahlberg held Laurel's career back because she demanded roles in his films, and her tempestuous nature made her difficult to work with . Dressing room arguments were common between the two; it was reported that producer Joe Rock paid her to leave Laurel and to return to her native Australia . In 1925, Laurel joined the Hal Roach film studio as a director and writer . From May 1925 until September 1926, he received credit in at least 22 films . Laurel starred in over 50 films for various producers before teaming up with Hardy . Prior to that, he experienced only modest success . It was difficult for producers, writers, and directors to write for his character, with American audiences knowing him either as a "nutty burglar" or as a Charlie Chaplin imitator . </P>

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