They first appeared together in a short film in 1926, when they signed separate contracts with the Hal Roach film studio. Both had appeared in The Lucky Dog (1921), but were not teamed at the time. Laurel had acted in over 50 films, and worked as a writer and director, while Hardy was in more than 250 productions. Prior to emerging as a team, both had well-established film careers. Marvin Hatley) was heard over their films' opening credits, and became as emblematic of them as their bowler hats. Their signature theme song, known as 'The Cuckoo Song', 'Ku-Ku', or 'The Dance of the Cuckoos' (by Hollywood composer T. From the late 1920s to the mid-1950s, they were internationally famous for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy, childlike friend to Hardy's pompous bully.
Starting their career as a duo in the silent film era, they later successfully transitioned to ' talkies'. Laurel and Hardy were a British-American comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957). The Music Box, Babes in Toyland, Way Out West, Helpmates, Another Fine Mess, Sons of the Desert, Block-Heads, Busy Bodies, Towed in a Hole Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, promotional shot
