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Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy

His voice in the Italian version of his and Stan Laurel's shorts and features was that of Alberto Sordi.

In 1930, he lived at 621 North Alta Drive in Beverly Hills.

Interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, California, USA.

Is portrayed by John Fox in Harlow (1965/II)

Laurel and Hardy's films had and still have great success in Italy, where they are known as "Stanlio and Ollio". Their voices being dubbed into Italian in a very funny and colorful way accentuates their funny lines.



Lucille Hardy tells the story of Babe, her brother, and several others building elaborate chicken coops for the birds they raised. In true Laurel and Hardy fashion, they were too big to move out the door of the shed where they had been built, and had to be taken apart and reconstructed outside.

Oliver Hardy was born in the town of Harlem, Georgia on January 18, 1892. Although the building no longer stands, a plaque was placed in front of the city hall in his memory.

Oliver Hardy's father, Oliver, was a Confederate veteran wounded at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.

Related to Captain Hardy (as in "Kiss me Hardy" - Nelson).

Shared the nickname "Babe" with another beloved comedian of his time - Jerome "Curly" Howard. Hardy was named by a Florida barber because of his "baby" face; Howard by his family because he was the youngest, or "baby".

Still popular in Brazil where he and partner Stan Laurel are known as "O Gordo e O Magro" (Fat and Skinny).

Subject of one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. He is shown with his partner Stan Laurel. The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. The other comedians honored in the set are Edgar Bergen (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy), Jack Benny, Fanny Brice, and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

Suffered a severe stroke on 12 September 1956 that left him paralyzed and unable to speak.

The annual "Oliver Hardy Festival" is held in Harlem, Georgia. http://www.harlemga.org/ohfest.htm

There is a small Laurel and Hardy Museum in Hardy's hometown of Harlem, Georgia at 250 N. Louisville Street. The museum opened on July 15, 2000. The website address is www.laurelandhardymuseum.org

Throughout their association with Hal Roach, Laurel and Hardy had separate contracts, with Stan's salary being considerably higher than Babe's. This didn't bother Hardy one bit, as he acknowledged that Stan did much more than he during the making of their films.

Used Babe Hardy for a screen name until convinced by a numerologist that the longer screen name, Oliver Hardy, would bring him success.

Was a member of the Lakeside Country Club and a close friend of John Wayne and Bing Crosby.

Was in over 400 movies.

When Ollie died in 1957, his partner, Stan Laurel, pledged he would never perform again. Despite offers, he never did.

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