The Laurel & Hardy Podcast

Joining Patrick for this special edition of the podcast is Serge Bromberg from Lobster Films. Serge talks about the long-awaited release of Laurel & Hardy's 1927 silent shorts on Blu-ray. During the discussion, we find out what films are included and what we can expect from the set. As usual, Patrick asks his guest how he discovered Laurel & Hardy and how he got into film restoration,...

Episode 31 completes our deep dive into Stan and Babe's 1929 masterpiece, Big Business. On the previous show, Episode 30, Randy Skretvedt and I discussed the film and also covered the mythology surrounding a couple of famous (or infamous) legends connected to the production - primarily Hal Roach's much-related tale that the wrong house was destroyed in error. Randy sided with Stan Laurel a...

Episode 30 marks the third year anniversary of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast. In today's show, we hear from some of the podcast's loyal supporters about why they love the show so much. The big business in hand, though, is the first part of a two-episode deep dive into Laurel and Hardy's silent masterpiece, Big Business. Patrick discusses the film with regular guest expert Randy Skretv...

The Laurel & Hardy Podcast returns with Episode 29 and takes a deep dive into the next chronological release, Stan and Babe's hilarious 1929 release, That’s My Wife .  Patrick welcomes returning guest expert, film historian and co-host of The Silent Comedy Watch Party, Steve Massa. During the show, Patrick and Steve discuss this most risqué of Laurel and Hardy’s films, including a look at...

In this very special bonus episode of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, Patrick chats with star of TV and stage Jeffrey Holland. Jeffrey is someone who can rightly be referred to as a member of UK TV royalty. His acting career on both stage and screen over the years has been prolific, appearing in such TV classics as Dad's Army, Are You Being Served? It Ain't Half Hot Mum, but he became a household...

Under its new title, The Laurel & Hardy Podcast , Episode 27 takes a deep dive into Stan and Babe's wonderful 1929 release, Wrong Again.  Returning guest expert Glenn Mitchell pays a fitting tribute to the late film historian Dave Wyatt. During Patrick and Glenn's discussion about the film in focus, the two shine a torch on the musical score, the mechanics of the horse on the piano gag an...

Episode 26 has very lofty ambitions, as Patrick and his guests discuss Laurel & Hardy’s 1929 short, Liberty. In the footsteps of Harold Lloyd, Liberty is the one and only time Stan and Babe made an out-and-out ‘thrill’ picture and what a hilarious short it is! To help him to discuss the locations used for the filming of Liberty, Patrick welcomes a new guest to the Blogcast, the “great detectiv...

In this 25th episode of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast, Patrick provides an update on his forthcoming book, Laurel & Hardy: Silents and makes a special announcement about the future of The Laurel & Hardy Magazine. The main business of the day, however, is to take a close look at the 1928 silent short, We Faw Down. To help him with the analysis of the film, Patrick welcomes back to the Blog...

In a bumper Episode 24, the Podcast has reached a pivotal moment in Laurel and Hardy’s cinematic history. Today’s film in focus, Habeas Corpus was not only the boys’ first out-and-out scare-comedy, but it was also the moment Stan and Babe took their first steps toward the talkies. Joining Patrick on this deep-dive into Habeas Corpus is first-time guest and scare-comedy expert, Paul Castiglia. Paul...

Joining us on this special bonus edition of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast is a man who has had a number of guises in his life, including as an actor, singer, and playwright, and to that list, he can now add the title author. In 2021, he published an extensive biography of music hall impresario, Fred Karno, entitled Fred Karno: The Legend Behind the Laughter . No discussion of Stan Laurel, Laurel...

In Episode 22, Patrick celebrates the 2nd anniversary of the Podcast and we hear birthday messages from some of the podcast’s many global listeners. In addition, Patrick also welcomes back to the Blogcast Laurel & Hardy expert and author of Laurel & Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies and The Laurel & Hardy Movie Scripts , Randy Skretvedt . On the show, Randy and Patrick discuss the fil...

Episode 21, sees Patrick offer a Laurel and Hardy handshake to returning guest and Hal Roach Studios expert, Richard W. Bann . This episode continues the discussion that Patrick had with Randy Skretvedt in Episode 20 about Stan and Babe’s 1928 silent short ‘Early to Bed’. As Randy didn’t much care for this classic yet divisive short, Patrick invites ‘Early to Bed’ fan, Richard Bann to join him on...

In Episode Twenty, Patrick welcomes back to the Podcast Laurel & Hardy expert and author of Laurel & Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies and The Laurel & Hardy Movie Scripts , Randy Skretvedt . Throughout the course of the show Randy and Patrick talk about a film that neither of them are overly fond of, Early to Bed, and find that they share a personal reason for taking a dislike to it....

Episode Nineteen sees the welcome return of special guest Glenn Mitchell. In the programme Patrick and Glenn discuss the first release from the officially designated ‘Laurel & Hardy’ series, 1928’s Should Married Men Go Home? Patrick explores Babe Hardy’s obsession with golf and also the golfing culture prevalent at the Hal Roach Studios. In addition, Glenn takes an in-depth look at one of Sta...

In this bumper Episode Eighteen, Patrick welcomes Laurel and Hardy and Hal Roach Studios expert Richard W. Bann to the Podcast for the very first time. Richard is one of the foremost authorities on anything and everything connected to the Hal Roach Studios, including not only the films they produced but also its history, reputation and legacy as well. Richard shares his Laurel and Hardy backstory,...

In a jam-packed Episode Seventeen and to help him discuss the 1928 silent short, You’re Darn Tootin’ , Patrick welcomes two new, first-time special guests to the Podcast. First up is silent film accompanist, blogger, podcaster and host of The Silent Comedy Watch Party, Ben Model. Then Patrick welcomes his second guest, another world-renowned silent film accompanist, composer and playwright, Neil B...

In Episode Sixteen, Patrick focuses on the classic silent short, From Soup to Nuts from 1928. Helping him to discuss the film is ever popular and ever-entertaining returning guest, Randy Skretvedt. In addition to talking about the picture, Randy also shares his memories of a key member of The Laurel & Hardy Stock Company, Anita Garvin. To purchase a copy of Randy Skretvedt's, Laurel & Hard...

In a bumper Episode Fifteen, Patrick discusses the classic silent short from 1928, The Finishing Touch. This film was the first of Stan and Babe’s films where they appear as labourers with a job to do. Joining in the fun to discuss the films and much more besides are two very special guests, returning author, expert, and Laurel and Hardy historian, Randy Skretvedt, and first-time guest, Canadian s...

Acting as something of a bridge between Episodes Thirteen and Fifteen, this episode is a special bonus edition of the Podcast where the focus of discussion is a man who appeared in both Leave ‘Em Laughing and The Finishing Touch , Edgar Kennedy.  Patrick chats with special guest and Edgar Kennedy’s biographer, Bill Cassara. To purchase CDs of the Beau Hunks Orchestra's music contained in these...

In Episode Thirteen, Patrick chats with special guest, Nico Cartenstadt. As well as being a lifelong Laurel and Hardy fan, collector and Grand Sheik of Belgium’s Bogus Bandits Tent of the Sons of the Desert, Nico also co-wrote, Spot On! An Audiovisual Account of Laurel and Hardy’s 1952 British Tour with Michael Ehret. In addition to discussing the creation of the book, they also discuss the next f...

In this first-year anniversary episode, Patrick celebrates the Podcast’s first birthday with members of the Podcast's online Community and from the wider fan community too. The film in focus on Episode 12 is the restored and (almost) complete version of the boys’ 1928 silent short, The Battle of the Century. Discussing this classic comedy with him is returning guest, expert, and author of Laurel &...

In Episode Eleven, Patrick welcomes back to the podcast returning guest and Laurel & Hardy expert and author of ‘ The Laurel & Hardy Encyclopedia’ , Glenn Mitchell. Moving another step along the Laurel & Hardy film chronology, Patrick and Glenn have great fun discussing Stan and Babe’s 1927 silent short, Putting Pants on Philip, as well as taking a detailed look at one of the boys’ reg...

On this second bonus episode of The Laurel & Hardy Podcast , Patrick chats with Laurel & Hardy solo films expert and author Rob Stone. Returning to the Podcast for the first time since his appearance in Episode One, Rob chats with Patrick about the brand new Blu-ray release of restored Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy solo films. Patrick also takes the opportunity to ask his guest the infamous...

The tenth episode of the Podcast is the final part of two back-to-back episodes containing a fantastic interview with the author of Laurel & Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies, Randy Skretvedt. In this continuation from Episode 9, Patrick chats with Randy about Stan and Babe's cameo appearance in the Max Davidson short, Call of the Cuckoo, and also their hugely important and equally frustratin...

Episode Nine of the Podcast is the first of two episodes containing a fantastic interview with the author of Laurel & Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies, Randy Skretvedt. In this first part, Patrick asks Randy about his Laurel & Hardy backstory and they also discuss the pivotal 1927 silent short, The Second Hundred Years. To purchase a copy of Randy Skretvedt's book, Laurel & Hardy: Th...