Collecting Laurel & Hardy combines more than 1,000 full-color photos of artifacts with film history, fun stories, and painstaking research to create a veritable encyclopedia of Laurel and Hardy memorabilia--from Stan's perpetual desk calendar and Ollie's Way Out West pants, to rare lobby cards and original scripts, to figurines and games. Featuring even truly obscure items (such as Christmas ornaments depicting Laurel and Hardy dressed as baby chickens!), this book takes fans into the whimsical, wonderful, and often-hilarious world of collectibles that celebrate the popular comedic duo.
Showcasing items from the priceless to the more affordable, chapters tackle the categories of autographs; props, wardrobe, and personal items; advertising and publicity; toys and games; figures; ceramics; books and comics; and so much more! There's even a chapter that discusses the international Sons of the Desert fan club, as well as museums around the world devoted to "the Boys." Special featurettes add to the fun by providing information on the iconic duo's experiences with fan correspondence, awards, magic, animation, lost films, and even their work with animals. Leading film critic and historian Leonard Maltin provides the foreword.
Filled to the (bowler hat) brim with rare and desirable memorabilia, this book offers a tour through the world's largest assembly of Laurel and Hardy collectibles in one place, making it a veritable museum in print and the ultimate tribute to one of Hollywood's most beloved comedy teams.
Companion website with additional content and information is available at https: //collectinglaurelandhardy.com.
Bacher, Danny: - Danny Bacher was an award-winning entertainer and an avid collector of all things Laurel and Hardy. He began collecting Laurel and Hardy memorabilia at the age of five and amassed one of the world's largest and most important private collections. He was a singer, saxophonist, songwriter, and international touring and recording artist with three critically acclaimed studio albums.
Hogya, Bernie: - Bernie Hogya founded the Stan Laurel Correspondence Archive Project (LettersFromStan.com). He is an accomplished creative director. One of Bernie's advertisements is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution. He co-created the famous milk mustache campaign, which led to the publication of The Milk Mustache Book, a New York Times Best Seller. He lives in Delaware. www.berniehogya.com.
Maltin, Leonard: - Leonard Maltin is a leading film critic and historian. At age thirteen he launched the first sanctioned "junior branch" of Sons of the Desert, the Tit for Tat Tent of Teaneck, New Jersey. He later wrote about Laurel and Hardy in his books Movie Comedy Teams, The Great Movie Shorts, The Great Movie Comedians, and The Laurel and Hardy Book. He is perhaps best known for his long-running paperback Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide and a thirty-year run on television's Entertainment Tonight. He teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and hosts a weekly podcast, Maltin on Movies, with his daughter, Jessie.
