Customer Reviews

This Is Your Life Comedy Legends - Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy and Lou Costello

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I truly enjoyed watching the two episodes of the 1950s TV series, "This is Your Life." One episode featured the life of Lou Costello, the other, the lives of cinema's greatest comedy team, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Both programs were worth watching, but I enjoyed the one featuring Stan and Ollie the most. It was wonderful to see them not in character, but as themselves--being asked questions about what they were doing in various stages of their careers. On the other hand, it was unfortunate that the program was as short as it was. One wishes that we had at least an hour to hear from them. This is apparently their only American TV appearance, so it is valuable from a historical perspective. This value overshadows the feeling of sadness one begins to acquire watching these two great men, especially Mr. Hardy, looking quite uncomfortable under the hot studio lights. Clearly, both men here are not well. Still, they appear as the troopers one would expect.

The show about Lou Costello is also good. It was interesting to see Lou Costello not as the silly clown we were all accustomed to see in films, but as a humble man, who saw tragedy in his life, yet exhibited generosity to many people. Bud Abbott, the great straight man, is featured in the program as his partner, but more of a supporting character than an equal. From my point of view, such treatment was unfair. The straight man was put in comedy teams to make the comic look great, and sound funny. There was never a greater straight man than the unappreciated Bud Abbott. Nevertheless, the show deals with the triumphs and tragedies in Lou Costello's life, and one cannot help but be moved by these events.

For any fans of Laurel and Hardy, or Abbott and Costello, I recommend the purchase of this DVD. It is worth owning. The programs were originally broadcast in the mid-1950s. Oliver Hardy and Lou Costello died in 1957 and 1959 respectively. For each of these men, these shows are like final swan songs (although Costello would work in night clubs, and TV shows until his surprising death).

The L & H footage (albeit in good quality and minus depressing original commercials) should be familiar by now, as it appears to have gone into the Public Domain. The Lou Costello segment is surmised to be completely unfamiliar even to the deepest fans!
It may seem strange that Lou is flying solo, but one senses that Bud was all for it. His interest in the project, and in his friend/teammate is obvious and touching. It's been written that they were very close to splitting up at that time, indeed the upcomming Flamingo appearance for December, 1956 may have been their last major gig, but there's no uncomfortable vibe here.
Of course, Lou continued on TV after the '57 split, so this footage just might be their next to last A & C TV appearance - they did appear on The Steve Allen Show in late 1956.
An additional nugget for fans is in the DVD opening scene, at another studio where Bud & Lou are filming their promo for their last movie, "Dance With Me Henry". This is rare stuff, folks.
Lou's segment is more sentimental than funny, but that was the '50s - he handles the proceedings beautifully. Sentimental is not a bad thing, however, when many individuals walk into the spotlight as real-life benefactors of Costello's charitable efforts.
It's mostly family and friends, so if you're expecting Sidney Fields or Bobby Barber to participate, you might be a tad disappointed.
Laurel and Hardy's better-known episode (in heavy circulation since at least the Betamax era) is also not the show business event the uninitiated might expect. The only entertainment exponents are Ralph Edwards and Hal Roach's son! No Charles Hall. No Billy Gilbert, both still active in 1954.
For the dedicated fan/historian, however, there is much value in hearing the voices of childhood companions, and folks who knew them on the way up.
It makes one realize that nice guys sometimes finish first.
It's a poignant affair in this sense: it was Stan and Ollie's only TV appearance in their home country! [They did appear on TV in Ireland in 1953, while on tour!]. It seems that the phone never rang with offers to appear on the Jackie Gleason Show, Ed Sullivan, I Love Lucy....what a sad thing. In fact, other than one short newsreel with Stan only (no event sound) at a Swimming meet in 1951, there is no other non-private film of the boys in the 1950s other than the movie "Utopia" (aka "Atoll K"), newsreel footage found on a VHS tape "U.K. Tours", and this historic telecast.
Like Lou, Stan and Ollie are almost completely "out of character", but it adds an interesting dimension, perfectly captured on the jacket cover: two photos which capture craftsmen prone to exaggeration and craziness, as esteemed elder statesmen of their *art*.
[Historians: note that Lou and Stan and Ollie worked together on "The Battle Of The Century" in 1928!].

I read reviews on forums about how Stan Laurel was not pleased and irritated by the This Is Your Life program, I beg to differ, if he was irate, it was off camera, because both Stan & Ollie seemed to be really enjoying themselves and came off as a real delight to the audience. The clip from "The Music Box" is a classic, and Stan & Ollie in the beginning of the program were smiling broadly and Ollie even flicked his tie just like in the movies, I was really happy with this program.
However, Lou Costello was a downer because of his many problems in real life, the loss of his son, etc., arguements with Bud Abbott, a lot of friction between them over money, etc., Stan & Ollie were friends to the end, poor Ollie had a debilitating stroke, couldn't speak, and Stan was with him at the end, shortly after, Stan died, there was no one more funny and loyal than they were, I watch their movies all the time, you won't be disappointed in the Laurel & Hardy segment.

This Is A Great DVD, To Be Able To See Laurel & Hardy & Lou Costello Again, This Time Without There Acting Faces, To Be Able To See Them Humble Just Regular People, You Will Enjoy This DVD That Is Why I Gave It Five Stars