Magic Lantern Video & Book StoreHal Roach
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short profile |
Studio head Hal Roach produced & wrote & directed nearly 1200 silent & sound films (mostly comedies),
and made stars of Harold Lloyd, Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase, and the Our Gang / Little Rascals kids.
"In those days, there was one secret to making good comedy. "Harold Lloyd was not a comedian. But he was the finest actor to play a comedian that I ever saw."
If it made the audience laugh, it was a good comedy." — Hal Roach
— Hal Roach
Hal Roach, Sr. entry at Wikipedia
Hal Roach, Sr. listing at Internet Movie Database
First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S.A.A.F. (at the 'Fort Roach' Studio during WWII)
Laurel & Hardy Page
Little Rascals / Our Gang Page
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Hal Roach won Oscars for "The Music Box" [1932] {Best Comedy Short}, for "Bored of Education" [1936] {Best Short Subject}, and an Honorary Oscar in 1984 |
He also received
the P.G.A Lifetime Achievement Award [1990]
and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Links
Hal Roach, Sr. entry at Wikipedia
Hal Roach, Sr. listing at Internet Movie Database
search Hal Roach DVDs at Amazon.com
Hal Roach posters at AllPosters.com
Hal Roach article at Silents Are Golden
Hal Roach page at the Laurel & Hardy Museum in Solingen, Germany
Hal Roach entry on the Film Reference website
Movies & TV of Hal Roach
Hal Roach, Sr. listing at Internet Movie Database
 | "The Films of Hal Roach" [1971] by William K. Everson New York Museum of Modern Art hardcover [4/71] out of print/used |
 | "The Complete Films Of Laurel & Hardy" [1974] by William K. Everson Citadel Press 11x8½ pb [6/2000] out of print/many used Citadel Press hardcover [4/74] out of print/used |
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"The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang - A Nostalgic Look At The Careers & The 221 Films of America's Most-Beloved Mischief-Makers" [orig 1977] by Leonard Maltin & Richard W. Bann Three Rivers Press 10¾x8½ pb [rev 11/92] for $16.46 Crown Books pb [4/84] out of print/used Crown Books hardcover [7/80] out of print/used |
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"Just Rambling Along" [Rolin/Pathé Nov 1918]
Directed by Hal Roach, starring Stan Laurel & James Parrott
"The Pajama Party" [1931] starring Zasu Pitts & Thelma Todd
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022245/
![famous "The Music Box" [1932] short with Laurel & Hardy](images/LHmusicbox-sm.jpg) |
"The Music Box" short subject [Hal Roach/M.G.M. April 1932]
A woman buys a player piano as a surprise for her husband and asks the Laurel & Hardy Transfer Co. to deliver it. The location used for filming (the 131 steps) is today a tourist attraction in the Silver Lake district of Hollywood. Produced by Hal Roach, directed by James Parrott; starring Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy, with Billy Gilbert & Gladys Gale; won the first Oscar for Best Comedy Short, listed at National Film Registry (1997) available as part of several Laurel & Hardy video/DVD compilations full credits from IMDb • movie entry at KG • movie entry at Wikipedia |
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"Speak Easily" [Hal Roach/M.G.M. Aug 1932]
a sendup of 'The Blue Angel'; directed by Edward Sedgwick; starring Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante & Thelma Todd Alpha Video b&w DVD [6/2004] for $7.98 Warner b&w VHS [1/93] for $19.99 full credits from IMDb |
"Our Gang Follies of 1936" [1935] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026834/
"Bored of Education" [1936] {Best Short Subject}
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0027385/fullcredits
"Topper" [1937] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029682/
"Our Gang Follies of 1938" [1937] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029358/
"Topper Takes A Trip" [1938] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032043/
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"Zenobia" [Hal Roach / United Artists April 1939] A circus owner asks a country doctor to heal a sick elephant; the animal is so grateful that it follows the doctor everywhere. Directed by Gordon Douglas; starring Oliver Hardy {without Stan Laurel}, Harry Langdon, Billie Burke, Alice Brady, Jean Parker, Stepin Fetchit & Hattie McDaniel Starz / Anchor Bay b&w VHS [10/97] out of prodn/used full credits from IMDb |
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"Of Mice & Men" [Hal Roach/United Artists Dec 1939] Presented by Hal Roach; directed by Lewis Milestone; starring Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, Lon Chaney Jr., Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen, Bob Steele & Noah Beery Jr.; nominated for Oscars for Best Picture, Best Music (Aaron Copland), Best Sound Image Ent b&w DVD [3/2001] for $17.99 Image Ent b&w VHS [3/2001] for $29.98 full credits from IMDb |
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"Of Mice & Men" novel [Covici-Friede Feb 1937] by John Steinbeck
Penguin 8.4x5½ pb [1/2002] for $8.80 Penguin ABRIDGED audio [10/92] 2 tapes read by Gary Sinise for $12.76 John Steinbeck [1902-68] Page at Spirit of America Bookstore |
"One Million B.C." [1940] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032871/
"Turnabout" [1940] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033190/
"Topper Returns" [1941] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034303/
 | "Road Show" [Hal Roach / United Artists Feb 1941] A groom gets cold feet and pretends to be insane; he is admitted to an asylum, where he meets a con-man, and together they escape and join a traveling carnival. Produced & directed by Hal Roach; based on a novel by Eric Hatch; starring John Hubbard, Adolphe Menjou, Carole Landis, Charles Butterworth, Patsy Kelly, George E. Stone & Willie Best Alpha Home Ent. b&w DVD [12/2006] for $7.98 Image Ent. b&w DVD [5/2004] for $17.99 full credits from IMDb |
"Broadway Limited" [Hal Roach / United Artists June 1941]
Produced by Hal Roach; directed by Gordon Douglas; starring Victor McLaglen, Marjorie Woodworth,
Dennis O'Keefe, Patsy Kelly & Zasu Pitts; full credits at IMDb
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"Fiesta" musical film [Hal Roach / United Artists Nov 1941] Produced, directed & choreographed by LeRoy Prinz; starring Anne Ayars, Jorge Negrete, George Givot, Armida, Antonio Moreno, José Arias & the Guadalajara Trio full credits at IMDb packaged on DVD with "Hispanic Hollywood" docu feature [2000] Passport color DVD [5/2000] for $9.98 Passport color VHS [5/2000] 2 tapes / out of prodn/used documentary not listed at IMDb |
"The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival" [1947] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039443/
"Racket Squad" TV series [1952-1953] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042139/
"My Little Margie" TV series [1953-1955] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044283/
"Screen Directors Playhouse: Rookie of The Year" [NBC-TV Dec 1955]
Co-produced by Hal Roach; directed by John Ford; written by Frank S. Nugent, based on a story by W.R. Burnett;
starring John Wayne, Vera Miles, Ward Bond, James Gleason & Patrick Wayne; video/DVD not available;
full credits at IMDb
"Topper" TV series
"Little Rascals Varieties" [1959] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1196772/
"One Million Years B.C." [1966] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060782/
The Hal Roach Studios
[1919-1963] in Culver City, California
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The company was founded in 1919 with partner Harold Lloyd
. They purchased land in Culver City for a studio – ten acres for front lot & offices, and later 40 acres for a backlot. They set up a distribution deal with Pathé (until 1927), then M.G.M. (1927-38), and lastly with United Artists (from 1938). Harold Lloyd left in 1923; the 'Our Gang' shorts ran from 1922-38; the team of Laurel & Hardy was officially formed in 1927. Roach broke with Laurel & Hardy in 1940 and sold the rights to 'Our Gang' to M.G.M. also in 1940.
The studio was in decline, but Roach got lucky: The U.S. Army wanted the property to make training & propaganda films. Roach was drafted into the Army (at age 50) to help the First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S.A.A.F. run the leased facility, which was nicknamed 'Fort Roach'. (This was an excellent deal for Roach: Though the rent was only a dollar, the Army spent a lot of money to upgrade the facilities, and left that gear behind at war's end.) The Roach lot was converted to TV production in 1948, and sold to Hal Roach, Jr. in 1955. Junior went bankrupt by 1962, and sold to creditors who developed the land as an industrial park. The Roach Studios film library and rights changed hands several times, eventually being absorbed into Robert Halmi's R.H.I. Entertainment. The Hal Roach Trust formed a new company (circa 1994) with the intention of releasing movies on DVD from archival prints & negatives. |
Jerry L. Schneider's history of the Hal Roach Studios backlot
Hal Roach Studios history page on Culver City website
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"A History of The Hal Roach Studios" [2005] by Richard Lewis Ward S.I.U. Press 9x6 pb [8/2006] for $16.88 S.I.U. Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [3/2005] out of print/used |
The Stars at Hal Roach Studios
Charley Chase [on board 1920-36] Page
Harry Langdon [on board 1929-30 & 1939] Page
Laurel & Hardy [on board 1926-40] Page
Little Rascals / Our Gang [on board 1922-38] Page
Harold Lloyd [on board 1915-23] Page
Hal Roach, Jr. [1918-72]
Hal Roach, Jr. listing at Internet Movie Database
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