43 Facts About Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles.

Oliver Hardy was credited with his first film, Outwitting Dad, in 1914.

Oliver Hardy's father, Oliver, was a Confederate States Army veteran of the American Civil War who had been wounded at the Battle of Antietam on September 17,1862, and was a recruiting officer for Company K, 16th Georgia Regiment.

The elder Oliver Hardy assisted his father in running the remnants of the family's cotton plantation.

Oliver Hardy then bought a share in a retail business and was elected full-time Tax Collector for Columbia County, Georgia.

Oliver Hardy was likely born in Harlem, though some sources say that his birth occurred in Covington, Georgia, his mother's hometown.

Oliver Hardy's father died less than a year after his birth.

Oliver Hardy had little interest in formal education, although he acquired an early interest in music and theater.

Oliver Hardy joined a theatrical group and later ran away from a boarding school near Atlanta to sing with the group.

Oliver Hardy's mother recognized his talent for singing and sent him to Atlanta to study music and voice with singing teacher Adolf Dahm-Petersen.

Oliver Hardy skipped some of his lessons to sing in the Alcazar Theater for $3.50 a week.

Oliver Hardy appeared as "Oliver N Hardy" in the 1910 US census, and he used "Oliver" as his first name in all subsequent legal records, marriage announcements, etc.

Oliver Hardy was initiated into Freemasonry at Solomon Lodge No 20 in Jacksonville, Florida which helped him with room and board when he was starting out in show business.

Oliver Hardy was inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats along with Stan Laurel.

Oliver Hardy soon became obsessed with the new motion picture industry and was convinced that he could do a better job than the actors that he saw.

Oliver Hardy worked in Jacksonville as a cabaret and vaudeville singer at night and at the Lubin Manufacturing Company during the day.

Oliver Hardy was most often cast as the villain, but he had roles in comedy shorts, his size complementing the character.

Oliver Hardy moved to New York and made films for the Pathe, Casino and Edison Studios.

Oliver Hardy returned to Jacksonville, where he made films for the Vim Comedy Company.

That studio closed after Oliver Hardy discovered that the owners were stealing from the payroll.

Oliver Hardy then worked for the King Bee studio, which bought Vim, and worked with Billy Ruge, Billy West, and comedic actress Ethel Burton Palmer.

Oliver Hardy continued playing the villains for West well into the early 1920s, often imitating Eric Campbell to West's Chaplin.

Oliver Hardy is credited for directing or co-directing ten shorts, all played by him.

In 1917, Oliver Hardy moved to Los Angeles, working freelance for several Hollywood studios.

Oliver Hardy made more than 40 films for Vitagraph between 1918 and 1923, mostly playing the "heavy" for Larry Semon.

Oliver Hardy played the part of a robber trying to hold up Stan's character.

In 1924, Oliver Hardy began working at Hal Roach Studios with the Our Gang films and Charley Chase.

In 1926, Oliver Hardy was to appear in Get 'Em Young, but he was unexpectedly hospitalized after being burned by a hot leg of lamb.

In 1927, Laurel and Oliver Hardy began sharing screen time together in Slipping Wives, Duck Soup, and With Love and Hisses.

Oliver Hardy made Zenobia with Harry Langdon in 1939 while waiting for a contractual issue to be resolved between Laurel and Hal Roach.

In 1939, Laurel and Oliver Hardy made A Chump at Oxford and Saps at Sea before leaving Roach Studios.

In 1941 Laurel and Oliver Hardy were signed by 20th Century-Fox.

The films proved very successful, and gradually both Laurel and Oliver Hardy were allowed more creative input.

Laurel and Oliver Hardy completed eight features during the war years, with no loss of popularity.

In 1947, Laurel and Oliver Hardy went on a six-week tour of the United Kingdom.

Oliver Hardy was initially hesitant, but he accepted the role at Laurel's insistence.

Laurel and Oliver Hardy made two live television appearances: in 1953 on a live broadcast of the BBC show Face the Music, and in December 1954 on NBC's This Is Your Life.

Later that year while Laurel was recovering, Oliver Hardy had a heart attack and stroke from which he never recovered.

Oliver Hardy suffered a mild heart attack in May 1954, and he began looking after his health for the first time in his life.

Oliver Hardy lost more than 150 pounds in a few months which completely changed his appearance.

Letters written by Laurel refer to Oliver Hardy having terminal cancer, and it was speculated that this was the reason for Oliver Hardy's rapid weight loss.

Oliver Hardy suffered a major stroke on September 14,1956, that left him confined to bed and unable to speak for several months.

Oliver Hardy remained at home in the care of his wife Lucille.