Stan Laurel, 1890-1965

Today marks the birth anniversary of comic actor Stan Laurel, who was one half of a duo with fellow comic actor Oliver Hardy. (Stan was the tall thin one.) Laurel and Hardy are, of course, one of those tentpoles of old movies that everybody, even people who aren't fans of old movies, knows of, so I I wouldn't think of going into much detail about Laurel and Hardy themselves.

I thought I had done something at least moderately substantial about their classic short The Music Box before, but apparently not. Granted, it's not as if there's much substantial to say about the movie, since it's a half-hour short with a very thin plot. Mrs. von Scwarzenhoffen (Gladys Gale) orders a piano, and it's up to deliverymen Stan and Ollie to deliver it. The catch is that the house lies at the top of a flight of steps. And boy is it a long flight of steps. So there's ample opportunity for comedy as the two hapless piano movers try to move that piano up the steps. And then once they get the piano up all those steps, they have to get it in the house. That's pretty much all the plot is, but even though it's not much, the short is still brilliant, if a bit manic at times.

The Music Box is on DVD, but has also made its way to Youtube: