Friday, March 1, 2019

THE LAUREL AND HARDY BLOGATHON: Hog Wild (1930)


Steve at the his newly-minted site MovieMovieBlogBlog The Sequel is hosting The Laurel and Hardy Blogathon running from March 1 - 3. Click HERE for all the fun because life isn't short enough.



A leisurely afternoon awaits the head of the household of a tidy little bungalow after the clearing of the luncheon dishes. Mr. Hardy has an appointment with his friend Stan. Now, if only he could find his hat!

Oliver Hardy, Fay Holderness

Mr. Hardy: "That's the trouble with you wives. You're always hiding things so we husbands can't find them!"

Dorothy Granger

Mr. Hardy is coming dangerously close to losing his natural dignity. Tillie the maid could tell him where to find his hat if she could stop giggling.

Fay Holderness

Mrs. Hardy is a no-nonsense sort of wife. She is also a very patient wife. The radio has been on the fritz for three months and today is the day that Mr. Hardy will affix the aerial to the roof or she will know the reason why!

Stan Laurel

Mr. Hardy's friend Stan shows up. Stan appears to be a little on the dimwitted side of humanity, yet thus far, unlike his friend, has been able to avoid the trap of matrimony. Mr. Hardy explains the situation vis-a-vis the aerial and is offered cordial assistance.

Stan: "Do you mind if I help you?"

Mr. Hardy: "I don't mind. That is if you'll help me."


Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel

Mr. Hardy seems to have implied that his pal Stan is one of those whose good intentions often go awry. Yet they soldier on, scaling the heights with the goal of helping Mrs. Hardy hear Japan on the radio. 

Oliver Hardy

Apparently, Stan has lost his footing.

Stan Laurel

Apparently, Mr. Hardy has lost his footing.


Fay Holderness

A rather enigmatic smile from Mrs. Hardy. Is she pleased that Mr. Hardy is doing her bidding? Is she happily anticipating a functioning radio? Is she imagining the satisfying prospect of using her skill at bringing Mr. Hardy's head in contact with a frying pan? Hers is not a flashy style with the pan, yet most effective.

Oliver Hardy

Mr. Hardy in water is a common state of affairs. Is this the second or third time he has landed thusly?


Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy

Mr. Hardy, Stan, and the chimney are now in the pond.


Oliver Hardy

When Mr. Hardy falls through the chimney Mrs. Hardy considers giving up on the entire endeavour. 

Mr. Hardy: "I should say not! I'll get that thing working if it's the last thing I do."

Mr. Hardy felt the same way about what came to be known in family lore as "the hat incident".


Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy

A ladder in a car to reach the roof. What could possibly go wrong? Did I mention that Stan was at the wheel? The only way "Mr. Hardy's Wild Ride", as the adventure came to be known could possibly end is with the assistance of gravity.


Oliver Hardy, Fay Holderness

The averted tragedy brings Mrs. Hardy miraculously to her husband's side with the very real tragedy of the radio having been repossessed. 


Oliver Hardy, Fay Holderness, Stan Laurel

Automobile or accordion? After such a leisurely day of puttering around the house and enjoying the sights, what could be more pleasant than an unhurried drive in a vehicle recently in close contact with two streetcars?


This pleasant sketch of domestic life was brought to you by Hal Roach Studios through the courtesy of writers H.M. Walker and Leo McCarey, director James Parrott and photographer George Stevens. Hog Wild was released in May of 1930 and provides chuckles to this day.












41 comments:

  1. This post is about a boy that was a big fan of Laurel & Hardy and grew up to be a TV star famous for his hit comedy show. DICK VAN DYKE told that he got to meet Stan Laurel (in Mr. Laurels older years). Stan gave Dick one of his bow ties and Dick wore it when he got his star on the HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME. What a story! One thing they did on Dicks later show DIAGNOSIS MURDER where he played DR. MARK SLOAN that I thought was neat was they would put real-life hobbies, etc. in the show. On one episode Mark was planning on spending a relaxing day at home, watching Laurel and Hardy movies.

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    1. Those little touches mean so much to fans.

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    2. This was the first time I made the first comment! Do you like Dick Van Dykes work? Do you know his shows The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder? I knew The New Dick Van Dyke Show before I knew the earlier one.

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    3. My introduction to those series was in the order they first appeared on television, and I enjoyed them all. However, the first time I was aware of Dick Van Dyke was on an album of Broadway showstoppers that I would listen to non-stop. His was Put on a Happy Face from Bye, Bye Birdie.

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    4. Dick Van Dyke also did his impression of Laurel on an episode of his 1960's show. According to one DVD biography, Van Dyke phoned Laurel and asked him what he thought of the impression. "You didn't get the brim of my hat right," Stan replied. "I have the hat right here in my apartment, I would have lent it to you if you had asked."

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    5. Rob and Sergeant Garcia!

      It's all those little details that Stan would notice. The character was his creation. That makes me smile.

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  2. The winsome and playful way you write this suits an L&H film, I think.

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    1. Thanks so much, Rich. My genuine fondness and the fun I find in their work inspires this side of me.

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  3. Lovely take on one of L&H's most delightful short subjects. I, too, love that little unsung moment where Mrs. Hardy looks up at her husband on the roof and smiles. Thank you for contributing this to the blogathon!

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    1. Thanks, Steve. It was my pleasure to join in the blogathon.

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  4. Paddy Lee, when I finished reading your fine write-up of "The Boys" in HOG WILD, all I could do was smile. Laurel and Hardy the best comedy duo of all time. Their humor is timeless and it will always be funny.

    One of my favorite scenes, of many, is their dance in WAY OUT WEST(1937). If you don't smile at that, something is wrong. Also, the Avalon Boys with Chill Wills lead singing help make this a "Golden Moment" in Classic Movie History.

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    1. Walter, you are so right. That charming musical number in Way Out West (one of the funniest movies of all time!) is indeed a "golden moment." I still anticipate its viewing today as I did when I was a kid. Something is deeply wrong if it doesn't make you smile.

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  5. I have never heard of Fay Holderness or Dorothy Granger. Were they well known back then? Also wasn't there an actress named Fay Holden?

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  6. Fay Holden is most famous for playing Andy Hardy's mom. Fay Holderness began in films in the teens and worked up into the 1940s. Her steady work did not make her particularly famous. Likewise, Dorothy Granger worked from silent films into early television.

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  7. What other comedy duos are you a fan of? There were ABBOTT and COSTELLO and DEAN MARTIN and JERRY LEWIS. Did you watch either of them? Did you watch Jerry without Dean? I saw a TV movie about Abbott and Costello starring Harvey Korman and Buddy Hackett. Im a big fan of Harveys from THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, I also liked him in GIDEON with CHARLTON HESTON, MIKE CONNORS and one of my absolute favorite actors CARROLL OCONNOR. Harvey did an episode of DIAGNOSIS MURDER with TIM CONWAY.

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    1. I also meant to say I liked Buddy Hackett in his episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE with Steve Lawrence, a pre-famous George Clooney, and two gals I like, Sheree North and Patricia Crowley. I remember Buddy from a LOVE BOAT that I remembered wrong in that I pictured in my memory CONNIE STEVENS, then I saw part of it again and it was ARLENE GOLONKA. (I like Connie and Arlene.)

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    2. I grew up watching and enjoying all those funny men, but Laurel and Hardy are my favourites.

      Steve Lawrence could do it all - sing, act, do impressions. Loved it when he would guest on The Carol Burnett Show.

      Our memories can play tricks on us. Arlene Golonka was in a couple of Murder, She Wrote episodes, as was Connie Stevens. In one of Connie's show-biz set stories she was part of a singing act with Anne Francis and Elaine Joyce.

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    3. Thank you for your great answer. I mentioned those three blondes one time when I was posting about Murder, She Wrote. Donald OConnor and Gavin MacLeod were also in it. Did you watch LOVE BOAT? Connie was on it several times.On one episode Captain Stubing(Gavin) and Doc were both attracted to Connies character and on MSW Gavin was married to Connies sister played by Anne Francis. I felt sorry for the characters played by Connie & Anne.

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    4. I would occasionally watch The Love Boat. It would depend on the guest stars. It was a big night for this fan when Alice Faye was on the show.

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    5. ALICE FAYE! I was going to mention her a few days ago on the IRVING BERLIN page but I never got around to it. I remember you said you saw her and John Payne in person on stage. Ive seen Alice in at least 5 movies-Hello, Frisco, Hello plus Little Old New York, The Gangs All Here, That Night In Rio and Week-End In Havana. My favorite is the latter one with JOHN PAYNE, CESAR ROMERO and CARMEN MIRANDS.I think all four of the stars were great in the movie. I know there were 3 movies of STATE FAIR-1933(I think), 1945(the one I saw-Jeanne Crain) and 1966 with Alice, Tom Ewell, Ann-Margret, Pat Boone, Pamela Tiffin and Bobby Darin.

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  8. I meant CARMEN MIRANDA. She was also in The Gangs All Here with Alice. When State Fair came out it had been 23 years since Alice had played the lead in a musical-from 1943 to 1966.

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    1. She wasn't the lead in STATE FAIR but I think she had a big part.

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    2. Alice played the mom in the 1960s version of State Fair. It was a musical but with different tunes than those featured in the 1940s version. The first version was a drama sticking close to the original novel.

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    3. I want to correct a date in my post. I said State Fair came out in 1966-it was 1962. How many of the State Fair movies did you see?

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    4. I have seen all three of them and would have to say the 1962 version is my least favourite although it is a treat to see Alice Faye.

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    5. Do you know very many movies of Ann-Margret? She has worked with a lot of big names through the years and she, of course,became a big name. She was in the 2 GRUMPY OLD MEN movies with LEMMON & MATTHAU. Ann had worked with Matthau earlier in a movie I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES. Early in her career she was in at least 3 remakes-POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES, STATE FAIR and STAGECOACH. She started out as an ingƩnue then became a sex symbol and later became a critically acclaimed actress. I especially like her in some of her TV Movies and the episode of TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL that she guest starred on.

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    6. I think the first time I saw Ann-Margret, she was animated. Ann-Margrock on The Flintstones.

      She is indeed a fine actress, but my first thought when she comes to mind is as a musical entertainer. I'm the same way about Mitzi Gaynor. Musical talent impresses me. My son and I both enjoy her in The Train Robbers.

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    7. I, too, like musical entertainers. As Ive mentioned before GINGER ROGERS, BETTY GRABLE,& JUNE HAVER. DORIS DAY is also one of my favorites but I think of her first as a comedy actress because that is what I first saw her in. Back to ANN-M I think you will agree that she is a powerhouse performer.

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    8. Did you watch Heres Lucy with LUCILLE BALL, GALE GORDON AND Lucys real-like kids, LUCIE ARNAZ and DESI ARNAZ, JR.? Ann-M played herself on an episode where she did a musical number with Desi, Jr. They were both great on that episode! Ginger Rogers also did a show. Jack Benny, Carol Burnett, Shelley Winters and Helen Hayes were also guest stars. The highest rated episode of HERES LUCY had RICHARD BURTON,ELIZABETH TAYLOR and that famous diamond.

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    9. I watched Here's Lucy during its original run, but I haven't seen the programs since that time. I enjoyed it very much.

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  9. What is your favorite ALICE FAYE movie? Wasn't JOHN PAYNE in 2 of her movies? Like they said on TV Betty Grable played more of a saucy type and Alice played more vulnerable characters. Did you see the black and white movie that Alice and Betty did? I didn't see that one.

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    1. Alice and John Payne made four movies together, he made five with Betty Grable. Tin Pan Alley starred all three. Tin Pan Alley is in black and white.

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  10. Now Im getting back to L & H-If a studio had done a movie about them DICK VAN DYKE could have played Stan Laurel. What year do you think the movie would have been done, considering the age of Dick Van Dyke back then? Also I didn't see it but Dick was in a movie THE COMIC(in 1969). It wasn't a hit movie but it was set in the movie business.

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    1. Also I heard or read that OLIVER HARDY was called BABE. Did a lot of people call him that or just Stan Laurel?

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    2. The Comic is a fine movie, although it is a rather sad look at the rise and fall of a comic star. A well-written vehicle for Dick Van Dyke by Carl Reiner, and a touching performance.

      Oliver Hardy got the nickname "Babe" as a young actor getting into the business due to his "baby face." Sometimes he was even billed as Babe Hardy.

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    3. Thank you for your comments. What do you think of the suggestion of Dick Van Dyke as Laurel Hardy? What would have been the best time period for it to have came out?

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    4. I want to make a correction. Laurel Hardy-that's kind of funny! I, of course, meant STAN LAUREL.

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    5. Well, Dick did a pretty good Stan impression on his TV shows, but I couldn't really see him sustaining it for a biopic. The recent movie featured wonderful performances from Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly.

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    6. I put a new post (the 24th one down) about STATE FAIR. Thank you.

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    7. Now Ive added another post. Its the 26th one. It has to do with ANN-MARGRET(STATE FAIR).I just thought of something. It had Ann-M and Alice Faye, two completely different types. Ann was at the start of her movie career and Alice was toward the end of hers. But a lot of people were glad to see Alice again(like you, Caftan Woman).

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