outtakes

On set with Harry Langdon (and Al Jolson!)

Behind-the-scenes footage of the great silent comedians at work is – for the most part – a rare thing indeed. While Chaplin’s Archive preserved many of his outtakes (including those in the wonderful Unknown Chaplin series), footage of most of the other silent clowns at work is sparse indeed. 

That makes a new upload of some Harry Langdon outtakes, on Jeff Joseph’s SabuCat Productions YouTube channel, especially precious. They’re from a sound film – 1933’s HALLELUJAH, I’M A BUM, which starred Al Jolson – but no less fascinating for that. Peeserved in a ten minute sequence are several runs through of a scene with Langdon, Jolson, Tammany Young and Edgar Connor. Although the clip is mute, so Harry’s unscripted comments aren’t heard, it’s still fascinating to watch his concentration and honing of his performance as he deploys slight variations of his mannerisms each time (especially in his reactions to the violinist). It’s also a reminder of how much work went into the films we know and love.

There’s also a costume test reel, including Harry alongside Jolson, Connor and Frank Morgan. One notable thing is that Harry’s character Egghead was originally given a five o’clock shadow, a decision that was wisely altered to enhance his character’s innocence.

All in all, a fascinating glimpse, and a rare chance to be a fly on a wall. Thanks, SabuCat, for making these available online!

That’s That!

One of the Laurel & Hardy items I’ve wanted to see for the longest is ‘THAT’S THAT!’. It was a gag reel compiled by Hal Roach Studios editor Bert Jordan, on the occasion of Stan Laurel’s 47th Birthday. It’s been shown at a couple of L & H conventions, and a really ropey off-screen dupe of a short section once appeared on YouTube, but now it’s been fully restored by UCLA and put online. And it’s a strange eight minutes, to be sure…

Jordan had access to all sorts of outtakes, bloopers and sound effects in the Roach vaults, and used them to cobble together a bizarre little stream-of-consciousness short, replete with non-sequitirs, random effects, animations and amusing juxtapositions ending up like something Spike Milligan would have been proud of!

It begins with full Roach titles; THAT’S THAT was the original working title for THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE. Alternate takes from MURDER CASE form a large part of the footage, along with its Spanish language counterpart NOCHE DE DUENDES. There are also chunks of OUR WIFE, LAUGHING GRAVY, DIRTY WORK and the then-current WAY OUT WEST. Outtakes from the latter include a shot of Tiny Sandford in costume (replaced by Stanley Fields in the finished version) and Stan’s double Ham Kinsey reciting the declaration of independence!

L & H co-star Charley Chase makes an appearance, messing up a scene from MANHATTAN MONKEY BUSINESS and cursing; Edgar Kennedy provides a wrap-up comment for the short. There are also glimpses of Mae Busch, Jimmy Finlayson, Charlie Hall, Babe London and Gordon Douglas.

Most interesting of all is a very brief deleted gag from SONS IN THE DESERT, from the attic scene. Stan is attempting to pull something on a string up to the attic, but manages to get it caught on a radio set, which falls over and explodes.


Moments like this make you wonder what else was once lurking in the vaults and now vanished. A fascinating, if bizarre, way to spend eight and a half minutes… Many thanks to UCLA and their funding donors for making this available! We really are spoiled these days… If you want to give a little something back you can support UCLA’s Laurel & Hardy Preservation fund here: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/support/laurel-and-hardy

Here’s ‘THAT’S THAT’ online:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AapRK62 … e=youtu.be