Together Again! book on Hollywood teams

[Find Hats Off]

There's an interesting book that I've been looking through, called
Together Again! The Stories of the Great Hollywood Teams
by Garson Kanin
Doubleday & Company, 1981

There's an intersting chapter on Laurel and Hardy in this book. I've got mixed feelings about it, for it seems to be written with a lot of affection and respect for the team, and there are some really great photos in it, but there are a few errors in this chapter which makes it somewhat unreliable for someone wanting to learn about L&H. As I said, it seems to be written with a sincere affection for Stan and Ollie:

"Prime masters in the art of elegance are Laurel and Hardy...the wonders and the art of Laurel and Hardy remain for all time in the manner of great painting, poetry, and literature.

"Both of them moved with astonishing grace, and what is even more important in the case of comedy, with rhythm. Moreover, their complex and original and effective individual rhythms had a way of blending to creaate a marvelous jazz effect." (page 42)

But there is some erroneous information, such as on page 44, after discussing L&H's first talkie, the author goes on to write that the Boys "went on in 1929 to make twelve more sound films..." and then goes on to list a number of silent films, such as:
Double Whoopee
Big Business
Angora Love
"Wronged Again" (nope! they got that title Wrong!)
and That's My Wife.

In discussing the great pie fight in The Battle of the Century, the author writes:
"It is interesting to note that the idea of the pie in the face had become a movie cliche by this time. Stale and old-fashioned.", which is correct. But then on page 57, he contradicts himself, writing:

"Did anyone ever throw a pie in the face before Laurel and Hardy? I doubt it. But so easy was the bit and so sure-fire the effect that it was immediately stolen and copied by all."
It's as if two differenct people wrote that chapter, and then never compared notes!

Also, the writer identifies two Stan solo films as L&H team films: Mud and Sand, and When Knights Were Cold. He also uses the quote, which Stan reportedly never said, "You know my hobbies, and I married them all", and maybe even worse, he misquotes "another NICE mess" as "fine", which seems to be typical of those who really don't know Laurel and Hardy films well at all.

Nevertheless, I reccommend this book (at least for taking a brief look at, rather than buying it), because it does have some great pictures, and it is written with an affection for Stan and Ollie. Most of the chapter, apart from the points I mentioned, is pretty accurate, borrowing quotes from John McCabe's books.

[Lee Semmens]

In discussing the great pie fight in The Battle of the Century, the author writes:
"It is interesting to note that the idea of the pie in the face had become a movie cliche by this time. Stale and old-fashioned.", which is correct. But then on page 57, he contradicts himself, writing:

"Did anyone ever throw a pie in the face before Laurel and Hardy? I doubt it. But so easy was the bit and so sure-fire the effect that it was immediately stolen and copied by all."
It's as if two differenct people wrote that chapter, and then never compared notes!

I would be very interested to know where the "pie in the face" routine originated, at least on film, and if the film survives.

I wonder if it has been determined who did it first?

I guess with all the lost films it may not have been possible to arrive at a definite conclusion on this point.

[Lee Semmens]

Answering my own question, Ben Turpin is believed to have received the first pie-in-the-face in Mr. Flip, a 1909 film (which I happen to have on DVD!).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_throwing

[vonbork]

I would be very interested to know where the "pie in the face" routine originated, at least on film, and if the film survives.

I wonder if it has been determined who did it first?

I guess with all the lost films it may not have been possible to arrive at a definite conclusion on this point.

I've read that the film Mr. Flip is the earliest known example of an actor getting pied on screen. It's from 1909 and the fellow on the receiving end is Ben Turpin! Ben plays a serial chin-chucker who keeps getting his comeuppance from the women he harasses. The historic moment occurs at about the 3:35 mark.

[Idle Al]

Brilliant clip VB!

[Find Hats Off]

:D
Brilliant clip VB!

It sure is! It's sort of what you might imagine Groucho Marx would have been like in silent movies. Look at how he smiles and leers. That moustache is a bit like Groucho's, and some of his movements are a little like his, too. It's a very good film, by 1909 standards, and I'm sure that it got quite a lot of laughs in its day.

I had always read that Roscoe Arbuckle threw the first pie in a Keystone short in the 1910s, but this shows that a pie in the face goes back even further than that. Thank you for the film link, Vonbork.