II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull
II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull
At any rate, obviously the history of Laurel and Hardy in Germany begins with the local release of their solo films. This is an especially difficult area to explore. After all, Hardy, in particular, appeared supporting numerous slapstick comedians – and worse, their names do not always necessarily appear in the German film titles. urther, alternate or incorrect spellings of the leading character’s names are abundant – ‹Billy West› might be billed as Billy, Billi or Billie, and Charley Chase’s first name could vary between Charlie, Charley or Charly, for example. Yet, for this study, is has been possible to find documentation for German releases of at least 36 Laurel or Hardy solo comedies during the 20s. Until 1923, comedians like Jimmy Aubrey or Larry Semon were unknown in Germany. As far as slapstick goes, Chaplin’s early comedies, in their belated post-WWI releases, dominated the theatres in the early Weimar years, soon to be followed by the tremendously popular Harold Lloyd and Roscoe «atty» Arbuckle films. rom the old world, rench pioneer MaxLinder was still fondly remembered; and soon Denmark, a decade earlier boasting one of the world’s dominant film industries, contributed a string of features starring Pat & Patachon, the lovable double act often erroneously hailed as «the world’s first comedy team». Berlin film distributor Otto Schmidt made it his goal to break through the dominance of Chaplin, Lloyd and Arbuckle. In June 1923, he announced the release of the films of «America’s most popular comedians», Aubrey and Semon, on the German market. Critics reviewing his programs were «greatly astonished» by the quality of the product, having thought Chaplin was «the peak of comedy,» yet conceded that Aubrey wasn’t really an actor, rather «a first rate performer.» Seven of the Jimmy Aubrey comedies featuring Oliver Hardy in supporting parts were thus shown in Germany. In one instance, HIS JONAH DAY, contemporary records even disclose the German character name for Hardy’s part. Here, the later Dick in Dick und Doof was «Dickerl, the lifeguard», in which context ‹Dickerl› can best be described as a Bavarian equivalent of ‹atty›! But while the reviewers liked these comedies, censors often took exception to the wild antics depicted, such as the endangering of juveniles or kidnapping. Thus, with only two exceptions, the films – which were to become staples of German children’s TV half a century later – were banned from exhibition to anyone of adolescent age or below. Much more frequently than in the Aubrey series, Hardy was seen on German screens supporting Larry Semon. Censorship records provide details about the releases of numerous Semon films. Two examples featuring Hardy also serve as testimony that early German editions employed Semon’s rench name, Zigotto. Hardy, though, was not the only actor ‹discovered› by Semon for his films. It is well-known that on three different occasions (more missed chances for early Laurel and Hardy encounters!), Semon was also supported by Stan Laurel. And in spite of its Teutonic stereotypes, at least one of these films, HUNS AND HY- PHENS was indeed among the films released in Germany as well, though with a much more conventional title, DAS GEHEIMNISVOLLE DOKUMENT («The Mysterious Document»). In spite of numerous filmograpies claiming otherwise, BEN AKIBA HAT GELOGEN («Ben Akiba has lied»), which is Buster Keaton’s THREE AGES, is not to be counted among early Laurel and Hardy films. ilmographies listing Hardy as the stone age bully – actually played by Kewpie Morgan – have been proven wrong, yet the myth of the Hardy/Keaton encounter stubbornly persists. It was the distribution branch of famous German company UA that first also brought Stan Laurel’s solo comedies to the German screen. In October 1926, the release of 64 shorts was announced, including 31 two-reelers such as the Roach Star, Stan Laurel and Pathé Comedies. Stan’s solo classics that graced the German screens included THE SOILERS, ROZEN HEARTS, POSTAGE DUE, MOTHER’S JOY and SHORT KILTS. Most notable is the German name employed for the Laurel character in POSTAGE DUE, «Willy Doof» («Willy Dumb»), thus essentially anticipating the famous Dick und Doof trademark which was soon to come. inally, the Glenn Tryon comedy 45 MINUTES ROM HOLLYWOOD marked the first Roach film to include both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in the cast. Not so in Germany though, where local audiences would need to wait until 1966 to see material from this film (as part of one of Robert Youngson’s compilation features), because the complete film was never released to German cinemas. And the same is true of the pioneering first «real» teaming of the stars in DUCK SOUP, which was to reach Germany only as late as 1995. SUGAR DADDIES, however, was in fact released, very likely making it the first Laurel and Hardy film ever shown on German screens, in 1927/28. The immediate follow-up Laurel and Hardy film was THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS. Instead of «Little Goofy» (Laurel) and «Big Goofy» (Hardy), the names used in domestic prints of the film, Germans followed the antics of «acade-Willy» and «Good Bully.» Apparently no-one had yet thought about simply translating ‹goofy› as ‹doof›.
The next appearances of the emerging duo on German screens were CALL O THE CUCKOO with the popular and «priceless comedian» (trade paper Reichsfilmblatt) MaxDavidson, supported by Laurel and Hardy et al, and the delightful PUTTING PANTS ON PHILIP. Censorship records for the latter substantiate that the two actors began to be perceived as a team, with what used to be All-Star comedies now featuring «Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy». The increasing popularity of the team reflected in such records was undiminished by issues such as censorship or the variable quality of the live musical support typical in those days. However, this is less true for the sometimes outrageous projection of silents at far too high a speed (sometimes said to have been up to 40 frames a second or – in Hungary – a devastating 80 frames). Critics opposed this practice, even at the time: «Even in [the] case of an American comedy, the film must not rush by like a spectre on the screen». Still, the Germans had embraced a new American comedy team, demanding further releases. Thus, LEAVE ‘EM LAUGHING was followed by ROM SOUP TO NUTS (the German censors, incidentally, were not happy with Stan’s appreciation – via title card – of attractive comedienne Anita Garvin’s derrière), and the now-elusive HATS O. While the film is known to be long lost, research for this book has resulted in the strange discovery that even the German censorship records for this film seem to have disappeared. Luckily, the US and Dutch title texts exist, giving an idea of the film until some day it may turn up again in a forgotten attic or among the acquisitions of some film archive. By the way, famous film critic Lotte Eisner (the later emigrée and author of the books ritz Lang and Murnau) saw the film, but wasn’t all that pleased. Alluding to Laurel and Hardy’s character names in THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS, she just saw an «ordinary Bully and Billy comedy.» Her lack of enthusiasm is, however, easily surpassed by what a long forgotten film critic with little sense of humour had to say about the team’s next, partially lost film, THE BATTLE O THE CENTURY: «smeary dirty mess ... Such a film cries out for a psychiatrist.» The German edition of their next film, YOU’RE DARN TOOTIN’, saw the team as ‹ridolin and Adolar›, but at the time of THEIR PURPLE MOMENT’s German release in early 1929, Laurel and Hardy officially became Dick und Doof (at and Dumb), orDof as it was intentionally misspelled at the time. That trademark name has stuck ever since, yet it is impossible to learn who conceived it, let alone why. The obvious candidate, of course, is distributor Parufamet (the joint distribution of Paramount, Ufa and Metro). And while speculation, a motivation might have been to establish a recognizable trade name, likely one to distinguish the team from the tremendously popular Danish duo y og Bi (aka Long and Short, Carl Schenstrøm & Harald Madsen), who appeared on the German screens as Pat und Patachon. And although the equally alliterative Dick und Doof was not used in the title of the subsequently-released THE INISHING TOUCH, the censorship card does confirm these names in its cast list and within the plot summary. Thus, Laurel and Hardy had established their German fan base. And now they were just – Dick und Dof. With an audience base established, the Germans were treated to a steady flow of Laurel and Hardy product. SHOULD MARRIED MEN GO HOME? premiered together with Lon Chaney’s THE BIG CITY, while TWO TARS was shown alongside the Lillian Gish/Sjöstrom masterpiece THE WIND – quite a combination of opposite emotions! EARLY TO BED was followed by WE AW DOWN. With sound on disc, this release was a sign of times to come, though it has been impossible to establish whether the discs for the film’s US release – a music and effects track – were imported along with it, or whether the film was shown as a conventional silent with live music. Several of the team’s films – the most obvious being LIBERTY, with its homosexual jokes – were, however, banned from exhibition to adolescents. The team was now sufficiently popular even to warrant a belated release of the pre-teaming comedy SLIPPING WIVES, though not as a Dick und Dof film. Regardless, all in all quite a number of now-classic shorts remained unseen during that period, among them the hilarious masterpiece BIG BUSINESS. In May 1929, Laurel and Hardy entered the talkie era with the talkative, yet delightful UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE. Unaccustomed as they may have been to sound, they handled it admirably, but for obvious reasons, talking films meant quite a challenge to film export. Laurel and Hardy’s first seven sound films remained unseen (or unheard) in pre-WWII Germany. Whereas the mere changing of titling had sufficed to adapt a silent film for foreign releases, new techniques needed to be found to translate the spoken dialogue. One such way was the use of on-screen subtitles, and this was employed for the 1930 Technicolor feature THE ROGUE SONG, a comic-opera featuring Dick und Doof in supporting roles. According to contemporary reviews, the audience got a chance to appreciate the sidekicks’ antics, but also laughed at Lawrence Tibbett’s
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- Seite 679 und 680: Page 271 Take 126 to 129 of the Ger
The next appearances of the emerging duo on German screens were CALL O THE CUCKOO with the popular<br />
and «priceless comedian» (trade paper Reichsfilmblatt) MaxDavidson, supported by Laurel and Hardy et al,<br />
and the delightful PUTTING PANTS ON PHILIP. Censorship records for the latter substantiate that the two actors<br />
began to be perceived as a team, with what used to be All-Star comedies now featuring «Stan Laurel<br />
and Oliver Hardy».<br />
The increasing popularity of the team reflected in such records was undiminished by issues such as censorship<br />
or the variable quality of the live musical support typical in those days. However, this is less true<br />
for the sometimes outrageous projection of silents at far too high a speed (sometimes said to have been up<br />
to 40 frames a second or – in Hungary – a devastating 80 frames). Critics opposed this practice, even at the<br />
time: «Even in [the] case of an American comedy, the film must not rush by like a spectre on the screen».<br />
Still, the Germans had embraced a new American comedy team, demanding further releases.<br />
Thus, LEAVE ‘EM LAUGHING was followed by ROM SOUP TO NUTS (the German censors, incidentally, were<br />
not happy with Stan’s appreciation – via title card – of attractive comedienne Anita Garvin’s derrière), and<br />
the now-elusive HATS O. While the film is known to be long lost, research for this book has resulted in the<br />
strange discovery that even the German censorship records for this film seem to have disappeared. Luckily,<br />
the US and Dutch title texts exist, giving an idea of the film until some day it may turn up again in a forgotten<br />
attic or among the acquisitions of some film archive. By the way, famous film critic Lotte Eisner (the<br />
later emigrée and author of the books ritz Lang and Murnau) saw the film, but wasn’t all that pleased. Alluding<br />
to Laurel and Hardy’s character names in THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS, she just saw an «ordinary Bully<br />
and Billy comedy.» Her lack of enthusiasm is, however, easily surpassed by what a long forgotten film critic<br />
with little sense of humour had to say about the team’s next, partially lost film, THE BATTLE O THE CENTURY:<br />
«smeary dirty mess ... Such a film cries out for a psychiatrist.»<br />
The German edition of their next film, YOU’RE DARN TOOTIN’, saw the team as ‹ridolin and Adolar›, but at<br />
the time of THEIR PURPLE MOMENT’s German release in early 1929, Laurel and Hardy officially became Dick<br />
und Doof (at and Dumb), orDof as it was intentionally misspelled at the time. That trademark name has<br />
stuck ever since, yet it is impossible to learn who conceived it, let alone why. The obvious candidate, of<br />
course, is distributor Parufamet (the joint distribution of Paramount, Ufa and Metro). And while speculation,<br />
a motivation might have been to establish a recognizable trade name, likely one to distinguish the<br />
team from the tremendously popular Danish duo y og Bi (aka Long and Short, Carl Schenstrøm & Harald<br />
Madsen), who appeared on the German screens as Pat und Patachon. And although the equally alliterative<br />
Dick und Doof was not used in the title of the subsequently-released THE INISHING TOUCH, the censorship<br />
card does confirm these names in its cast list and within the plot summary. Thus, Laurel and Hardy had<br />
established their German fan base. And now they were just – Dick und Dof.<br />
With an audience base established, the Germans were treated to a steady flow of Laurel and Hardy product.<br />
SHOULD MARRIED MEN GO HOME? premiered together with Lon Chaney’s THE BIG CITY, while TWO TARS<br />
was shown alongside the Lillian Gish/Sjöstrom masterpiece THE WIND – quite a combination of opposite<br />
emotions! EARLY TO BED was followed by WE AW DOWN. With sound on disc, this release was a sign of times<br />
to come, though it has been impossible to establish whether the discs for the film’s US release – a music<br />
and effects track – were imported along with it, or whether the film was shown as a conventional silent<br />
with live music. Several of the team’s films – the most obvious being LIBERTY, with its homosexual jokes –<br />
were, however, banned from exhibition to adolescents.<br />
The team was now sufficiently popular even to warrant a belated release of the pre-teaming comedy<br />
SLIPPING WIVES, though not as a Dick und Dof film. Regardless, all in all quite a number of now-classic<br />
shorts remained unseen during that period, among them the hilarious masterpiece BIG BUSINESS.<br />
In May 1929, Laurel and Hardy entered the talkie era with the talkative, yet delightful UNACCUSTOMED AS<br />
WE ARE. Unaccustomed as they may have been to sound, they handled it admirably, but for obvious reasons,<br />
talking films meant quite a challenge to film export. Laurel and Hardy’s first seven sound films remained<br />
unseen (or unheard) in pre-WW<strong>II</strong> Germany. Whereas the mere changing of titling had sufficed to adapt<br />
a silent film for foreign releases, new techniques needed to be found to translate the spoken dialogue. One<br />
such way was the use of on-screen subtitles, and this was employed for the 1930 Technicolor feature THE<br />
ROGUE SONG, a comic-opera featuring Dick und Doof in supporting roles. According to contemporary reviews,<br />
the audience got a chance to appreciate the sidekicks’ antics, but also laughed at Lawrence Tibbett’s