II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull
II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull II. Anmerkungen zum Buchtext, Teil II - Einsnull
Youngson’s next film, WHEN COMEDY WAS KING, finally revealed, if only in abridged form, the classic BIG BUSINESS to the Germans. Unlike in the original version though, it was presented in a strange but reasonably effective mixof voice-over and voice dubbing, treating the silent classic like a talkie – even with the familiar Paulsen and Bluhm in the voice cast – years before Chuck McCann and Al Kilgore tried the same thing in the US with their controversial «talkie version» of DOUBLE WHOOPEE. Meanwhile, Pietrek provided a German version of BABES IN TOYLAND under one of its alternate titles, RE- VENGE IS SWEET, in a solid adaptation. Bluhm was Doof once more, Hardy was voiced by an actor named Bruno W. Paulsen, who had begun to establish himself as yet another Dick dub alternative in THE BOHEMIAN GIRL. Old King Cole’s voice was effective and provided by Alexander Welbat, an actor whose voice any German would recognize a decade later as that of Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster. Paulsen, in turn, got a chance to work with Welbat and voice a really vintage — and hungry! — Hardy in a section of Youngson’s DAYS O THRILLS AND LAUGHTER, taken from the 1917 Billy West comedy THE HOBO. Actually, Paulsen and Bluhm had lots of work ahead. It was barely noticed at the time, but Dr. Leo Kirch began his tremendously influential career as a film business man. Kirch knew about the value of vintage film, and he knew about the value of good German versions. Thus, he founded dubbing company Beta Technik, allowing him to handle film import and dubbing in one hand. Among his first acquisitions from the US was a huge package of 36 Laurel and Hardy shorts. or Kirch, composer Conny Schumann, dialogue author Wolfgang Schick and – of course – the inimitable Bluhm and Paulsen joined forces, providing dub tracks that were only generally to be seen (or rather, heard) about a decade later. Schumann, though, changed his scoring philosophy in the process. Instead of a continuous, nearly permanent musical score as featured in the originals – or in Schumann’s earlier works, for that matter – the music was now more restrained, leaving breathing space for the wonderful (and carefully recreated) dialogue and the visual humor. Also, in April 1961, another newcomer joined the project. Heinz Caloué, actor, radio artist and author, was born Heinz Landwehr in 1920. Caloué worked on music and effects recording, but his influence on Laurel and Hardy in the later two decades was to go far beyond that. At this time, another medium was to gain significance in the reception of early comedy. Much as it had in the US a few years before, TV now was to provide additional revenue from vintage comedy films. Indeed, two of the freshly dubbed L&H shorts from Kirch soon appeared on German TV, in the influential show Es darf gelacht werden («eel free to laugh») where actor-comedian Werner Schwier presented vintage comedy. Schwier – and composer Konrad Elfers – had successfully established a pattern for exhibiting the films «like in the olden days», both on stage and with a 1957 theatrical feature which recreated a vintage Chaplin show. In the TV incarnation, Laurel and Hardy – sound or silent, complete or abridged – were soon among the regular «guests». By the way, unlike Laurel or Hardy, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd even appeared on the programme in person. Soon, it was the above-mentioned Heinz Caloué who took care of everything from Kirch’s side for this show – compiling, adapting and translating (in the form of intertitles) the silent source films. While Schwier’s TV show represented a comparatively respectful and faithful presentation, theatrical distributor Pietrek embarked on his most bizarre compilation, PAT UND PATACHON ALS DETEKTIVE JAGEN MIT DICK UND DOO GESPENSTER. As if bigger always means better, he tried to milk cash out of two classic comedy teams at the same time. As mentioned before, the famous Danish duo Pat and Patachon had been tremendously popular in Europe in the silent days, but several years into the talkie era their artistic heyday was well past. While their career formula had been invented in their Danish home country by director Lau Lauritzen during the 20s, the team had actually worked in a number of European countries, e.g. in Austria, Germany, and even England, shooting silents and talkies of variable quality. Returning from a two-year career hiatus, their 1937 Swedish feature BLEKA GREVEN («The Pale Count») is arguably among their poorest works. It also happened to be in NWD’s stock of films. Probably Pietrek was aware of the limited quality of the film. His troubles with getting films passed for the children’s matinee had made him cautious. So, just in case, he tried to have the film passed for kids in its original Swedish version, with a rough translation separately provided, since «otherwise it is without interest, since older kids and grown-ups will hardly want to watch a Pat and Patachon film.» His wish was granted, but when preparing dubbing, Pietrek realized that the passing did not make the film any less «tedious, boring and nearly tiring». So besides some heavy editing, he just threw in the
team’s American successors into the feature programme. His choice was not (as many sources erroneously state) THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE, but rather THE LIVE GHOST — thematically similar, but not exactly the Boys’ best short, either. inally, the not-quite-hilarious omnibus received the catchy and memorable title PAT UND PATACHON ALS DETEKTIVE JAGEN MIT DICK UND DOO GESPENSTER («Private eyes Pat and Patachon chase ghosts together with Dick und Doof»). Those critics expecting a genuine comedy summit were annoyed, as the two famous teams never appeared together in a single shot. In the dub track though, Pietrek had clumsily attempted to create the impression – off-screen – of the American actors taking over control of the film from the Danish team. Even more oddly, while the critics did detect «something funny» about the Danish detectives, they declared Dick & Doof «simply foolish» in comparison. Somehow, though, Pietrek managed to obtain more enthusiastic reactions, presumably in telegrams from his theatrical customers. Or so he states in his ads: «House record for two years. Sold out every day, thundering laughter. Really big blockbuster.» — As Stan Laurel would quip, «nuff said.» A much better compilation was DIE GROSSE LACHPARADE 1962 («The Great Laughter Parade of 1962»), a German clone of the Youngson type of product, commissioned from Beta Technik’s Heinz Caloué by distributor Constantin. Constantin asked for one short each by Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, a Sennett, etc., specifically requesting that the respective choices had not been shown on German TV before. As far as Laurel and Hardy were concerned, the original choice for DIE GROSSE LACHPARADE 1962 was the superb MUSIC BOX. But in the end, the team’s shorts TWICE TWO and «SCRAM!» made it into the compilation instead. This compilation actually marks the first attempt to get a special certificate of wertvoll («valuable») for a Laurel and Hardy product in Germany, and along with it, not just the added prestige, but also special tax reductions. The application failed, but it wasn’t too long before an artistic re-evaluation of classic comedy in general and Laurel and Hardy in particular, was imminent. With or without certificate, among the most valuable assets of this film was another Schumann score. Constantin liked it so much that they planned to promote the composer to the popular Edgar Wallace series which they distributed, but sadly Schumann died in a car accident in December 1961, on his way to Beta Technik for music recording work. LACHPARADE was his last work. At the same time, Schwier’s TV show Es darf gelacht werden was a major success in its second season, yet it was cancelled afterwards out of concern the concept may otherwise wear out. Some of the shorts from the program were, however, licensed for 8mm home movie distribution, launching a market that was to exist throughout the pre-home video age, well into the seventies and early eighties. Of course, West Germany was not the only place where Laurel and Hardy were seen. It was only in the 60s, though, that Laurel and Hardy were also back on East German screens, both in cinemas and at home on TV. Most intriguing, but never substantiated beyond rumours, is a possible TV screening of a Russiandubbed Laurel and Hardy film, the now-lost ROGUE SONG. Sadly, much like most of the film itself, any confirmation for this rumour remains elusive to this very day. ollowing the West German TV intermezzo, Pietrek once again took up theatrical distribution of the Laurel and Hardy shorts. Soon after, another Youngson product also graced the German screens, MGM’S BIG PA- RADE O LAUGHS. Its brief Laurel and Hardy section introduced yet another German Hardy voice, Gerhard Duwner (later to voice Sesame Street’s Ernie). It is also of interest for featuring the only attempt at accomplishing the impossible, i.e. provide a German dubbing voice for the incomparable W.C. ields (actually something Werner Schwier also contemplated at some later point). And, one more time, an application to get the wertvoll certificate failed. Also, Pietrek furthered his career as compiler of rather unusual comedy combinations. Once more not quite sure about the market chances of one of his acquisitions, he coupled a LIE WITH BUSTER KEATON TV show compilation called BUSTER KEATON IN WILD WEST with the short cut-down of Laurel and Hardy’s THE LY- ING DEUCES titled DICK UND DOO IN ARIKA. Here, dubbing confusion reached a new zenith: though quite effective, Buster’s voice was provided, surprisingly, by none other than Walter «Doof» Bluhm! In spite of Pietrek’s efforts, 1965 marked a turning point in the German reception of Laurel and Hardy. A new distributor, Atlas, had previously had some remarkable success with re-issues of Chaplin and Keaton. Now, together with Werner Schwier, they wanted to further prove that «Laurel and Hardy are much better than just dick und doof («fat and dumb»)» by carefully re-dubbing and re-releasing Laurel and Hardy films. They succeeded, and Schwier’s new and superb WAY OUT WEST dub (with Bluhm and Paulsen in the voice
- Seite 609 und 610: Dick und Doof die Schwerenöter Bea
- Seite 611 und 612: Dick und Doof wie immer auf eigene
- Seite 613 und 614: Deutsches Plakat von 2003 zum Kabar
- Seite 615 und 616: WIR SIND VOM SCHOTTISCHEN INFANTERI
- Seite 617 und 618: XVIII. Quiz-Fragen zu Laurel und Ha
- Seite 619 und 620: 13. Was will der Küchenchef in SWI
- Seite 621 und 622: 2. Hier im Bild sehen wir Oliver Ha
- Seite 623 und 624: XIX. Antworten auf die Quiz-ragen A
- Seite 625 und 626: * Als Alles oder nichts ausgestrahl
- Seite 627 und 628: XX. Adressen der deutschen Laurel-u
- Seite 629 und 630: XXI. English Summary or Internation
- Seite 631 und 632: The next appearances of the emergin
- Seite 633 und 634: Some dialogue modifications were im
- Seite 635 und 636: Bluhm was born on August 5, 1907 in
- Seite 637 und 638: Keaton has meanwhile resurfaced (CA
- Seite 639 und 640: In September 1951, the dubbing supe
- Seite 641 und 642: Youngson’s next film, WHEN COMEDY
- Seite 643 und 644: cast, plus the short TIT OR TAT add
- Seite 645 und 646: or the new dub tracks, Walter Bluhm
- Seite 647 und 648: Deutsche Inseratmatern von 1937 fü
- Seite 649 und 650: At any rate, obviously the history
- Seite 651 und 652: singing! As is well-known, the film
- Seite 653 und 654: Cuts were also imposed on Laurel an
- Seite 655 und 656: 900 club members were to expect «a
- Seite 657 und 658: a musical setting as effective as t
- Seite 659: ATOLL K was followed by another ela
- Seite 663 und 664: should relate to the dry nordic sen
- Seite 665 und 666: Kirch also launched the first Laure
- Seite 667 und 668: XXII. English Captions or Illustrat
- Seite 669 und 670: Page 62, top They really were calle
- Seite 671 und 672: Page 122, bottom left Stage setting
- Seite 673 und 674: Page 178 Article in «ilmpost Magaz
- Seite 675 und 676: Page 203, top «Without dressing»
- Seite 677 und 678: Page 241, top German 1951 center sp
- Seite 679 und 680: Page 271 Take 126 to 129 of the Ger
- Seite 681 und 682: Page 300 Bus + rollercoater = plast
- Seite 683 und 684: Page 340 Rough scetches in the Köh
- Seite 685 und 686: Page 367 German 1962 lobby card for
- Seite 687 und 688: Page 397 «Detrimental for adolesce
- Seite 689 und 690: Page 429, top Rudolf Günter Wagner
- Seite 691 und 692: Page 459 NWD-Unitas 1972 advertisin
- Seite 693 und 694: Page 487, top Title sequence of the
- Seite 695 und 696: Page 517 left: The first ever Germa
- Seite 697 und 698: Page 550 Dubbing DANCE O THE CUCKOO
- Seite 699 und 700: Appendix XIX German 1937 ads for RI
- Seite 701 und 702: SK-Akten (ohne Jugendprotokolle) SK
- Seite 703 und 704: ilmpost Archiv ilms in Review (New
- Seite 705 und 706: Nürnberger Nachrichten Nürnberger
- Seite 707 und 708: ilmmuseum Wien (Hrsg.): ilmographie
- Seite 709 und 710: Glenzdorf, Johann Caspar: Glenzdorf
team’s American successors into the feature programme. His choice was not (as many sources erroneously<br />
state) THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE, but rather THE LIVE GHOST — thematically similar, but not exactly<br />
the Boys’ best short, either. inally, the not-quite-hilarious omnibus received the catchy and memorable<br />
title PAT UND PATACHON ALS DETEKTIVE JAGEN MIT DICK UND DOO GESPENSTER («Private eyes Pat and Patachon<br />
chase ghosts together with Dick und Doof»).<br />
Those critics expecting a genuine comedy summit were annoyed, as the two famous teams never appeared<br />
together in a single shot. In the dub track though, Pietrek had clumsily attempted to create the impression<br />
– off-screen – of the American actors taking over control of the film from the Danish team. Even<br />
more oddly, while the critics did detect «something funny» about the Danish detectives, they declared<br />
Dick & Doof «simply foolish» in comparison.<br />
Somehow, though, Pietrek managed to obtain more enthusiastic reactions, presumably in telegrams<br />
from his theatrical customers. Or so he states in his ads: «House record for two years. Sold out every day,<br />
thundering laughter. Really big blockbuster.» — As Stan Laurel would quip, «nuff said.»<br />
A much better compilation was DIE GROSSE LACHPARADE 1962 («The Great Laughter Parade of 1962»), a<br />
German clone of the Youngson type of product, commissioned from Beta Technik’s Heinz Caloué by distributor<br />
Constantin. Constantin asked for one short each by Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, a Sennett, etc.,<br />
specifically requesting that the respective choices had not been shown on German TV before. As far as Laurel<br />
and Hardy were concerned, the original choice for DIE GROSSE LACHPARADE 1962 was the superb MUSIC<br />
BOX. But in the end, the team’s shorts TWICE TWO and «SCRAM!» made it into the compilation instead.<br />
This compilation actually marks the first attempt to get a special certificate of wertvoll («valuable») for<br />
a Laurel and Hardy product in Germany, and along with it, not just the added prestige, but also special tax<br />
reductions. The application failed, but it wasn’t too long before an artistic re-evaluation of classic comedy<br />
in general and Laurel and Hardy in particular, was imminent.<br />
With or without certificate, among the most valuable assets of this film was another Schumann score.<br />
Constantin liked it so much that they planned to promote the composer to the popular Edgar Wallace series<br />
which they distributed, but sadly Schumann died in a car accident in December 1961, on his way to Beta<br />
Technik for music recording work. LACHPARADE was his last work.<br />
At the same time, Schwier’s TV show Es darf gelacht werden was a major success in its second season,<br />
yet it was cancelled afterwards out of concern the concept may otherwise wear out. Some of the shorts<br />
from the program were, however, licensed for 8mm home movie distribution, launching a market that was<br />
to exist throughout the pre-home video age, well into the seventies and early eighties.<br />
Of course, West Germany was not the only place where Laurel and Hardy were seen. It was only in the<br />
60s, though, that Laurel and Hardy were also back on East German screens, both in cinemas and at home on<br />
TV. Most intriguing, but never substantiated beyond rumours, is a possible TV screening of a Russiandubbed<br />
Laurel and Hardy film, the now-lost ROGUE SONG. Sadly, much like most of the film itself, any confirmation<br />
for this rumour remains elusive to this very day.<br />
ollowing the West German TV intermezzo, Pietrek once again took up theatrical distribution of the Laurel<br />
and Hardy shorts. Soon after, another Youngson product also graced the German screens, MGM’S BIG PA-<br />
RADE O LAUGHS. Its brief Laurel and Hardy section introduced yet another German Hardy voice, Gerhard<br />
Duwner (later to voice Sesame Street’s Ernie). It is also of interest for featuring the only attempt at accomplishing<br />
the impossible, i.e. provide a German dubbing voice for the incomparable W.C. ields (actually something<br />
Werner Schwier also contemplated at some later point). And, one more time, an application to get<br />
the wertvoll certificate failed.<br />
Also, Pietrek furthered his career as compiler of rather unusual comedy combinations. Once more not<br />
quite sure about the market chances of one of his acquisitions, he coupled a LIE WITH BUSTER KEATON TV<br />
show compilation called BUSTER KEATON IN WILD WEST with the short cut-down of Laurel and Hardy’s THE LY-<br />
ING DEUCES titled DICK UND DOO IN ARIKA. Here, dubbing confusion reached a new zenith: though quite effective,<br />
Buster’s voice was provided, surprisingly, by none other than Walter «Doof» Bluhm!<br />
In spite of Pietrek’s efforts, 1965 marked a turning point in the German reception of Laurel and Hardy. A<br />
new distributor, Atlas, had previously had some remarkable success with re-issues of Chaplin and Keaton.<br />
Now, together with Werner Schwier, they wanted to further prove that «Laurel and Hardy are much better<br />
than just dick und doof («fat and dumb»)» by carefully re-dubbing and re-releasing Laurel and Hardy films.<br />
They succeeded, and Schwier’s new and superb WAY OUT WEST dub (with Bluhm and Paulsen in the voice