Another Nice Mess The Laurel And Hardy Story

Arguably the greatest comedy duo in show business history, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy delighted filmgoers and theatregoers for over thirty years. The public not only found Laurel's serene simpleton and Hardy's pompous buffoon hilarious, but they also thought of them as friends. Laurel and Hardy may have been nitwits, but they were loveable nitwits. Another Nice Mess: The Laurel and Hardy Story explores the lives and careers of Laurel and Hardy. The book examines how the comedians teamed up and it explains why, nearly half a century after their deaths, their films continue to enchant people all over the world.

A biography of Laurel and Hardy describes their original teaming in the 1927 short, "Duck Soup, " their considerable innovations, and their ongoing influence.

200 films reviewed and rated, covering all genres of movie comedy from slapstick to sardonic, from madness to manners. Featured comedians include Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, Bob Hope, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Bing Crosby, The Three Stooges, Eddie Cantor, Charlie Chaplin, Jacques Tati, Sid Field, The Crazy Gang, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Jack Hulbert, Joe E. Brown, Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson, Clifton Webb, Red Skelton, Ronald Shiner, Cecil Kellaway, Norman Wisdom, Frankie Howerd, Toto, Arthur Askey, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Claudette Colbert, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Joan Davis, Marjorie Main, Percy Kilbride, Stanley Holloway, Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake.

Charlie Chaplin. Buster Keaton. The Marx Brothers. Billy Wilder. Woody Allen. The Coen brothers. Where would the American film be without them? Yet the cinematic genre these artists represent--comedy--has perennially received short shrift from critics, film buffs, and the Academy Awards. Saul Austerlitz’s Another Fine Mess is an attempt to right that wrong. Running the gamut of film history from City Lights to Knocked Up, Another Fine Mess retells the story of American film from the perspective of its unwanted stepbrother--the comedy. In 30 long chapters and 100 shorter entries, each devoted primarily to a single performer or director, Another Fine Mess retraces the steps of the American comedy film, filling in the gaps and following the connections that link Mae West to Doris Day, or W. C. Fields to Will Ferrell. The first book of its kind in more than a generation, Another Fine Mess is an eye-opening, entertaining, and enlightening tour of the American comedy, encompassing the masterpieces, the box-office smashes, and all the little-known gems in between.

Dive into the pages of "More Fascinating True Stories for the Whole Family" and journey through an extraordinary collection of a total of 31 individual and awe-inspiring true stories that bring to life the moments and people who have left their mark on our shared history. This book, the 2nd in the series, is a vibrant celebration of human achievement, creativity, and resilience, designed to captivate readers from age 8 to 108 with tales that range from early civilizations to the achievements of the 21st century. Every story is vividly brought to life with a wonderful and unique full-color illustration. Experience the elegance and cunning of Cleopatra, the indomitable spirit of Nelson Mandela, the fascinating story of the Trojan Horse, and the sheer once-in-a-lifetime brilliance of Albert Einstein. Witness the comedy genius of Laurel and Hardy, the men who made the whole world laugh, marvel at the mind of Leonardo Da Vinci and the inventive genius of Thomas Edison, and read in admiration of the courage of the astronauts of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and many, many more! Perfect for all ages, "More Fascinating True Stories for the Whole Family" promises to enlighten, educate, and inspire. Embark on this journey through time, and uncover the stories of extraordinary individuals and events that continue to shape and influence our world today. The stories in this book include: The Watergate Scandal Albert Einstein The Amazing Violet Jessop The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler The Apollo 11 Moon Landing Laurel and Hardy The Assassination of John F. Kennedy Walt Disney The Olympic Games Thomas Edison The Boxing Day Tsunami Nelson Mandella Christopher Columbus and 1492 Alexander the Great The Four-Minute Mile Yuri Gagarin, the First Man in Space The Black Death Martin Luther King Jr. The Trojan Horse Mahatma Gandhi Leonardo da Vinci The Invention of the Printing Press Cleopatra The Industrial Revolution Marie Curie The McDonald’s Story Joan of Arc The American War of Independence Julius Caesar Elizabeth I The Tragedy of The Lusitania

This study of early sound shorts begins with an explanation of the development of sound motion pictures in Hollywood by such influential companies as Warner Bros. and Fox, with an emphasis on short subjects, leading up to the first few months when all of the major studios were capable of producing them. The next chapters discuss the impact on other mass entertainments, the development of audible news reels and other non-fiction shorts, as well as the origins of animated sound subjects. A comprehensive list of pre–1932 American–made shorts completes the volume.

The fourteen award-winning essays in this volume discuss a range of novel ideas and controversial topics that could decisively influence the course of human life on Earth. Their authors address, in accessible language, issues as diverse as: enabling our social systems to learn; research in biological engineering and artificial intelligence; mending and enhancing minds; improving the way we do, and teach, science; living in the here and now; and the value of play. The essays are enhanced versions of the prize-winning entries submitted to the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi) essay competition in 2014. FQXi, catalyzes, supports, and disseminates research on questions at the foundations of physics and cosmology, particularly new frontiers and innovative ideas integral to a deep understanding of reality, but unlikely to be supported by conventional funding sources.