- The Lucky Dog (1921 film)
Infobox Film
name = The Lucky Dog
caption = Theatrical poster to "The Lucky Dog" (1921)
director =Jess Robbins
producer = Gilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' Anderson
writer =
starring =Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy
Florence Gillet
Jack Lloyd
music =
cinematography =Irving G. Ries
editing =
distributor =Metro Pictures
released = Unknown, possibly 1921.>cite web | last =Larrabee | first =John | last =Brennan | first =John | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2007 | url = http://laurelandhardycentral.com/ld.html | title = The Lucky Dog| format = | work = | publisher = Laurel and Hardy Central| accessdate = 2008-08-14]
runtime = 24 minutes
language =Silent film
English (Original intertitles)
country =USA
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by = "Duck Soup"
imdb_id = 0013341"The Lucky Dog" (1921) is the first film to include both members of the famous comedy duo of
Stan Laurel andOliver Hardy , later known asLaurel and Hardy and is the first occasion that they worked together.cite web |url=http://www.lettersfromstan.com/stan_1963.html |title= FEB.28th.'63.|accessmonthday=August 14 |accessyear= 2008 |author= |last=Laurel |first=Stan |authorlink=Stan Laurel |date= |year= |month= |format= |work=The Stan Laurel Correspondence Archive Project|publisher= |quote= the very first time Hardy & I worked together] Though they appear in scenes together, they play independent of each other and not as the comedic team that they would later become.The film was shot as two reels,cite book | last = Gehring| first =Wes D. | title = Laurel and Hardy: A Bio-Bibliography|page = 273| publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group| date = 1990 |isbn=031325172X] but some versions end abruptly after the first reel where Stan is robbed by Ollie. [cite web | last =Levity| first =Mister | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2007 | url = http://www.inthebalcony.com/page6.html| title = The Silent Laurel & Hardy Collection from Alpha Video Vol.1| format = | work = | publisher = In the balcony - Laurel and Hardy Fun House| accessdate = 2008-08-14]Plot
Stan plays the hapless hero, who after being thrown out onto the street for not paying his rent, is befriended by a stray dog. The dog and Stan then bump into Oliver (playing a robber) who is holding someone up. Oliver, who in the process has accidentally placed his victim’s money into Stans back pocket, turns from his first victim (who runs off) to rob Stan. Oliver then steals the money he had already stolen, from a very bemused Stan who had thought he was broke.
Stan and the dog escape and the dog makes friends with a poodle. The poodle’s lady owner (Florence Gillet) persuades Stan to enter his dog into the local dog show. When his entry is refused, Stan sneaks in anyway, but is quickly thrown out, followed by all the dogs in the show.Stan spots the poodle’s owner outside looking for her dog and offers his dog in its place. She accepts and in turn offers him a lift to her home. This scene is watched by the ladies jealous boyfriend, who happens to bump into Oliver and together the two plot their revenge on Stan.
At the ladies house, Stan is introduced to the boyfriend and Oliver (in disguise as the Count de Chease of Switzerland). The boyfriend proposes and is refused while Oliver attempts to shoot Stan only to have the gun jam. The boyfriend chases the lady around the house while Ollie tries to blow up Stan with a stick of dynamite. The dog comes to the rescue, chasing Ollie and the boyfriend into the garden with the dynamite and leaving them to be blown up.
Production and release date
The precise date that the film was shot is not recorded. It has long been thought to have been made in 1917, partially due to comments Stan made about it during an interview in 1957. [cite book | last = Potts| first =Mark| last = Shephard| first =Dave | title = What Was The Film When? The Movies of Laurel and Hardy |page = 29| publisher = Lulu.com| date = 2008 |isbn=0955531837] But it has also been dated to 1918cite book | last = Gehring| first =Wes D. | title = Laurel and Hardy: A Bio-Bibliography|page = 273| publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group| date = 1990 |isbn=031325172X] and 1919. [cite web | last =Bennett| first =Carl|authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2008 | url = http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/L/LuckyDog1922.html | title = Progressive Silent Film List - The Lucky Dog| format = | work = | publisher = Silent Era| accessdate = 2008-08-14] However, on the basis of an examination of the dates that Stan was available for filming, and the appearance of a 1920 car license plate in one shot of the complete film, it is now suggested that the most likely date filming took place is in the latter part of 1920 and into early 1921. [cite book | last = Mitchell| first =Glenn| coauthors = | title = The Laurel and Hardy Encyclopedia |edition=2nd Revised edition | publisher = Reynolds & Hearn Ltd | date = 2008 |isbn=1905287712] The film may have been released in late 1921 or early 1922 but records are inconclusive and in fact it may not have been released at all.>cite web | last =Larrabee | first =John | last =Brennan | first =John | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2007 | url = http://laurelandhardycentral.com/ld.html | title = The Lucky Dog| format = | work = | publisher = Laurel and Hardy Central| accessdate = 2008-08-14]
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