Laurel and Hardy. The Magic Behind the Movies

The beloved comedy team comes to life in this behind-the-scenes documentary -- visit the set as they make their classic comedies. Film historian Randy Skretvedt uses original shooting scripts and unfilmed comedy routines, legal depositions, family scrapbooks and original studio publicity material -- plus exclusive interviews with dozens of the team's friends and co-workers -- to recreate, as never before, the unique environment in which the films were made.

Film by film, this book truly evokes the magic behind the movies -- practical jokes, special effects, technical problems, musical scores, sneak previews and publicity campaigns. Over 200 rare photographs, including scenes from the cutting room floor. The book includes a who's who of the team's supporting players, directors and other technical people; a foreword by Steve Allen and an index. The revised paperback edition includes details on recently rediscovered films, newly found footage, foreign language versions and a resource list.