The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

CarlosV wrote:

TinfoilPhono wrote:I thought it was fun at the time, today it seems even more special.

In retrospect I asked him some very serious questions which resulted in letters which have, as autograph dealers like to call it, "great content." This one, with comments about Jean Harlow and Charlie Chaplin, is an example.

That's a very unusual letter considering his author was at the time a worldwide celebrity. Can you imagine any of today's "celebrities" addressing personal letters to fans like that? Thanks for sharing, it enriches this forum.

Having been an autograph collector for many years, I know firsthand that there are still plenty of very notable people who will indeed respond to polite inquiries and even send thoughtful letters. They are very, very much the minority, however, and dwindle each day through age/health, death, and indiscreet/rude collectors publicly noting their good success, resulting in overwhelming them with requests. And of course there are always fake responses to sort out, but that's a whole long book by itself.

martinola wrote:Rene - It always warms my heart to see Stan's correspondence with people. I'm sure he had his faults, but his devotion to his audience is just remarkable. You were indeed blessed, and I think your letter (and the hundreds by others) helped to bless Stan in return.

Jake - To add to what answers were already given, there is one 78 that I know of that featured the song "Smile When the Raindrops Fall". The recording was by Lew Reynolds on the Flexo label. I stumbled onto it by way of an excellent CD called "San Francisco Jazz 1930 - 1932: The Flexo Recordings" issued by Harlequin (HQ CD 25). The orchestration was very similar to the version of the song that was used in L&H's "Hog Wild". Since that short was so early in the studio's use of incidental music, I've always wondered if the orchestra or recording company was briefly considered for a full-time gig.

Great thread!

Regards,
Martin

"Smile When the Raindrops Fall" was also recorded, with vocal refrain, by Adrian Schubert's orchestra. It was issued on Perfect 15324 as the Imperial Dance Orchestra. They used the same stock arrangement as the Lew Reynolds orchestra. The original 78 is pretty hard to find, but you can also find the recording on The Big Broadcast Vol 3 cd (track 9)

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Broadcast-Po ... B0014QABW6

TinfoilPhono, you have very nice reminders of the late Stan Laurel, I like very much how you framed his picture and autograph. I can imagine the thrill of receiving mail directly from him!

Altough not strictly related to the question asked, the Italian dubbers of Laurel & Hardy issued some comedy records in Italy: quick sketches or funny advertisement tunes preminently. The two were mr. Mauro Zambuto (Stan) and mr. Alberto Sordi (Ollie); the latter incidentally became one of the most famous Italian actors ever in the next years, starring movies by Fellini, Risi, De Sica and many many others.

I believe that at least fanatics of S&O do know that at the outset of talkies, Oliver and Hardy repeted each take many times, speaking each time a different language by themselves. Quite obviously, Italian was spoken with a very strong American accent and with many misplaced accents. The spectators, however, liked their voices, which added funniness to comicality; thus later, when dubbing became customary, Sordi and Zambuto decided to persist with an (artificial) American accent and (intentionally) misplaced accents!

When a kid, I owned one of their records (by "their" I mean of course Sordi & Zambuto's). It was a cute tune advertising a cheese. One morning I thought to carry it at school in the records' compartment of a small portable, for the more or less Italian equivalent of "Show & Tell". I don't know exactly how it happened, but the record came to school shattered in pieces. That's how I learned, the very hard way, that gramophone's record compartments are not a good way to carry records around.

40some years after, I'm still patiently seeking for another copy of that cute record...

Most of the music used in Laurel and Hardy films was written by Leroy Shield. I believe there are recordings of his compositions out there on 78 rpm...

-Stephen

oldphonographsteve wrote:Most of the music used in Laurel and Hardy films was written by Leroy Shield. I believe there are recordings of his compositions out there on 78 rpm...

-Stephen

The Beau Hunks (the Dutch band I mentioned) recorded a CD of Shield's music made for L&H movies, see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunks-Original ... beau+hunks

oldphonographsteve wrote:Most of the music used in Laurel and Hardy films was written by Leroy Shield. I believe there are recordings of his compositions out there on 78 rpm...

-Stephen

As far as I know, there really aren't any. There are 78's around with Shield conducting a studio orchestra, such as Victor 22548 (Sing Song Girl), but those weren't Shield compositions. Whether this is the same orchestra we can hear on the soundtrack of all those Hal Roach shorts and features is unclear. Maybe, maybe not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IsNkbWcfHI

Looky here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-RPM-Laurel-a ... SwCU1Yq6lI

Expensive price of admission, perhaps, but then I'd hate to tell you what I've spent on some rare records in my collection...

It does seem a bit expensive, but considering how rare it is and being the only one they produced it is not so bad. I have paid much more for a few rare opera recordings I have. And, given the recent discussions about the late blue amberol prices it is a bargain.

Dan

There are a couple of records that are from the late 20s that sound like Laurel and Hardy music. Listen to Ernie Golden's Dancing Shadows. I have it on electric Diamond Disc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60AU6Gy9T9g
I can just picture this music in the background as Stan says "Hey Ollie". "What do you want?" says Ollie. "I just had an idea." etc.

Another record that has music like the Laurel and Hardy music is The King's Horses on Hit of the Week, 1930. The part that sounds like L&H starts at 58 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD8KojA-PWY

B.S. - I just found out that The King's Horses is actually used in the L&H short The Music Box (1932)! Read the reply to this record on Youtube.

gramophone-georg wrote:Looky here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-RPM-Laurel-a ... SwCU1Yq6lI

Expensive price of admission, perhaps, but then I'd hate to tell you what I've spent on some rare records in my collection...

In the end it sold for $ 255 I placed a bid myself, but was outbid. Probably for the best though, because shipping, taxes and import duties would have made it even more expensive.

Fortunately a few days later another copy of the same record was offered on Ebay, and because it was in lesser shape (not E+, but more like E-/V+) and perhaps also the seller wasn't a 78 dealer, it sold for a lot less. I ended up paying around $ 70. And since the seller was located in Europe I didn't have to pay taxes and import duties.

Because I was afraid that the seller wouldn't know to pack the record properly I gave him specific instructions. He didn't exactly follow them to the letter, but the record arrived intact.

Being both a collector of 78's and a big L&H fan, I'm happy to have finally obtained this record. It plays really good, much better than it looks. That's the great thing about those Columbia's.