The Lucky Dog (1921)

In their first screen appearance together, Stan plays a penniless dog lover and Oliver plays a crook who tries to rob him and his new paramour.

Director:

Jess Robbins

Writer:

Jess Robbins (screenplay)

Stars:

Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, Florence Gilbert

Cast

Credited cast:
Stan Laurel	...	Brash young man accused of dognapping
Florence Gilbert	...	Poodle owner
Oliver Hardy	...	Masked bandit who confronts Laurel
Jack Lloyd	...	Boyfriend
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Jefferson	...	Butler

Storyline

In their first screen appearance together, Stan plays a penniless dog lover and Oliver plays a crook who tries to rob him and his new paramour.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | seeing stars | seeing stars after a bang on the head | seeing images after a bang on the head | kicked in the butt | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 1921 (USA)

Also Known As:

Laurel und Hardy im Flegelalter

Filming Locations:

Eastlake Park - 3501 Valley Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sun-Lite Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

24 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first time Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were in a film together. In the film Hardy was a thief who robbed Laurel at gunpoint.

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Goofs

Traffic can be seen going backwards when Stan almost gets hit by a streetcar.

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Connections

Referenced in Columbo: How to Dial a Murder (1978)

User Reviews

The humble beginning for America's incredible comedy duo

In Jess Robbins' The Lucky Dog, Stan Laurel plays a recently-evicted man who is left to wander the streets alongside a stray dog. After being robbed by another wayward stranger (Oliver Hardy), Stan and his dog get acquainted with another older woman (Florence Gillet) who clings to her trusty poodle. She suggests that Stan enter a dog show with her and her poodle. He proceeds with that idea only to be denied entry and, following a misunderstanding with the lady's boyfriend, Stan becomes the target for a grave misunderstanding.

The Lucky Dog marks the first short where Laurel and Hardy appear together, despite working as individual characters and not a duo. With that, The Lucky Dog is a noteworthy piece simply because it features two souls that would later go on to be unfathomably beneficial to the comedy community, leaving an indelible watermark on the field that couldn't be replaced. The short is also quite noteworthy for its technical pieces, like the early scene where Stan stands on the tracks of a train, oblivious to the fact that the train comes within about an inch of him. We see this shot exist in a symmetrical state, with Stan facing us, evenly centered on the tracks, with the train approaching us as well as the character.

In addition, one will take notice of Laurel's heavy-eye makeup, which is due in part to Stan's light blue eyes and the belief that light-colored eyes wouldn't show up well on screen, hence making Laurel look as if he's a crossdresser without all of his garb applied. The Lucky Dog makes an interesting case for cinema history, so much so that we forget the short isn't consistently funny, but just pleasant enough to remind us about what was made of a long, prosperous career for one of the greatest duos in comedy.

Starring: Stan Laurel, Florence Gillet, and Oliver Hardy. Directed by: Jess Robbins.