Chuck McCann pays tribute to the late comedy team, Laurel and Hardy. John McCabe, Al Kilgore, and John Tillman contribute. Clips are shown and commented upon, featuring classic Laurel and Hardy shorts and features.
First broadcast in prime time as a WPIX TV Special (9:30-1100pm) on March 9, 1965. One time only, this program was rebroadcast on March 28, 1965.
Afterward, the original master 2” Quad Video Tape was wiped and never seen again.
NOTE:
ATA Archivist Phil Gries, who recorded this broadcast off the air on ¼” Reel to Reel Audio Tape, presented a copy of this special program to Chuck McCann in 1995 when having lunch together. He had been unsuccessfully searching for this TV program for decades, and was thrilled to receive a copy for his archives.
TV Broadcast History:
WPIX Ch. 11 had been running L&H films on Saturday afternoons since the late 1950's, but without a host. By 1960, the station executives felt that someone should entertain in-between the films.
Laurel & Hardy Show (in NYC "Laurel & Hardy & Chuck") was seen weekday afternoons and Sunday afternoons on WPIX TV Ch. 11 in NYC beginning on Wednesday September 7, 1960 and Sunday October 14, 1962. Chuck would perform puppet skits (in serialized form) to introduce and end the rerun of The L&H film for that day's broadcast. Chuck McCann would also provide information about "the Boy's careers" with extra info provided by film historians: "Prof John" McCabe (the founder of The L&H Film Appreciation Club The Sons Of The Desert and author of Mr.Laurel & Mr.Hardy) and Al Kilgore.
Laurel & Hardy & Chuck went off the air on Friday December 28, 1962 and on Sunday, December 30, 1962. Almost none of these broadcasts are known to exist (Video or Audio).
