His Scottish-English parents were never in show business. As a young boy, he was a gifted singer and, by age eight, was performing with minstrel shows. In 1910, he ran a movie theatre, which he preferred to studying law. In 1913, he became a comedy actor with the Lubin Company in Florida and began appearing in a long series of shorts; his debut film was Outwitting Dad (1914); 1914-5 was the "Pokes and Jabbs" series; 1916-8 saw the "Plump and Runt" series, 1919-21 the "Jimmy Aubrey" series, and from 1921-5 he worked as an actor and co-director of comedy shorts for Larry Semon. In 1917, he had played a bit part in A Lucky Dog, starring Stan Laurel. His first two-reeler with Laurel was Forty-five Minutes from Hollywood (1926). Their first release through MGM was Sugar Daddies and the first with star billing was From Soup to Nuts. Their first feature-length starring roles were in Pardon Us. Their work became more production-line and less popular during the war years, mostly working for Twentieth Century-Fox. Their last movie together was The Bullfighters except for a French failure (Utopia). He appeared without Laurel in The Fighting Kentuckian and Riding High and died seven years later.


Related to Captain Hardy (as in "Kiss me Hardy" - Nelson). Best known for his work with Stan Laurel. Subject of one of five 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating famous comedians, issued in booklet form 29 August 1991. He is shown with his partner Stan Laurel. The stamp designs were drawn by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. The other comedians honored in the set are Edgar Bergen (with alter ego Charlie McCarthy), Jack Benny, Fanny Brice, and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Appears on sleeve of The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Used Babe Hardy for a screen name until convinced by a numerologist that the longer screen name, Oliver Hardy, would bring him success. His father, also named Oliver Hardy, was a successful lawyer who died when Norvell, as he was known to his family, was ten months old. At a time when few women had careers, his mother supported the family by running a highly successful hotel. He was voted, along with comedy partner Stan Laurel, the 45th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Laurel & Hardy have been and continue to be very popular in Germany under the name of "Dick und Doof" (Fatty and Stupid). Entered St. Vincent's Hospital to have his tonsils removed the day after filming wrapped on Babes in Toyland (1934). Laurel & Hardy have been and continue to be very popular in Spain, Mexico and Latin America under the name of "El Gordo y El Flaco" (The Fat One and The Thin One). In 1930, he lived at 621 North Alta Drive in Beverly Hills. He was the only child of Oliver Hardy and his second wife; both of them had two children from an earlier marriage; Oliver had two boys, and his second wife had two girls. Had a mild heart attack in May 1954. According to letters written by Stan Laurel, Hardy had advanced cancer at the time of his death from two strokes.