Series: Laurel and Hardy Director: James Parrott Producer: Hal Roach Dialogue: H.M. Walker Photography: Art Lloyd Editor: Richard C. Currier, Bert Jordan Sound: James Greene Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Billy Gilbert Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 25 June 1932 Length: 2 reels Production No.: L-8 Filming dates: February 15-25, 1932 Rating: 7/10

County Hospital

Available on BLU-RAY & DVD:

Stan has taken time out from his busy schedule (!) to go visit his best pal Ollie, during his long hospital convalescence. Parking his car directly outside the main door, he strolls into reception armed with a small paper bag and asks for directions to Hardy's room. He is told by the desk nurse that he wants room 14 (it's next to the solarium, apparently). After a brief trip down the corridor Stan finds room 14, but before he can enter a nurse holding a small baby emerges from the room, much to Stan's initial bewilderment. Fortunately, to save any misleading embarrassment, the nurse directs Stan to room 14 on the top floor. Finally he catches up with Ollie, who judging by his reaction was not impressed with the sudden unexpected arrival of his visitor. Stan has brought Ollie some hand boiled eggs and nuts, but Ollie rejects them. Not wanting the food to go to watse, Stan makes himself comfortable in a chair and tucks into the first egg! This lasts a little over a minute before he digs into the bag for the second. After pulling the next egg from the paper bag, it rolls off the cabinet and into a water jug on the floor. He then performs a clever routine in trying to retrieve the egg from the jug without putting his hands into the drinking water which Ollie reminds him he needs to consume. At this point the doctor (an unusually polite BILLY GILBERT) enters the room to check on Ollie and is introduced to Stan. The doctor informs Hardy that his stay in hospital will last a couple of more months, much to Ollie's relief.

The ever inquisitive Laurel then starts his inadvertent journey of destruction by trying to use a counterweight on the floor as a nutcracker for the nuts he would like to consume. Unfortunately for Ollie when Stan lifts up the weight, Ollie’s leg crashes down on the doctor's head. In his increased frustration with his patient's annoying visitor, the doctor forcibly grabs the weight from Stan and in doing so it sends him out of the open window. Dangling from outside the top floor window, the doctor manages to hold onto the rope attached to the weight, which Stan is holding. A tug-of-war ensues as Stan tries to pull the doctor to safety, as Ollie dangles inside the room, suspended in mid-air by the calamity caused by Stan's behaviour. The doctor is saved but Ollie's hospital stay is abruptly terminated! Stan is asked to fetch Ollie's clothes from the closet, but when he attempts to dress him he establishes the difficulty in trying to put the trousers on over his leg. Ollie tells him that it is obvious he needs to cut the leg off [see favourite bit]. Not only does Stan cut off the wrong leg but also from the wrong trousers - those belonging to Ollie's slightly eccentric room-mate (WILLIAM AUSTIN, who shows up briefly in one scene). The Boys do finally leave, with Ollie offering to drive (how??) but his attempts to get comfortable in the drivers seat lands him in the back seat after he falls backwards. Stan, who has recently sat on a sedative-filled hypodermic syringe in the hospital, is drousy as the effects start to kick in. He drives home through the traffic, with the car swaying aimlessly all over the street. After a series of near-hits, eventually their car collides with a streetcar, which bends their car into 180 degrees.

Favourite bit Ollie has instructed Stan to cut the leg off his pants in order for him to fit into them, due to his heavily-bandaged leg. Stan, in his infinite state of dumbness thinks for a split second Ollie means for him to cut his leg off. The misinterpretation is funny on its own, but what makes it all the more hilarious is Ollie's reaction when he realises what Stan was thinking!

Trivia • Copyrighted May 31, 1932. • The DVD and Blu-Ray omit the opening card with the Director, Photography, Editor and Sound Recording credits. It should have followed the title card. • Although technically not a direct sequel, most VHS and DVD releases do have Them Thar Hills on the same media as the two films work well together when seen back-to-back. • The hospital facade seen at the beginning is actually a listed building in Culver City, Los Angeles. It was also used in Going Bye-Bye! when Stan and Ollie are sitting in their car talking to Sam Lufkin outside the courthouse. • The original opening title cards read: "Mr. Hardy fell on his leg, and was laid up for two months. Mr. Laurel fell on his head - and hadn't felt better in years." • Don't you think it just a little odd that Stan takes the most convenient parking spot outside the hospital upon arrival? • The first line of dialogue is spoken by part-time L&H veteran Frank Holliday as he asks nurse Lorena Carr, "This way? Thank you." • A total of nine characters are seen in the opening hospital reception. Betty Danko is one of them, as a nurse who walks over to the seated Helen Dale before leading her away. Danko is later seen as the desk nurse on the top floor who directs Stan to Ollie's room. • The opening scene takes place at 11:25am - as dictated by the large clock in the reception. • As Stan begins his initial walk down the corridor look out for Frank Holliday, whom he passes. Holliday is first seen in the reception asking the nurse for directions and is then seen standing against the wall talking to a doctor. • Ollie is in room 14 on the top floor. It's easy to remember this when you consider the scene where Billy Gilbert is seen dangling from the top floor window! • Having reviewed a number of their films, I think it is clear to see Stan Laurel has a problem with eye contact with other people. Look at the scene where he is talking to the nurse holding the baby - he is clearly looking at the top of her head as he talks to her. • When we first see Ollie, he is reading a book. Unfortunately it is hard to determine which book he was reading. • Stan just happens to keep a salt shaker in his jacket pocket. • When Stan eats the egg, the camera remains on him for 72 consecutive seconds with only one brief cutaway to Hardy for two seconds. • The nurse who pulls the syringe out of Stan's rear-end laughs uncontrollably. A bit unprofessional! • With Stan Laurel's reputable eye for production quality, it is surprising he didn't cringe when he saw the final few minutes of the film? • During the final sequences with Stan driving the car, there is a very brief glimpse of an advert on a building which says STAGE PLAYS - FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19 - MUSIC BOX. full-size image here. The date checks out as being 1932, and also, the filming of County Hospital took place in February 1932. I was hoping to make the link to their film "The Music Box" from this advert, but it is mere coincidence, as that particular film wasn't released until April 1932. • The final car journey lasts 2 minutes and 3 seconds from the time Stan drives off until the time he crashes. • Billy Gilbert actually smiles! My opinion • Here we have a stark contrast of one of the best first reels of Laurel and Hardy followed by easily one of the worst. The hospital scenes are classic workings of familiar routines in which mostly every gag comes off with magnificent timing and finese. Once the boys leave the hospital and start their journey home with Stan heavily sedated, it gets extremely embarrassing. Ollie over-acts his scenes whilst the projected background of Culver City traffic is so obvious it is cheesy. It's a typical Laurel and Hardy short, with some great gags, reaction shots and lots of humour all directed by a very competent director. It's a really cringe ending to an otherwise faultless film.

	Stan Laurel Stan
	Oliver Hardy Ollie
	Billy Gilbert Doctor
	May Wallace Miss Wallace, head nurse
	Estelle Etterre Miss Smith, nurse
	William Austin Ollie's room mate
	Eleanor Fredericks Nurse with baby
	Bob Minford Hospital orderly
	Lorena Carr Nurse at reception desk
	Betty Danko Desk nurse
	Sam Lufkin Policeman
	Frank Holliday Hospital visitor
	Baldwin Cooke Orderly
	Ham Kinsey Orderly
	Carl M. Leviness Doctor
	Harry Wilde Hospital visitor reading newspaper
	Russell Custer Doctor
	Helen Dale Hospital visitor in opening scene
	Evelyn Burns Pedestrian
	Chet Brandenburg Stunts

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

ALTERNATE TITLE CARD (click any image to enlarge)

POSTER (click any image to enlarge)

STILLS (click any image to enlarge)

SHOT ON LOCATION (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Laurel And Hardy: The Magic Behind The Movies by Randy Skretvedt (book) Jesse Brisson (identification of Betty Danko, Eleanor Fredericks, Harry Wilde, Russell Custer, Helen Dale, Evelyn Burns, Chet Brandenburg) Brent Sequine (identification of Carl M. Leviness) This page was last updated on: 25 June 2024