Editing Laurel and Hardy (section)

===Stan Laurel===
{{Main|Stan Laurel}}
[[File:Stan Laurel c1920.jpg|thumb|upright|Stan Laurel, c. 1930]]
[[Stan Laurel]] (June 16, 1890 – February 23, 1965) was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in [[Ulverston]], Lancashire, England, into a theatrical family.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=11}}</ref> His father, Arthur Joseph Jefferson, was a theatrical entrepreneur and theater owner in northern England and Scotland who, with his wife, was a major force in the industry.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=14}}</ref> In 1905, the Jefferson family moved to [[Glasgow]] to be closer to their business mainstay of the [[The Metropole Theatre|Metropole Theatre]], and Laurel made his stage debut in a Glasgow hall called the [[Britannia Music Hall|Britannia Panopticon]] one month short of his 16th birthday.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=22}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Mitchell|2010|p=200}}</ref> Arthur Jefferson secured Laurel his first acting job with the juvenile theatrical company of Levy and Cardwell, which specialized in Christmas [[pantomime]]s.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=25}}</ref> In 1909, Laurel was employed by Britain's leading comedy impresario [[Fred Karno]] as a supporting actor, and as an [[understudy]] for [[Charlie Chaplin]].<ref>{{harvnb|Mitchell|2010|p=159}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2001|p=18}}</ref> Laurel said of Karno, "There was no one like him. He had no equal. His name ''was'' box-office."<ref>{{harvnb|McCabe|1987|p=26}}</ref>

In 1912, Laurel left England with the Fred Karno Troupe to tour the United States. Laurel had expected the tour to be merely a pleasant interval before returning to London; however, he decided to remain in the U.S.<ref>{{harvnb|McCabe|1987|pp=42–43}}</ref> In 1917, Laurel was teamed with [[Mae Dahlberg]] as a [[double act]] for stage and film; they were living as [[Common-law marriage|common-law]] husband and wife.<ref>{{harvnb|Mitchell|2010|p=169}}</ref> The same year, Laurel made his film debut with Dahlberg in ''[[Nuts in May (film)|Nuts in May]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Mitchell|2010|p=158}}</ref> While working with Mae, he began using the name "Stan Laurel" and changed his name legally in 1931.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=113}}</ref> Dahlberg demanded roles in his films, but her tempestuous nature made her difficult to work with. Dressing room arguments were common between the two; it was reported that producer [[Joe Rock]] paid her to leave Laurel and to return to her native Australia.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=170}}</ref> In 1925, Laurel joined the Hal Roach film studio as a director and writer. From May 1925 to September 1926, he received credit in at least 22 films.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=182}}</ref> Laurel appeared in over 50 films for various producers before teaming up with Hardy.<ref>{{harvnb|McCabe|1987|p=249}}</ref> Prior to that, he experienced only modest success. It was difficult for producers, writers, and directors to write for his character, with American audiences knowing him either as a "nutty burglar" or as a Charlie Chaplin imitator.<ref>{{harvnb|Louvish|2002|p=117}}</ref>