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Harry Eugene "Hal"
Roach was born on 14 January 1892 as a grandchild of Irish
immigrants in Elmira, New York. When his father has send
him on a voyage round the world at the age of 17, he maintained
his life with all kind of activities.
Two years later he landed in Los Angeles and found work
in Studios in bit parts. In 1919 we see him as an independent
producer in Culver City, where he began with the production
of short movies. |
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To the members of his "all star"
series belonged many comedy talent, whose popularity until
today is unbroken: |
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- Stan Laurel,
- Oliver Hardy,
- Charley Chase,
- Harald Lloyd,
- James Finlayson and
- and the children of the series "Our
Gang".
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 The
studio experienced its high point in the 30's with productions
like "Topper" and "Of Mice and Men".
Always on top of new developments Hal Roach came close
to a new medium – television. The Studio was closed
and later torned down in 1963.
Hollywood honoured him as the probably last Tycoon
of a gone down film-period. In the age of 100 years
he traveled 1992 to Berlin, in order to receive a honoury
award of the film festival there.
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| In the autumn of the same year Hal Roach deceased. |
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