Few Moments With Buster Keaton And Laurel And Hardy, A

1013. A FEW MOMENTS WITH BUSTER KEATON AND LAUREL & HARDY (1943-1963-USA) PARTIAL COLOR. UNUSUAL, HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND VERY BRIEF APPEARANCES BY COMEDY GREATS IN THEIR “POST-GOLDEN’ ERA, WHEN EVERYTHING THEY TOUCHED STILL GLITTERED!
1. THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE (1943-U5A). COLOR. WITH STAN LAUREL AND OLIVER HARDY. ONLY LAUREL AND HARDY COULD MATE SOMETHING FUNNY OUT Of A SUBJECT LIKE WOOD! IN THIS COLOR FILMÑ PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTÂMENT Of AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE Of FOREST PRODUCTS TO THE WINNING Of THE WAR, THE VOICE Of PETE SMITH SLOPS STAN AND OLLIE ON THE STREET AND ASKS IF THEY REALIZE HOW MANY ARTICLES MADE Of WOOD (OR WOOD-DE RIVED MATERIALS) THEY CARRY AROUND. EMPTYING THEIR POCKETS AND SUITCASE, THE BOYS LEARN THAT EVERYTHING IS IN THAT CATEGORY. MEANWHILE, THEY GET TO PLAY WITH VARIOUS OBJECTS, INCLUDING A TROUBLESOME RAZOR, AND STAN’S BILLFOLD, WHICH CONTAINS TWO STOCKINGS! HARDY ALSO TAPS LAUREL’S HEAD TO LOCATE MORE WOOD. THE FILM ENDS WITH GLIMPSES Of THE GOVERNMENT’S FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY, WHICH RESEARCHED NEW USE£ FOR WOOD (PUTÂTING “THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE”). DEFINITELY ONE Of THE STRANGEST LAUREL AND HARDY COMEDIES!
2. THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW (C. 1960-USA). CBS-TV. A RARE KINESCOPE Of BUSTER KEATON PERFORMING A GREAT SILENT ROUTINE ON LIVE TELEVISION. HOPING TO RELAX AT HIS DESK, BUSTER FINDS THAT EVERY OBJECT CONSPIRES AGAINST HIM. THE PHONE WIRE GETS TANGLED IN THE LAMP, WHICH TOPPLES OVER; A SPILLED DRINK DRENCHES HIM AND THE DESK; HIS SANDWICH HAS TO BE WRUNG OUT; HE CAN’T EVEN PLAY SOLITAIRE, BECAUSE THE CARDS ARE STUCK TOGETHER. KEATON FACES THESE AND OTHER DISASTERS WITH HIS USUAL DEADPAN APLOMB. ANOTHER PROOf THAT THE PASSAGE Of DECADES HAD NOT DIMINISHED HIS UNIQUE COMIC GENIUS!
3. BUSTER KEATON FOR “SIMON PURE BEER” CC. 1963-U5A). SIX COMMERCIALS FOR SIMON PURE BEER, “THE HAPPIER, HOPPIER BEER,” STARRING THE INIMITABLE BUSTER KEATON. EACH Of THESE GEMS Of SILENT COMEDY ENDS WITH BUSTER ABOUT TO DRINK THE SPONSOR’S PRODUCT. BUSIER: A) WOOS A PRETTY WOMAN WITH SOME UNUSUAL ATHLETICS INSIDE A PHONE BOOTH; B) TRIES TO OPEN A BEER CAN WITH VARIOUS TOOLS, ONLY TO HAVE THE BEER SPUN ONTO HIS PANTS; C) DRAWS A PICTURE Of A KEG ON A BLACKBOARD, INSERTS A TAP, AND MAGICALLY POURS BEER; D) IS PENNILESS, BUT DEVISES A CLEVER WAY TO OBTAIN BEER AT A BAR; E) OPENS A HUGE LUNCHBOX AT WORK, AND SETS HIS TABLE WITH FLOWERS, CANDIES, FANCY DISHES AND A CHAMPAGNE COOLER (CONTAINING SIMON PURE, Of COURSE); F) READS HIS NEWSPAPER, WHICH KEEPS UNFOLDING, TO GIGANTIC PROPORTIONS; THENÑSETTLING DOWN TO HAVE A BEER-OPENS A MENU, WHICH KEEPS UNFOLDING! IN AN ERA Of OVERBLOWN, UNFUNNY COMEDIES ARTIFICIALLY SUPPLEMENTED WITH LAUGH TRACKS, KEATON SHOWED THAT VISUAL HUMOR COULD BE CONCISE, HILARIOUSÑAND SIMON PURE! 17 MINUTES TOTAL. KEATON, LAUREL & HARDY