''Habeas Corpus'' is a silent short subject co-directed by

Leo McCarey Thomas Leo McCarey (October 3, 1898 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was involved in nearly 200 films, the most well known today being '' Duck Soup'', ''Make Way for Tomorrow'', '' The Awful T ...

and

James Parrott James Parrott (August 2, 1897 – May 10, 1939) was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase. Biography Early years James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Blan ...

starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

on December 1, 1928

Plot

Professor Padilla is a mad scientist whose plans have drawn the interest of the police. His latest scheme is to perform a medical experiment on a corpse. Over the supper table, as Professor Padilla is contemplating a new theory that the human brain has a level surface, there's a knock on the door. Stan and Ollie, by chance, happen to arrive at the professor's home in search of a free meal. The professor offers the duo $500 if they will steal a body from a local graveyard. They think the professor is barmy, but they agree to his offer anyway. The conversation is overheard by the professor's butler, Ledoux, who happens to be a police informant. Ledoux calls police headquarters and is told to go to the graveyard to thwart any theft. Meanwhile, the police arrest the mad professor. At the cemetery, Stan and Ollie get into a series of comical misadventures trying to enter the grounds and while digging up a fresh grave. Ledoux manages to slip into the grave while covered in a white sack. Stan and Ollie take Ledoux from the grave. With Ledoux's "corpse" slung over Stan's back, Ledoux's legs rip through the bottom of the sack—and he walks step for step behind Stan. Stan and Ollie realize their stolen corpse is still alive and begin to run in panic. The chase ends with Ollie and Ledoux falling into a deep, water-filled hole.

Cast

* Stan Laurel as Stan * Oliver Hardy as Ollie *

Richard Carle Richard Carle (born Charles Nicholas Carleton, July 7, 1871 – June 28, 1941) was an American stage and film actor as well as a playwright and stage director. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1915 and 1941. Carle was born in Som ...

as Professor Padilla * Charley Rogers as Ledoux * Charles A. Bachman as Detective *

Leo Sulky Leo Sulky (6 December 1874 – 3 June 1957) was an American actor. He usually appeared in films directed by Del Lord such as ''Black Oxfords'' (1924), ''Yukon Jake'' (1924), ''Wall Street Blues'' (1924), ''Lizzies of the Field'' (1924), '' Gallopi ...

as Detective on telephone

Production notes

''Habeas Corpus'' was filmed on July 16–24 & 30–31, 1928. Skretvedt, Randy (1987). ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies''. Beverly Hills, California: Past Times Publishing. . p. 130 Although technically a silent film — having intertitles and no synchronized dialogue — it was the inaugural Hal Roach film released with a synchronized music and sounds effects track for theatres wired for sound. The Victor sound discs were thought lost until a set surfaced in the 1990s and was reunited with the film elements. The concept of men trolling through a cemetery with a dead body was reworked by

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

in their 1945 film '' Three Pests in a Mess''.

Reception

Horror film author Christopher Workman commented, "One sequence involving the comedy team's attempts to get over the graveyard wall takes up entirely too much running time and mires the proceedings in excessive tedium. Comedic incidents accumulate until the film has reached the requisite running time".

References

External links