Laurel and Hardy curiosity.

[Osi Osgood]

I bought a large collection of Laurel and Hardy collection. One 400ft reel, the seller said was reel 2 of "Way Out West", and reel 2 it appears to be, however, at the end of the reel, it has a title or end card that says, "Where there's a Will" and "The End", with the classic image of Stan with his thumb lot and Ollie aghast. It isn't spliced on by the previous owner, it's a part of the super 8 release. So, who released this and why did they release it in this fashion?

[Barry Attwood]

This was most probably a Mountain Films release, they brought out a number of extracts from "Way Out West" and gave them different titles, I actually have this extract coming up for sale in one of my next lists. I'm not sure they actally had the rights to any of the Laurel & Hardy films, but they brought a few out F/L where Walton usually cut them (who were the genuine rights holder), and many extracts along the way.

[Osi Osgood]

Thanks, Barry!

[Gary Sayers]

I always thought that Mountain actually had the rights to several Laurel and Hardy features but in the mid 1970s, some of these were taken up by Walton. I remember that some (if not all) of the 4 x 400 ft L & H features that had been available from Mountain were suddenly absent from their lists, only to appear soon after as 3 x 400 ft features from Walton. I recall being disappointed that they would be slightly edited by Walton (and more expensive).

Mountain really knew how to make the most of their Laurel and Hardy features, releasing many different version from each. From 'Way out West' as well as 'Where there's a Will', they also released another 400 ft called 'Heave Ho' as well as one called, of course 'Way out West'. I have a feeling there was a fourth title but I can't remember. They usually released the 400 ft extracts in sound and silent versions.

Others from Mountain that I remember were 'Home Helps' (400 ft) which was from 'A Chump at Oxford' and the 400 ft 'Saps at Sea', which was basically the last two reels of the feature, complete with the full opening credits. This was an excellent print, with great picture and sound that I bought new from Mountain in 1975 (as was the 4 x 400 ft 'Flying Deuces' that I also purchased from them).

[Brian Fretwell]

The copy of A Chump at Oxford (part 3 only) is in a box from "Starline Movies" with full art for the film. I believe that was another name used by Mountain at one point.

[Gary Sayers]

Yes Brian and my 'Saps at Sea' was also a 'starline movies', release, which as you rightly say, was another name used by Mountain. Really quite like the artwork on those releases.