▁to ▁leave ▁La ure l ▁and ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁her ▁native ▁Australia . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁La ure l ▁joined ▁the ▁Hal ▁Ro ach ▁film ▁studio ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁and ▁writer . ▁From ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁until ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁he ▁received ▁credit ▁in ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 2 ▁films . ▁La ure l ▁appeared ▁in ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁films ▁for ▁various ▁produ cers ▁before ▁team ing ▁up ▁with ▁Hard y . ▁Prior ▁to ▁that , ▁he ▁experienced ▁only ▁mod est ▁success . ▁It ▁was ▁difficult ▁for ▁produ cers , ▁writers , ▁and ▁direct ors ▁to ▁write ▁for ▁his ▁character , ▁with ▁American ▁aud ien ces ▁knowing ▁him ▁either ▁as ▁a ▁" nut ty ▁burg lar " ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁Charlie ▁Chap lin ▁im it ator . ▁ ▁Oliver ▁Hard y ▁ ▁Oliver ▁Hard y ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁– ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 7 ) ▁was ▁born ▁Nor v ell ▁Hard y ▁in ▁Har lem , ▁Georgia . ▁By ▁his ▁late ▁te ens , ▁Hard y ▁was ▁a ▁popular ▁stage ▁singer ▁and ▁he ▁operated ▁a ▁movie ▁house ▁in ▁Mil ledge ville , ▁Georgia , ▁the ▁Palace ▁Theater , ▁fin anced ▁in ▁part ▁by ▁his ▁mother . ▁For ▁his ▁stage ▁name ▁he ▁took ▁his ▁father ' s ▁first ▁name , ▁calling ▁himself ▁" O liver ▁Nor v ell ▁Hard y ", ▁while ▁off screen ▁his ▁nick names ▁were