at est ▁comedy ▁act ▁of ▁all ▁time ▁by ▁a ▁UK ▁poll ▁of ▁fellow ▁com ed ians . ▁The ▁official ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁appreci ation ▁society ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁S ons ▁of ▁the ▁Des ert , ▁named ▁after ▁a ▁fict it ious ▁frat ernal ▁society ▁featured ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁film ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name . ▁ ▁Early ▁care ers ▁ ▁Stan ▁La ure l ▁ ▁Stan ▁La ure l ▁( J une ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁– ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 6 5 ) ▁was ▁born ▁Arthur ▁Stanley ▁Jefferson ▁in ▁Ul ver ston , ▁Lanc ash ire , ▁England ▁into ▁a ▁the atr ical ▁family . ▁His ▁father , ▁Arthur ▁Joseph ▁Jefferson , ▁was ▁a ▁the atr ical ▁entrepr ene ur ▁and ▁theatre ▁owner ▁in ▁northern ▁England ▁and ▁Scotland ▁who , ▁with ▁his ▁wife , ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁industry . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁the ▁Jefferson ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Glasgow ▁to ▁be ▁closer ▁to ▁their ▁business ▁main st ay ▁of ▁the ▁Metro pole ▁Theatre , ▁and ▁La ure l ▁made ▁his ▁stage ▁debut ▁in ▁a ▁Glasgow ▁hall ▁called ▁the ▁Britann ia ▁P ano pt icon ▁one ▁month ▁short ▁of ▁his ▁ 1 6 th ▁birth day . ▁Arthur ▁Jefferson ▁secured ▁La ure l ▁his ▁first ▁acting ▁job ▁with ▁the ▁ju ven ile ▁the atr ical ▁company ▁of ▁Le vy ▁and ▁Card well , ▁which ▁special ized ▁in ▁Christmas ▁p antom imes . ▁In ▁ 1