▁Dance ▁of ▁the ▁C uck o os ". ▁It ▁was ▁played ▁over ▁the ▁opening ▁cred its ▁of ▁their ▁films ▁and ▁has ▁become ▁as ▁em blem atic ▁of ▁the ▁du o ▁as ▁their ▁bow ler ▁h ats . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁emer ging ▁as ▁a ▁team , ▁both ▁actors ▁had ▁well - est ab lished ▁film ▁care ers . ▁La ure l ▁had ▁appeared ▁in ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁films ▁as ▁an ▁actor ▁( while ▁also ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁writer ▁and ▁director ), ▁while ▁Hard y ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 ▁produ ctions . ▁The ▁two ▁com ed ians ▁had ▁previously ▁worked ▁together ▁as ▁cast ▁members ▁on ▁the ▁film ▁The ▁L ucky ▁Dog ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁However , ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁a ▁comedy ▁team ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁that ▁they ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁short ▁movie ▁together , ▁when ▁both ▁separately ▁signed ▁contract s ▁with ▁the ▁Hal ▁Ro ach ▁film ▁studio . ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁officially ▁became ▁a ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁when ▁they ▁appeared ▁together ▁in ▁the ▁silent ▁short ▁film ▁Put ting ▁P ants ▁on ▁Philip . ▁They ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁Ro ach ▁studio ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁then ▁appeared ▁in ▁eight ▁" B " ▁movie ▁com ed ies ▁for ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁Fox ▁and ▁Metro - G old w yn - M ayer ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 5