▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁spe ci als ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁sh el ved ▁as ▁the ▁age ing ▁com ed ians ▁continued ▁to ▁suffer ▁from ▁decl ining ▁health . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁America ' s ▁magazine ▁TV ▁Guide ▁ran ▁a ▁color ▁spread ▁on ▁the ▁team ▁with ▁current ▁photos ; ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁they ▁made ▁their ▁final ▁public ▁appearance ▁together ▁while ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁program ▁This ▁Is ▁Music ▁Hall . ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁BBC ▁Television ▁program ▁about ▁the ▁Grand ▁Order ▁of ▁Water ▁R ats , ▁a ▁British ▁variety ▁organization . ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁provided ▁a ▁fil med ▁insert ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁rem in isce ▁about ▁their ▁friends ▁in ▁British ▁variety . ▁They ▁made ▁their ▁final ▁appearance ▁on ▁camera ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁in ▁a ▁private ▁home ▁movie , ▁shot ▁by ▁a ▁family ▁friend ▁at ▁the ▁Res eda , ▁CA ▁home ▁of ▁Stan ▁La ure l ' s ▁daughter , ▁Lo is . ▁It ▁contains ▁no ▁audio ▁and ▁is ▁three ▁minutes ▁in ▁length . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁while ▁following ▁his ▁doctor ' s ▁orders ▁to ▁improve ▁his ▁health ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁heart ▁condition , ▁Hard y ▁lost ▁over ▁, ▁non eth eless ▁suffering ▁several ▁stro kes ▁resulting ▁in ▁reduced ▁mob ility ▁and ▁speech . ▁Despite ▁his ▁long ▁and ▁successful ▁career , ▁Hard y ' s ▁home ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁help ▁cover ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁his ▁medical ▁exp enses . ▁He ▁died ▁of ▁a ▁stroke ▁on ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9