▁film ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁commercial ▁success ▁on ▁its ▁first ▁release ▁( although ▁it ▁did ▁finally ▁turn ▁a ▁profit ▁when ▁re - re leased ▁in ▁other ▁countries ) ▁and ▁it ▁brought ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ' s ▁film ▁care ers . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁an ▁American ▁distrib utor ▁removed ▁ 1 8 ▁minutes ▁of ▁foot age ▁and ▁released ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁U top ia ; ▁this ▁American ▁edit ▁has ▁been ▁widely ▁released ▁on ▁film ▁and ▁video , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁best - known ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁film . ▁ ▁After ▁At oll ▁K ▁wrapped ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁the ▁team ▁returned ▁to ▁America ▁and ▁used ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁to ▁rest . ▁Stan ▁did ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁a ▁silent ▁TV ▁news re el , ▁Sw im ▁Me et , ▁in ▁character , ▁as ▁co - direct or ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁California ▁contest . ▁ ▁Most ▁La ure l ▁and ▁Hard y ▁films ▁have ▁surv ived ▁and ▁are ▁still ▁in ▁circul ation . ▁Three ▁of ▁their ▁ 1 0 7 ▁films ▁are ▁considered ▁lost ▁and ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁seen ▁in ▁their ▁complete ▁form ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁The ▁silent ▁film ▁H ats ▁Off ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁has ▁van ished ▁completely . ▁The ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁film ▁Now ▁I ' ll ▁Tell ▁One ▁is ▁lost ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁has ▁yet ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁on ▁video . ▁In ▁the