<P> Prior to emerging as a team , both actors had well - established film careers . Laurel had appeared in over 50 films as an actor ( while also working as a writer and director ) while Hardy had been in more than 250 productions . The two comedians had previously worked together as cast members on the film The Lucky Dog in 1921 . However , they were not a comedy team at that time and it was not until 1926 that they appeared in a movie short together , when both separately signed contracts with the Hal Roach film studio . Laurel and Hardy officially became a team in 1927 when they appeared together in the silent short film Putting Pants on Philip . They remained with the Roach studio until 1940 and then appeared in eight `` B '' movie comedies for 20th Century Fox and Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer from 1941 to 1945 . After finishing their movie commitments at the end of 1944 , they concentrated on performing in stage shows and embarked on a music hall tour of England , Ireland , and Scotland . In 1950 , before retiring from the screen , they made their last film , a French - Italian co-production called Atoll K . </P>
<P> Prior to emerging as a team , both actors had well - established film careers . Laurel had appeared in over 50 films as an actor ( while also working as a writer and director ) while Hardy had been in more than 250 productions . The two comedians had previously worked together as cast members on the film The Lucky Dog in 1921 . However , they were not a comedy team at that time and it was not until 1926 that they appeared in a movie short together , when both separately signed contracts with the Hal Roach film studio . Laurel and Hardy officially became a team in 1927 when they appeared together in the silent short film Putting Pants on Philip . They remained with the Roach studio until 1940 and then appeared in eight `` B '' movie comedies for 20th Century Fox and Metro - Goldwyn - Mayer from 1941 to 1945 . After finishing their movie commitments at the end of 1944 , they concentrated on performing in stage shows and embarked on a music hall tour of England , Ireland , and Scotland . In 1950 , before retiring from the screen , they made their last film , a French - Italian co-production called Atoll K . </P>
when did laurel and hardy come to england
when did laurel and hardy come to england
the end of 1944
the end of 1944