County Hospital (film)

County Hospital
County Hospital
Directed by	James Parrott
Written by	H.M. Walker
Produced by	Hal Roach
Starring	Stan Laurel; Oliver Hardy
Cinematography	Art Lloyd
Edited by	Richard C. Currier; Bert Jordan
Music by	Marvin Hatley; Leroy Shield
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	June 25, 1932;
Running time	18:41
Country	United States
Language	English

County Hospital is a Laurel and Hardy short film made in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ollie is in hospital with a broken leg, Stan comes to visit and ends up getting Ollie kicked out; on the way home Stan crashes the car.^[1]

Plot

Ollie finds himself hospitalized with a broken leg, with Stan visiting him out of a lack of other engagements, bearing a less-than-ideal gift of hard-boiled eggs and nuts. Ollie expresses dissatisfaction with the gift lamenting the absence of candy Stan reminds Oliver of an unpaid debt for a previous box of candy. A comedic mishap ensues when Stan accidentally spills water, prompting Ollie to retaliate by hitting him with a bedpan.

Their antics escalate when the doctor arrives to examine Ollie, delivering the news that he must remain hospitalized for a lengthy two-month period. In a classic display of slapstick comedy, Stan inadvertently triggers a series of events resulting in the doctor's unfortunate encounter with a traction weight, leading to a precarious situation where the doctor dangles from the window while Ollie's leg becomes suspended from the ceiling. The doctor's fury prompts him to promptly eject both Ollie and Stan from the hospital. Ollie, irritated by the disruption to his "nice peaceful time," demands his clothes as they prepare to depart. However, Stan's clumsy antics continue as he inadvertently ruins the trousers of Ollie's roommate and suffers the consequences of sitting on a sedative-loaded hypodermic needle, much to the amusement of the nurse.

Their misadventures persist as Stan attempts to drive Ollie home, but succumbs to drowsiness induced by the sedative. The ensuing chaotic journey sees their car careening wildly through the streets, culminating in a collision between two streetcars that leaves their vehicle bent at a 90-degree angle, trapping them in a cycle of futile attempts to navigate the streets.

Cast

Stan Laurel (himself)
Oliver Hardy (himself)
Billy Gilbert as the doctor
May Wallace as Miss Wallace, head nurse
Estelle Etterre as Nurse Smith
William Austin as Ollie's hospital roommate
Belle Hare as a nurse
Lilyan Irene as a nurse
Dorothy Layton as a nurse
Sam Lufkin as a police officer
Baldwin Cooke as an orderly
Ham Kinsey as an orderly
Frank Holliday as a visitor

Filming locations

The front-entrance facade of Culver City's 1928 City Hall building at 9770 Culver Blvd.^[2] was used as the exterior of the "County Hospital" where Stan Laurel makes an unwelcome visit to the recuperating Oliver Hardy.^[3] The facade of the City Hall was salvaged as the freestanding frontispiece of its 1995 replacement.^[4]

Filming locations for the final car sequence included Culver Boulevard, Duquesne Avenue, Tilden Avenue, Washington Boulevard, West 48th Street, and Second Avenue.^[5]