How does Stan Laurel do this thing, in the movie Blotto?
In the movie Blotto (1930), how does Stan Laurel do this thing with his ears?
Here is the clip (the ear movement is around 13:45):
Best Answer
Well he apparently did not do it naturally. According to this Laurel and Hardy website, it was done using strings and creative filming. Here is an extract that explains it:
One surefire gag in Hal Roach shorts was ear-wiggling. Only a few months before, the studio built an entire Our Gang comedy around this notion; Messrs. Beanie Walker and Bob McGowan named it WIGGLE YOUR EARS. In BLOTTO when Stan finally tastes Anita's intoxicating mixture, he blinks his eyes, and frantically wiggles his ears. Decades later in l962, New England television personality Hal Stanton wrote and asked Stan Laurel how he performed this pulsating trick. "Very simple," Laurel answered in his usual gracious fashion, "A thread is attached to each ear with adhesive tape, the threads extend to below camera level and are pulled back and forth at a camera speed of 8 or l2 frames per second. The threads are painted with opaque paint so they won't show in the scene."
But ear wiggling is genetically possible for many of us. Learn to do it.
Pictures about "How does Stan Laurel do this thing, in the movie Blotto?"
How did Stan Laurel flap his ears?
"Very simple," Laurel answered in his usual gracious fashion, "A thread is attached to each ear with adhesive tape, the threads extend to below camera level and are pulled back and forth at a camera speed of 8 or l2 frames per second. The threads are painted with opaque paint so they won't show in the scene."What was Stan Laurel famous for?
Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 \u2013 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer, and film director who was part of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles.When did Stan Laurel have a stroke?
An invalid since he had a stroke in 1955, the lovable comic suffered a heart seizure Monday night and the fatal attack at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday. His wife, Ida, and a nurse were at his side when he died in his small apartment at 849 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. Laurel's physician, Dr. John H.Oxford 0614 - Stan Laurel's real life phone number in Blotto
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Pavel Danilyuk, Donald Tong, Pietro Jeng, Terje Sollie