Leave 'Em Laughing

1928 film
the 1928 film

Leave 'Em Laughing is a 1928 two reel silent film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Produced by the Hal Roach Studios, it was shot in October 1927 and released January 28, 1928 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

Stan cannot sleep owing to a painful toothache. Ollie, attempting to aid Stan, retrieves a hot water bottle from the bathroom but repeatedly steps on a tack strewn across the floor. Subsequently, a mishap occurs as the water bottle lid loosens, resulting in water spilling onto the bed. This disturbance prompts their landlord to intervene, issuing an ultimatum for their eviction the following morning. A physical altercation ensues between the duo and the landlord, culminating in the latter's apparent fall down the stairs. The subsequent day finds Stan seeking dental treatment for his toothache. However, his fear impedes his cooperation during the procedure. In a turn of events, Ollie inadvertently becomes the recipient of the dental procedure intended for Stan. Upon Ollie's unwitting extraction, the dentist mistakenly administers nitrous oxide gas to Stan, rendering them both unconscious. The effects of the gas extend to the dental staff as well. Upon regaining consciousness, Stan and Ollie exit the dental office, still under the influence of the gas, resulting in uncontrollable laughter. This sets the stage for a chaotic sequence involving their impaired driving, leading to a series of mishaps at a bustling intersection. Their encounters include a confrontation with a traffic police officer, resulting in a scuffle, and a misguided attempt by the officer to transport them to jail, culminating in the immersion of their vehicle into an open sewer.

Leave 'Em Laughing marks the first appearance of Edgar Kennedy in a Laurel and Hardy film. Chapters of The Sons of the Desert (the international Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Society) take their names from the duo's films. Leave 'Em Laughing chapters are currently located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Twin Cities, Minnesota and Jacksonville, Florida. Leave 'Em Laughing was remade by The Three Stooges as I Can Hardly Wait (1943).