Tragic Details About Laurel And Hardy

By the 1950s, Stan Laurel had been struggling with his own health. Laurel had chronic problems with his prostate, and per author Norbert Aping, he had to have an ulcer surgically removed from his prostate. He was also a diabetic, and the disease complicated his health. According to The Los Angeles Times, Laurel had a stroke in 1955 — which he survived, but it left him weak.

When Oliver Hardy died in 1957, instead of pursuing solo work, Laurel quietly retired. He was uninterested in working with anyone but his longtime friend. He moved into a small apartment in Santa Monica with his wife, Ida.

As New Statesman reports, Laurel spent his final years as a lonely man who spent his time writing letters — possibly thousands of them. Laurel spent hours every day corresponding with anyone he could, faithfully answering fan letters and sending missives off to his acquaintances. Some of these letters reveal tragic facts, as when he writes that after his stroke "of course I shall never be in a condition to work any more." Some are heartbreaking in their lack of necessity. One written in 1964 reads in its entirety "Just a few more stamps — hope you're feeling well — nothing much to tell you, everything is as usual here."

Even more tragic, Stan Laurel penned something other than letters during his final years. He also wrote comedy routines designed for Laurel and Hardy — routines that would never be performed. As New Statesman notes, it was almost as if it was Laurel's way of staying in touch with Hardy.

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