Oliver Hardy

Born Norvell Hardy in 1892, Oliver Hardy was a titan of early cinema whose career transitioned from a prolific stint as a "heavy" in over 200 silent shorts to becoming one half of the most influential comedy duo in film history, Laurel and Hardy. Renowned for his "genteel pomposity," Hardy mastered the art of the "camera look"—a breaking of the fourth wall to solicit audience sympathy—and a refined physical vocabulary of delicate gestures that contrasted with his imposing stature. His impeccable comic timing and melodic Southern tenor allowed for a seamless transition into the sound era, culminating in the 1932 Academy Award-winning short The Music Box and a legacy that defined the "buddy comedy" archetype for the 20th century.