American Toby Jug Museum 

Oliver Hardy character jug produced by Bairstow Manor Pottery of Hanley, England, circa 2010. With Stan Laurel, part of probably the most popular comedy team in motion-picture history, Oliver Norvell Hardy (1892-1957) was born in Harlem, Georgia. The thin Laurel and rotund Hardy became a team in 1927. Their typical routine involved a simple set-up, which is then complicated by their zany antics. Their films are marked by expert pantomime, well-defined character and special care taken with props. They appeared in shorts until 1935 and in features until 1951. Hardy made frequent appearances in straight roles without Laurel. Their best-known films included the Academy Award-winning "The Music Box" (1933), "Fra Diavolo" (1933), "Sons of the Desert" (1934) and "Way Our West" (1937). The Oliver Hardy character jug is a pair with the Stan Laurel character jug.