How Laurel & Hardy Made “Two Tars”

They did it again! Flicker Alley is now hosting Laurel & Hardy: Year Two, a beautifully presented 2-disc Blu-ray set of Stan and Ollie’s 1928 films, their second year (Year Two) working as a duo. These all-new restorations were assembled from archives and collectors from around the world, and once again I was honored to present a bonus video essay providing a detailed overview of the locations appearing in such films as Leave ‘Em Laughing, The Finishing Touch, You’re Darn Tootin’, Their Purple Moment, Should Married Men Go Home?, Two Tars, and We Faw Down.

Many of these 1928 locations were discovered long ago by Robert Satterfield and other devoted location fans, as documented in Pratfall, the 1985 Way Out West Tent filming location guide. That said, while researching the visual essay I came upon several new locations that do not appear to have been previously reported. To see them all check out the new Year Two locations program. This post focuses on Two Tars, famous for its slow-motion demolition derby among frustrated drivers stuck in a rural traffic jam.

Hal Roach Studio carpenter and prop man Thomas Benton Roberts (who built the many collapsing cars, see his cameo at left) reported the traffic jam was staged along Centinella Avenue, as does the 1928 Studio Date Book. Newly reported here, convincing photographic evidence seems to confirm it was staged along Centinella a block or two south of the Clover Airfield, the corner of National Blvd, and the Santa Monica Golf Course (see map above, more details to follow). While a nearby street has been proposed as the location instead, vintage aerial photos and maps show this street was not constructed until after the movie was made.

A quick example, more details below – the crest of the hill and the trees marked red and orange in the aerial view at right (looking north up Centinella) stand at the corner of National Blvd, and seem to match these trees in the film.

The film begins with Stan and Ollie, two sailors on shore leave, driving a rental car north up Main Street in (where else?) Culver City, a few blocks west from the Roach Studio.

Enjoying their automotive freedom, Stan mindlessly drives straight toward a telephone pole on the Roach Studio backlot, barely missing it.

After scolding Stan to always keep his eyes straight ahead, Ollie takes the wheel, driving past the entrance to The Pink Pup, appearing in Their Purple Moment (right), before smashing into a corner lamp post.

Click to enlarge – looking south, this aerial view of the former Roach Studio backlot, once standing at 8822 W Washington Blvd. in Culver City, highlights the corner where Ollie hits the lamp post and The Pink Pup entrance. Standing in front of the car, the corner with the telephone pole is blocked from view. Marc Wanamaker – Bison Archives.

Further scenes were filmed back on Main Street, including then and now views of the Boys stopping to flirt with Thelma Hill and Ruby Blaine. Their car faces south, with 3838-3840 Main behind them. Photo Bob Borgen.

Now looking north – notice the prominent “PLUMBING” sign painted on the wall of 3808 Main Street, then standing beside a vacant lot.

Three views looking north up Main toward the corner of Venice Blvd. with the once exposed “PLUMBING” sign highlighted. Photo Bob Borgen. The gumball scenes with the girls and Charlie Hall were filmed on the backlot. The matching details show Charlie’s store had portrayed the ABC Restaurant before in You’re Darn Tootin’. Click to enlarge – do Stan’s hands seem to be somewhat occupied?

Click to enlarge – looking east, this 1928 aerial view of Centinela, running north-south (left-right) toward the corner of National, seems to match the traffic jam road. Notice the isolated home (yellow) standing west of Centinela. FrameFinder c-300_j-286

The bluffs of Playa del Rey at back (orange) confirm the traffic jam road looks south. The traffic jam home in the movie (yellow) appears to match perfectly with the isolated home west of Centinela (inset) identified in the prior aerial photo. Both square homes have peaked pyramid roofs, small side awnings to the left, and narrow wings along the back. These matching homes, other consistent details, and the lack of other credible, alternative candidate locations, convinces me this is the correct spot.

Robert Satterfield reports in Pratfall the Centinela filming centered around what is now Rose Ave. The maps and aerials seem to confirm this is generally correct. Of course the cars stretched for blocks, and I would place the Boys a bit further north. Since Centinela is completely built over and unrecognizable, the precise spots are now lost to history. See 3245 S. Centinela on Google Maps at the end of this post. Photos Bob Borgen.

The film ends near the Santa Monica Pier, a popular amusement park now for over 100 years.

The Loof Carousel-Hippodrome, still standing (color inset), appears at right. The popular “merry-go-round” carousel played important scenes during 1973’s “Best Picture” The Sting. Notice the wooden framed tunnel and wooden stairs to the left. Huntington Digital Library.

Pursued by angry motorists, the Boys hide inside a train tunnel. Near the pier, this tunnel ran beneath Colorado Avenue and once served early trolley and rail lines running north along the coast. Huntington Digital Library.

The Boys survive the outgoing train, but if you look closely their powerless, non-motorized auto, built for them by Thomas Benton Roberts, is towed from the tunnel by wires. Huntington Digital Library.

The closing shot, ending our Two Tars tour. This once simple tunnel now leads traffic from the Santa Monica Freeway north onto the Pacific Coast Highway.

Click to enlarge – as mentioned, the Year Two bonus program highlights many other 1928 locations, such as these newly reported views from The Finishing Touch …

… and these views from Should Married Men Go Home?

Be sure to order Flicker Alley’s Laurel & Hardy: Year Two – I hope you’ll enjoy the new Year Two bonus program. I want to thank Flicker for once again inviting me to prepare a program, the Flicker editors Nate Sutton and Silas Lesnick for their hard work, and my friend Bob Borgen for taking and sharing so many color photos.

My YouTube channel hosts my latest video – the many new discoveries in how Buster Keaton filmed Go West.

Two Tars – Centinela on Google Maps.