Hal Roach
A director and film producer who was at the forefront of early Hollywood, Hal Roach became one of the most powerful filmmakers of the silent era before making the successful transition to sound features and later television. He was also responsible for launching several prominent careers, most notably Harold Lloyd and the comic duo Laurel and Hardy, while also introducing the world to "Our Gang," later known as "The Little Rascals." Under the auspices of his Hal Roach Studios, Roach competed with fellow producer Mack Sennett with comedy shorts that focused on narrative and characterization as opposed to Sennett's reliance on stereotypes and crude slapstick. With the success of Lloyd's "Lonesome Luke" series, Roach made the successful transition to features with some of the comic's most acclaimed films, including "A Sailor-Made Man" (1921), "Grandma's Boy" (1922) and "Safety Last" (1923). Meanwhile, Roach paired comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy together, creating one of the most famous comedy duos in Hollywood history and churning out some 100 films with the pair like "Sons of the Desert" (1933), "Babes in Toyland" (1934) and "Way Out West" (1937). In the late 1930s, Roach made the surprising turn from comedy to drama, most notably releasing "Of Mice and Men" (1939), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Following service in World War II, he again adapted to the times and entered the nascent television business, only to hand the reigns of his studio to son Hal Roach, Jr. Nonetheless, Roach remained one of the most influential producers who played a significant part in shaping modern Hollywood.
Photos
Hal Roach
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Little Rascals |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1955 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival | Executive Producer | - | 1947 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Yanks Ahoy | Producer | - | 1943 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Two Mugs From Brooklyn | Producer | - | 1942 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Flying With Music | Producer | - | 1942 |
No Score Yet |
|
All-American Co-ed | Producer | - | 1941 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Miss Polly | Producer | - | 1941 |
No Score Yet |
|
Road Show |
Director, Producer |
- | 1941 |
80% |
|
One Million B.C. |
Director, Producer |
- | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Chump at Oxford | Producer | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
Saps at Sea | Producer | - | 1940 |
20% |
|
Turnabout | Director | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Housekeeper's Daughter | Director | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Captain Fury | Director | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
Zenobia | Producer | - | 1939 |
60% |
|
Swiss Miss | Producer | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet |
|
Merrily We Live | Producer | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Came the Brawn | Producer | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hide and Shriek | Producer | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Feed 'em and Weep | Producer | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Rascals: Our Gang and Pete the Pooch | Producer | - | 1938 |
100% |
|
Way Out West | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nobody's Baby | Producer | - | 1937 |
89% |
|
Topper | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet |
|
Movie Struck | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Our Gang Follies | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Night 'n' Gales | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hearts Are Thumps | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mail and Female | Producer | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet |
|
General Spanky | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mister Cinderella | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Bohemian Girl | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Divot Diggers | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Count Takes the Count | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Lucky Corner | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bored of Education | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Spooky Hooky |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pay as You Exit | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hill-Tillies | Producer | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet |
|
Tit For Tat | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Tin Man | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Top Flat | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Papa | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sing, Sister, Sing | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Public Ghost 1 | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hot Money | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Fixer Uppers | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet |
|
Thicker Than Water | Producer | - | 1935 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sprucin' Up | Producer | - | 1935 |
100% |
|
March of the Wooden Soldiers |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Four Parts | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet |
|
Going Bye-Bye! | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | One Horse Farmers | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hi'-Neighbor! | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Another Wild Idea | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Opened by Mistake | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mike Fright |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Babes in the Goods | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ballad of Paducah Jail |
Director, Producer |
- | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Soup and Fish | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Apples to You! | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Washee Ironee | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Oliver the Eighth | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fate's Fathead | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mixed Nuts | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet |
|
Them Thar Hills | Producer | - | 1934 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The First Round-Up | Producer | - | 1934 |
100% |
|
Sons of the Desert | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Devil's Brother |
Director, Producer |
- | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Maids a la Mode | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bargain of the Century | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mush and Milk | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fallen Arches | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dirty Work | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Asleep in the Feet | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beauty and the Bus | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sherman Said It | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
|
Busy Bodies | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bedtime Worries | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Midnight Patrol | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet |
|
Me and My Pal | Producer | - | 1933 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Show Business | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Any Old Port! | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Towed In A Hole | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Birthday Blues | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Pack Up Your Troubles | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Choo-Choo! |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Too Many Women | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | First in War | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What Price Taxi | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Readin' and Writin' | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
County Hospital | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Scram! | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Their First Mistake | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | You're Telling Me | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Music Box | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Tabasco Kid | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Chimp | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Helpmates | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Young Ironsides | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Red Noses | Producer | - | 1932 |
No Score Yet |
|
Pardon Us | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Catch as Catch Can | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet |
|
One Good Turn | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Let's Do Things | Director | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Daddy | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet |
|
Be Big! | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | High Gear | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love Business | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet |
|
Chickens Come Home | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet |
|
Our Wife | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Air-Tight | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dogs Is Dogs | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Pip From Pittsburg | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Call a Cop! | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Helping Grandma | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bargain Day | Producer | - | 1931 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Girl Shock | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet |
|
Hog Wild | Director | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet |
|
Below Zero | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fast Work | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | All Teed Up | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet |
|
Laughing Gravy | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | When the Wind Blows | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Real McCoy | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Men of the North | Director | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | High C's | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Whispering Whoopee | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dollar Dizzy | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pups Is Pups | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The King | Producer | - | 1930 |
No Score Yet |
|
Big Business | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
Double Whoopee | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
Perfect Day | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
Liberty | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Finishing Touch | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bouncing Babies | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Boxing Gloves |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
That's My Wife | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
Unaccustomed as We Are | Director | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
They Go Boom! | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cat, Dog & Co. | Producer | - | 1929 |
No Score Yet |
|
Should Married Men Go Home? | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
Flying Elephants |
Director, Writer, Producer |
- | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
Leave 'Em Laughing |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
You're Darn Tootin' | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
Their Purple Moment | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Pass the Gravy | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barnum & Ringling, Inc. | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Spook Spoofing | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
Two Tars | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
We Faw Down | Producer | - | 1928 |
No Score Yet |
|
Do Detectives Think? |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Forgotten Sweeties | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
Why Girls Love Sailors |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
Love 'Em and Weep |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Olympic Games |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sailors Beware |
Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Battle of the Century | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
Putting Pants on Philip | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
Sugar Daddies | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fluttering Hearts | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Should Men Walk Home? | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jewish Prudence | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Call of the Cuckoo | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet |
|
Duck Soup | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Anything Once! | Producer | - | 1927 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 45 Minutes from Hollywood |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bromo and Juliet | Producer | - | 1926 |
100% | No Score Yet | The Devil Horse |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Thundering Fleas |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What's the World Coming To? | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Buried Treasure |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | There Ain't No Santa Claus | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Long Fliv the King | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shivering Spooks |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Good Cheer | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Be Your Age | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dog Shy | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Crazy Like a Fox | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Charley My Boy | Producer | - | 1926 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Chasing the Chaser | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hello Baby! | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In the Grease | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Big Town | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Innocent Husbands | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Big Red Riding Hood |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mary, Queen of Tots |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fighting Fluid | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Looking for Sally |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | No Father to Guide Him | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | His Wooden Wedding | Producer | - | 1925 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Smithy |
Director, Producer |
- | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The King of the Wild Horses | Writer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Mysterious Mystery | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zeb vs. Paprika | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Cowboy Sheik |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Buccaneers |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | High Society |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | One of the Family | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Every Man For Himself | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Young Oldfield | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | It's a Bear |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Big Business | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Powder and Smoke | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | At First Sight | Producer | - | 1924 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Great Outdoors | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | White Wings | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Frozen Hearts | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Man About Town | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Noon Whistle | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Soilers | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet |
|
Why Worry? | Producer | - | 1923 |
97% |
|
Safety Last |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Big Show |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Derby Day | Writer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | No Noise |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Collars and Cuffs | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Courtship of Miles Sandwich | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | July Days |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | It's a Gift | Producer | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Cobbler |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1923 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Little Rascals: The Best of Pete the Pooch | Screenwriter | - | 1923 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dr. Jack |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1922 |
83% |
|
Grandma's Boy |
Writer, Producer |
- | 1922 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Saturday Morning |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1922 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Young Sherlocks |
Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1922 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fire Fighters | Screenwriter | - | 1922 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Our Gang | Screenwriter | - | 1922 |
No Score Yet |
|
I Do! |
Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1921 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Sailor-Made Man | Producer | - | 1921 |
No Score Yet |
|
An Eastern Westerner |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
High and Dizzy |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
His Royal Slyness |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
Number, Please? |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
Nomads of the North | Producer | - | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
Haunted Spooks |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet |
|
Get Out and Get Under |
Director, Producer |
- | 1920 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fresh Paint | Producer | - | 1920 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Captain Kidd's Kids |
Director, Producer |
- | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Do You Love Your Wife? | Director | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet |
|
Just Neighbors | Producer | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Spring Fever | Director | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Sammy in Siberia | Director | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Chop Suey & Co. |
Director, Producer |
- | 1919 |
No Score Yet |
|
Billy Blazes, Esq. |
Director, Screenwriter, Producer |
- | 1919 |
No Score Yet |
|
From Hand to Mouth |
Director, Producer |
- | 1919 |
No Score Yet |
|
Ask Father | Director | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Don't Shove | Producer | - | 1919 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Non-Stop Kid | Producer | - | 1918 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Two-Gun Gussie | Producer | - | 1918 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Are Crooks Dishonest? | Producer | - | 1918 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Look Pleasant, Please | Producer | - | 1918 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | That's Him | Producer | - | 1918 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lonesome Luke, Messenger | Director | - | 1917 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | All Aboard | Producer | - | 1917 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Over the Fence | Producer | - | 1917 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Luke's Movie Muddle |
Director, Producer |
- | 1916 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Luke's Shattered Sleep | Director | - | 1916 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Patchwork Girl of Oz |
The Cowardly Lion/ |
- | 1914 |