Laurel and Hardy the Magic When Double Birth Orders Match

Time magazine described them as “two of American’s few 

genuinely creative comedians.” They were introduced to the 

public in the mid-1920’s by producer Hal Roach. They 

started in silent film shorts, Duck Soup was first then moving 

to talkie’s in 1929. They won an Oscar in 1932 for the film  

The Music Box, here they lugged a piano up a staircase. A 

look at their birth orders will unlock the magic of their 

chemistry for these two very different appearing men.

Stan Laurel 2/0

Stan Laurel was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson in Cumbria, 

England June 16, 1890. His father managed vaudeville 

theaters, and his mother was an actress. In 1907, working 

for a theater group, Stan was the understudy for actor 

Charlie Chaplin. He was the second of five children. His 

older brother George was five years older, sister Beatrice 

was four years younger. This separation in siblings gave 

Stan a Two/Only Double birth order. The number two birth 

order does not like to be told what to do and looks to control 

their own life. When four of more years separate siblings 

you add the Only birth order, it magnifies and intensifies 

this and other second born traits. Stan did most of the 

writing and was the brain behind the gags. It was always 

self-deprecating humor not at the expense of someone else.

Oliver Hardy 6/0 = 2/0

Norvell Hardy was born in Harlem, Georgia January 18, 1892. 

His father died when he was ten months old. His mother was 

married and widowed three times and had five children and 

one step child. Norvell was the last and sixth child, He later 

adopted his late father’s name, Oliver. As a young child his 

mother encouraged his singing talent, at age eight he was 

performing in local minstrel shows. Later, he received 

professional training at the Atlantic Conservatory of Music. 

Norvell was four years younger than his older brother. This 

gave him the addition of the Only birth order along with his 

number six. The series of birth order numbers begins again 

after number four. In this second group of four the six child 

displays characteristics of the number two from the first group, 

it’s strength is a little bit diminished, similar to the difference 

between primary and secondary colors. His 6/0 birth order 

matches with Stan’s 2/0.  He began is acting career in 1915 

working for the Lubin Company in Jacksonville, Florida.

Stan and Oliver Together

Their first movie was A Lucky Dog in 1917, in 1926 they 

were paired in Forty-five Minutes from Hollywood.  This is 

when everyone noticed their chemistry. In comedy timing is 

everything and they made it look so easy. They made 

hundreds of films together becoming lifelong friends. When 

you find someone with your same birth order the friendship 

is very easy as you see the world the same way and react to 

life’s situations similarly. They both had multiple marriages 

but their friendship outlasted them all. Laurel the slim, 

sad-eyed mime, and Hardy another master mime with the 

bowler hat and withering glare. “Now that’s another nice 

mess you’ve gotten me into.” he would say, as Laurel was 

the butt of all the jokes.

The 2/0 Has Great Endurance

They rose to fame during the Great Depression.  Their health 

worsened as they got older, Hardy due to his obesity, Stan

had diabetes, prostate issues and colitis. They had the 

strength to continue to work. Their tours were quite 

physically exhausting. They couldn’t make more movies, 

instead did tours in England. They never owned their films 

and didn’t receive income from the reruns. Ollie died in 

1957 at age 65, Stan in 1965 at age 74.

Sons of the Desert 

As a tribute to their work in 1965 their fans founded,  

Sons of the Desert, an appreciation society. The membership 

included Jonathan Winters, Dick Cavett, Dick Van Dyke and 

Soupy Sales.

For more information about Double Birth orders you will find 

it in my book Life’s Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your 

Path Throughout Life by Dr. Robert V.V. Hurst. You may also 

contact my website www.mybirithorder.com to receive a 

FREE access code for an audio version of the book. 

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