Welcome to 'A Lot of Fun Writers!'

 

Hello, and welcome to A Lot of Fun Writers, a blog dedicated to researching and sharing some of the unheard stories of the many talented people who worked as gag and story writers at Hal Roach Studios.

This blog began as a little bit of ‘out-of-interest’ digging into the life of Roach gag-man, director, and performer Charles Rogers - we discovered several fascinating and unexpected things about the life and career of Rogers (and his family) that had never been discovered or discussed elsewhere. We began to do some more deep digging into the lives and careers of several other Roach writers, and started to realise they too had some pretty fascinating stories to tell. These stories were far too interesting to keep to ourselves, and so - here’s A Lot of Fun Writers!

We're planning on updating the blog on a weekly to biweekly basis (as much as we enjoy doing this, we do have a pretty hectic schedule!). If you'd like to submit a question, or if you have any suggestions or information regarding our research or blog, please feel free to email us at roachwriters@gmail.com.

About Us

Holly

Hello! I’m very passionate about comedy, and equally passionate about the people who make it. I have a BA in Comedy (yes, really!) and work as a professional theatre producer and programme coordinator, as well as writing and directing comedy plays.

My prior comedy research includes my involvement with the University of Kent’s Beyond the Binary archival research project, and my undergraduate dissertation on the influence of Laurel and Hardy's approach to slapstick throughout sitcom history. 

My love for Hal Roach studios stems from growing up watching Laurel and Hardy and Harold Lloyd films with my family. My favourite film from the studio is Babes In Toyland, and my favourite Roach writer is Charles Rogers - and it’s the subsequent digging Matthew and I did into his life and career that inspired us to start this blog in the first place!

 

 

Matty

Greetings! I’m a history buff and both a fan and researcher of classic comedy, having discovered many black-and-white classics during my teens.

My entrance into this world of cinema came through discovering the Our Gang comedies (a.k.a. The Little Rascals) at age 8, which then led to learning about such greats as Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, The Three Stooges, and even Wheeler and Woolsey.

My previous research work includes the Facebook page Little Rascals History, as well as contributing to Our Gang’s big 100th anniversary event at the Hollywood Museum.

Having heard tales about the infamously warm atmosphere of the Hal Roach lot made me want to explore more of the studio’s history. I’ve also expressed a keen interest in Roach scripts, especially when they reveal material that was never used. Those scripts act as a time machine and give us a peek into the sort of creative process the staff employed.