Stan Laurel's First Appearance in the World (June 16)

Laurel and Hardy are like peanut butter and jelly. You can’t have one without the other. Stan Laurel, half of the comedy duo was born on this day in 1890.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

1890 – Stan Laurel is Born

Arthur Stanley Jefferson, aka Stan Laurel, was born on this day in 1890 in Lancashirem, now Cumbria, England. Laurel made his film debut with 1917’s Nuts in May. He was one half of the comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy, but they wouldn’t pair up until later in his career. In fact, Laurel had made over 50 movies before they appeared in a film together and even then, they weren’t even a team yet.

In 1921, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were working independently. They first appeared together in 1921’s The Lucky Dog. They didn’t become a team until six years later with 1927’s The Second Hundred Years.

With his bowler hat, comedic expressions and his good friend, Oliver Hardy, the two starred together in 107 short films. Their last film together was the French film Atoll K (known as Robinson Crusoe-land and/or Utopia in the United States) which was released in 1951.

Though the pair had planned to star in a new TV project for NBC, both were quite ill during their later years. Hardy suffered two massive strokes and would never work again. He died in 1957. Though Laurel was given numerous opportunities to act in other film projects, he refused to do any acting without Oliver.

In 2009, a bronze statue of the pair was placed in Laurel’s hometown.

1978: Grease was the Word

Olivia Newton John and John Travolta in the movie "Grease" — *(TVDB)*

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John starred in the film version of the 1971 musical Grease.

2002: ‘Ohana’ Means Family

Lilo and Stich dance the hula — *(TVDB)*

Disney’s Lilo and Stitch opened in theaters and sold 25 million tickets during its original run.

2006: Ignacio the Free Man

Jack Black played Nacho Libre, an Oaxaca monastery cook who dreams of becoming a luchador.

1990 – TV’s Most Boring Game Show

Merv Griffin struck gold when he created Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, but not so much on this day when his Monopoly-themed game show aired on ABC.

Although the giant game board looked pretty cool, the Monopoly quiz show was pretty dull. Three contestants competed traveling the board and answering a series of trivia questions.

Monopoly was hosted by Mike Reilly but went through three co-host/dice rollers during its short three-month run. Unfortunately, the TV game show was about as much fun as watching other people play a game of Monopoly.

1884 – The First Roller Coaster in the U.S.

The Switchback Railway at Coney Island. *(Wikimedia)*

America’s thrill seekers were treated to the very first roller coaster which opened on this day in 1884 at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Although, it didn’t quite resemble the thrills we are used to today.

The Switchback Railway was invented by LaMarcus Thompson. It seems likely that it was inspired by Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway in mountains of Pennsylvania. It was a coal-mining train which was now being used to carry people looking for a thrill.

The Switchback Railway traveled at a top speed of just six miles per hour. Still, it was an instant success. It is recognized as the first roller coaster designed for amusement. By the turn of the century, hundreds of other roller coasters had popped up across the country.