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I know very little about the "Billy West" of Langdon imitators, and there doesn't seem to be any published material beyond Richard Lewis Ward's book on the Roach studio. I'm curious about the consensus of opinion on Stone's work from anyone in this group, and also the extent to which these films survive. Anybody?

I only know of two of Stone's Roach films being extant- Sherlock Sleuth and Just a Good Guy.

The series appears to have had a troubled production history. One entry (production number E-4) was abandoned after a week of shooting. Two others (E-9 and E-11) appear to have been completed but never released. It seems the Roach staff had trouble making Stone consistently click in comedies.

Joe Moore

Joe Moore wrote

I only know of two of Stone's Roach films being extant- Sherlock Sleuth and Just a Good Guy.

The series appears to have had a troubled production history. One entry (production number E-4) was abandoned after a week of shooting. Two others (E-9 and E-11) appear to have been completed but never released. It seems the Roach staff had trouble making Stone consistently click in comedies.

Joe Moore

Thank you for responding, Joe. I've been surprised at the lack of information out there; perhaps it's with good reason. It's very telling if Roach wasn't willing to release completed films. (I'm thinking of all those "new" Snub Pollard shorts he was releasing years after Snub's departure.)

David Kalat included footage from SHERLOCK SLEUTH in his Langdon documentary, and not suprisingly, it's left me hungry for more.

I'll be on the lookout for those two titles. (Possibly one or both will eventually make it to Slapsticon, if I haven't missed them already.)

Joe Migliore wrote:Joe Moore wrote

I only know of two of Stone's Roach films being extant- Sherlock Sleuth and Just a Good Guy.

The series appears to have had a troubled production history. One entry (production number E-4) was abandoned after a week of shooting. Two others (E-9 and E-11) appear to have been completed but never released. It seems the Roach staff had trouble making Stone consistently click in comedies.

Joe Moore

Thank you for responding, Joe. I've been surprised at the lack of information out there; perhaps it's with good reason. It's very telling if Roach wasn't willing to release completed films. (I'm thinking of all those "new" Snub Pollard shorts he was releasing years after Snub's departure.)

David Kalat included footage from SHERLOCK SLEUTH in his Langdon documentary, and not suprisingly, it's left me hungry for more.

I'll be on the lookout for those two titles. (Possibly one or both will eventually make it to Slapsticon, if I haven't missed them already.)

Unfortunately, you did, we've run both of those Stone films at past Slapsticons. SHERLOCK SLEUTH appears in a decent chunk in Robert Youngsons FURTHER PERILS OF LAUREL AND HARDY.

I talk about the Stone films in the chapter on Hampton Del Ruth's short tenure as Director-General at Roach in my upcoming Roach book, which may actually make it out this fall.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

That is truly welcome news, Richard! I know I'm not the only one looking forward to that book, and if it's out by Christmas it will be the perfect gift for anyone who would have attended Slapsticon. I figured you probably would have screened the extant Stone films, but I'll see if I can't find that Youngson compilation.

Joe Migliore