Midland actors sought for new Laurel and Hardy movie to be partly filmed in Dudley
A star-studded cast has started work on a movie about legendary comedy double act Laurel and Hardy – and will soon be heading to the Black Country.
Scenes were filmed in Bristol this week ahead of it being partly shot in Dudley later this year.
The movie, which focuses on the iconic twosome's final tour, stars Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly.
Details of the filming in Dudley are being kept under wraps but it is possible the decision to come to the town could be linked to the famous Hippodrome theatre, where the duo appeared in 1947 and again in 1952 – staying across the road at the Station Hotel. Alan Partridge star Coogan will play Lancashire-born Stan Laurel and American actor Reilly, who starred in Chicago and Kong: Skull Island, will appear as Oliver Hardy in Stan and Ollie.
Producers from the BBC announced a casting call for people from the West Midlands to be extras last month.
An advert posted on www.castingcollective.co.uk said: "Men and women of all ages wanted for filming in Birmingham and Dudley for a major feature film about Laurel and Hardy set in the 1950s."
Laurel and Hardy burst onto the Hollywood scene in the 1920s, appearing in more than 100 films together. They performed as a double act for more than 30 years.
Head of BBC Films, Christine Langan, hailed Coogan and Reilly as a 'dream casting' to portray the 'genius creative marriage' of the comedy duo. Filming is also set to take place in Birmingham.
