Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy in a typical pose
Born	Norvell Hardy (1892-01-18)January 18, 1892 Harlem, Georgia, U.S.
Died	August 7, 1957(1957-08-07) (aged 65) North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Cerebral thrombosis
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1914–1951
Spouse(s)	Madelyn Saloshin (m.1913–1921; divorced) Myrtle Reeves (m.1921–1937; divorced) Virginia Lucille Jones (m.1940–1957; his death)
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Oliver Norvell "Babe" Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was an American comic actor famous as one-half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted 25 years, from 1927 to 1951. He appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles. He was credited with his first film, Outwitting Dad, in 1914. In some of his early works, he was billed as "Babe Hardy", using his nickname.

Oliver Hardy was born Norvell Hardy in Harlem, Georgia. His father Oliver was a Confederate veteran who had been wounded at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. After his demobilization as a recruiting officer for Company K, 16th Georgia Regiment, the elder Oliver Hardy assisted his father in running the vestiges of the family cotton plantation. He bought a share in a retail business and was elected full-time Tax Collector for Columbia County, Georgia. Norvell's mother Emily Norvell was the daughter of Thomas Benjamin Norvell and Mary Freeman, descended from Captain Hugh Norvell of Williamsburg, Virginia, who had arrived in Virginia before 1635. Hardy and Norvell had married March 12, 1890; it was the second marriage for the widow Emily, and the third for Oliver. He was of paternal English American descent and maternal Scottish American descent.

The family moved to Madison in 1891, before Norvell's birth. Emily Hardy owned a house in Harlem, which was either empty or rented out to tenant farmers. Norvell was likely born in Harlem, though some sources say that his birth occurred in Covington, his mother's hometown. His father died less than a year after his birth. Hardy was the youngest of five children. His older brother Sam Hardy died in a drowning accident in the Oconee River. Hardy pulled his brother from the river but was unable to resuscitate him.