''Come Clean'' is a 1931 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

starring

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

, directed by

James W. Horne James Wesley Horne (December 14, 1881June 29, 1942) was an American actor, screenwriter, and film director. Silent era James Horne began his career as an actor under director Sidney Olcott at Kalem Studios in 1913 and directed his first film f ...

and produced by

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

Story

Mr. and Mrs. Hardy wish to have a quiet night in their apartment, but are interrupted when Mr. and Mrs. Laurel pay a visit. After Stan says he'd like to go for ice cream, he and Ollie go out to fetch some. On their way back home, they prevent a shrewish woman named Kate from committing suicide. Kate is ungrateful and makes threats against the boys unless they look after her. They spend a frantic evening trying to keep her out of sight from their wives. Kate is eventually hidden in the Hardys' bathroom with Stan. Kate is shortly exposed and arrested as a wanted criminal by a policeman summoned by the apartment-block doorman, and Stan is informed that he is entitled to a $1,000 reward for her capture. When Stan suggests spending the money on ice cream, Ollie washes him down the bath plughole.

Cast

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, writer, and film director who was one half of the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Ha ...

– Stan *

Oliver Hardy Oliver Norvell Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was an American comic actor and one half of Laurel and Hardy, the double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted from 1926 to 1957. He appeared with his c ...

– Ollie *

Gertrude Astor Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band. Early years Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lake ...

– Mrs. Hardy *

Linda Loredo Linda Loredo (June 20, 1907 – August 11, 1931) was an American-born actress and dancer of Mexican descent. She is most commonly associated with Spanish language versions of Laurel and Hardy short subjects. Her sister, Maria Loredo (1905–1998 ...

– Mrs. Laurel *

Mae Busch Mae Busch (born Annie May Busch; 18 June 1891 – 20 April 1946) was an Australian-born actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, freque ...

– Kate * Charlie Hall – Ice cream vendor *

Tiny Sandford Stanley J. "Tiny" Sandford (February 26, 1894October 29, 1961) was an American actor who is best remembered for his roles in Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin films. His tall, burly physique usually led him to be cast as a comic heavy, and o ...

– Doorman

Production notes

* The opening scene was a reworking from their silent film ''

Should Married Men Go Home? ''Should Married Men Go Home?'' is a silent short subject co-directed by Leo McCarey and James Parrott starring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on September 8, 1928. Plot Ollie and his wife are enjoying a ...

'' *

, who plays Mrs. Laurel, had appeared in several foreign-language versions of several previous short films. This was her only part in an English language Laurel and Hardy film. She died on August 11, 1931, a month before the film's release. * The film was later reworked into the plot of the 1942 film ''Brooklyn Orchid'' (a Hal Roach's Streamliner), starring

William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...

and

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

References

External links

* * 1931 films 1931 comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by James W. Horne Laurel and Hardy (film series) Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker American comedy short films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{short-comedy-film-stub