112 years ago today in Harlem, Georgia, a baby was born who was destined to grow up to be one of the world's greatest comic actors. Norvell Hardy got into movies when he was 21 and quickly became one of those actors who worked constantly. He was versatile (he played comic roles and villains with equal facility) and he was nice and professional. Most of all, he was naturally funny. There were comics who needed gag writers and funny props and situations to get a laugh, and then there were those who could be funny opening a door or crossing their legs. Babe Hardy could be funny standing still, which is why his career took off.
For a time, he turned a nickname into a professional name and was billed as Babe Hardy. Later, when his father Oliver passed away, Norvell/Babe adopted his name. In 1926, he teamed up with a slim British comic and soon the whole world knew the names of Stan Laurel and Oliver Norvell Hardy. Nobody better.