It was a distinct privilege to be able to meet Lucille Hardy Price, the widow of one of my two biggest idols, Oliver Hardy. I can’t say that I really ever got the chance to know her, as she passed away in 1986 before I had thrust myself into interviewing and getting to know some of the celebrites who worked with Laurel and Hardy and in the Our Gang Comedies. But I feel as if I am very acquainted with her because of the many interviews with her that I have read and seen, as well as first-hand accounts from many of my friends who certainly did know her.
But the best I can say is that I did get a chance to meet her, twice in fact. She – along with her equally kind and charming husband Ben Price – were special guests at two of the Sons of the Desert Conventions that I attended: Hollywood ’80 and Detroit ’82. She had also been to the Chicago ’78 conveniton which was a little before my time. Both were heavily involved with Sons activities throughout the years.
Meeting Lucille on August 1, 1980
Lucille was always generous with giving interviews and information about her late husband, whom she had married on March 7, 1940 and remained with until his dying day on August 7, 1957. She had met Babe Hardy on the set of the film The Flying Deuces in 1939 where she was working as the film’s script girl (or the more politically correct title script supervisor). Although at the time she was not a fan of Laurel and Hardy, she went onto become her husband’s biggest supporter and toured with him and Stan when they performed stage productions in England in the 1940’s and 50’s.
Ben and Lucille both passed away in 1986 and are both interred alongside Oliver Hardy at Valhalla cemetery in North Hollywood. During every one of my post-1980 visit to Ollie’s grave, I always pay my respects to Ben and Lucille as well.
It was a thrill to meet both Lucille and Ben and have them sign my little blue autograph book in 1980. I never got the chance to have Lucille sign a photo for me, but many years later a signed photo of Babe and Lucille was presented to me by the Arata family at one of my A-Haunting We Will Go Tent meetings…but that is a story for another time.
The celebs of Hollywood ’80 will continue…
Ben and Lucille were really wonderful people. I had the pleasure of spending many wonderful afternoons in their apartment, interviewing Lucille (with very occasional interjections from Ben). I think I have about 30 hours or so of tape from these sessions. They were done for Jack McCabe’s “Babe” book, and I was very saddened that he used very little of this material; some day I may decide to base another book on these tapes.
Randy Skretvedt
December 9th, 2007
I remember talking to Lucille right after Ben had passed. She wanted to have him buried in the same section as Oliver, but that section had long since been filled. But somehow, that week Valhalla called her and said there was an opening. She was so thrilled that the two loves of her life were to be so close and that she could be there too. She was such a class act!
Bob
December 20th, 2007