STANLEY LAUREL - HAL ROACH STUDIOS PARTICIPATION

Date: 1/26/23
Document: Letter/Agreement - original &/signed copy
Parties: Hal E. Roach Studios & Stan Laurel
Covers: 12 weeks employment beginning 1/29/23
Options: 1 yr. further @ $400 per week/1 yr. additional @ $500 per week

NO PARTICIPATION

This letter agreement is presumably superseded by Agreement of 3/2/23 outlined below.

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Date: 3/2/23
Document: Agreement - original & signed copy.
Parties: Hal E. Roach Studios & Stan Laurel.
Covers: Employment:- 2 yrs. 3/5/23 - 3/5/25.
1st yr. @ $400 per wk.
2nd yr. @ $500 per wk.
Options: 1 additional year @ $600 per wk. 1 additional year @ $700 per wk. 1 additional year @ $800 per wk.
Salary subject to adjustment at time of renewals - per letter of 3/2/23.

PARTICIPATION:
12-1/2# of total net profit of release of films under contract. Payments subject to subsequent correction or adjustment when success or failure of pictures as a WHOLE can be ascertained.

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Date: 12/12/23
Document: Agreement - original & unsigned copy.
Parties: Hal E Roach Studios & Stanley Laurel.
Covers: Supplements Agreement of 3/2/23.
1. Report by Acceptable CPA shall determine net profits.
2. Allowance to be made for losses,which may be sustained on any of the pix under contract, in arriving at net profit figure. (List of pix clipped to agreement.)

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Date: 2/8/24
Document: Agreement - original
Parties: Hal E. Roach Studios & Stan Laurel.
CANCELS & TERMINATES CONTRACT OP 3/2/23 EXCEPT
Participation clause.

CONCLUSION
Under 3/2/23 contract, "12-1/2% of total net profit derived from release of films" is payable to Laurel.

No time limit is set in the contract as to when Laurel shall cease participating.
It is possible that Laurel may participate indefinitely in all net profits resulting from any type of release of the films.

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Date: 11/29/26
Document: Agreement - original & unsigned copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios &Stan Laurel
Covers: Employment of Laurel as actor & writer of stories & scenarios.
5 years - 4/4/27 to 4/3/32.
Salary only.

NO PARTICIPATION

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Date: 10/11/27
Document: Letter - 2 copies , 1 signed.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel.
Covers: Salary as star under 11/28/26 agreement, signed copy.

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Date: 9/16/29
Document: Letter - signed copy
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Metro Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Covers: Services of Laurel & Hardy for Metro in THE ROGUE'S SONG.

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Date: 11/20/29
Document: Letter - original
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Covers: Suspension of of contract during personal appearance tour - 11/21/29 to 11/28/29.

This agreement is presumably superseded by agreement dated 1/7/30, although we do not find any modification or termination agreements.

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Date: 1/7/30
Document: Agreement - original & signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios Inc & Stan Laurel.
Covers: Employment of Laurel as actor, director & writer.
5 years - 12/23/29 - 12/22/34.
Salary only.

NO PARTICIPATION.

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Date: 1/5/32
Document: Agreement - signed copy.
Parties: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer distributing Corporation and Hal Roach Studios, Inc.
Covers: Distribution of Laurel & Hardy feature to be delivered to Metro by 6/15/32. (See Metro contract/ file for detailed abstract. This document has to do only with Roach & Metro.)

Contract to be filed with other Metro distribution/ agreements

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Date: 6/29/32 (Pencil Note)
Document: Letter - Original & unsigned copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel.
Covers: Suspension of 1/7/30 contract for 60 days.

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Date: 12/12/32
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel.
Provides contract of 1/7/30 will not extend for additional 2 months beyond 12/22/34 as result off 6/29/32 suspension.

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Date: 12/12/32
Document: Modification Agreement - 2 signed copies.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios & Stan Laurel.
Modified contract of 1/7/30 as to minimum working period, salary & cancellation clauses, for year 12/23/32 to 12/22/33.

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Date: 3/16/33
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies.
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Modification of 1/7/30 contract re salary for period 3/6/33 thru 3/27/33.

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Date: 4/17/33
Document: Letter - original & signed copy.
Parties: Laurel & Hardy to Hal Roach Studios
Covers: Laurel & Hardy's share of receipts on commercial tie-ups from 4/17/33 to 12/23/35.

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Date: 7/22/33
Document: Agreement - signed copy & conformed copy.
Parties: Lois N. Laurel, Stan Laurel, California Trust & Hal Roach Studios
Covers: Payment of Laurel's compensation under contract of 11/7/29 to Calif. Trust.

REFERS TO CONTRACT dated 11/7/29 and modification agreement of 6/24/32 - NEITHER AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FOUND.

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Date: 9/21/33 & 9/22/33
Document: Letters - signed copy & original
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Metro Goldwyn-Mayer Studios

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Date: 1/4/34
Document: Letter - original
Parties: Stan Laurel & Hal Roach Studios
Requests termination of 1/7/30 contract.

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Date: 1/24/34
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel.
Permits suspension of contract account ill health of Laurel. Performance of contract to be resumed upon Laurel's recovery.

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Date: 3/8/34
Letter - Original and signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios & S. L.
Permits Laurel to complete work on Metro picture.

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Date: 5/7/34
Document: Agreement - signed copy.
Parties: Stan & Lois Laurel, Hal Roach Studios Inc & California Trust.
Cancels trust agreement of 7/22/33 and authorizes payment of Laurel's compensation under contract of 1/7/30 direct to S. & L. Laurel 50-50.

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Date: 6/13/34
Document: Letter - Original
Parties: Stan Laurel & Hal Roach Studios.
Resumption of performance of contract dated 1/7/30.

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Date: 3/14/35
Document: Letter - signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel
TERMINATION of 1/7/30 contract.

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Date: 3/28/35
Document: Letter - original.
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
States contract does not expire until 5/7/35 & he is willing to perform services required until that date.

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Date: 4/10/35
Document: Letter - two signed copies.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel

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Date: 4/18/35 Document: Letter - Original
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Letters stipulate 1/7/30 contract expires as of 4/13/35 as to payments to Lois Laurel.

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Date: 4/4/35(?)
Document: Letter - original
Parties: Laurel's Manager to Hal Roach Studios.
Stipulations re services of Laurel for Roach or others. In connection with contract of 4/8/35. (Letter evidently should have been dated 14th or 24th.)

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Date: 4/8/35
Document: Agreement - original
Parties: Hal Roach Studios, Inc & Stan Laurel

Conditions re 1/7/30 contract:
1. Contract of 1/7/30 is fully performed as of 4/7/35.
2. 1 Feature & 1 two reel short to be made under terms of 1/7/30 contract, although expired; salary to be $3500 per week.
(Pictures completed 7/22/35 - see signed copy of notice to Laurel from Hal Roach Studios dated 7/25/35.)

Term: 1 year from date of completion of pix in #2 above.

No. of Pix: 6 four reelers or equivalent.

Salary: $30,000 each for 4 reelers
$70,000 for 1st feature
$65,000 for each subsequent feature.

NO PARTICIPATION

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Date: 5/27/36
Document: Letter - original
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel.
States work on story in progress for last picture to be made under contract of 4/8/35, and that picture will be completed after 7/22/36.

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Date: 10/10/36
Document: Letter - original & signed copy.
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Receipt for $32,500 advance salary for picture in progress.

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Re: PICK A STAR
Date: 1/6/37.
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies. 1 conformed copy.
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Laurel agrees to appear in Pick A Star for total salary of $10,000.00

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Date: 10/8/37
Document: Original & signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios & Stan Laurel Productions, Inc.

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Date: 10/8/37
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies.
Parties: Stan Laurel to Hal Roach Studios.
Term: Employment for 2 years from 10/8/37.
No. of Pix: 4 features
Salary: $2500 per week during working time & $25,000 per picture - to be paid to S.L. Productions, Inc.
$5000 completion bonus to be paid Laurel on each pic.

NO PARTICIPATION

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Date: 8/12/38
Contract TERMINATED. (See copy of answer/by Hal Roach Studios, Inc., defendant to Stan Laurel & Stan Laurel Productions, Inc. plaintiffs). No copy of notice of termination on file.

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Date: 4/8/39
Document: Release Agreement - signed copy.
Parties: Stan Laurel, Stan Laurel Productions & Hal Roach Studio
1. Contract of 10/8/37 cancelled.
2. Laurel suit dismissed
3. Settlement: - $5000 paid to Laurel & note for $35,000 given him.

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Date: 4/8/39
Document: Agreement - signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios, Inc & Stan Laurel.
Employment: 1 yr. 4/15/39 - 4/15/40.
No. of Pix: Not to EXCEED 4 four reelers.
Salary: $2500 per week for minimum of 40 weeks.

PARTICIPATION:
1. Amount: 10% of net profits: i.e. - distribution returns LESS distribution costs & direct studio cost of production (not including overhead charges) PLUS 1/3 of direct production cost.
2. Term: 7 years from date of release
(N.B. - Pictures released under U.A. contract of 5/16/38)
3. Reports: Monthly for 5 years.
Semi-annually thereafter.

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Date: 7/14/39
Document: Letter - signed copy.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel
Covers handling of costs of making foreign releases - particularly as to CHUMP AT OXFORD.

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Date: 9/6/39
Document: Letter - 2 signed copies.
Parties: Hal Roach Studios to Stan Laurel
Covers handling of costs of making foreign releases - particularly as to CHUMP AT OXFORD.

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Date: 5/24/40.*
Document: Modification Letter: - unsigned copy.
Parties: Hugh Huber to B. W. Shipman (Roach employee & Laurel lawyer)

PARTICIPATION:
Confirms understanding that Laurel participation is as follows
15% of Net profits on CHUMP AT OXFORD (Released 2/16/40)
20% of Net profits on SAPS AT SEA (Released 5/3/40)

As of 6/5/50, the books show that a total of $3749.70 is due Laurel. This covers earnings from November 23, 1946 thru 5/3/47 as adjusted 8/31/47. Evidently, statements have not been rendered Laurel since November, 1946.

On May 6, 1946, Roach made a distribution contract with Favorite Films covering Chump and Saps, among other pictures. Without a detailed audit of the statements it cannot be definitely established whether Laurel was credited with any of the Favorite earnings. Mrs. Moore is of the opinion that Laurel received credit for United Artists earnings only.

STAN LAUREL LETTERHEAD - HANDWRITTEN

Am glad the President wants to meet me before the Ppicture is made. Otherwise he would probably have us deported!

Stan Laurel

                Paris, France
                9-6-50.
My Dear Booth [Colman]-
                Thanks for yours of May 29th.
Always nice to hear from you. Sorry to note you haven't landed anything good as yet. Sincerely hope something will crop up for you real soon now. I know how you feel waiting around for things to happen - it drives me nuts - "Twas Ever Thus" in "Show Business." Then suddenly a good job turns up & you forget all about it & continue on your merry way like nothing had ever happened.
    Got a note from your friend Otto but haven’t seen him yet - My Sister is over here for a visit & leaves again for England tomorrow, so haven't had much chance to meet him yet - however will contact him in a few days now. Have to attend a big gala affair tomorrow (10th) & on the (16th) I am requested by the President of France to meet him & he wants to take me to his house & introduce me to his children. Isn't that wonderful! I'll come back home with a Goatee & a Red Ribbon across my chest! Hardy is due to arrive same date - He is also invited if he gets here on time - am glad the President wants to meet me before the Picture is made! Otherwise he would probably have us deported - or send us to Stalin for a Xmas present!
    Sorry to hear re Johnny Savo show - Poor guy he's a very capable comic but that handicap hinders him terribly. He is such a sweet fellow I sincerely feel sorry, but I give him a lot of credit - He still fights on - despite his drawback which is really admirable.
    You should call Bobby Clarke - "THE 1ST GRAVE DIGGER" & on his stationery he should have a skull for a crest.
    Will close now Booth. Thinks I hope look brighter by now for you.
    Eda joins in love & fond thoughts-
                As ever-