The Perfect Double Act

It's good to know that the fame and popularity of Laurel and Hardy endure, when most of the comic acts of their time (and, indeed, later) are now forgotten. Stan and Ollie were the perfect double act, masters of technique, but with a quite extraordinary rapport and a quality of innocent good humour that lifted them to the level of the comedy immortals. The last 'innocent' double act in the Laurel and Hardy sense - to the point of sharing a bed and no eyebrows raised - were Morecambe and Wise. Today's comedy double acts are very different beasts, with no trace of the music hall or silent film tradition behind them - and certainly no innocence (though David Mitchell of Mitchell and Webb can feign it, up to a point). The nearest thing we now have to innocent comedy that is also funny is, I suppose, Harry Hill - no double act he, but very much a one-off. And the great survivor Ken Dodd of course, who, fittingly, has written the tribute for the Laurel and Hardy unveiling.
Meanwhile, as further proof of the immortality of Laurel and Hardy, just look at the frequent use in recent newspaper headlines of the phrase 'Another fine mess'. Oh yes, some very fine messes they've got us into lately...