AN ORIGINAL costume worn in a Laurel and Hardy feature film will make for a fine exhibit at a museum dedicated to the comedy legends. 

The Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston has taken proud possession of costume from the great double act's 1938 feature film Swiss Miss . 


The men's laderhosen outfit has been loaned the Brogden Street museum from avid film memorabilia collector and chart-topping music producer, Les Hemstock.

The former Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers producer has been a fan of Laurel and Hardy since he was a boy growing up in Yorkshire.

Mr Hemstock is now based in Los Angeles working in music production, TV and film and he has a vast movie collection with items ranging from silent movies, the talkies, through to Plant of the Apes , Gladiator , Titanic , Batman and other superhero films. 

He decided to work with the Ulverston museum after paying them a visit last year.

The museum's owner and curator, Mark Greenhow, is delighted with the costume which was worn by one of the film actors. 

In Swiss Miss  Stan and Ollie play mousetrap salesmen who travel to Switzerland to sell their products thinking that the country famous for cheese making must have lots of mice.  

Mr Greenhow said: "Les came to visit us last year and he enjoyed the museum and said that he had some original costumes.

"This is an amazing addition to the museum to have original film costumers, we are now arranging for some manikins to display them.

"This was one of Laurel Hardy's last films at Hal Roach Studios.

"It's one of the biggest budget films they did."   

Mr Hemstock has a great interest in film props and costumes from across the eras. He discovered the Swiss Miss costume in a vintage container.  

He said: "I've been a fan of Laurel and Hardy since a boy and I always loved them. 

"The costume was a nice find. I don't want to have film items at home or stored away. I wanted them on display for people to enjoy, so I thought this would be a nice thing to do. I love the museum in Ulverston."

Mr Hemstock hopes to help it with more original items in the future. 

He looks out for Laurel and Hardy merchandise and would love an original bowler hat and Son's of the Desert fez.