Stan Laurel was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on June 16, 1890 in Ulverston,at his grandparents' house. His parents, Arthur and Madge (Margaret) Jefferson, were both active in the theatre and Stan's home life in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham was a happy one. In his early years, he spent much time living with his grandmother Sarah Metcalfe. He attended school at the King James I Grammar School, Bishop Auckland[1] and The King's School, Tynemouth. His father managed a number of different theatres - one of which being the long demolished Eden Theatre in Bishop Auckland. Stan had a natural affinity for the theatre, with his first professional performance on stage being at the Britannia Panopticon in Glasgow, Scotland, at the age of 16. In 1910, he joined Fred Karno's troupe of actors, which also included a young Charlie Chaplin. For some time, Stan acted as Chaplin's understudy. The Karno troupe toured America, and brought both Chaplin and Laurel to the United States for the first time in the USA he met Oliver Hardy and formed the duo Laurel and Hardy the rest the say is history. their is a small museum in Ulverston celebrated Stan's life Stan died in 1965