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Babe Hardy was the screen name used by Oliver Hardy in silent films before he teamed up with Hal Roach. Hardy began his acting career in 1913, appearing in several short films for various studios. In 1917, he joined the Vitagraph Studios, where he adopted the stage name "Babe Hardy". He used this name until 1921, when he signed with Hal Roach and became known as "Oliver Hardy".