Martin Chalakoski has written a rather touching article about the depths of compassion and friendship which resided between Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The tearkerking moment comes in around the time Hardy died on 8/7/57 and Laurel decided to halt his acting career forever.
"As much as they were inseparable friends and “partners in crime” in all of their mischiefs on the big screen, they were just as close in real life. In 1957, when Oliver Hardy passed away, Laurel, devastated by his best friend’s death, never fully recovered and so, retired from acting, refusing to perform on stage or act in another film without his best pal."
"Shortly after that, both of them fell ill, and on August 7, 1957, Oliver died of a major stroke. This left Stan devastated and he was at the time too ill to attend his funeral. After the ceremony, he wrote a public letter in which he stated, “I feel lost without him after 30 odd years of close friendship & happy association.” With his partner and best friend now gone, Stan refused to perform ever again."
"What he did for the remainder of his eight years was to meet with their many fans, who were more than eager to hear some of the stories about them, and he was always glad to share them, enabling him to reminisce over his dear friend while doing so."