Biography
Marvin Hatley (born Thomas Marvin Hatley) was an American film composer and musical director. He worked at the Hal Roach studio from 1929 until 1940, composing many cues for the Our Gang, Laurel and Hardy, and Charley Chase series. He is credited with the music for Sons of the Desert (1933).
Hatley’s best-known composition is the Laurel and Hardy theme “Dance of the Cuckoos” (also called “Ku-Ku”). He performed the player-piano music off-screen in The Music Box (1932). His scores for Way Out West (1937) and Block-Heads (1938) received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score. He also wrote songs such as “Honolulu Baby” and “We Are the Sons of the Desert” for the 1933 film.
Hatley was dismissed from the Roach studio in 1939 but returned, at Stan Laurel’s request, to score the final Laurel and Hardy feature Saps at Sea (1940). He later worked as a lounge pianist.
