Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were part of Hal Roach's Comedy All Stars when filmmaker Leo McCarey had an inspiration—to team them up. McCarey served as the team's supervising director in the late silent era and he and Laurel developed the classic Laurel and Hardy slow-burn style that made them stars worldwide far into the sound era. As the brilliant new film Stan & Ollie—starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly—prepares for an early 2019 release, it's time to check in with the comedy duo that inspired it.
The program includes THE FINISHING TOUCH (1928, d. Clyde Bruckman, Leo McCarey), LIBERTY (1929, d. James W. Horne, Leo McCarey), and
BIG BUSINESS (1929, d. James W. Horne, Leo McCarey). Total running time approximately 65 minutes
Live musical accompaniment by Jon Mirsalis
Prints (35mm and DCP) from the Library of Congress and Lobster Films with permission by Jeff Joseph
Copresented by Exploratorium, Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, and SF Sketchfest