Films

VINTAGE COMEDY TWO-REELERS

Presented by the Secret Cinema

Funny Mondays

(NR) 2 hrs  

From the ‘20s to the ‘50s, moviegoers would often be treated to one or two-reel comedies before the feature film, until the arrival of the television sitcom supplanted the form. Archivist/curator Jay Schwartz takes audiences on a tour of this corner of film history with a selection of rarely-seen shorts from both well-known icons (The Three Stooges, Our Gang, George Burns and Gracie Allen) and less remembered stars (Leon Errol, Pete Smith, Andy Clyde), all presented on 16mm film.

Programs to be featured include:

“No More West” (1934) – Bert Lahr (later famous as The Wizard of Oz’s Cowardly Lion) ends up as sheriff of a frontier town in this wild burlesque of Westerns.

“Boobs in the Woods” (1940) – Crotchety Andy Clyde finds his hopes for a relaxing camping trip foiled by the presence of his troublemaking brother-in-law, played by Third Stooge Shemp Howard.

“Movie Pests” (1944) – In this Academy Award-nominated short, smart alec Pete Smith catalogs a litany of annoyances one is liable to encounter on a visit to the neighborhood movie theater.

“Mama’s Little Pirate” (1934) – In this classic Our Gang short, the Little Rascals venture into a dark cave in search of pirate treasure.

Plus more!