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Laurel and Hardy Film Preservation Fund

Perfect Day  (1929)   

One of the ironies of film preservation is that it's often the most popular titles that are most in need of restoration, and this is certainly true of the work of the beloved comic duo, Laurel and Hardy, whose films have been used, reused and overused to the point of severe attrition. The Archive kicked off a major preservation effort to restore all of its surviving negatives of Laurel and Hardy.  Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Jeff Joseph, a major lead gift has been pledged for the project.  Donate to the Laurel and Hardy Preservation Fund and know that you are contributing to the preservation of their work for generations to come.

Preservation projects

Babes in Toyland  (1934)  trailer

Funding provided by The Packard Humanities Institute.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate print.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Simon Daniel Sound.

The Battle of the Century  (1927)

Funding provided by Jeff Joseph/SabuCat and UCLA Film & Television Archive.  Preserved from one reel of 35mm nitrate print, one reel of a 35mm acetate dupe negative and a 16mm acetate print. Laboratory Services: The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, Cineaste Restoration/Thad Komorowksi, Point 360/Joe Alloy.  Special thanks to Jon Mirsalis, Paramount Pictures Archives, Richard W. Bann, Ray Faiola, David Gerstein.

Berth Marks  (1929)

Funding provided by The Packard Humanities Institute.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate dupe negative and 1929 RCA sound discs.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc., Simon Daniel Sound.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment, Michael J. Sheridan, Lou Sabini, Ralph Celentano, Les Perkins.

Brats  (1930/1935)

Funding for the original 1930 version provided by the Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund, including the support of many Sons of the Desert Tents, The Packard Humanities Institute, and Jeff Joseph/SabuCat.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate print (1935 Movietone reissue), 35mm nitrate fine grain master (1935 Movietone reissue), 35mm acetate dupe negative, and original 1930 Vitaphone discs. Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Roundabout Entertainment, Fotokem, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc.  Special thanks to Gary Lacher, Steve Slocum, Jeff Joseph/SabuCat, Sonar Entertainment.

Busy Bodies (1933)

Busy Bodies  (1933)

Funding provided by Turner Classic Movies; Jeff Joseph/SabuCat; The Packard Humanities Institute; Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund, including the support of many Sons of the Desert Tents; and in honor of National Film Preserve, Tom Luddy, Gary Meyer and Julie Huntsinger.  Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original picture and track negatives and a 35mm nitrate composite lavender print.  Laboratory services by YCM Laboratories, The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio.  Special thanks to: Richard W. Bann, Jeff Joseph, RHI Entertainment, LLC.

 

Los calaveras  [Be Big and Laughing Gravy]  (1931)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program. Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original picture and track negatives.

The Chimp  (1932)

Funding provided by The Packard Humanities Institute.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate lavender picture master and a 35mm nitrate composite fine grain master.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment, the Library of Congress.

A Chump at Oxford  (1940)  trailer

Funding provided by The Packard Humanities Institute.  Preserved from the original 35mm nitrate composite production negative.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Simon Daniel Sound.

County Hospital (1932)

County Hospital  (1932)

Funding provided by Turner Classic Movies; Jeff Joseph/SabuCat; The Packard Humanities Institute; Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund, including the support of many Sons of the Desert Tents; and in honor of National Film Preserve, Tom Luddy, Gary Meyer and Julie Huntsinger.  Preserved from an incomplete 35mm nitrate lavender print, a 35mm nitrate reissue version composite lavender print, a 35mm nitrate reissue version track negative, and a 35mm nitrate reissue version track positive.  Laboratory services by YCM Laboratories, The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio.  Special thanks to Richard W. Bann, Jeff Joseph, RHI Entertainment, LLC.

Busy Bodies (1933)

De Bote en bote  [Pardon Us]  (1931)

Funding provided by The Packard Humanities Institute.  Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original camera picture and track negatives, and a 35mm acetate fine grain master.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theater Film Lab, Pacific Title & Art Studio, The Cinemalab, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Simon Daniel Sound.  Special thanks to the Library of Congress, Sonar Entertainment.

Helpmates (1932)

Helpmates  (1932)

Funding provided by the family and friends of Ron Isroelit and The Standford Theatre Foundation.  Laboratory services by YCM Laboratories, Audio Mechanics and DJ Audio.

Hog Wild  (1930)

Funding provided by the Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund, including the support of many Sons of the Desert Tents.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate 1930 picture work print, 35mm nitrate 1930 original camera negative and 35mm nitrate dupe negative (1945 reissue).  Laboratory services by Pacific Title & Art Studio, UCLA Film & Television Archive, Fotokem, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc., Simon Daniel Sound, and Roundabout Entertainment.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment.

 

Ladrones  [Night Owls]  (1930)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program. Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original picture and track negatives.

 

La vida nocturna  [Blotto]  (1930)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate composite dupe negative, with the cooperation of Hal Roach Studios.  Special thanks to Mark Lipson.

Busy Bodies (1933)

The Midnight Patrol  (1932)

Funding provided by The Winklevoss Foundation in memory of Frank Leonard.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate picture lavender and 35mm track negatives, and a 35mm nitrate composite lavender print.  Laboratory services by The Cinemalab, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment, The British Film Institute.

Busy Bodies (1933)

The Music Box  (1932)

Funding provided by The Winklevoss Foundation in memory of Frank Leonard; Jeff Joseph/Sabucat; The Carl David Memorial Fund for Film Preservation; and the UCLA Film & Television Archive Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund, including the support of many Sons of the Desert tents.  Restored from the 35mm nitrate picture and track negatives, the 35mm nitrate work print and a 35mm nitrate work track.  Laboratory services by The Cinemalab, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Simon Daniel Sound.  Special thanks to: Sonar Entertainment; Katie Trainor—the Museum of Modern Art.

 

Noche de duendes  [Berth Marks and The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case]  (1930)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program. Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original picture and track negatives.

Perfect Day  (1929)

Funding provided through a UCLA Spark crowdfunding campaign.  Thanks to our numerous donors including members of the “Sons of the Desert” tents, M. Duane Rutledge and The Packard Humanities Institute. Preserved from a 35mm Estar fine grain master, a 35mm nitrate work print, a 35mm nitrate sound mixing unit, and synchronous sound discs.  Laboratory services by Roundabout Entertainment, Fotokem, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc, The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment, Michael J. Sheridan, Les Perkins.

 

Politiquerías  [Chickens Come Home]  (1931)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program.  Preserved from the 35mm nitrate original picture and track negatives, with the cooperation of Hal Roach Studios.  Special thanks to Mark Lipson.

The Rogue Song  (1930)  fragments and trailer

Technicolor fragments preserved from a 35mm dye-transfer 2-color Technicolor print, in cooperation with Northeast Historic Film and Warner Bros.  Funding provided by Warner Bros.  Laboratory services by Cinetech Laboratory.  Sound services by DJ Audio and Audio Mechanics.  Special thanks to Karan Sheldon.

Trailer restoration funded by The Joseph Drown Foundation.  Additional funding provided by The Ahmanson Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and The Packard Humanities Institute.

Scram!  (1932)

Funding provided by Turner Classic Movies, Jeff Joseph/SabuCat, The Packard Humanities Institute, Laurel & Hardy Preservation Fund including support of many Sons of the Desert tents, and in honor of National Film Preserve: Tom Luddy, Gary Meyer and Julie Huntsinger.

Sons of the Desert  (1933)

Funding provided by the George Lucas Family Foundation and The Film Foundation.  Preserved from the 35mm nitrate camera negative, a 35mm nitrate lavender picture master and the 35mm nitrate Canadian track negative.  Laboratory services by The Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio, Inc., Simon Daniel Sound.  Special thanks to Sonar Entertainment.

Watch a video of head of preservation Scott MacQueen inspecting a work print of Sons of the Desert (1933).

That's That  (1937)

Funding provided by Jeff Joseph/Sabucat.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate work print, picture master and a 35mm nitrate composite fine grain master.  Laboratory services by YCM Labs, Audio Mechanics, Simon Daniel Sound, DJ Audio, Inc.  Special thanks to Robert Dickson.

Tiembla y Titubea  [Below Zero]  (1930)

Funding provided by the AFI/NEA Film Preservation Grants Program. Preserved from a 35mm nitrate composite dupe negative. Laboratory services by YCM Laboratories.

Way Out West  (1937)

Funding provided by The Film Foundation.  Preserved from a 35mm nitrate positive print and a studio work print.  Laboratory services by the Stanford Theatre Film Laboratory, Audio Mechanics, DJ Audio.  Special thanks to Richard W. Bann, RHI Entertainment and LLC.