Today's the day! Our Sons of the Desert show is at 3pm. With two shorts we've never show before, too: ROAMIN’ HOLIDAY (1937) Our Gang IN WALKED CHARLEY (1932) Charley Chase (just recently found a print of this one) checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

And here it is by the Beau Hunks, who did a heck of a lot of research to recreate every song from every Laurel & Hardy movie as accurately as possible: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHrC...

Saturday, Jul 11th, 7:30pm Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment THE MAN ON THE BOX (1925) Bob Warburton (Syd Chaplin), wealthy young bachelor, falls in love with Betty Annesly and, in order to be close to her, is hired as a gardener by her father, Colonel Annesly. checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Tonight at 7pm at our Theater: The Niles Main Street Association presents Footloose: www.niles.org/nmsa-calenda...

If you can name one song from a #LaurelAndHardy movie, it's probably "Honolulu Baby" from The Sons of the Desert. It was written by the Hal Roach Studio's in-house composer Marvin Hatley. https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Hatley We'll be showing the Sons of the Desert this Sunday at 3pm.

Saturday, July 4th, 7:30pm (Yes, we're open!) Bruce Loeb, Piano Accompaniment AMERICAN ARISTOCRACY (1916) A young man (Douglas Fairbanks) fights to overcome a piratical arms smuggler and to win the heart of a rich man's daughter.

Saturday, June 27th, 7:30pm COMEDY SHORTS NIGHT Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment A NIGHT IN THE SHOW (1915) Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance COPS (1922, 35mm) Buster Keaton MANY SCRAPPY RETURNS (1927) Charley Chase THEIR PURPLE MOMENT (1928) Laurel & Hardy checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Sat, Jun 20th, 7:30pm Bruce Loeb, Piano Accompaniment ATLANTIS (1913) After Dr. Friedrich's wife becomes mentally unstable & his research papers are rejected, he leaves the country to respite. A ship-sinking story influenced by the Titanic disaster. Tickets! checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

We've just uploaded Felix the Cat in Icy Eyes, scanned from a print in our collection--first time this film has been available online! youtu.be/IOdXPeSdGdc

June 12th, 7:30pm Friday Night Movies in Niles Odyssey Film Institute Presents: DESTINATION MOON (1950) Tickets online here: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Weds at 7:00PM (doors open at 6:00) our theater will host a showing of The Three Amigos by the Niles Main Street Association.

Sat, Jun 6th, 7:30pm - Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment STELLA DALLAS (1925) Daughter of a factory worker, Stella (Belle Bennett) marries above her station, tries to fit in, but is betrayed by her preference for beer, feathered hats, and practical jokes. Tickets! checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

We have a new video up on our YouTube channel. Film Historian Marc Wanamaker discusses the costumes of Charlie Chaplin: youtu.be/5OQO0dmYAWY

Saturday, May 30th, 7:30pm Jeff Rapsis, Piano Accompaniment GRANDMA’S BOY (1922, Hal Roach, 35MM) A meek young man (Harold Lloyd) must find the courage within when a rogue tramp menaces his home town. Preceded by shorts: FELIX REVOLTS (1923, Pat Sullivan Cartoons) GRANDDAD (1913, Mutual Film)

Thinking of tonight's showing of Dr Strangelove (7:30) has me humming Tom Lehrer's great song, Wernher von Braun: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJ9...

May 29th, 7:30pm Friday Night Movies in Niles Odyssey Film Institute Presents: DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964) Online tickets: square.link/u/Lv4J0TTi

We are sad to announce the passing of Dorothy Bradley, Museum President Emeritus on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Dorothy was born, raised and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area all her life. She graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Chemistry and worked in the field her entire career.

Last night's women of silent comedy show was great success. I'm looking forward to our talkie matinee today at 3:00. A fun thing about following movies of this era is that you get to watch the same stars master slapstick in silent films, then discover post-1929 that they can do snappy dialog too.

One of our films tonight is Dizzy Daisy, starring Louise Fazenda. The IMDb summary is "Louise gets hired as a maid for a swank society party, but the it's really a set up for a bunch of tough jewel robbers.". My kind of movie! Our ladies of silent comedy show is tonight at 7:30!

Another star of our Saturday evening (7pm) Women in Silent Comedy Show is Martha Sleeper. She has an impressive filmography. She started in movies at the age of 12 (she's in a few Our Gangs) and kept on working well into the sound era. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_... #SilentFilm #WomenInFilm

I'm reading up for our Women in Comedy weekend; I see that Anita Garvin will be up twice--first on our Saturday (7pm) silent show, in A Pair of Tights, and again in Blotto (the Sunday, 3pm, talkie show), as an intimidating Mrs Laurel. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_G... #SilentFilm #FilmHistory

Sunday, May 24th, 3:00pm WOMEN IN COMEDY TALKIE MATINEE Known as “The Lot of Fun,” the Hal Roach Studios had a large swatch of the best comic talents in Hollywood–which of course included many of the funniest women. square.link/u/JYci5A3d

Next up, it's our Women in Comedy weekend, starting Saturday 7:30 PM with our Comedy Shorts Night. With an introduction by film historian Steve Massa. checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Going to give a shoutout to our friends at the Odyssey Film Institute & the Balboa Theater, who are showing Ferris Bueller's Day Off tonight at 7:30. www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-... I'd really like to go. Probably we'll stay home because my son has homework. Which I realize is very ironic.

And today at 2:15! Our Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest!

Today 1:00pm PROGRAM: THE INFLUENCE OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN INDIA Noor Mohammed Charlie, Raj Kapoor and Dr. Ashok Aswani's Legacy Live remote from Adipur, India: Talin Navani (Charlie Circle Fan Club) will share his grandfather's impact

Our Chaplin Days festival is off to a great start. We have a full day tomorrow, and will end the evening with #CharlieChaplin's Modern Times at 7:30 nilesfilmmuseum.org#RecordPlace:...

This is sad, but if you like old theaters you'll want to look. Some of these pictures show fabulous upper reaches of grand old movie houses now hidden by much lower ceilings, something to ponder if you find yourself inside what seems to be an old theater. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Chaplin Days is Next Weekend! But while we're counting down the days til that, here's a little teaser of our *next* film festival.

I'll be there Saturday AM for the Laurel & Hardy show. Promo code NILES will get you a discount on tickets: silentfilm.org/event/laurel... #silentfilm #laurelandhardy

I was in the Castro Theater for the first time in a looong time (last time was pre-pandemic) yesterday, for the SF #SilentFilm festival's Amazing Tales from the Archives. I never knew that early Danish and German cinema produced so many action movies. Lots of chases on top of moving trains :)

I'm excited to nerd out about film restoration tomorrow: silentfilm.org/event/amazin...

Just 10 more days 'til Chaplin Days! Our Modern-Times-inspired #KineticSculpture is up and running. nilesfilmmuseum.org#RecordPlace:... #CharlieChaplin #SilentFilm

We're live! www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0i...

Less than half an hour til our livestreamed Fotoplayer concert! www. youtube.com/watch?v=wK0i32_suS8 #silentfilm #playerpiano

Today at 4 (Pacific), in our theater or online you can watch a livestreamed Fotoplayer concert by world-famous player JOE RINAUDO and (if you wanna😀), donate to help us get one. bit.ly/4tVfjLJ

Saturday May 2nd, 7:30pm Jon Mirsalis, Kurzweil Keyboard Accompaniment THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG (1927) An overprotected Austrian prince falls for a down-to-earth barmaid. Dir by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Ramon Novarro & Norma Shearer. Tickets: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

The 29th San Francisco Silent Film Festival takes place May 6-10 at the Castro Theatre! Mention you know us and you'll get $2 off tickets on the Laurel & Hardy show: DISCOUNT CODE: NILES silentfilm.org/event/laurel...

Saturday, April 25th, 7:30pm Comedy Shorts Night Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment A DAY’S PLEASURE (1919) Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance
 THE ELECTRIC HOUSE (1922) Buster Keaton FROM HAND TO MOUTH (1919) Harold Lloyd TWO TARS (1928) Laurel & Hardy Tickets: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

LIVE CONCERT ONLINE WORLDWIDE ON THE BIG SCREEN IN NILES SUNDAY, MAY 3rd 4:00 pm Pacific 7:00 pm Easter in collaboration with WORLD FAMOUS FOTOPLAYER PERFORMER JOE RINAUDO www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0i...

Giving a shoutout to the Balboa Theatre, which is celebrating it's 100th anniversary. Today at 6pm they have a free screening of Tramp, Tramp, Tramp with Harry Langdon: www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-...

Special Sunday Show, April 19th, 3:00pm ANNA CHRISTIE (1930, MGM, Digital) Gimme a whisky, ginger ale on the side, and don't be stingy, baby!" Garbo's first talkie. Tickets: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Saturday, April 18th, 7:30pm OUR ANNUAL EARTHQUAKE ANNIVERSARY SHOW! Greg Pane, Piano Accompaniment THE TONG MAN (1919, Haworth Pictures) An opium smuggler is marked for murder in this story of the Chinese Mafia. Tickets: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...

Today's Our Gang short Wild Poses features character actor Franklin Pangborn as photographer "Otto Phocus", who had a long career playing fastidious and easily flustered characters (IMDB lists 242 credits): www.imdb.com/name/nm06594... Anyway, come escape the rain at our theater. Showtime is 3pm!

The Midnight Patrol Tent of the Sons of the Desert is very excited to be showing their eponymous film at our Sunday Matinee (3pm).

Our latest restoration. And a very nutty film: youtu.be/Pvi5Qx2n_-A?...

Our latest restoration. And a very nutty film: youtu.be/Pvi5Qx2n_-A?...

When we're watching the Wild Poses at our Sunday matinee (3pm), look out for a couple of cameos. You'll briefly see L&H, but also keep an eye out for this portrait on the wall. That's Hal Roach himself, the boss, in this shot looking over the shoulder of Franklin Pangborn, playing "Otto Phocus".

Saturday, April 11th, 7:30pm Jon Mirsalis, Kurzweil Keyboard Accompaniment LAZYBONES (1925, Fox) Steve Tuttle (Buck Jones), takes on the responsibility of raising a fatherless girl, causing a scandal in his small town. Years later, returning from WWI, he discovers that he loves the grown-up girl.

April 10th, 7:30pm - Friday Night Movies in Niles Odyssey Film Institute Presents: REEFER MADNESS (1938) A trio of drug dealers lead innocent teenagers to become addicted to "reefer" cigarettes by holding wild parties with jazz music. Tickets: checkout.square.site/merchant/MLB...