NYC-native Mabel Normand was the screen’s first star comedienne. After acting in films for Biograph, she became part of the core group of comics for Mack Sennett’s Keystone Studios, and starred in dozens of short comedies from 1912-1917. She directed many of these, and was also teamed with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle in a popular series of films for Keystone. She then signed with Goldwyn Pictures and from 1918-1920 turned out 16 feature-length films. Sadly, most of these features are lost.

A few years ago a beautiful tinted 35mm nitrate print of Head Over Heels (made in 1920, but released in 1922) turned up in a Massachusetts basement. This print has recently been preserved by the AFI and will be having its New York re-premiere at this showing.

Rounding out the program are comedy shorts spanning Normand’s career arc: Mabel’s Dramatic Career (1913), which co-stars Sennett and is presented in a new preservation by the AFI from a 35mm nitrate release print, Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life (1915), and the Hal Roach 2-reeler Should Men Walk Home (1928).

The program will be introduced by film historian Steve Massa. The films will be accompanied by Ben Model, who will be performing his original scores on the mighty Miditzer™ virtual theatre organ.