Name: Big Business Director: James W. Horne, Leo McCarey (supervising) Studio: Hal Roach Studios Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson Release Date: April 20, 1929 Runtime: 19 minutes Format: Black-and-White, Silent with Music and Effects Country: United States Language: Silent (English intertitles) Genres: | Comedy | Short | Slapstick | --- Summary: Laurel and Hardy play door-to-door Christmas tree salesmen who set out to make a profit in sunny California. Their attempt to sell a tree to a stubborn householder, played by James Finlayson, quickly spirals into chaos. What begins as a simple disagreement escalates into a full-scale “tit-for-tat” destruction spree, with the salesmen dismantling Finlayson’s house and Finlayson demolishing their car. The escalating mayhem builds to one of the duo’s most destructive and hilarious finales. --- Background: "Big Business" is regarded as one of Laurel and Hardy’s greatest silent shorts, perfectly showcasing their comic timing and mastery of physical comedy. Released in 1929, it came at the end of the silent era, but its intertitles, visual gags, and orchestrated soundtrack made it timeless. Hal Roach Studios was at its creative peak during this period, producing many of the team’s most beloved works. The film is preserved in the United States National Film Registry as a culturally and historically significant piece of cinema. --- Trivia: * The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1992. * "Big Business" is often cited as Laurel and Hardy’s best “destruction comedy.” * The film was shot in Cheviot Hills, a residential area of Los Angeles, with real houses used for the chaos. * James Finlayson’s exasperated reactions became a fan favorite, cementing his place as one of the team’s best comic foils. --- Hashtags: \#LaurelAndHardy #BigBusiness1929 #SilentComedy #ClassicCinema #HalRoach #Slapstick #FilmHistory #NationalFilmRegistry