Laurel and Hardy - Liberty (1929) - Filming Locations

Watch the Quick Preview Video below, and scroll down for information about the filming locations.

Featured Filming Location Photo

The Evolution Of A Filming Location
A scene from the Laurel and Hardy movie Liberty.

Culver City History: Culver Blvd & The Culver Steps Filming Locations

Here's a dramatic example of urban evolution along the south side of the 9300 block of Culver Blvd in Culver City. This legendary block has served as a prominent movie filming location since the early 1920s, appearing in classic silent comedies in addition to TV episodes, most notably the Charlie's Angels episode Angels On The Street.

In the 1990s - in the name of urban renewal - Culver City demolished this entire historic block, without any redevelopment plans. The block functioned as a parking lot for years. In 2017, construction began on the Culver Steps development, which opened two years later in 2019, transforming a historic filming location into a modern, mixed-use destination.

Historical Production & Location Reference

Film Title: Liberty (1929)
Comedy Team: Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy
Studio Origin: Hal Roach Studios (Culver City)
Featured Historical Landmarks:
  • Main Street, Culver City: Serving as the opening backdrop immediately following their prison escape, the boys try to elude a policeman next to the historic Adams Hotel on this iconic stretch of roadway.
  • 939 South Broadway Rooftop: Located in downtown Los Angeles, the rooftop of this building served as the staging ground for the phony "skyscraper under construction" set where the climax of the short film was executed.
  • 1023 South Broadway Building: Built in 1925, this nearby commercial structure is prominently visible in the background of the high-altitude girders sequence.

Architectural Note: This short provides an invaluable comparative record of early Southern California. While the high-wire skyscraper antics appear terrifyingly real, the clever utilization of a false construction set atop the existing 939 South Broadway roof perfectly blended the burgeoning Los Angeles skyline with Hal Roach's signature physical comedy layout.

The Plot

Laurel and Hardy have just escaped from prison, and find themselves on the streets of downtown Culver City, California next to the Adams Hotel (see Hunter - Scrap Metal Quick Preview Video #4 for a look at the Adams Hotel nearly 60 years later).

A cop on the beat spots Laurel and Hardy, immediately becomes suspicious and follows them down Culver City's Main Street and ultimately to a skyscraper under construction.

Downtown Los Angeles Skyline In 1929

The final scene takes place high above the streets of downtown Los Angeles and as you'll see in this Quick Preview then and now video of the filming locations, several of the buildings seen in the movie in 1929 are still here today. Where exactly did Laurel and Hardy film those skyscraper scenes in Liberty? They were filmed on the roof of 939 South Broadway on a phony "skyscraper under construction" set. The nearby building that we see in this sequence is 1023 South Broadway (built in 1925) in downtown Los Angeles.

More Laurel And Hardy Filming Locations Here!

Browse through all of the other Laurel and Hardy filming locations on the site here:

Laurel and Hardy Filming Locations Listings

Member Exclusive - Full "Then and Now" Documentary Video and Photo Gallery

If you've made a small donation to the site and are a current member, you can view the full filming locations video in the Laurel and Hardy Movie Location Documentary Videos section of the site by clicking here to Login and then clicking here:

Laurel and Hardy - Liberty - Complete Filming Locations Video


And don't miss the complete photo gallery of filming locations then and now here:

Laurel and Hardy - Liberty - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery


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