We have been offered the rare opportunity to screen Mort Sahl: The Loyal Opposition, by filmmaker Robert B. Weide (Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning producer/director of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth and Woody Allen: A Documentary). The only definitive documentary covering the life and career of Mort Sahl, Mort Sahl: The Loyal Opposition aired as part of PBS’ “American Masters” series in 1989 and has not been broadcast in 25 years. It is unavailable on DVD, Netflix, or any streaming platforms, and is rarely screened publicly.
Following the screening, Mort Sahl and filmmaker Robert Weide will appear in conversation discussing Mort’s career, and the making of the film.
Running length: 90 minutes Narrator: Richard Crenna
Crowned as leading the new breed of modern comedians by Time magazine in 1960, Mort Sahl was the first entertainer ever to appear on its cover. Before comedy clubs existed, Sahl began performing at the hungry i music club in San Francisco in the early 1950s. He differed from other comedians, appearing in casual clothing rather than a suit, skewering popular politicians such as Eisenhower, Joe McCarthy and JFK. Sahl’s approach is energetic, tangential, and deep and wide in both social and political scopes, inspiring Woody Allen, George Carlin and countless other comedians.
A 1955 performance with Dave Brubeck was recorded and released (without Sahl’s permission), selling as Mort Sahl At Sunset, and recently recognized by the Library of Congress as the first stand-up comedy record album.
When Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Sahl regularly targeted the government’s official Warren Commission Report during his routines, resulting in the loss of much of Hollywood’s support, while maintaining audience popularity with college tours and a best-selling book, Heartland.
Sahl is the longest active performing American social satirist, spanning sixty years and eleven presidents.
ROBERT WEIDE began his career as a documentary filmmaker, chronicling iconic American comedians in films that include, The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell, the Emmy- winning W.C. Fields Straight Up, Mort Sahl: The Loyal Opposition, and Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth (another Emmy winner and Oscar nominee for Best Feature Documentary).
In 1996, Weide wrote and produced the feature film Mother Night, based on the Kurt Vonnegut novel, and starring Nick Nolte, Alan Arkin and John Goodman. In 1999, he produced and directed the HBO comedy special, Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm, which served as the springboard for the Golden Globe- winning series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, for which Weide served as principal director and Executive Producer for the first five seasons. He was Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Directing for four years running, winning the directing award during the third season. He returned to the series during Season 8 to direct the much talked-about episode, Palestinian Chicken, which earned him the prestigious DGA Award for comedy direction, as well as another Emmy nomination.
2008 saw the release of Weide’s feature directorial debut, How To Lose Friends & Alienate People, a British production starring Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, and Megan Fox. It opened as the #1 film in the UK in October, 2008.
In 2011, Weide returned to his documentary roots with his acclaimed film, Woody Allen: A Documentary. Made with the full cooperation of the iconic and elusive filmmaker, the film met with glowing reviews and was an official selection at the Cannes
Film Festival, Classics Division in 2012. It earned Weide two more Emmy nominations.
In 2014, Weide created, wrote, and directed the beloved British television comedy series, Mr. Sloane, starring Nick Frost and Olivia Colman. 2014 also saw the release of the feature film The Giver, co-written by Weide, and adapted from the Newbery Award- winning novel by Lois Lowry. The film starred Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep.
Weide is currently back in production on his long-awaited film, Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time, an authorized documentary on Vonnegut, which Weide commenced filming in 1988.
