"What'd He Say?": A Great 3 Stooges Running Gag (video)

When somebody mumbles something hard to understand...

...Moe asks one of the other Stooges "What'd he say?"

...and the Stooge responds by imitating the mumble exactly. (ThreeStooges.net)


"Hold That Lion" (1947) Footage later reused in "Loose Loot" (1953)
"Jerks Of All Trades" (TV, 1949)
"Scrambled Brains" (1951)
"Outer Space Jitters" (1957)


I don't own or claim any rights to any of these materials--just having a little fun with them. Thanks for watching!

"What'd He Say?": A Great 3 Stooges Running Gag (video)

THE BEST OF THE THREE STOOGES -- DVD Review by Porfle

 Originally posted on 10/20/2018

 

If you're already an ardent collector of Stooge-iana, you may have most or all of this material in your collection. But for the Stooge fan who doesn't yet have it all, or for new fans just wanting to get started, Time-Life's new three volume, 13-disc DVD collection THE BEST OF THE THREE STOOGES might be a good bet for big Stooge entertainment.

The eight discs in volumes one and two are from Sony's "The Three Stooges Collection" and contain the first 87 Columbia Stooge shorts--namely, all of the Curlys save for the last ten or so--from 1934 to 1945 (ending with "Micro-Phonies.")  For those who don't own the entire Columbia short subjects output from Sony this would be a good place to start.

For those who do have all the shorts on previous discs as I do, the five discs in volume three contain the really interesting stuff.  Disc one features the Stooges made-for-TV biopic from 2000 co-starring Michael Chiklis as Curly, as well as three vintage Columbia cartoons from the 30s and 40s in which the boys pop up as guest stars.  Since I don't remember ever seeing any Columbia cartoons before, this was of special interest to me as a fan of vintage animated cartoons in general.

Volume 3 disc 2 is a gold mine of Columbia shorts including 14 solo appearances by Shemp, 10 Joe Besser shorts, and 4 Joe Derita shorts.  Shemp either stars or plays back-up to the great Andy Clyde (later to join William Boyd as Hop-a-Long Cassidy's comedy sidekick) and is in his zestful prime here, adding extra zing to even the most pedestrian scripts.

Besser, meanwhile, plays his usual prissy self in some amusing entries which share some gags and even storylines with familiar Stooges comedies.  An acquired taste, perhaps, I find Joe Besser fun and entertaining whether playing third Stooge as he would later or headlining his own shorts as he does quite well here.

After that comes something really interesting, namely seeing a young Joe Derita himself (with hair!) in his very own comedy shorts. I'd never seen him in any non-Stooge films before, so I was surprised to see this relatively bland comedian with little or no discernible comic persona starring in his own series of films.

Unlike Shemp and Besser, Derita goes about the usual Columbia-style slapstick gags and destructive physical comedy by rote, bringing little personality to his onscreen character save for a general passivity and namby-pamby attitude.  With his constantly perplexed expression, he displays little comic timing or finesse, merely playing his character well enough to get the job done.

Be that as it may, I found these shorts fascinating to watch and an indication of his later incarnation as perhaps the least-liked third Stooge.  The Bessers are equally fascinating, albeit much more entertaining.

Stooge regular Christine McIntyre is a most welcome co-star much of the time, and several other Stooges stock players show up here and there.  It's interesting to see how the Columbia shorts without the Stooges lack that extra zippy, cartoonish quality, and it quickly becomes apparent that Columbia's best short subject output was definitely the Three Stooges comedies.

The real treasure in this disc, though, is the collection of Shemp Howard shorts.  Seeing this seasoned, highly-talented, hilarious, and all-around lovable comic superstar at work on his own before being absorbed back into the Three Stooges as Curly's replacement is a real pleasure.

Volume 3 disc 3 contains three of the Stooges' feature films, HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL, THE OUTLAWS IS COMING, and ROCKIN' IN THE ROCKIES. The latter is an earlier one with Curly in which the boys appear sparsely as guest stars in a western-tinged romp.

HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL and THE OUTLAWS IS COMING were among those feature films from Columbia (with Joe Derita as third Stooge) made to cash in on the explosive success that resulted when the Stooge shorts were released to TV and became a sensation.

HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL is an endearing spoof of 50s rocket expedition thrillers ending with a 10-minute party sequence that very much resembles one of their early Columbia shorts.

The raucous THE OUTLAWS IS COMING pokes fun at westerns with co-stars Adam West and Nancy Kovack, and showcases as its trigger-happy outlaws an array of well-known TV kid show hosts known for airing the Stooge comedies to much acclaim.  The disc itself is identical to one contained in an earlier Mill Creek DVD collection.

Besides the Columbia solo shorts, my favorite part of this set is volume 3 disc 4-5's wonderful 9-part documentary series, "Hey Moe! Hey Dad!", hosted by Moe's son Paul.  This densely-packed presentation is several hours long and loaded with choice photos, film and TV clips, home movie footage, audio interview segments, and other treats.

Paul Howard's engaging narration distills the best of the Three Stooges books such as "Moe Howard and the Three Stooges" (Moe's autobiography), "Three Stooges Scrapbook", "Curly: An Illustrated Biography of the Superstooge", and others, some of which were co-written by Moe's daughter, Joan.

Appearing onscreen along with Paul and Joan are other important figures such as Don Lamond, Curly's daughter Marilyn, cartoon voice artist Billy West, and other close relatives and friends.

The documentary series starts at the very beginning with the infant Horwitz brothers, takes us through their showbiz beginnings with top banana Ted Healy, and then recounts the Stooges' rise as stars of the Columbia shorts, their fall when the short subjects department was closed, their re-emergence as global superstars with the success of their comedies on TV and subsequent Columbia feature films, and their continuing posthumous popularity.

The documentary takes its time and examines each phase of their lives in exhaustive detail, and should prove incredibly engaging to anyone who loves the Stooges.  Finally, the set contains an illustrated booklet with Stooge biographies and other info.

THE BEST OF THE THREE STOOGES lives up to its name, at least in part, since the Curly shorts included here are indeed among their best, and the 9-part documentary is surely the best of its kind. That, along with the wonderful solo shorts, cartoons, and features, make this a cornucopia that Stooge fans will want to indulge in.



AVAILABLE NOW, EXCLUSIVELY AT THREESTOOGESDVDS.COM
DVD SRP: $99.95

THE BEST OF THE THREE STOOGES -- DVD Review by Porfle

Shemp: The Living Dead Stooge (Fake Shemp) (video)

 

 

When Shemp Howard died in 1955...

...the Three Stooges still owed Columbia Studios four short films under their current contract.

So the studio cast frequent Stooge co-star Joe Palma to impersonate Shemp in those films-- along with lots of existing footage -- to create four "new" comedies which were, in fact, mostly remakes.

And thus were created some of the oddest entries in the Three Stooges' filmography. 

Video by Porfle Popnecker. I neither own nor claim any rights to this material. Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

 

Shemp: The Living Dead Stooge (Fake Shemp) (video)

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES!

 

Nothing beats watching poor Moe try to decorate the tree...the Stooge way!

His long-suffering wife (Mary Ainslee) can only observe in horror.

And when the Three Stooges celebrate the Christmas season...

...it's Season's Beatings for the three knuckleheads!


HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952)
MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949)
BLUNDER BOYS (1955)
TRIPLE CROSSED (1959)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES!

3 Stooges Mocked Hitler Before Chaplin ("You Nazty Spy!", 1940) (video)

Charlie Chaplin's famous anti-war film "The Great Dictator" was released in October 1940.

In it, he plays a ridiculous caricature of Adolf Hitler.

But in January of that same year, the Three Stooges released "You Nazty Spy!"

In it, Moe became the first screen actor to lampoon Adolf Hitler...
...almost two years before America's entry into World War II.

In 1941, the Stooges followed this up with "I'll Never Heil Again."


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

3 Stooges Mocked Hitler Before Chaplin ("You Nazty Spy!", 1940) (video)

Shemp: The Living Dead Stooge (Fake Shemp) (video)

Originally posted on 7/5/19

 

When the great Shemp Howard died in 1955...

...the Three Stooges still owed Columbia four short films under their current contract.

Along with much stock footage, the remaining four shorts were completed...

...using Stooge regular Joe Palma as a stand-in for Shemp.

Watch the Joe Palma/Fake Shemp footage here.

Rumpus in the Harem (1956)
Hot Stuff (1956)
Commotion On the Ocean (1956)
Scheming Schemers (1956)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

Shemp: The Living Dead Stooge (Fake Shemp) (video)

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES! (video)

Nothing beats watching poor Moe try to decorate the tree...the Stooge way!

His long-suffering wife (Mary Ainslee) can only observe in horror.

And when the Three Stooges celebrate the Christmas season...

...it's Season's Beatings for the three knuckleheads!


HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952)
MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949)
BLUNDER BOYS (1955)
TRIPLE CROSSED (1959)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it. Thanks for watching!

 (Originally posted on 12/12/19)

CHRISTMAS WITH THE 3 STOOGES! (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "The Tongue Wars" (video)

 

It's not safe to stick your tongue out at Moe.

In fact, it's not safe to do anything around Moe...

...even if you ARE Moe!

(threestooges.net)

THREE SAPPY PEOPLE (1939)
CASH AND CARRY (1937)
CACTUS MAKES PERFECT (1942)
BACK FROM THE FRONT (1943)
DIZZY DETECTIVES (1943)
BUSY BUDDIES (1944)
BEER BARREL POLECATS (1946)
HALF-WITS HOLIDAY (1947)
HOKUS POKUS (1949)
STONE AGE ROMEOS (1955)
SCHEMING SCHEMERS (1956)
RUSTY ROMEOS (1957)
PIES AND GUYS (1958)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "The Tongue Wars" (video)

Shemp's Stuntman Flips His Wig! (Three Stooges: "Blunder Boys", 1955) (video)

 

The Stooges are amateur detectives...

...going undercover in a health spa.

But when Shemp's exercise horse goes haywire...

...his stuntman has a very bad hair day!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Shemp's Stuntman Flips His Wig! (Three Stooges: "Blunder Boys", 1955) (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Anesthetic!" (video)

 

Who needs all those newfangled anesthetics?

Not the Three Stooges! For them, nothing puts a patient under...

...like a good old-fashioned mallet to the head!

MEN IN BLACK (1934)
DIZZY DOCTORS (1937)
CALLING ALL CURS (1939)
ALL THE WORLD'S A STOOGE (1941)
A GEM OF A JAM (1943)
HOT ICE (1955)
HAVE ROCKET -- WILL TRAVEL (1959)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Anesthetic!" (video)

Did Moe Miss His Cue? ("Three Stooges" Intro w/Joe Besser) (video)

 

When Joe Besser replaced Shemp, a new intro was filmed...

...in which the boys sing their patented "Hello, hello, hello!"

But when it fades in, we see that Moe isn't quite ready.

He's still glancing from side to side...

...and clearing his throat.

But that's why we love him.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Did Moe Miss His Cue? ("Three Stooges" Intro w/Joe Besser) (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "How To Cook Pancakes" (video)

 

Pancakes are a pretty simple thing to cook...

...until the Stooges get behind the stove.

When that happens, it's "batter up"!


MOVIE MANIACS (1936)
BUSY BUDDIES (1944)
SING A SONG OF SIX PANTS (1947)
RUSTY ROMEOS (1957)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "How To Cook Pancakes" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Curly Sings" (video)

 

Sometimes Curly sang actual songs...

...and sometimes he just musically mumbled to himself.

Here are a few examples of his Stoogey singing!

(threestooges.net)

THREE LITTLE BEERS (1935)
GOOFS AND SADDLES (1937)
VIOLENT IS THE WORD FOR CURLY (1938)
AN ACHE IN EVERY STAKE (1941)
LOCO BOY MAKES GOOD (1942)
SOCK-A-BYE BABY (1942)
I CAN HARDLY WAIT (1943)
G.I. WANNA HOME (1946)

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Curly Sings" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Here's Pepper In Your Face" (video)

 

A Stooge pours a small pile of pepper in his hand...

...then blows it in a villian's face...

...sending him into a long sneezing fit.

(threestooges.net)

DUNKED IN THE DEEP (1949)
HOT STUFF (1956)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Here's Pepper In Your Face" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Girlfriends With Rhyming Names" (video)

 

The Stooges are married or engaged to three girls with rhyming names...

...and very questionable taste in men.

Woo woo woo! 

(threestooges.net)

THE SITTER DOWNERS (1937)
IN THE SWEET PIE AND PIE (1941)
THREE SMART SAPS (1942)
BACK FROM THE FRONT (1943)
UNCIVIL WAR BIRDS (1946)
G. I. WANNA HOME(1946)
RHYTHM AND WEEP (1946)
I'M A MONKEY'S UNCLE (1948)
PARDON MY BACKFIRE (1953)
MUSTY MUSKETEERS (1954)
PALS AND GALS (1954)
SHOT IN THE FRONTIER (1954)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Girlfriends With Rhyming Names" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Syrup Or Glue On Your Hotcakes?" (video)

 

The Stooges enjoy a nice stack of hotcakes dripping with syrup.

Unless the syrup somehow gets switched for glue.

Leading to a rather sticky situation.

 

(threestooges.net)

HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND DUMB (1938)
A MISSED FORTUNE (1952)
GOLDRIGGERS OF '49 (1965)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

 

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Syrup Or Glue On Your Hotcakes?" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Halloween Costumes" (video)

 

Three men dress up as an undertaker, skeleton, and devil...

...and try to scare the Stooges out of a place...

...and we all know how easy it is to scare a Stooge out of anything!

(threestooges.net)

SPOOK LOUDER (1943)
THREE PESTS IN A MESS (1945)

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Halloween Costumes" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Heads Or Tails?" (video)

 

The Stooges all flip a coin and decide that the odd man loses.

Sometimes Moe and Larry pull a fast one on unsuspecting Curly.

Sometimes Moe hoodwinks the other two.

And sometimes a third (fourth?) party gets the business!

(threestooges.net)

SOUP TO NUTS (1930)
MEN IN BLACK (1934)
RESTLESS KNIGHTS (1935)
IDLE ROOMERS (1944)


Suggested by VideoGame Polak

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Heads Or Tails?" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Doorknob Tooth Pull" (video)

 

To help pull out the third Stooge's bad tooth...

...Moe does the old trick where you tie one end of a string to the person's tooth...

...and the other end to a doorknob, then he slam the door shut.

But instead of the tooth being pulled out, the doorknok gets pulled off instead...

...and when the third Stooge sees the doorknob, he thinks that it's his tooth pulled out.

(threestooges.net)

I CAN HARDLY WAIT (1943)  
PARDON MY CLUTCH (1948)  

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Doorknob Tooth Pull" (video)

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Iron In His Blood" (video)

 

When a supporting character or Shemp gets stabbed in the behind with a pointy instrument...

...the instrument gets bent afterwards.

Shemp looks at the now-bent pointy instrument and says...

"He/I must have iron in his/my blood!"

(threestooges.net)

LOOSE LOOT (1953)
TRICKY DICKS (1953)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!

Great 3 Stooges Running Gag: "Iron In His Blood" (video)