This entertaining and informative study of the Three Stooges focuses on the nearly 190 two-reel short comedies the boys made at Columbia Pictures during the years 1934-59. Violent slapstick? Of course, but these comic gems are also peerlessly crafted and enthusiastically played by vaudeville veterans Moe, Larry, Curly, Shemp, and Joe – arguably the most popular and long-lived screen comics ever produced by Hollywood.
Detailed production and critical coverage is provided for every short, plus information about each film's place in the Stooges' careers, in Hollywood genre filmmaking, and in the larger fabric of American culture. From Depression-era concerns to class warfare to World War II to the cold war to rock-and-roll – the Stooges reflected them all.
Seventy-five stills, posters, and other images – many never before published in book form – bring colorful screen moments to life and help illuminate the special appeal of key shorts. Exclusive sections include a Stooges biographical and career timeline; a useful, colorful history of the structure and behind-the-camera personnel of the Columbia two-reel unit; and personality sidebars about more than 30 popular players who worked frequently with the Stooges. Also included is a filmography that covers all 190 shorts, plus a bibliography, making this the ultimate guide for all Three Stooges fans!
eBook - ePub
Three Stooges FAQ
Everything Left to Know About the Eye-Poking, Face-Slapping, Head-Thumping Geniuses
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Three Stooges FAQ
Everything Left to Know About the Eye-Poking, Face-Slapping, Head-Thumping Geniuses
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: Maybe They Were Geniuses
- 1: The Three Stooges: A Biographical and Career Timeline
- 2: The Columbia Two-Reel Department: Purpose, Product, and Personnel
- 3: The Stooges and the Fairer Sex
- 4: The Stooges and the Sporting Life
- 5: The Stooges on the Job
- 6: The Stooges Out West
- 7: The Stooges Rewrite History
- 8: The Stooges Puncture High Society
- 9: The Stooges and Showbiz
- 10: The Stooges Go to War
- 11: The Stooges and the Law
- 12: The Stooges and the Youth of America
- 13: The Stooges at Home
- 14: The Stooges Abroad
- 15: The Stooges and the Fantastic
- Three Stooges Columbia Two-Reel Filmography
- Bibliography