The New 3 Stooges

Someone recently mailed me a few of those 'Dollar Store' DVD's, two of which contain Three Stooges cartoons.

They can actually be quite entertaining when enjoying a 'night-cap' after the bar closes, right before bed.

It helps to remember that this was a CHILDREN'S show, hence the Stooges assault was toned-down and simplified for that audience.

These poor guys were so past their prime when these were made, but with just short filmed segments and the rest being cartoon voices, they were probably talked into 'easy money.' But yea, viewed in the right context and keeping in mind that this was never, ever meant to compete or add to the classic Stooges legacy, you might find yourself smiling or even chuckling at this charmingly bad show. ;)

I'm very pleased these episodes can now be found on DVD. These have been continually appearing in 99 cent stores all over town. So far I've collected about 33 episodes on 3 different DVDs some of which (about 18 episodes) are without the live action skits.

I'm a fan of the classic stooges shorts but when I first discovered the cartoons years ago they also became a favorite of mine. I'm always on the look out for more cartoon stooges DVDs. Although it has been said that some of those episodes are lost, I'm going to try to find as many episodes as I can.

It's hard to believe that they were still doing comedy in 1965. Larry and Moe have been through so many third stooge partners its amazing they lasted so long.

I'm an unabashed admirer of "The New Three Stooges" animated kids show even though I'll be the first to admit that not only does it not make a whole lot of sense, but it's profoundly disturbing on a subconscious level that's very hard to describe. The show format is somewhat inspired, with the boys hosting live action "wraparound" segments where they engage in their usual antics albeit slowed somewhat by advancing age ... and perhaps the knowledge that the routine was growing a bit tired.

Still it's miraculous television, the animation bizarre and with an twinge of middle 60s pre-psychedelia influenced pop art. Which isn't to suggest that the Stooges themselves were perhaps sharing hookahs between takes so much as the younger artists and animators working on the show probably were. The production also has a kind of post-Freudian neurosis to it that one might actually refer to as polymorphously perverse. Where the classic era Stooges represented a kind of anarchic form of surrealism (think Curly furiously building the framework of plumbing pipes around himself only to find that he's trapped when it's finished), the animated shorts have a more minimalist approach where the surreal juxtapositionings are suggested rather than spelled out by squeezing someone's head in a tailor's press.

The cartoons also don't tell "stories" so much as they explore archetypal settings: A western town, a trip to the dentist, babysitting duty or a camping expedition. The animators show only as much as might be needed to suggest such a setting and then allow all hell to break loose with a sort of free-form visual exploration where beginning & end meet, or effect proceeds cause. First we see the eggs oozing down Moe's cartoon face, then we realize that Curly Joe was trying to make pancake batter.

Back to the disturbing nature though ... there is something "wrong" about the mixture of the live action segments with these (by then) puffy looking aged performers closing folding camping furniture on each other's heads, pretending to be zoo attendees cleaning up after the elephants, and especially actually interacting with young kids as in one really freakazoid trip to the beach that sees Curly Joe dressed up like John Wayne Gayce & doling out bottles of unidentified lotions to little girls. Like, ew. Granted I'm viewing the material with the jaded sensibility of someone living in a time forty years after the material was filmed, but by golly this show was really, really weird, and even with the live-action segments unlike anything you may be expecting when you hear the name Three Stooges.

But, it's amazing television, and if you look around at your favorite discount retailer's bargain bin DVD selections you can usually find collections of them for a dollar or so. Usually they are packaged to make them look like "family" fare, which usually implies kids being able to watch them on their own, which might not be a wise idea. They are harmless, mind you, but the kids might start to think about what it all might mean, especially after the shows start giving them nightmares. And the conclusion they will inevitably come to is that you are one weird, sick person for thinking they might actually like it.

5/10: Neutral rating since it's so weird as to defy traditional critical review. And that's why I love it.

After about a half decade or so of revived popularity and the acquisition of new generations of fans,the Boys continued in popularity. It was becoming increasingly apparent that the artistic* control of The 3 Stooges was rapidly passing from Moe's son-in-law, Norman Maurer to the team of Mother Nature and Father Time. Their own birth certificates were making a prima facia case their against their continuing in the Movie and TV businesses.

Certainly they would not be doing a comedy picture much longer, be it a short subject or a feature, with the same gusto as before. Who could? So, what to do? How to continue working for their fans, for themselves, for posterity?

The answer was Television Animation. There was a precedent for this genre already existing. There were two examples, as a matter of fact! In A.D. 1966, the top TV animation studios, Hanna-Barberra Productions, produced and released to local stations both "Laurel & Hardy" and "Abbott & Costello" cartoons. Following the usual H & B format, they used the half hour length. Each program has an opening introductory theme song, a signature theme, 3 cartoon shorts of about 7 or 8 minutes duration and in between bridge animations.

This system had been working well for the likes of Hucklebery Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Ruff & Reddy, etc. So it was for "Abbott & Costello" and "Laurel & Hardy", and did have some more limited success.

Both members of The Laurel & Hardy team had died by this time. Oliver "Babe" Hardy passing away in 1957 and Stan Laurel in 1965. This "Laurel & Hardy " show had voices done by Larry Harmon(Stan)** and Jim McGeorge(Ollie). As for the Abbott & Costello cartoons, Stan Irwin did his best impersonation of Lou Costello on that sound track. But, Bud Abbott was still around on planet Earth and did his own voice. That would seem to be an advantage, a leg up, so to speak.

Well the Stooges were all there-at least the present day team who appeared in those Kiddie market features. Starting in 1959 with HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL, the team consisted of original members, Moe Howard and Larry Fine. The Third Stooge was "Curly" Joe DeRita.*** So, Normandy Productions(Stooges own Production Co with Norman Maurer as C.E.O.), struck a deal with Cambria Animation Productions (of CLUTCH CARGO fame)to do a series. It was no FANTASIA, but it was not bad either, for Television Animation, I mean.

The format called for Color Photography and use of both Live Action and Animated Cartoon scenes. But these would not be of the mixed variety as employed by Max Fleischer's OUT OF THE INKWELL(Koko the Clown), Walt Disney's early effort, ALICE IN CARTOONLAND or the more recent WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?(1988) and SPACE JAM(1996).

Each little cartoon episodic adventure had a prologue to it. In it, The 3 Stooges were always busy in some work capacity. Much like their old Columbia Shorts, they seemed to be "those three new men." Janitors in a Dentist's Office, Window Washers on Scaffolding, Factory Workers and Gas Station Attendants were typical of locales and occupations that they had.

After an animated color sequence featuring a most appropriate, snappy and up-beat original theme music, they would open at these prelude scenes(as good a place as any to open!), do a short, little bit of business which related to the upcoming animation's story. Then the Cartoon's Title, and we'd be off.

It seemed that THE NEW 3 STOOGES never got to be a powerhouse of an animated series, being always in syndication(somebody correct me if that's incorrect), but hardly any others did, except for Hanna-Barbera's and Filmation's series(and later some others), and that was mostly Saturday morning's time slot.**** THE NEW 3 STOOGES does remain dear to my own heart, though. The stories were quick, snappy, pleasant and very Stooge-like. That's a very important factor with any "adapted"(not "adopted") cartoon series.

And there's just one other point. The use of the Live Action opening sketches may have been the most original innovation of the series. We suppose that there those viewers who look at this aspect of the series as only a cost cutting device, foisted on our Stooges by some suits and began counters. We think not.

The live portion showed us the Boys in a contemporary setting. It also gave a chance to make use of another player or two. And even old Nemesis, Emil Sitka dropped-by once or twice.

That alone made the openings worth it!

* I'll bet you that The Stooges would be as surprised as anyone to hear "Artistic" connected with their work!

** Yes, the very same Larry Harmon of BOZO THE CLOWN fame!

*** Joe DeRita was the fourth guy to play the 3rd Stooge. The late brothers Jerry("Curly") and Shemp Howard being the earliest partners in the act(not together), and funny man Joe Besser, who was in the last couple of years of the shorts, chose not to continue, not wanting to travel and never being fond of the part anyway. On behalf of 3 Stooges fans everywhere,please let us offer a belated, "Thanks, Joe!"

**** Some notable exceptions were Hanna-Barbera's THE FLINTSTONES, THE JETSONS and JOHNNY QUEST. There was also CALVIN AND THE COLONEL by Messers. Freeman Gosden & Charles Correll, the former AMOS 'n' ANDY on the Olde Time Radio, late 1920's to mid 1950's.

Not from my childhood but i love it anyway. I like the live actions and then the cartoons. I have the whole set but wish they had done more. At Halloween is watch some like Transylvania Railroad. They're just cute and i love how at the end of the cartoons they all run away. I love gagster dragster when they make their own rail. Other good ones for Halloween are mummies boys, unhaunted house, and campsite fright.