Stop! Look! and Laugh!

This film was made to be a B picture, meaning it opened for the main movie. As a B picture, it is sufficient, it does it's job, holds the attention, provides Stooge and Paul Winchell fans with some laughs. This film was never meant to satisfy an audience would would come 40 years later, spoiled by pristine remastered complete prints available with the click of a DVD player.

No, this was for the kids who wanted a quick laugh, familiar gags they had probably seen a hundred times (by 1960 the Three Stooges as well as the Little Rascals were syndicated on many kiddie TV shows), so this movie fulfills it's requirement of keeping audiences happy till the main feature came up.

So, if you want to see this, watch it in that spirit, get up one Saturday morning, pop some popcorn and get some soda pop put this tape in , watch a few cartoons after it's over and then you will be warmed up for something like a film from the Sinbad series, early Jerry Lewis or something else you might enjoy from the period.

"Stop! Look! and Laugh!" is basically nothing more than a compilation film designed only to make a quick buck from the millions of Stooge fans. Apparently Moe Howard thought the same thing, because he sued Columbia to prevent the film from being released. Eventually, he relented after Columbia offered to finance and distribute all Stooges features thereafter. If anything, "Stop! Look! and Laugh" made the Three Stooges even more popular and at least washed the awful taste of "Snow White and the Three Stooges" away.

Basically, producer/director Jules White (who directed most of the shorts clips were taken from)edited the best moments from such classic shorts as "Micro-Phonies", "A Plumbing We Will Go", "Calling All Curs","How High Is Up" among others and shot new footage with Paul Winchell and his dummies, Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff. This made sense, since the Stooges shorts were packaged into a half hour show and shown along side "The Winchell/Mahoney Show" on regular TV. This way both shows get exposure.

Unfortunately, fans looking for a full fledged Stooges feature will be disappointed. But take solace in the fact that this so called "compromise" film was actually much better than most of the New Three Stooges features that followed. We get to see the original Stooges team in top form, great gags with Winchell and Mahoney and many memorable moments. The editing is excellent; much of it is seamlessly handled by a team of skilled editors; it should have garnered an Oscar nomination.

The only thing that sort of slows this film down is the Marquis Chimps sequence, which I could have done without, but if seeing animals acting silly is your thing, fine, enjoy it. But it doesn't take away from the previous 60 minutes of hilarity.

**** out of 4 stars

I remember being very excited as a kid when I saw the promos for this first on. There even was a contest where some lucky boy or girl would be a featured player in the production which immediately made me fantasize about being the living, breathing embodiment of Jerry Mahoney. I was a huge fan of Paul Winchell and his figures (I always hated calling them dummies) Not to mention I ALWAYS LOVED the Stooges with Curly.

I must admit, I was a tad disappointed with seeing just clips of the zany trio but still thrilled to see lots of Winchell, Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff. And the way the editors made it seem as though Winchell and Mahoney became victims of a pie throwing along with the Stooges was an extra cool plus.

One reviewer didn't seem to get that Paul Winchell did a children's show, but that wasn't always the case. In order to survive, he created a children's format and it was a huge success. Still the editing was amazing, not sloppy as one reviewer wrote. Now I DID like the Marquis Chimps in those days, but I could have done without them here. Still, the voice of the great June Foray was a welcome treat.

It is a shame I never got to meet my idol Paul Winchell, but I at least got to know ventriloquist Jerry Layne whom he mentored in the art. Anyway, this is a great time capsule as I see it and while I never lived in New York as a kid, so Officer Joe Bolton was not a big thing for me. Not too many years later, Boston legend Ed McConnell known to kids here in the Boston area as Major Mudd appeared in the Stooge feature The Outlaws Us Coming as a Curly like Bat Masterson.

This was in no way a classic, but a very entertaining walk down memory lane for kids like me.who chose to never completely grow up.

When this film was first publicized by Columbia Pictures and The film's producer:Harry Rome in l960.They promised that "The Three Stooges"(Who at that time were:Moe Howard,Larry Fine & Curly Joe DeRita)would appear in the film with Ventrilloquist/Entertainer:Paul Winchell and with NYC based kids tv host/performer:"Officer Joe"Bolton.But when audiences did see:"Stop Look & Laugh!"? "The Three Stooges"(Moe,Larry and Curly Howard.Who died during the winter of l952)only appear in stock footage from the l930's and 40's.Hence! "The Three Stooges"never really appeared in this film.Thus depriving the audiences of seeing their favorite comedy trio in action.The film does feaure some witty banter and slapstick from Mr.Winchell and his puppet pals:"Jerry Mahoney"and"Knucklehead Smiff"and a wonderful cameo from"Officer Joe"Bolton.(At that time Mr.Bolton was still hosting reruns of "The Three Stooges"Films from the l930's and 40's on WPIX TV Ch.ll NYC's:"Three Stooges Funhouse!")but the Stock footage with the boys is brief and forgetable.When shown with horrible music and graiting sound effects.And "The Marquis Chimps"parody of the Fairy Tale "Cinderella"(Which also using the charming voice over talents of Ms.June Foray.Best remembered as the voices of "Rocky Squerill and Natasha Fatale')is nothing more than cheap timefiller for the more memorable comedy squences featuring Mr.Winchell and his puppets.Hence! This film should not tell you to"Stop Look & Laugh!".But to"Stay away from this Three Stooges RippOFFF!".

WE WELL RECALL when this compilation/crazy quilt of a movie hit the local shows. This was in the second year of the great 3 Stooges revival. Much like the previous year's release of THE THREE STOOGES theatrical 2 reelers to television, there were no re$idual$ paid by Columbia.

IT WAS THIS initial TV package that did get the names of Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp out to the public, hence the revival. This STOP! LOOK! & LAUGH served no such purpose and had a sort of parasitic effect on the act.

IN THE SAME manner of all devout Stooge converts, the four Ryan kids headed to the nearest neighborhood show; which had it booked for exhibition. In this case, it was the Highland Theatre at 79th Street & Ashland Avenue in Chicago. The trip required the use of a CTA (Chicago Transit Authority*) bus in an extraordinary venturing outside of our own community's turf.

WELL IN THE end, it all turned out to be an extreme letdown. The Stooges' appearance proved to be not original new footage; but rather a myriad of scenes unimaginatively culled from old Stooges Comedies that had already been given to (among others) our own WGN TV, Channel 9 in Chicago. We had seen the schtick before and weren't fooled by the big screen presentation. Kids aren't dumb.

FILLING OUT THE "Cast" was the team of ventriloquist Paul Winchell, Jerry Mahoney & Knucklehead Smith; who were then very popular on TV and at the top of their game. Added to that was The Marquis Chimps, who also were highly sought after and would soon "star" in their own sitcom, THE HATHAWAYS(Gloucester Prod./Screen Gems/ABC TV, 1961), with Peggy Cass and Jack Weston.

ALL OF THIS may well have proved to be worthwhile for a Saturday matinée had it not been for the fact that it was perpetrate fraudulently.

AND THAT WAS unforgivable to folks like Schultz and his friends! Ain't that right, Schultz?