The New 3 Stooges

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.

"The New 3 Stooges" is very little remembered today as a sixties classic animated series due to lasting only one year, and containing some of the cheapest animation in cartoon history. Like all the television animated series of that period, this is to be expected, but the simplistic art style and stiff, unmoving characters may not be for some people's taste. It's not a bad attempt however even despite this, and retains watchability for younger children and cartoon buffs through its simplicity.

The cartoons themselves are rather short even for that period in cartoon history, but this is to accommodate the extra addition of a sequence at the beginning and end of each episode starring the actual stooges. The viewer is first treated to watching the live-action clip, which is then cut in the middle so that "you can watch a cartoon while we figure our way outta this mess." After the animated part, which may or may not bear similar themes to the live-action, the stooges return at the end to finish their act. It is unfortunate that most DVDs that include episodes from the show exclude the live-action--to be able to pack more on the disc--and I can say I've only truly seen five complete episodes.

The cartoons are good and entertaining though cheap and lacking in real laughs. I myself have no problem with the way the stooges's routine is dumbed down, having only seen a couple of the trio's early shorts, but because of this change in dynamic fans may not like the show. The theme song is catchy, and I enjoy both parts of it--the live-action and cartoon, although it's not outstanding and awful from a technical point of view.

I saw this show as a compilation called Funniest Moments 1 & 2, along with several other DVDs, mostly interesting documentaries. The box showed Moe, Larry, and Curly together so naturally I assumed it was some of their Columbia shorts work. I am a big fan of the Stooges from this era, and was more than a little disappointed when it turned out to be a collection of introductory "shorts" for their 1965 cartoon series.

These starred Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe DeRita, who was in my opinion a little bit better than the often despised Joe Besser. Although the shorts came about at the peak of their popularity, the Stooges by this time were really beginning to show their age. They were, however, still reasonably capable of performing slapstick comedy.

The main problem was in the quality of the show. The writing and overall production quality was not nearly as good as that from Columbia. The violence so typical of the trio was also severely and purposefully toned due to the fact that the market for the show was intended to be children. Perhaps most importantly, though, the trademark sound effects were absent, replaced by some that were apparently borrowed from another popular show of the time - The Flintstones.

The cartoons themselves were just not to my liking. I grew up with the Stooges in black and white, but with live action, and having them as cartoons just did not fit.

As for the live shorts, any Stooge fan should appreciate them. It gives us a rare glimpse of the boys in color. Many of the shorts include Emil Sitka, a supporting actor who has worked with the Stooges since his debut in the Columbia short "Half Wits Holiday," which was ironically Jerome "Curly" Howard's final short.

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.

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. ;)