The Champs Step Out

When former prizefighters Max Baer and Max "Slapsie" Rosenbloom were teamed up to star in two-reel comedy shorts, it became quite obvious Columbia Pictures was desperately seeking out a new comedy team. The ex-pugilists starred in 4 short-subjects between 1950 and 1952, and today, they remain obscure little films which were probably forgotten shortly after their initial release. I've personally collected Columbia two-reelers for the past 15 years, and "The Champs Step Out" (the correct title of the film) is the only title in the series I have been able to dig up. As a light scare comedy, the film is OK. The plot is decent, and there are some pretty funny gags.

Character actor Emil Sitka co-stars and steals the show as an eccentric antiques collector who hires a couple of Private Eyes (Baer and Rosenbloom) to guard his precious relics from a gang of crooks. The problem with this film is that it is a Columbia comedy short, with a script written for the two starring comedians who were not trained comedians to begin with. They are ex-prizefighters with little comedic skill, and on top of that, they are in desperate need of acting lessons. During one scene, Rosenbloom screams out something that barely passes as part of the English language. For the fast-paced comedy and dialog, the film would have better suited The 3 Stooges or other Columbia contract comedians.

"The Champs Step Out" is not a terrible little film. It still has it's moments even if the leads can't act their way out of a wet paper bag. However, punching their way out of a wet paper bag is another story...Max Baer throws one of the best on-screen punches I've ever seen!

Emil Sitka hires broke ex-boxing champions Max Baer and Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom to guard his collection of valuable antiquities. Little does he know that his secretary, Jean Wiles, is in cahoots with burglars to steal them -- the antiquities, not the boxers.

It's another standard, tired Columbia short comedy, with a retreaded script by Edward Ullman and lots of sound effects. Although Sitka is amusing, the to boxers.... well, what were they doing in Columbia shorts? Baer had been World Heavyweight Champion, and Rosenbloom had had a nice screen and radio career. Hadn't they saved any money? Yet here they are in the third of fourth appearances together.

The third entry in the Baer/Rosenbloom series has the title characters as detectives, again, who are hired by an eccentric, nervous collector Mr. Bentley (Emil Sitka) to guard his antique collection from a gang of crooks who caught wind of his recent discoveries, but their assignment is complicated by Bentley's bombshell secretary (Jean Willes), who is actually working with the crooks and she poisons the detectives' drinks to knock them out. The material works well, especially Emil, who steals the show, as usual, with his pratfalls and memorable dialogue.

Max and Maxie run a detective agency. A rich collector (Sitka) wants them to guard his possessions. However, what the rich guy doesn't know is that his trusted secretary is working with the gang who are planning on robbing him. Can these two idiots somehow manage to foil the gang?

If you put The Three Stooges in this film, it would be practically the same short--even though "The Champs Step Out" instead stars two boxing champs, Max Baer and Maxie Rosenbloom. Much of it is because this short was ALSO made by Columbia--the same folks who did the Stooge's shorts. So, you get the same sort of plot, the same sound effects, the same music and even one of the same supporting actors, Emil Sitka! Because of all the sameness, even though it's pretty much a knockoff film, it works reasonably well--or at least is watchable. But why not just watch the Stooges?!

If you care, the pair made four shorts for Columbia though I have been unable to find the other three to watch them. Judging by this one film, however, I can see why the team never became popular.

Between 1950 and 1952, Max Baer and "Slapsy" Maxie Rosenbloom starred in a series of comedy shorts for Columbia pictures. The only surviving short is "the champs step out" and it's the best Columbia short of the 50's. In this short a wealthy archaeologist asks detectives Max Baer and "Slapsy" Maxie Rosenbloom for help to protect his discoveries. It features Emil Sitka and Jean Willes and some other actors.

Like in every short he appears in, Emil Sitka steals the show in this short. I saw this short on YouTube and this is much better as the three stooges in the 50's. You should probably watch it.