Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Featuring Miscellaneous Appearances
92 min. (TV Special)
Hosted by Alan Thicke, and narrated by Gary Owens, this syndicated television special marked the 60th anniversary of The Three Stooges' first film appearance. Primarily using public domain film and television clips, Thicke hosts a history of the Stooges. Trivia and discussions of the comedy team's film sound effects, etc., are joined by several segments starring comedians Wil Shriner and Jeff Altman, MTV host Julie Brown, and game show hostess Janice Pennington. Emil Sitka appears as himself, to discuss some of his experiences with the Stooges. The TV special contains the complete music video of THE CURLY SHUFFLE (1984), and is capped off with a garishly colorized version of MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949).
Film clips from IN THE DOUGH (1933), MEET THE BARON (1933), HOLLYWOOD PARTY (1934), HOLLYWOOD ON PARADE (1934), DISORDER IN THE COURT (1936), KNIFE OF THE PARTY (1937), TROUBLE CHASERS (1945), BRIDELESS GROOM (1947), SING A SONG OF SIX PANTS (1947), JERKS OF ALL TRADES (1949), CAMEL COMEDY CARAVAN (1950), THE FRANK SINATRA SHOW (1952), HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL (1959), SIMONIZ CAR WAX (1960), STRICTLY FOR LAFFS (1960), THE NEW 3 STOOGES (1965), STAR SPANGLED SALESMAN (1968), and outtakes from THE OUTLAWS IS COMING! (1965).
The special's promotions reported that a colorized version of DISORDER IN THE COURT (1936) would be shown. Instead, it presented a colorized MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949).
Alan Thicke
Host
Gary Owens
Announcer / Himself
Ted Healy
archive footage
Moe Howard
archive footage
Larry Fine
archive footage
Shemp Howard
archive footage
Jerry Howard
archive footage
Joe Besser
archive footage
Joe DeRita
archive footage
Bonnie Bonnell
archive footage
Emil Sitka
Himself / archive footage
Jeff Altman
Himself
Wil Shriner
Himself
Janice Pennington
Herself
Julie Brown
Herself
Jeff Forrester
Producer
Anna Nicholas
Altman's assistant
Peter Kaikko
Door-to-door solicitor
Aaron Kaikko
Altman's boss
Miguel Lara
Studio guard
Tom Forrester
Other cast
Paul Relyea
Other cast
Sandra Moiseeff
Other cast
John Johnson
Other cast
Peter Gust
Other cast
Eddie Leroy
Other cast
Debbie Diamond
Other cast
Lisa Smith
Other cast
Ira Lawson
Other cast
Bert Young
archive footage
Ray Jones
archive footage
Larry McGrath
archive footage
Jack Kenney
archive footage
Ray Corrigan
archive footage
Frank Mills
archive footage
Alec Craig
archive footage
Althea Henley
archive footage
Eve Reynolds
archive footage
Ninette Crawford
archive footage
George Ovey
archive footage
Lois Lindsey
archive footage
Bud Jamison
archive footage
Don Roberts
archive footage
Suzanne Kaaren
archive footage
James C. Morton
archive footage
Edward LeSaint
archive footage
Eddie Laughton
archive footage
Ethelreda Leopold
archive footage
Robin Raymond
archive footage
Dorothy Moore
archive footage
Cy Schindell
archive footage
Symona Boniface
archive footage
Bruce Bennett
archive footage
Ann Doran
archive footage
Richard Fiske
archive footage
Antrim Short
archive footage
Hilda Title
archive footage
Marjorie Deanne
archive footage
Eddie Fetherston
archive footage
Beatrice Blinn
archive footage
Monte Collins
archive footage
Charles Dorety
archive footage
Bess Flowers
archive footage
Wilson Benge
archive footage
Lynton Brent
archive footage
Marjorie White
archive footage
Billy Gilbert
archive footage
Phyllis Crane
archive footage
Art Miles
archive footage
Don Beddoe
archive footage
Lorna Gray
archive footage
John Rand
archive footage
Nat Carr
archive footage
Vernon Dent
archive footage
George J. Lewis
archive footage
Frank Lackteen
archive footage
Johnny Kascier
archive footage
Everett Brown
archive footage
Joe Palma
archive footage
Sam Lufkin
archive footage
Bertha Priestley
archive footage
Doris Houck
archive footage
Nancy Saunders
archive footage
Alyn Lockwood
archive footage
Virginia Hunter
archive footage
Al Thompson
archive footage
Judy Malcolm
archive footage
Harry Semels
archive footage
Ben Turpin
archive footage
Clarence H. Wilson
archive footage
Ferdinand Gottschalk
archive footage
Lawrence O'Sullivan
archive footage
Lionel Stander
archive footage
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
archive footage
Lou Costello
archive footage
Bud Abbott
archive footage
Curtis Iaukea
archive footage
Robert Kino
archive footage
Edna May Oliver
archive footage
Ed Wynn
archive footage
Frank Sinatra
archive footage
George DeWitt
archive footage
Howard Morris
archive footage
Alice Belcher
archive footage
Tiny Jones
archive footage
Hank Bell
archive footage
Jack Duffy
archive footage
George Gray
archive footage
Dan Brady
archive footage
William J. O'Brien
archive footage
Christine McIntyre
archive footage
Dee Green
archive footage
Harold Brauer
archive footage
Bing Connolly
archive footage
Shemp's Stooges
archive footage
Joe Bolton
archive footage
Bill Camfield
archive footage
Hal Fryar
archive footage
Johnny Ginger
archive footage
Ed T. McDonnell
archive footage
Wayne Mack
archive footage
Bruce Sedley
archive footage
Sally Starr
archive footage
Paul Shannon
archive footage
Jane Russell
archive footage
Jack Carson
archive footage
Boris Karloff
archive footage
Andy Russell
archive footage
Nancy Kovack
archive footage
Mickey Rooney
archive footage
Norman Maurer
archive footage
Harry Seiden
archive footage
Solomon Horwitz
archive footage
Paul 'Mousie' Garner
archive footage
Sammy Wolfe
archive footage
Dick Hakins
archive footage
Dave Barry
archive footage
Adam West
archive footage
Mort Mills
archive footage
Margaret Kerry
archive footage
Max 'Slapsie' Rosenbloom
archive footage
Peter Kaikko
Producer
Paul Abeyta
Producer
Sandra Moiseeff
Supervising Producer
Thomas W. Holland
Executive Producer
Mark S. Gilman
Co-Producer
Jeff Forrester
Co-Producer
Paul Abeyta
Writer
Mark S. Gilman
Writer
Peter Kaikko
Writer
Jeff Forrester
Writer
Lester Wisbrod
Director of Photography
Ron Barr
Videotape Editor
Brian Morefield
Assistant Editor
Sue Clarke
Assistant Editor
Tamara Clinard
Art Director
Maya Alfer
Associate Art Director
Sandy Fellerman
Audio
Tamara Johnson
Re-Recording Mixer
Peter Cole
Re-Recording Mixer
Chris Trent
Assistant Re-Recording Mixer
Brett Vail
Assistant Re-Recording Mixer
John Walker
Sound Effects Editor
Gregg Teall
Sound Effects Editor
Jerry A. Ranger
Original Music & Theme
Julie Carnahan
Makeup
Janet Moore
Hair Stylist
Blake T. Evans
Gaffer
Barbara A. Nelson
Illustrator
Laurie Resnick
Graphics
Paul Relyea
Production Assistant
Patricia Kavanaugh
Production Coordinator
Shirley Borner
Assistant to Producers
Fred Thomas
Teleprompter
Claudia Cagan
Talent Coordinator
Charles Lore
Marketing Consultant
Donna Barrie
Marketing Consultant
Gary Johnson
Special Thanks
Joan Adler
Special Thanks
Tom Jamison
Special Thanks
Harry Freidenberg
Special Thanks
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