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STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE

Air Date/Released Sunday, February 22, 1959
Station/Studio NBC / Bellmeadows Ent.
Host/Star Steve Allen
Featuring Moe, Larry and Curly Joe

Steve Allen's Sunday night variety show, although opposite Ed Sullivan's long-running CBS institution, earned an enduring reputation for comedy, with an ensemble cast that included Don Knotts, Tom Poston, Gabe Dell, Louis Nye, Dayton Allen, Bill Dana, Gene Rayburn, and Skitch Henderson.

Steve welcomes guests Andy Griffith, Diana Dors, Otto Horbach, Jimmy Hurst and The Three Stooges. Andy Griffith performs his classic "Romeo & Juliet" monologue. Diana Dors sings "Thanks a Lot, But No Thanks," Jimmy Hurst sings "On the Street Where You Live," and composer Otto Harbach is presented with an award for writing "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." Steve and his cast perform a sketch demonstrating the differences between American and foreign films.

In the "Stand-In" sketch, Moe plays the director of a feature film, Larry is the film's star and Curly-Joe is his stand-in. Each time a wild action scene was about to be filmed, Moe yells "Cut!" Larry would be replaced with Curly-Joe, who would then get the brunt of everything from saloon fights to pies in the face.

Larry Fine joins the "The Nutley, Hinkley, Butley, Winkley Report," which focuses on art in the news.


Moe's wife Helen once recalled that Moe came down with pneumonia just hours before he was set to appear on the show. Helen's recollections were captured in the book, The Three Stooges Scrapbook. "Moe had rehearsed all day for the ALLEN show and returned to the hotel to go to bed. There he was with no voice and a high fever and dictating the entire "Stand-In" routine to a script girl... Moe's voice cracked and squeaked throughout the show. And those who loved him - and there were untold numbers - suffered with him."

The Stooges first performed the "Stand-In" skit in the Broadway stage show THE GEORGE WHITE SCANDALS OF 1939. Matty Brooks and Eddie Davis, who occasionally supplied material to the boys, wrote the original skit.

Cast: Steve Allen, Don Knotts, Tom Poston, Gabe Dell, Louis Nye, Dayton Allen, John Myhers, Skitch Henderson & The Orchestra, Andy Griffith, Diana Dors, Otto Horbach, Jimmy Hurst, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita.

Crew: William O. Harbach (Producer), Dwight A. Hemion (Director), Leonard Stern, Stan Burns, Herb Sargent, Bill Dana, Don Hinkley, Arne Sultan, Marvin Worth (Writers)
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