Topic: Columbia Charley Chase Shorts: A CALL TO ARMS!

[FineBari3]

This was posted by Richard Finegan over on the Yahoo group, and it is just easier for me to post it for him here. This is being posted all over classic film sites on the Internet.

Here is an important message from good friend and long-time Charley Chase fan Stan Taffel, regarding the release of all 20 of Chase's Columbia shorts on DVD.

As most Three Stooges fans know, Chase directed several Three Stooges shorts in the late 1930's. Chase's Columbia shorts should also be of interest to Stooges fans for the appearances of all the favorite Stooges supporting players, and all the other familiar connections we see in non-Stooges Columbia shorts. Also, some
of Chase's shorts were remade in the mid-1940's as Shemp Howard solo shorts.

Stan notes that Columbia has restored all 20 of the Chase shorts (including the extremely rare four that have not been seen anywhere since their initial release) but is now postponing their previously announced DVD release plans.
Actually, from what I've been learning (including info from a few recent long chats with Sony's Mike Schlesinger) the situation is more serious than that: postponed may not be the word, but CANCELLED may be it.

So Columbia seriously needs to hear from the fans that there really is interest in the release of these shorts, and that a DVD set will sell.

So everyone PLEASE sigh this petition!
Thanks!
-- Richard Finegan

(Stan's message starts here):

GOOD NEWS-

THE CHARLEY CHASE COLUMBIA SHORTS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED IN 35MM.

BAD NEWS-

SONY PICTURES HAS POSTPONED THE DVD RELEASE DUE TO THEIR BELIEF THAT THERE ISN'T
ENOUGH INTEREST TO WARRANT THE EFFORT.

I HAVE STARTED AN ONLINE PETITION TO LET SONY KNOW
THERE IS INTEREST.

PLEASE SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION AT

www.ipetitions.com/petition/charleychasecolumbiashorts

SEND THE LINK TO EVERY FILM FAN, CLUB, ORGANIZATION
YOU THINK WOULD HELP.

HAL ROACH STUDIO FILM FANS, SONS OF THE DESERT, FILM COLLECTORS, ANYONE WHO
WANTS TO SEE THESE FILMS FINALLY GET THEIR RELEASE ONTO DVD.

I WILL SEND THE FINAL LIST TO SONY AT THE END OF JUNE 2009.

GRATEFUL THANKS
STAN TAFFEL

[archiezappa]

Us Stooge Fans, old movie buffs, etc. need to join in this effort.  The Columbia shorts (all of them) are definitely worthy of DVD release.  The short subject film is sort of a lost art and most haven't been shown on television in years.  These shorts need to see the light of day on DVD.  It's very important. 

Us fans of this sort of thing should join together and request this release.  Look, we were able to bring The Three Stooges to DVD restored and in chronological order.  If we can do that, then soitenly we can get a set of Charley Chase shorts on DVD.  Let's all let Sony know what the fans really want!

[metaldams]

2 things:

1. I signed the petition

2. If you are ever at a computer at work and have a free moment, NEVER do a Charley Chase google search.  It seems there's a......"movie star" who's going by that name these days, and she gets more online hits.   

[Rich Finegan]

Thanks metaldams for signing the Charley Chase petition. No harm in keepin' on doing it, but the petition was supposed to have already been sent in to Columbia by the middle of July (a slight extension from the announced date of the end of June).
I haven't heard anything yet from Stan (who started the petition) about how it was received, or if there was any response or comment from anyone at Columbia.

Let's hope Columbia is impressed with the response to the petition (it's over 700 signatures now) and all the enthusiastic comments left by so many Chase and Stooges fans.

 

[metaldams]

Thanks metaldams for signing the Charley Chase petition. No harm in keepin' on doing it, but the petition was supposed to have already been sent in to Columbia by the middle of July (a slight extension from the announced date of the end of June).
I haven't heard anything yet from Stan (who started the petition) about how it was received, or if there was any response or comment from anyone at Columbia.

Let's hope Columbia is impressed with the response to the petition (it's over 700 signatures now) and all the enthusiastic comments left by so many Chase and Stooges fans.

 

Oh, no problem at all.  I'd love to see these films get released.  As a matter of fact, I plan to rewatch the 15 shorts TCM aired a few years back from that Lobster set that was supposed to be.  DVR's rule.

Plan to get the new set released recently as well.  I just wish Charley's late silents and Roach talkies would become more readily available.

[locoboymakesgood]

I'd love to see a full collection of Chase's Roach shorts then another set of his Columbias. I've always felt he was a really underrated comedian and a lot of his stuff is hysterical. I still need to pick up that Becoming Charley Chase set, which I've heard it's decent given the source material is less than desirable.