I started trying to collect all Three Stooges-related films & TV shows as soon as I got my first VCR in 1982.
It sure was harder back then to find most of the Stooges material beyond the familiar 190 Columbia shorts. And in fact even those were not necessarily common unless one had a local or cable TV station such as WTBS to tape them from or friends in other areas with whom to trade tapes.
But there are some items listed in the filmography that I just don't consider necessary, such as films like "The Story on Page One" and "With Six You Get Eggroll" from which Joe Besser was cut, and "Cinderfella". But they're in the filmography, so should I count them as films I "need" to have all 803? I didn't think so.
Also I have absolutely no interest or desire to collect most of the animated stuff in which Besser did voices such as Houndcats, Jeannie, and especially anything to do with Scooby Doo. So I'm not counting those as items I "need".
A lot of what I'm missing is of course what everyone is missing: the presumed lost films, lost TV shows (especially early stuff), some of the Screen Snapshots, items in the filmography such as unproduced or unreleased films or shows, etc.
This turned out more difficult than I expected, but I tried to take a count.
The total I have seems to be about 670.
Wow, 670! That's a lot.
If I had to venture a guess foe me, I'd say about 250 - 300.
Now, I admit I'll be moving to a bigger place in a few weeks, so perhaps my attitude on collecting may change, but as of right now, I have too much with too little space. It all becomes a burden.
My main interest in The Three Stooges is the 190 shorts. I guarantee 99% of us became fans through that body of work. The other 1% perhaps through the 6 main Derita features, which I also consider part of the main body of work. That said, I was so unimpressed with the SNOW WHITE feature that I don't feel the need to own it. I guess the cartoons and KOOK'S TOUR would be next on what metaldams considers important, but then again, I'm not as fascinated by this era, so I don't feel the need to own everything. I have bits and pieces of the cartoons and KOOK'S TOUR, so it's enough to make me happy.
As far as Healy era, I love SOUP TO NUTS, though I haven't seen it in 10 years. I really should buy the DVD. The MGM stuff is OK, nothing spectacular. I don't think MGM used the boys as much more than filler. At least Columbia took great care with their shorts.
I have some Shemp solo shorts, and there's plenty more I haven't seen. That is perhaps the esoteric era of Stoogedom I'm most interested in, Shemp solo. The shorts he made for Vitaphone and Columbia are of great interest as well as features for Monogram. When I do my future Stooge exploring, it will be there. Films where he's a bit player I'm not so much interested in.
Besser and Derita solo outside of Columbia? Unless if it's got Besser in a sailor suit (I joked about the origins of Stinky being lost before, but I seriously would like to see that), I could care less. That takes it too far for me, but like I said, the mileage of others may vary.
TV appearances? Why collect when I have youtube.