Topic: References to "Three Little Pirates"

[12Medbe]

Has anyone else noticed that in multiple films, the stooges start talking in the Maharajah Language aside from Three Little Pirates?

Two Instances I can think of is in one short, Shemp is at a type writter and utters the word Yat Te Benefoochi.

and

In Three Dark Horses, after Shemp demands a recount and Shemp tells Moe about the Delegates name, Moe responds with, "Ohh, ya tee benafoochi timi nicaronja?"

 

[Shemp_Diesel]

There's also one in Matri-Phony when Curly is showing the roman guard a vase.

[12Medbe]

There's also one in Matri-Phony when Curly is showing the roman guard a vase.

I've never noticed that one, that was cool!

[Snard]

Has anyone else noticed that in multiple films, the stooges start talking in the Maharajah Language aside from Three Little Pirates?

Two Instances I can think of is in one short, Shemp is at a type writter and utters the word Yat Te Benefoochi.

and

In Three Dark Horses, after Shemp demands a recount and Shemp tells Moe about the Delegates name, Moe responds with, "Ohh, ya tee benafoochi timi nicaronja?"

When I first heard the Maharaja sketch, I assumed that Moe was speaking careful "gibberish", but the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe he was speaking something real - Yiddish perhaps?

Has anyone who understands Yiddish ever tried to transcribe that sketch? Or the "eeney meeny miney moe" that they used in "Boobs in Arms", that starts with "Adirondack! One zell, two zell, three zell, zam"...

[12Medbe]

Also in Three Little Pirates, during the second conversation in the Maharajah sketch between Moe and Curly

Moe says the word Inganzoben or Eenganzoben, however its spelt, In "All Gummed Up" and "Bubble Trouble", when they make the foutain of youth drink, Moe yells that word out as an ingredient.

[Dog Hambone]

I recall reading that the Maha / Aha was dictated by Moe to one of the staff who faithfully wrote it down gibberish syllable by gibberish syllable. Also, there was no mention of any of it being Yiddish. I don't recall where I read this - I may have seen read it in the Three Stooges Scrapbook since I own that book.

I'll bet BeAStooge, maharajah of minutiae that he is, would know.

 

[BeAStooge]

I recall reading that the Maha / Aha was dictated by Moe to one of the staff who faithfully wrote it down gibberish syllable by gibberish syllable.

Refer to the Filmography page for THREE LITTLE PIRATES.

[metaldams]

Dog Hambone, that may be the greatest smiley ever.

[Hammond Eggar]

Hey BeAStooge!  The filmography entry for Three Little Pirates doesn't mention that the Maharaja routine was later performed in the feature film The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze.  That information should be included.

[FineBari3]

Hey BeAStooge!  The filmography entry for Three Little Pirates doesn't mention that the Maharaja routine was later performed in the feature film The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze.  That information should be included.

That would be found in the Routines section, I believe.

[Blystone]

Even later than "The Three Stooges Go Around The World In A Daze," Moe was still doing the "Maha" sketch:

It must have been a personal favorite of his, and my guess is that he wrote it all himself. He sure knows that gibberish "spiel" by heart! And no, it's not Yiddish... unless it's Yiddish spoken backwards (or maybe sideways).

Mike Douglas looks like he's having the time of his life, getting to play Curly for a few minutes. In spite of being much too tall and thin for the part, he makes a pretty good Maha.

This clip might have been posted here before, but it's always worth watching again. Hey, the two kings of pie-throwing, Moe and Soupy, are together on one stage! Moe goes berserk at the end and pies everyone, including a woman in the audience... Top that, Ed Sullivan.

[BeAStooge]

including a woman in the audience.

His wife.

[FineBari3]

Moe goes berserk at the end and pies everyone, including a woman in the audience... Top that, Ed Sullivan.

It is topped by his wife the next time he is on the show, because they trick him to go and give her a kiss in the audience. She procures a pie and hits him right in the face! 

It is recalled in Moe's biography as a tender moment between them!

[Blystone]

I read somewhere that the lady was Mrs. Moe Howard— but the television audience couldn't have known that, so the gag looks completely spontaneous and unrehearsed, even if it wasn't. There's also an obviously ad-libbed line by Moe that got right by the censors, involving the babe in the bikini (watch Soupy Sales crack up in helpless laughter right after he says it).

Not having been around at the time, I thought that TV censorship in the 60's was fairly severe, but there must have been times when the censors were on vacation... or something.

[BeAStooge]

I read somewhere that the lady was Mrs. Moe Howard— but the television audience couldn't have known that, so the gag looks completely spontaneous and unrehearsed, even if it wasn't. There's also an obviously ad-libbed line by Moe that got right by the censors, involving the babe in the bikini (watch Soupy Sales crack up in helpless laughter right after he says it).

As noted in this site's TV Guest Appearance Filmography...

On the Soupy Sales episode (airdate 9/11/73), the TV audience was told. After the commercial break, two closing segments were taped; Group W and other subscribing stations had the option to choose which to air.
 -  Mike's regular closeout, thanking his guests, while music and credits rolled.
 -  Mike and Moe explained to the studio and TV audiences who Helen was, while credits rolled.

Two months later (airdate 11/29/73), Helen turned the tables, and pied Moe. The show ran several minutes short, so two extended (approx. 3 minutes), closing segments were taped; Group W and other subscribing stations had the option to choose which to air.
 -  Co-host Roger Miller performed another musical number, leading into Mike's regular closeout, thanking his guests, while music and credits rolled.
 -  Helen joined Moe onstage and she was interviewed by Douglas for a few minutes, segueing into music and credits.

[hiramhorwitz]

As noted in this site's TV Guest Appearance Filmography...

On the Soupy Sales episode (airdate 9/11/73), the TV audience was told. After the commercial break, two closing segments were taped; Group W and other subscribing stations had the option to choose which to air.
 -  Mike's regular closeout, thanking his guests, while music and credits rolled.
 -  Mike and Moe explained to the studio and TV audiences who Helen was, while credits rolled.

One point of clarification -- the audience wasn't told until the break following Helen's receipt of the pie.  I was in the audience seated in the row behind Helen, one chair to the left of the seat behind Helen.  Larry Fine's brother Morris was seated to my immediate left and had introduced me to Helen before the show.  Otherwise, I would have been as surprised as the rest of the audience when Moe planted the pie in the face of a seemingly random member of the audience.  An absolutely wonderful memory from my teenage years! 

[FineBari3]

One point of clarification -- the audience wasn't told until the break following Helen's receipt of the pie.  I was in the audience seated in the row behind Helen, one chair to the left of the seat behind Helen.  Larry Fine's brother Morris was seated to my immediate left and had introduced me to Helen before the show.  Otherwise, I would have been as surprised as the rest of the audience when Moe planted the pie in the face of a seemingly random member of the audience.  An absolutely wonderful memory from my teenage years! 

I forgot that we had an eyewitness with Scott!  Great story....along with the rest of your stories!

[hiramhorwitz]

I was in the audience seated in the row behind Helen, one chair to the left of the seat behind Helen. 

A minor correction to my previous post: I was seated two chairs to the left* of the seat behind Helen, not one.  I confirmed this by watching the videotape of the last scene of the show (first alternate ending, where there's a quick shot of Helen Howard cleaned-up and back in the audience).  Although my face isn't visible, a glimpse of my yellow shirt, striped necktie, and clapping hands can be seen for about an eighth of a second.  I suppose that means I've still got 14 minutes, 59 and seven-eighths seconds of fame remaining in my future. 

*Note that when I refer to the left, I'm speaking from my perspective as seated behind Ms. Howard.  From the view shown at the end of the episode (stage view), my position is actually to the right of her.  

[12Medbe]

Just found another Maha Language moment, In Cookoo Cavaliers, When Curly tells (I think Rosita) that he can sing, he sings the Yatee Benefoochi a Timi Nicaronjee Line.

[Rich Finegan]

I suppose that means I've still got 14 minutes, 59 and seven-eighths seconds of fame remaining in my future. 
  

Hey, you'll ALWAYS be famous to us!