Three Little Beers (1935)

Kopfy2013 · **Reply #25 on:** August 30, 2013, 05:37:34 PM

The August/September issue of Fore Magazine (the official magazine of the Southern California Golf Association) has an article on Rancho Park Golf Course. Many of the points in the article were on this site (once a private club, course taken over by government, then bought back by the city of LA) but what wasn't - or I forgot - was that a wild fire destroyed alot of the course in 1944.

There is an aerial view picture showing the course in 1956... they pretty much gutted the links and started over. However, most of the buildings (clubhouse etc. are still the originals).

What was not mentioned was that the course was used by the Stooges in one of their shorts. Off went an email to the editor of the magazine!

All I can say is 'mmmmmm that's a victim of soicumstance!"

Larrys#1 · **Reply #26 on:** December 06, 2013, 09:46:40 AM

My #1 favorite!! Love the scene where Curly denies stealing the guy's golf ball and once he gets bonked on the head by Moe, he does woo woo and drops a plethora of golf balls from his clothes. And then Moe swings at all those golf balls and the balls start knocking everyone unconscious.

Curly doing his laundry and chopping the tree was hilarious. And boy oh boy, what chaos the stooges caused when all the beer barrels fell out of their truck!!

10/10

Paul Pain · **Reply #27 on:** February 07, 2014, 04:27:28 AM

Where to start with this one? It has it ALL. Bud Jamison gets abused with the beer barrels. Press, press, pull. Curly uses the golf ball sink for his clothes. Larry chops down a tree, and Moe divots the joint up. Guaranteed laugh when you sit with this one.

Larry43719 · **Reply #28 on:** May 19, 2014, 04:52:52 PM

Three Little Beers have always been one of my favorite shorts. I rate this episode on my top 10 list. I am 64 yrs old and the Three Stooges have always been my favorite comedy team. The press, press, pull scene is priceless.

GreenCanaries · **Reply #29 on:** April 10, 2015, 08:22:05 PM

"4th golfer on 18th" is Harry Keatan* again, in his second of three appearances in this short (first, he says "Pardon me" as he and Charles Dorety move between the Stooges and out of the locker room, leading to the Stooges thieving the golf clothes; third is the already credited "It's up in the tree!").

I believe "1st cop at golf course" (one next to Harry Semels, I guess?) is Sam Lufkin?

* Additionally, he was born in Suwa?ki, Poland, per his WWII draft registration card, and his real name was Ark Keatan: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16370-95149-40?cc=1861144

BeAStooge · **Reply #30 on:** April 10, 2015, 08:56:55 PM

Quote from: GreenCanaries on April 10, 2015, 08:22:05 PM

* Additionally, he was born in Suwa?ki, Poland, per his WWII draft registration card, and his real name was Ark Keatan: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16370-95149-40?cc=1861144

The info reflects the biography compiled by Frank Reighter for the Three Stooges Journal files and Stoogeum archives; done in association with Harry Keatan's daughter and her family's documents. If you have something different, share it with Frank.

BeAStooge · **Reply #31 on:** April 10, 2015, 09:16:11 PM

Quote from: GreenCanaries on April 10, 2015, 08:22:05 PM

"4th golfer on 18th" is Harry Keatan* again, in his second of three appearances in this short (first, he says "Pardon me" as he and Charles Dorety move between the Stooges and out of the locker room, leading to the Stooges thieving the golf clothes; third is the already credited "It's up in the tree!").

Thanks on the '4th golfer.' The ID was made months ago when we ID'ed Keatan, but that "unidentified" bit was overlooked in the updates.

Dorety and Keatan both appear a few times... they're the same character at different points in the story, so only receive 1 cast credit each... I use the one that best describes their most prominent contribution in the short.

Quote

I believe "1st cop at golf course" (one next to Harry Semels, I guess?) is Sam Lufkin?

Don't agree. Too tall. Face is off too.

GreenCanaries · **Reply #32 on:** April 10, 2015, 09:35:30 PM

Quote from: BeAStooge on April 10, 2015, 09:16:11 PM

Don't agree. Too tall. Face is off too.

Touché. It looked like him to me when I first rewatched the short yesterday anyway... oh well...

IchabodSlipp · **Reply #33 on:** May 18, 2015, 06:39:53 PM

Dad and I both love this short! Dad recorded this off of local TV in Winston Salem on one of his first VHS tapes and he told me he used to watch it over and over, and memorized almost every line. I love the dialogue when the Stooges are trying to fit in at the club...

Man 1: I shot a Birdie yesterday! Man 2: Ya did, that's great! (Moe looks to Curly) Moe: (to Curly) Well, Jasper, what did you shoot yesterday? Curly: (pretending to throw imaginary dice) I shot a 7, but they wouldn't give me the money! Moe: You did? Curly: "Yeah! (Moe shrugs at Larry, then slaps Curly) Larry: Ya know, I shot a.. Moe: (Moe interrupts and grabs Larry by the hair) Yeah. Go grab a bag of bats, killer!

GreenCanaries · **Reply #34 on:** June 26, 2015, 08:29:10 PM

Quote from: BeAStooge on April 10, 2015, 09:16:11 PM

Don't agree. Too tall. Face is off too.

Rewatched this again and I have to maintain my original position. When Semels isn't contorting his body in his exaggerated portrayal, I'd say he and the cop he's next to are roughly the same height... as were Semels and Lufkin in real life. Various directories and almanacs have Semels at 5'9", and his WWII draft registration card "shrinks" him by a half-inch. Lufkin isn't in any of the directories, but he does have a WWII draft registration card which pinpoints his height at a mere quarter-inch short of a "full" 5'9".

Semels ---- 1917 directory -- 1918 directory -- 1929 Blue Book (part 1 | part 2) -- 1930 Blue Book -- 1931 Almanac -- 1932 Almanac -- 1937-38 Almanac -- WWII Draft Registration Card (front | back)

Lufkin's WWII draft reg. card -- front | back

Also: it may not quite resemble Lufkin in the first shot, but I definitely think it's him in the second shot when Semels points our boys out. (Inset photo is Lufkin in HORSES' COLLARS.) I also think it may be Lufkin as the unidentified studio policeman in MOVIE MANIACS (the voice definitely sounds similar in his one line -- "So did I!" -- to other instances where I've heard him speak).

Paul Pain · **Reply #35 on:** March 29, 2017, 07:42:33 AM

Quote from: metaldams on July 05, 2013, 09:57:25 PM

Bud Jamison and Tiny Sanford are also great in their opening scene.

We wish Tiny Sanford was in this short!

MrHaroldG2000 · **Reply #36 on:** November 23, 2017, 10:09:20 PM

Stooge Goof alert:

WRONG DAY OF YEAR. The date on the entry blank showing the prize money for the golf tournament is listed as "Sunday, December 19, 1935." December 19, 1935 fell on a Thursday.

Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80 · **Reply #37 on:** November 25, 2017, 06:22:24 PM

Great stooge short that gets better with each viewing, I love the damages each stooge causes in the golf course but the best moments were the barrels causing havoc on the city streets and the stooges trying to retrieve them and the Stooges getting stuck in the wet cement, admittedly when I've first seen this short I only thought it was just a good short but now it's starting to become one of my favorites.

I give this short a 10/10 (on first viewing I gave this one a 7/10)

Fire_Gridley · **Reply #38 on:** August 17, 2019, 06:27:29 AM

Definitely one of their best. Good to watch when you're in a silly mood!

Dunrobin · **Reply #39 on:** August 17, 2019, 10:46:26 AM

Quote from: MrHaroldG2000 on November 23, 2017, 10:09:20 PM

Stooge Goof alert:

WRONG DAY OF YEAR. The date on the entry blank showing the prize money for the golf tournament is listed as "Sunday, December 19, 1935." December 19, 1935 fell on a Thursday.

You are absolutely right - I never thought to check the date before. I've added this to the Goofs listed on the short's page on ThreeStooges.net.

My apologies for not noticing this one sooner, but better late than never!

Dr. Mabuse · **Reply #40 on:** May 05, 2020, 01:10:59 AM

In the annals of short comedies, "Three Little Beers" remains as iconic as "Easy Street," "Cops," "The Music Box" and "The Fatal Glass of Beer." Moe, Larry and Curly deliver the slapstick goods on a lavish scale, with the legendary Del Lord directing one of the fastest two-reelers in cinema history. A mini-masterpiece.

10/10

metaldams · **Reply #41 on:** May 06, 2020, 04:57:22 PM

Quote from: Dr. Mabuse on May 05, 2020, 01:10:59 AM

In the annals of short comedies, "Three Little Beers" remains as iconic as "Easy Street," "Cops," "The Music Box" and "The Fatal Glass of Beer." Moe, Larry and Curly deliver the slapstick goods on a lavish scale, with the legendary Del Lord directing one of the fastest two-reelers in cinema history. A mini-masterpiece.

10/10

That’s esteemed company you’re comparing this one too, and well deserved. The Chaplin and Fields films I’ll get to someday.

Allen Champion · **Reply #42 on:** September 28, 2021, 10:36:19 PM

I've decided I'm going to go through these Curlys (well, it's still Curley, isn't it?) and praise and celebrate my favorites, and ignore the rest.

This one is a classic all the way, from the "something's bound to happen in this scene from Three Little Beers" opening (you know your Leonard Maltin, don't you?) to the "What? No Beer!" reprise at the grand finis.

I'll just quote the dialogue from my favorite moments:

"There's nothing like a game of golf to keep a man physically fit!"
"A hundred bucks! Count me in!"
"A golf place!"
"Pull! N'yuck, n'yuck, n'yuck!"
"Whatya do? You think you'ra George Wash?"
"Can't you see the holes are gettin' smaller?"
"He's pointing to where you are!"
"You mean he's pointing to where I was!"
"Woo! Woo! Woo!"

Del Lord is here! We're saved! Del will be the best Stooges director until the Advent of (heavenly chorus) Charley Chase! (Please show anybody from the White family the door--damn! He's head of the whole short subjects department? Here come 10, 000 belches, burps and farts!)

NoahYoung · **Reply #43 on:** March 09, 2022, 07:25:44 PM

A classic among classics, and definitely a top 5 Stooge short for me. This and A-PLUMBING are the ones most casual Stooge fans seem to remember.

Not much to add to what's already been said, but my favorite part is the "press, press, pull" routine.

I've never seen any of their pre-Columbia work except for brief clips and their scene in HOLLYWOOD PARTY, but it's amazing how quickly they hit their stride so early with the Columbia shorts.

Eagle-eyed Laurel and Hardy aficionados will spot Nat Clifford (aka Frank Terry) as one of the golfers in the locker room. I have seen him in at least one Stan Laurel solo-silent short (HUSTLING FOR HEALTH), and he of course was in MIDNIGHT PATROL, ME AND MY PAL, and FRA DIAVOLO. He was the person who handed Harold LLoyd the ill-fated real bomb (instead of a fake) that exploded and nearly killed Lloyd. He was the Alec Baldwin of his time. He later became a missionary in Hawaii and served as a Chaplain in a leper colony in Honolulu. He supposedly wrote the "We are the Sons of the Desert" song for SONS OF THE DESERT. (These interesting facts come from the book, "The Laurel and Hardy Encyclopedia", by Glenn Mitchell, published in 1995. His entry is over a page long.)

stoogesfan06 · **Reply #44 on:** December 09, 2022, 10:49:27 AM

"Press, press, pull"

ChrisBungoStudios · **Reply #45 on:** June 19, 2024, 10:03:07 PM

My first post - hope I don't mess this up!

I've put together a website https://ChrisBungoStudios.com that looks at The Three Stooges films that shot scenes on location (thank you Jim Pauley and your Three Stooges Filming Locations book!) and I've put together then and now videos and photo comparisons of these scenes from the Stooges films. Here's a preview from one of the videos - it's from Three Little Beers.