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Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 - Shemp Howard (1933 - 1937)

BeAStooge · 42 · 19065

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  • Vitaphone Comedy Coll V2 - Shemp Howard 1933-1937 DVD: February 18, 2014 - February 24, 2014

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Offline BeAStooge

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Warner Archive is releasing Volume 2 of its "Vitaphone Comedy Collection" on February 18, 2014.  The balance of Shemp's Vitaphone shorts, 21, from GOBS OF FUN (1933) thru the "Joe Palooka" shorts of 1936 and 1937 will be included.  The collection is up for pre-order at The Warner Archive.



From the Warner Archive...
Quote
Samuel “Shemp Howard” Horowitz wrote his own rules for comedy from the very beginning. Heckling his way into brother Moe’s “rough house” act with Ted Healy, Shemp was an original Stooge. After Larry Fine filled out the team, fame beckoned, but Shemp balked at playing second banana to Healy and lit out on his own as a Vitaphone player. Shemp quickly rose from bit parts in shorts like Gobs of Fun to supporting player alongside Daphne Pollard and Harry Gribbon (and even pro baseball’s famous Dean brothers), and went on to steal the show in the Joe Palooka series based on the hit comic strip. Shemp’s character of Knobby Walsh quickly became the comedic center of the series, and Shemp emerged as a new king of comedy. Hollywood beckoned Shemp away from the east coast confine of Vitaphone out west, where he carved out a comfortable spot as a film comedian until fare and fate and family compelled him to return to his roots in The Three Stooges. Here’s to Shemp!

« Last Edit: February 19, 2014, 08:32:41 PM by BeAStooge »


Offline Shemp_Diesel

I think this will be all I need to complete my personal stooge library; got all 190 Columbia shorts, most of the features, the 3 disc solo sets and now this. Hip-hip-hooray....


 [whoo]
Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.


Offline falsealarms

This is an absolute must buy. I haven't seen everything on here, but what I have seen is generally better than the first volume. Shorts like DIZZY & DAFFY, WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY, A PEACH OF A PAIR, ON THE WAGON and WHY PAY RENT rate alongside Shemp's best shorts.

Next Tuesday can't come soon enough.


ThumpTheShoes

  • Guest
More Shemp! Kewl!

Just pre-ordered this awesomeness, and have the Charley Chase vol 2 on the way, plus I just got the German Female Comedy Teams discs, a ton of Laurel and Hardy, and STILL have more TCM Hal Roach stuff to dub off. I'm feeling rather spoiled by all this. Just 20 years ago, you had to just wait for alot of this stuff to breeze by on tv, or hope that more vintage films would hit home video. Now, there's so much "rare" stuff that's just out and about-- it's like there's no end!



Offline falsealarms

More Shemp! Kewl!

Just pre-ordered this awesomeness, and have the Charley Chase vol 2 on the way, plus I just got the German Female Comedy Teams discs, a ton of Laurel and Hardy, and STILL have more TCM Hal Roach stuff to dub off. I'm feeling rather spoiled by all this. Just 20 years ago, you had to just wait for alot of this stuff to breeze by on tv, or hope that more vintage films would hit home video. Now, there's so much "rare" stuff that's just out and about-- it's like there's no end!



You're in for a real treat with that second Charley Chase set (even better than the first). Let us know what you think of it.


ThumpTheShoes

  • Guest
You're in for a real treat with that second Charley Chase set (even better than the first). Let us know what you think of it.

Oh, you bet I will! I just recently got the first volume along with Buster Keaton's Columbia shorts. I've been through both twice, already, and really got a kick out of both! Lot's of new-to-me stuff.

And, at least in my own brain (which should be on a meat counter!), I've solved the mystery of who the voice of Birdie the horse is: Elsie Ames!** After just hearing her speak on the first Keaton disc, I thought immediately of that Hoofs and Goofs picture. Sorry, experts! You can't convince me that was Harriet Tarler doing the voice acting. Her voice is too flat, she has a grating lisp, and her readings are wooden: "Lithen, everybody! Leth all go back to our houth and thelebrathe thith wonderful weunion!" Right. Great to look at though!

An' if it ain't Ms. Ames, it's somebody else who sounds like her. Please don't try to convince me otherwise. My ears know better!

-edit-
** Before I get ripped a new one for this, let me state that this is not presented as fact, but opinion. After looking this over, casual conversation-style sarcasm or otherwise snarkyness is not always readily apparent.


Offline JazzBill

Warner Archive is releasing Volume 2 of its "Vitaphone Comedy Collection" on February 18, 2014.  The balance of Shemp's Vitaphone shorts, 21, from GOBS OF FUN (1933) thru the "Joe Palooka" shorts of 1936 and 1937 will be included. 


That's great news, I'll be very happy if they're half as good as Volume 1.

"When in Chicago call Stockyards 1234, Ask for Ruby".


Offline metaldams

That's great news, I'll be very happy if they're half as good as Volume 1.

My gut's telling me this volume will be much better as Shemp should be featured much more, and yes, this IS great news!  I will be ordering soon.  It's a few years down the road, but now since these are on DVD, perhaps the Vitaphone's will now show in the weekly discussion.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline falsealarms

Check out this site's videography entry for more on the 21 shorts on Vol 2 - http://threestooges.net/index.php/videography/view/492

Here's a 1935 trade paper ad promoting Shemp's Vitaphone comedies:

(clicking the image enlarges it)



Offline Kopfy2013

That's great news, I'll be very happy if they're half as good as Volume 1.

Is Volume 1 the one Shemp shared with Fatty Arbuckle?
Niagara Falls



Offline Shemp_Diesel

Any ideas on when this will show up on Amazon?
Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.


Offline Paul Allen

Volume Two!! [cool] It's about time!

I'm surprised that WBshop.com has announced it only a week before the release date.
I'll be looking for a slightly better price on Amazon.com in the coming days.



Offline falsealarms

A preview clip from MY MUMMY'S ARMS (1934) is now posted on the set's Warner Archive product page:

http://shop.warnerarchive.com/product/vitaphone+comedy+collection+volume+2+1000479774.do?

MY MUMMY'S ARMS is not one of the best efforts on this set, but the image quality is miles ahead of the copies out there in the past.

Shemp manages to get off a few great lines in the clip:

"I used to be a full-blooded Egyptian, but I sold my blood for a transfusion, and now I'm a half-breed."

"I had the seven years itch once and I scratched it out in a week."


Offline Myren

Thanks for the heads up on this. I was able to get a Valentine's Day discount with my order too! ;D
Looking forward to seeing this.


Offline Paul Allen

*
Thanks for the heads up on this. I was able to get a Valentine's Day discount with my order too! ;D
Looking forward to seeing this.

What promotion code did you use?


Offline JazzBill

Just got my copy in the mail today. Time to head to the man-cave.
"When in Chicago call Stockyards 1234, Ask for Ruby".


Offline falsealarms

Just got my copy in the mail today. Time to head to the man-cave.

That was fast. I'd be interested in any impressions that you, or anyone else, have of this set.


Offline JazzBill

That was fast. I'd be interested in any impressions that you, or anyone else, have of this set.

Mine was shipped from about 20 miles from my house, that's probably why I got it so fast.  I have only seen a few of them but I like what I see. So far I noticed that he was teamed up with a woman actress named Daphne Pollard on a couple of the shorts. She's kind of like a woman stooge, that seems a little strange to me.  I also see that Vitaphone and Columbia used some of the same bits. I like most of the solo Shemp stuff so I'm sure I'll like the rest of these.   
"When in Chicago call Stockyards 1234, Ask for Ruby".


Offline Myren

*
What promotion code did you use?

I did not have a promo code, they just happened to have it on sale with free shipping that day. If I remember correctly I got free shipping and $2.50 off.


Offline metaldams

Mine a arrived today, and I will watch a few shorts tonight.  This release is perfect timing because I've been in the watch one short a week in the order they were released mode for a while now and have been missing Shemp.  This collection allows me to remedy my Shemp withdrawal while still satisfying my OCD like one short a week rule.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Shemp_Diesel

I'm still waiting for this to pop up on amazon, but nothing yet. I wonder what the hold up is?


 :-\
Talbot's body is the perfect home for the Monster's brain, which I will add to and subtract from in my experiments.


Offline JazzBill

As much as I enjoy the work Shemp did with the Stooges, his solo work was just as good or better. Watching these Vitaphone shorts is like watching Three Stooges shorts that I somehow never saw before.   
"When in Chicago call Stockyards 1234, Ask for Ruby".



Offline metaldams

Concerning Volume 1, I was a bit disappointed in the fact the majority of the shorts don't feature Shemp much.  Add to the fact I'm not a big fan of most of these old musical numbers and Ben Blue, then I can say the non Arbuckle portion is a letdown.  I understand historically it shows Shemp working his way up and he wasn't an instant star, but a lot of volume 1 did not entertain me.

The above being stated, I figured before digging into volume 2, I should finally finish volume 1, so I got around to the final three shorts.  Well, if ART TROUBLE is any indication of what volume 2 is going to be like, this set should be a lot of fun.  I see the early reviews seem to be positive.
- Doug Sarnecky