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Shemp....

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Offline Seamus

Concerning the Vitaphones, I do have to say there was a short or two where I found Shemp's character to be a bully, almost like he was playing the Ted Healy role.  It was a little off putting, but that's only a short or two.  I do like the observation, Seamus, of Shemp's asides being Popeye like.  I never thought of it that way before, but you're absolutely correct.

You know, there are still a few of those Joe Palooka shorts I haven't gotten around to yet.  I think I'll watch them today.

I think I know the ones you're talking about.  He Healys it up a bit when he's paired with certain other comedians (like Roscoe Ates), but I think Shemp's charisma and basic underdog nature lets him get away with it. 

I actually enjoyed the Joe Palooka shorts more than I thought I would.  I expected them to be Palooka-focused with Shemp as a secondary character, but was happy to discover that they were essentially Shemp vehicles with a focus on boxing.


Offline Paul Pain

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Paul Payne, your last sentence is enigmatic.

I just ejaculated a mouthful  [pie]

To clarify, I mean that I like all Stooge comedies, so long as there is no Joe Besser and no Curly Joe.  Joe and Curly Joe sucked.
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Offline Dr. Hugo Gansamacher

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I'd rather see Shemp take a hit from an attractive woman than from Moe.

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Offline Seamus


Offline Kopfy2013

I am not sure if I like Shemp better or not. I was ALWAYS disappointed when I watched a short and it would show Shemp. That is why I am looking forward to the reviews with Shemp  in them.
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Offline Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum

Having the Weekly Episode Discussions focus on the Shemp era has made me realize what a Shemp fan I really am. I have been much more interested in these than in the Curly shorts, and it occurred to me that I even tend to think of Curly as "that guy they had before Shemp." How counter-intuitive is that???
"Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day." -- Samuel Goldwyn

The people who have your best interests at heart...
...are generally not the ones telling you whatever you want to hear.


Offline Paul Pain

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Having the Weekly Episode Discussions focus on the Shemp era has made me realize what a Shemp fan I really am. I have been much more interested in these than in the Curly shorts, and it occurred to me that I even tend to think of Curly as "that guy they had before Shemp." How counter-intuitive is that???

Even better... Curly is also "that guy they had after Shemp (the 1st time)"!!
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Offline stoogerascalfan62

When I got the book "Moe Howard And The 3 Stooges" back in '79 I was shocked to discover that Shemp actually PRECEDED Curly.


Offline Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum

Maybe I should have said I think of Curly as "that guy they had in the shorts before Shemp"...
"Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day." -- Samuel Goldwyn

The people who have your best interests at heart...
...are generally not the ones telling you whatever you want to hear.


Offline Shemp

When I was a kid in the 70's, watching the boys after school (I think that's when they were showing), I used to HATE it when there was a Shemp episode.  Now he's my favorite.  I think he is such an underrated stooge.  His funny walk, his double takes, his overly dramatic reactions to perceived pain (such as when ketchup leaks on him and he believes he's dying), his hilarious ebeebeebee sucking sound (which I would love to know the history of), his fighting routines where he goes round and round with missed punches and turns and then eventually gets knocked out with one punch from someone who patiently waits until Shemp's ridiculous routine is done, and on and on.  Although nobody could be Curly but Curly, I think the stooges could have been just as good if Shemp was involved from start to finish. 

My only regrets are that a) Jules White had to start reusing so much footage towards the end (thereby reducing Shemp's role in new shorts) and that b) Shemp died so young, in my opinion while he was still at the top of his game (though I've read many reports to the contrary, I don't really see that myself when watching his last shorts). 



Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Watch the new footage in Wham Bam Slam if you want to see Shemp looking awful.


Offline mjkings

I like Curly and Shemp equally but in different ways


Offline Curly Van Dyke

I Love Curly,but am a Big Shemp fan. He was a Great Comic-adept at verbal and physical humor.
Certainly the most versatile of the boys-He amassed a great body of cameos,short and feature appearances.
And of course-He was a Hoot to look  at-What a Puss! His Heep-hep-heep comes in a close second to Curly's
Woo-woo-woo  and most importanly he was a Howard and founding member of the team.


Offline Lefty

Every day on KYW (1060 on the AM dial in Philly), there is a segment called "Rewind."  It is about what happened in the entertainment world on the particular date.  Sometimes the reporter says something about an event itself, and sometimes there is a bit of audio from it.  Today they played the Stooges' theme from the latter Curly years, the slow "Three Blind Mice" version, while the reporter talked about today being the anniversary of the death of Shemp.  RIP, Shemp!


Offline Paul Pain

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Hard to believe that he passed away 61 years ago.
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Offline Lefty

For the past x-number of years, I have purchased a Three Stooges calendar, where each month has a picture of them from a particular short, but a picture not necessarily from what made it to film/TV.  It also lists occasions and holidays throughout.  However, it lists Shemp's date of birth as March 4th and his date of death as November 23rd.  Maybe the makers should check the facts first.  "That's the fact, Jack!"


Offline dom dip

All 4 stooges are equally my favs, theyre each unique in their own stoogey way, Moe, Curly, Larry and Shemp. In fact i always wished all 4 always starred in each and every episode. I also really like the second Curly, Joe Besser, he was great and really was his own charactor instead of just a second Curly.


Offline Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80

As a kid I was more into Curly because I loved his child like persona and even found myself imitating him, while I did like Shemp growing up but I didn't find him to be as funny or out there like I did with Curly, as I've gotten older I grew to find Shemp to be nearly as good as Curly although I find some of the Shemp episodes to be a bit more hit and miss than the Curly episodes, now I find some of the best Shemp episodes to be on par with the best Curly episodes, I do wish most of the later Shemp films didn't have recycled footage from his earlier shorts, that was the reason why I tend to like some of the Joe Besser episodes more than the recycled Shemp shorts.

I've thought the best era of the Shemp episodes was when they've had both Jules White & Hugh McCollum producing them, I didn't think the Shemp shorts were as good after Hugh McCollum got fired in 1952.


Offline dom dip

Curly was the most child like, Moe the most angry, Larry the most dumby and Shemp the most what? goofy maby? or? I lov all 4 of the stooges, actually all 6 really, Joe the most flamboyant and Curly Joe the most what? They should of made episodes that featured all 6 sharing an apartment together. Maby the next movie remake in 2020 maby?  make it happen,woo woo woo woo woo. Im also waiting for a three stooges videogame on a major game console like ps4. A realistic true to their episodes kind of videogame in a 3d city, you control one stooge of your choice and play each episode completing objectives, 3 stooges exploring the city trying to find a job, while on a job they fumble up like they always do, they go on dates and make fools out of themselves, they go to the bank to make deposits or withdrawels and fumble up, they go shopping and fumble up, back to their apartment to eat or sleep, maby even go to the wild west or city to go after criminals(could also be a shooter game). ANY OTHER IDEAS for a videogame?
« Last Edit: January 02, 2018, 08:37:30 PM by dom dip »


Offline dukieboy

Think Shemp was totally wasted in "The Bank Dick" His
character is totally bland and unfunny.


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Agree.  I read something where Shemp thought his part was to be funny and reported to work with all kinds of schtick, but Fields didn't like the competition, and, through director Cline, told Shemp to cut it out and play it as the bland straight-man performance that we see today.


Offline metaldams

Agreed the Shemp role isn't much in THE BANK DICK, but if the Shemp role was played by any other character actor, nobody would care.  It's a perfect Fields movie and easily the best he made at Universal.  Shemp played supporting parts with Abbott and Costello too.  Sadly, Universall didn't see him as a star.

What I would be interested in seeing are the Monogram films where Shemp was part of a team that was top billed.  Monogram and Lugosi were magic, why not Shemp?
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Umbrella Sam

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Agreed the Shemp role isn't much in THE BANK DICK, but if the Shemp role was played by any other character actor, nobody would care.  It's a perfect Fields movie and easily the best he made at Universal.  Shemp played supporting parts with Abbott and Costello too.  Sadly, Universall didn't see him as a star.

What I would be interested in seeing are the Monogram films where Shemp was part of a team that was top billed.  Monogram and Lugosi were magic, why not Shemp?

I would love to see the Monograms get an official DVD release.

Regarding THE BANK DICK, I tried watching it a couple times but just could not get into it. For some reason, Fields is the one comedian from that time period who I just never found funny.

I know Shemp appeared with Lon Chaney Jr. as a comedy duo in SAN ANTONIO ROSE. Does anyone know how prominently they appear in that film?
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Offline metaldams

I would love to see the Monograms get an official DVD release.

Regarding THE BANK DICK, I tried watching it a couple times but just could not get into it. For some reason, Fields is the one comedian from that time period who I just never found funny.

I know Shemp appeared with Lon Chaney Jr. as a comedy duo in SAN ANTONIO ROSE. Does anyone know how prominently they appear in that film?

Shemp and Lon Chaney, Jr. as a comedy team?  Now that I gotta see!
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline vomit

Been a Shemp & Stooge fan since the early 70s....when my dad would come home from work and we would watch the Stooges on WKBD from Detroit.  Great days indeed.
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