Topic: Thelma Todd - Show Business directed by Jules White (1932)

[healyhouston]

Thelma Todd & Zasu Pitts: Show Business (1932)

Here is a rare Hal Roach Studios film directed by Jules White.  This film was later reworked into a Pain in the Pullman.  It even has the Goldstein, Goldblatt, Goldwaite and Obrein gag.  You will also see Montie Collins.

Part 1

Part 2

[metaldams]

Thanks for posting that, that was totally enjoyable!

Zasu Pitts was a great spaz with a nervous disorder. I loved the way she took about one minute just to hang up the phone, you don't usually see gags like that in a Stooge short.  Thelma Todd was very good in her role, but I noticed she was almost the straight woman here.  Still fun to watch, and one rule with Thelma Todd is if she's wearing an article of clothing in a Roach short, you have a 50% chance you'll see what she's wearing under that article of clothing soon enough.  Good God!     I just watched her in HIPS HIPS HOORAY! With Wheeler and Woolsey yesterday, and she was a great business woman/vamp in that one.  I wonder if she would have worked with the Stooges had she lived longer.  I'm not sure if the studio situation would have allowed it, but we can dream.

Signs of a Jules White short - gags involving animals and Monte Collins.

[metaldams]

...and how can I forget to mention Anita Garvin?  She's wonderful here, no doubt drinking several cups of coffee between takes.  Seriously one of the funnier ladies of her day.

[GreenCanaries]

I believe this was the only short White did for Roach, right?

I think this and Pullman were remade as Schilling & Lane's Training for Trouble as well.

[metaldams]

I believe this was the only short White did for Roach, right?

I think this and Pullman were remade as Schilling & Lane's Training for Trouble as well.

To my knowledge at least, the only Jules White Hal Roach short.  I'd have to do the research, but he certainly wasn't a regular and didn't work with Stan and Ollie.

[metaldams]

Interesting tidbit about Zasu Pitts.  As comical as she was here, she very convincingly played the straight leading lady part in Erich Von Stroheim's incredibly butchered and storied masterpiece, GREED (1924).  Talk about a film that needs to be on DVD!

[GreenCanaries]

To my knowledge at least, the only Jules White Hal Roach short.  I'd have to do the research, but he certainly wasn't a regular and didn't work with Stan and Ollie.

Yeah, I think I remember reading he and Roach had disagreements or something.

He mentions in an interview: "So I left M-G-M and I did one picture at Hal Roach with ZaSu Pitts and Thelma Todd" and leaves it at that.

[metaldams]

Yeah, I think I remember reading he and Roach had disagreements or something.

He mentions in an interview: "So I left M-G-M and I did one picture at Hal Roach with ZaSu Pitts and Thelma Todd" and leaves it at that.

I can't say I'm shocked if they did have disagreements, their comic styles were so opposite of each other.  Hey, it all worked for the best, I'm glad to live in a world where we have both a Hal Roach and Columbia style.