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Double Whoopee (1929) - Laurel and Hardy

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Offline metaldams

http://www.laurelandhardycentral.com/whoopee.html
http://www.lordheath.com/index.php?p=1_60_Double-Whoopee
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019832/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-eM7w4bVvo

Watch DOUBLE WHOOPEE in the link above

      DOUBLE WHOOPEE is probably more famous for having a young and pre-fame Jean Harlow in it than being a Laurel and Hardy film of any distinction.  A similar phenomenon can be found with LOVE HAPPY and Marilyn Monroe, the last Marx Brothers film.  When I use the word young for Ms. Harlow, I ain't kidding.  When this was filmed in February 1929, it was a month before her 18th birthday!  The famous gag involves her dress getting caught in the cab door and it tearing off.  She's wearing shorts and black stockings, and she and a gentlemanly Oliver Hardy, who is escorting her, don't realize her state of undress for a good minute.  That one scene, as small as it is to the film, is easily the most famous bit.

      Last week we discussed BIG BUSINESS, an undisputed masterpiece, and in a way, it would have been nice if their silent era ended on that note.  DOUBLE WHOOPEE is a perfectly fine film on its own, but it's one of those films where I wish there was sound.  The whole bit where Ollie tries to take the quarter from Stan and Stan cries begs for sound.  Their interactions with Charlie Hall is another bit I feel the same, as there are plenty of sound examples of those three working magic together with those voices.  Stan and Ollie at the desk and especially Ollie humbly asking Jean Harlow if he can escort her, I'd like sound.  If you're a fan of the sound films, you know what I'm talking about.  This said, you take BIG BUSINESS, you take LIBERTY, not for one moment do I need sound.  Laurel and Hardy did some great silent comedies, but them, and W.C. Fields, were the best comedians of taking the best of both worlds in their talkies.  Come 1930, 1931, 1932, we'll be seeing a lot of this. 

      Strangely enough, a "talking" version of this film does exist, but I sadly can not find it on YouTube.  It does appear on vol. 7 of THE LOST FILMS OF LAUREL AND HARDY DVD.  It's not the real voices of Stan and Ollie, but fan Chuck McCann, who did a wonderful job lip reading and synching in the voices.  Worth checking out.

      The film itself is fine entertainment, but no great peaks or valleys to speak of.  The prince character is a play on Erich Von Stroheim, something that would be lost to modern audiences and only appreciated by silent film dorks like me.  I do enjoy checking out the styles of dress with the crowd of people in this late jazz age, pre-crash 1929 setting.  A nice film overall, one of those shorts that's good for fans, but not the best place to start if you're not yet a convert.

8/10
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Paul Pain

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This is a short that precedes the Stooges in many ways, particularly the eyepokes, which I now take to be an ancient comedy staple.

From this and others, I must say I enjoy Stan's method of kicking people in the shins and then repeating every time the person recovers enough to try to take a piece out of him again.

While the plot is simple, there were parts where it could have been better, such as Ollie and the doors plus the bit with Stan having nothing under the coat... not really funny.  Nevertheless, I loved watching Hans Joby get his face splattered in the mud, and the first time I did a doubletake thinking it was blood on the wall.

And I take it Tiny Sandford is the Oliver and Hardy equivalent of Bud Jamison?

Not bad 8/10
#1 fire kibitzer


Offline metaldams

This is a short that precedes the Stooges in many ways, particularly the eyepokes, which I now take to be an ancient comedy staple.

From this and others, I must say I enjoy Stan's method of kicking people in the shins and then repeating every time the person recovers enough to try to take a piece out of him again.

While the plot is simple, there were parts where it could have been better, such as Ollie and the doors plus the bit with Stan having nothing under the coat... not really funny.  Nevertheless, I loved watching Hans Joby get his face splattered in the mud, and the first time I did a doubletake thinking it was blood on the wall.

And I take it Tiny Sandford is the Oliver and Hardy equivalent of Bud Jamison?

Not bad 8/10

Tiny Sanford is a good regular, no doubt.  James Finlayson is THE guy as far as supporting players go, and Edgar Kennedy and Charlie Hall, the little guy driver they get into a confrontation with in this one, are also some of the better regulars.  The Christine McIntyre role you can mould Thelma Todd and Anita Garvin together.  The former is a tragic story (plenty of scandal stuff if you Google her, dead mysteriously at age 30), and the latter lived a long and seemingly happy life.  Both babes.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline metaldams

...and how can I forget to mention Mae Busch?  One of the all time great screen wives you would never want to cross!  Most of the supporting cast don't really establish themselves until the talkies, which are coming up very soon.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Umbrella Sam

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DOUBLE WHOOPEE is so close to being a 10 in my book. I love the design of the hotel and the energy of all the actors involved. There are lots of funny gags in this. Hardy taking Laurel’s coin, Laurel accidentally removing the guest’s shirt, the confrontation with the driver, Laurel and Hardy’s inconvenient timing with the elevator. These are all great gags and the short had me laughing throughout.

So why isn’t this a 10 for me? Maybe it’s the beginning. I do like the idea of Laurel and Hardy being mistaken for royalty, but I almost feel like this should have been a short on its own. I mean, come on: Stan as a prince and Ollie as his prime minister? The short practically writes itself. As it stands, though, it’s just a short gag that doesn’t go on for very long and just suddenly shifts its focus afterwards. The actual prince himself didn’t feel like he actually needed to be in the short, considering how he disappears a third of the way through only to come back for the closing gag. As much as I loved the elevator gag, just about any other actor could have filled that; and yes, I know he’s parodying von Stroheim, but that still doesn’t warrant his appearance.

Still, you’ve got to love that fight at the end. All the people that Laurel and Hardy antagonized throughout the short suddenly come together and start punching each other and giving each other the eye poke. It’s a wonderful payoff to a mostly funny short. Maybe it would have been better with sound, but I still enjoy it nonetheless.

9 out of 10
“I’ll take a milkshake...with sour milk!” -Shemp (Punchy Cowpunchers, 1950)

My blog: https://talk-about-cinema.blogspot.com


Offline HomokHarcos

This may have been better as a sound short, but I still enjoyed it. The hotel is a cool location, and the idea of Stan and Ollie working there is funny. Even if the plot is not even really about anything, just watching them do their job is funny. Of course the most famous section of the movie is when Stan and Ollie accidently rip Jean Harlow's clothes. It's amazing how many comediennes worked with famous comedy acts before becoming stars themselves: Jean Harlow with Laurel and Hardy, Lucille Ball with The Three Stooges, Joan Crawford with Harry Langdon and Marilyn Monroe with the Marx Brothers. Jean Harlow is definitely her recognizable self and it's crazy that she wasn't even 18 yet. We finish up with another chaotic ending where the hotel all gets into a fight with each other. Not an overly ambitious short, but Laurel and Hardy are just so entertaining.


Offline NoahYoung



For those who collect 8mm and Super 8 film ("oh no, there he goes again!") this is probably the easiest of their silent films to obtain. On a given day, there are probably 10 copies for sale on eBay. Why? This one was often on a half-price sale that Blackhawk Films advertised in newspapers and magazines thought the U.S. That's how I got my copy back in the early 70s. That sale also included Chaplin's THE TRAMP and I think Keaton's COPS. Because of that, pre-80s, probably most L&H fans had seen this short numerous times.

Onto the film...

This one is probably as funny as any of their silents. It is fast-paced, with lots of variety. It is also a nice change of pace from most of their other silent comedies. An interesting tidbit is that this was released directly after their first all-talking comedy, UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE. And it was released without a music and sound effects Victor disc, which had become the norm for a few of their prior silents.

The Prince was portrayed by Captain John Peters, who served as Von Stroheim's double in the films that he made.

I've only watched a few minutes of the "sound" version recorded by Chuck McCann. I actually skimmed through it once. I didn't like it at all. Chuck McCann usually does an excellent Ollie, usually in appearances where you can see as well as hear him. I just didn't agree with him doing Stan's voice as well, and in the little I saw, his Ollie voice sounded a lot like Stan. I've mentioned this recently, but when dubbing, especially in a film like this, I would try to simulate the acoustics better. In this case, McCann should have been standing in a carpeted, large room so it would sound like he was standing in the lobby of a hotel. Al Kilgore wrote the sound script and directed the dubbing, which was done in 1969, according to the McCabe/Kilgore/Bann book which was published in 1975. That book also said it was still "awaiting release." The "Lost Films" series might have been the first time the general public could see/hear it. I wonder if film prints were made with the soundtrack, since in 1969 I'm not sure how easy it would have been for them to telecine it to video tape.

BTW, I met Chuck once, and he couldn't have been nicer. He said Stan was a like a father to him. I met him at the same show where I met Butch and a few other Our Gang members I wrote about recently.

I think it is telling that Chuck picked this short to dub -- assuming it was indeed his choice. Was it because it was one of his favorites, or did he feel that it lent itself best to dubbing? I do remember him telling me that TIT FOR TAT was his favorite, but I don't remember if he qualifed it as favorite short, talkie short, or favorite film overall of theirs.

According to the Randy S. book (first edition), the first take of the Jean Harlow scene was raunchier, since her slip was completely see-through! This was rectified for subsequent takes! I guess the roaring 20s of the 20th century were not that different than the current roaring 20s! Everything comes full circle!
 >:D

Yes, it was interesting about Harlow's age in the short, and I wonder what the laws were back then regarding things like this. Would she have been legally allowed to appear in burlesque dressed similarly? Perhaps she lied about her age to Roach? BTW, and L&H fans already know this, she also appeared in BACON GRABBERS and LIBERTY, dressed much more conservatively, and in a photo-only (several times) in BEAU HUNKS. In stills, her framed pic appears on the fireplace mantle in BRATS.  I always forget to see if it is clearly visible in the film itself.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline Tony Bensley



For those who collect 8mm and Super 8 film ("oh no, there he goes again!") this is probably the easiest of their silent films to obtain. On a given day, there are probably 10 copies for sale on eBay. Why? This one was often on a half-price sale that Blackhawk Films advertised in newspapers and magazines thought the U.S. That's how I got my copy back in the early 70s. That sale also included Chaplin's THE TRAMP and I think Keaton's COPS. Because of that, pre-80s, probably most L&H fans had seen this short numerous times.

Onto the film...

This one is probably as funny as any of their silents. It is fast-paced, with lots of variety. It is also a nice change of pace from most of their other silent comedies. An interesting tidbit is that this was released directly after their first all-talking comedy, UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE. And it was released without a music and sound effects Victor disc, which had become the norm for a few of their prior silents.

The Prince was portrayed by Captain John Peters, who served as Von Stroheim's double in the films that he made.

I've only watched a few minutes of the "sound" version recorded by Chuck McCann. I actually skimmed through it once. I didn't like it at all. Chuck McCann usually does an excellent Ollie, usually in appearances where you can see as well as hear him. I just didn't agree with him doing Stan's voice as well, and in the little I saw, his Ollie voice sounded a lot like Stan. I've mentioned this recently, but when dubbing, especially in a film like this, I would try to simulate the acoustics better. In this case, McCann should have been standing in a carpeted, large room so it would sound like he was standing in the lobby of a hotel. Al Kilgore wrote the sound script and directed the dubbing, which was done in 1969, according to the McCabe/Kilgore/Bann book which was published in 1975. That book also said it was still "awaiting release." The "Lost Films" series might have been the first time the general public could see/hear it. I wonder if film prints were made with the soundtrack, since in 1969 I'm not sure how easy it would have been for them to telecine it to video tape.

BTW, I met Chuck once, and he couldn't have been nicer. He said Stan was a like a father to him. I met him at the same show where I met Butch and a few other Our Gang members I wrote about recently.

I think it is telling that Chuck picked this short to dub -- assuming it was indeed his choice. Was it because it was one of his favorites, or did he feel that it lent itself best to dubbing? I do remember him telling me that TIT FOR TAT was his favorite, but I don't remember if he qualifed it as favorite short, talkie short, or favorite film overall of theirs.

According to the Randy S. book (first edition), the first take of the Jean Harlow scene was raunchier, since her slip was completely see-through! This was rectified for subsequent takes! I guess the roaring 20s of the 20th century were not that different than the current roaring 20s! Everything comes full circle!
 >:D

Yes, it was interesting about Harlow's age in the short, and I wonder what the laws were back then regarding things like this. Would she have been legally allowed to appear in burlesque dressed similarly? Perhaps she lied about her age to Roach? BTW, and L&H fans already know this, she also appeared in BACON GRABBERS and LIBERTY, dressed much more conservatively, and in a photo-only (several times) in BEAU HUNKS. In stills, her framed pic appears on the fireplace mantle in BRATS.  I always forget to see if it is clearly visible in the film itself.
While I never met Chuck McCann in person, I did once get to speak to him during an audio interview podcast that is still available on YouTube. This was just a bit after the bombing at the Boston Marathon, which did get a mention minutes before my phoning in. Chuck was lamenting about the prospect of us being forever stuck with the Laurel & Hardy silents only ever being available in low res VHS quality, and was also in favor of them being colorized in order to promote their release! Thankfully, just over a decade on, neither dreadful scenario is proving to be the case! He does also speak about doing the voices for DOUBLE WHOOPEE (1929). As interesting an experiment as that was, I rather prefer the original silent version. Like BACON GRABBERS and ANGORA LOVE, DW was filmed prior to the Hal Roach Studios being wired for sound and thus doesn't suffer from being a film made for sound awkwardly repurposed as a silent for presentation in theaters not yet equipped for sound.

Also, as much as some people might complain about the Blackhawk Films copyright logo being included on the Laurel & Hardy silent film restorations, at least they're a lot smaller and far more discreet than the small paragraphs that appear on many of the 1990s era home video L&H silent releases, such as the above DOUBLE WHOOPEE (1929) transfer!  [pie]

CHEERS! :)



Offline NoahYoung

While I never met Chuck McCann in person, I did once get to speak to him during an audio interview podcast that is still available on YouTube.
I'll look, but do you have a link handy?

This was just a bit after the bombing at the Boston Marathon, which did get a mention minutes before my phoning in. Chuck was lamenting about the prospect of us being forever stuck with the Laurel & Hardy silents only ever being available in low res VHS quality, and was also in favor of them being colorized in order to promote their release!
Did he not know about the DVD releases both here in the U.S. and abroad? Also, didn't he know about the Blackhawk releases on film? In fact, I believe I had in my hand a stack of Blackhawk L&H silents that I had just bought a few minutes before I talked to him, since at the show many people were selling films. I might have even mentioned that to him. I do remember him  telling me that he was responsible for getting the original negatives of L&H into the Library of Congress.

Thankfully, just over a decade on, neither dreadful scenario is proving to be the case! He does also speak about doing the voices for DOUBLE WHOOPEE (1929). As interesting an experiment as that was, I rather prefer the original silent version. Like BACON GRABBERS and ANGORA LOVE, DW was filmed prior to the Hal Roach Studios being wired for sound and thus doesn't suffer from being a film made for sound awkwardly repurposed as a silent for presentation in theaters not yet equipped for sound.
Yes, a handful of Roach early talkies were released in silent versions, but we are lucky that all the discs survived. Blackhawk was responsible for unearthing the discs for UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE and Our Gang's RAILROADIN' in the late 70s. I have Blackhawk prints of both in Super 8. Those are historically important prints since that is the first time either short was available on film with the soundtrack also on film. Roach apparently never re-released those with optical soundtracks, as he did with the other Our Gang and L&H shorts whose sound was originally recorded on disc.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline Tony Bensley

I'll look, but do you have a link handy?
Did he not know about the DVD releases both here in the U.S. and abroad? Also, didn't he know about the Blackhawk releases on film? In fact, I believe I had in my hand a stack of Blackhawk L&H silents that I had just bought a few minutes before I talked to him, since at the show many people were selling films. I might have even mentioned that to him. I do remember him  telling me that he was responsible for getting the original negatives of L&H into the Library of Congress.
Yes, a handful of Roach early talkies were released in silent versions, but we are lucky that all the discs survived. Blackhawk was responsible for unearthing the discs for UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE and Our Gang's RAILROADIN' in the late 70s. I have Blackhawk prints of both in Super 8. Those are historically important prints since that is the first time either short was available on film with the soundtrack also on film. Roach apparently never re-released those with optical soundtracks, as he did with the other Our Gang and L&H shorts whose sound was originally recorded on disc.
Unfortunately, I don't. I know it's still up (At least as of very recently!), as I had it on one of my many browser tabs within the past couple of months, but rather inconveniently, I don't have it up at present, and YouTube searches are currently proving fruitless! If/when I do find it again, I'll let you know!! It is about 51 minutes in length, but the exact name is eluding my faulty memory, at the moment! When I found the old podcast awhile back, I had stumbled on to it while searching for something else!!

CHEERS!  [pie]

EDIT:  FOUND IT!!!!  Also, the running length is EXACTLY 51 minutes (I phone in at 20:59!), so my memory isn't that bad yet, LOL!!!  ;D



Offline NoahYoung

Unfortunately, I don't. I know it's still up (At least as of very recently!), as I had it on one of my many browser tabs within the past couple of months, but rather inconveniently, I don't have it up at present, and YouTube searches are currently proving fruitless! If/when I do find it again, I'll let you know!! It is about 51 minutes in length, but the exact name is eluding my faulty memory, at the moment! When I found the old podcast awhile back, I had stumbled on to it while searching for something else!!


You have some set of cogliones, lol, regarding when Chuck asked you what you thought of his work on DOUBLE WHOOPEE! But you're right. I need to give it another watch sometime, since it was a long time ago, and I only watched it for a few minutes, but I think even Chuck got the voices wrong.

I didn't listen to the whole podcast, but I started it at the point when you called in, then for about 10 mintes or so. Maybe you threw him off, but he couldn't seem to keep his thoughts straight -- in mid-sentence, he went in another direction a few times.

Chuck seemed to have been on a crusade to get people to watch L&H. That's fine, but I tend to let other people watch what they want, though when my kids were small I showed them L&H. My daughter (now an adult) recently told me that she had nightmares after I showed her BABES IN TOYLAND!

The boys made more talkies than silents (as a team), so I wouldn't start newbies off on their silents. Once they like L&H, they will gravitate to their silents as well.

I remember seeing Chuck host L&H films on WPIX -- distant memory but I remember that was the first time I saw SONS OF THE DESERT. I remember him say something like "this is the one where they go to the convention."

When I met him, he naturally asked if I was a member of THE SONS OF THE DESERT, and when I said no, he asked, "Why not? Join so we can all hold hands!" So I wrote to the address in Randy's book about joining (which was to Randy), but he never replied.

About a year later, I was talking to another film collector who I was buying and selling films with, and he told me when the next meeting was -- in Manhattan at the Player's ("Founding Tent").  https://theplayersnyc.org/ So I went and continued to go for about 3 years. I last went almost 30 years ago, but even then they were showing non-L&H films along with the boys. They showed some serials, A&C TV Show episodes, and even A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN. It was all fun and no one complained. Everything of course was in 16mm, prints and projector provided by Ray Faiola, who now runs his own tent (THEM THAR HILLS) up in the Catskills. Jack Roth was (and still is) the Grand Shiek of the "Founding Tent" but they no longer meet at the Players, probably since no current members of the Tent are members of the Players.

At one meeting, Bill Murray attended, and was very sociable. None of us asked him about his work, we just talked about L&H! He introduced himself to me saying his name, which was nice since he didn't act like a celebrity who everyone should know. I've read lots of bad things about him from co-workers on the sets of his movies, but I take it with a grain of salt since he coldn't have been nicer nor more down to earth than he was that night. He stayed for the whole meeting and watched all the films. He didn't get up to talk before the films; he wasn't introduced; he was just someone attending to have fun. He was honored several weeks later at a SONS dinner, though, that I didn't attend.

Circa 1997


https://www.sonsofthedesertnyc.org/
http://www.themtharhills.org/

Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline Tony Bensley

You have some set of cogliones, lol, regarding when Chuck asked you what you thought of his work on DOUBLE WHOOPEE! But you're right. I need to give it another watch sometime, since it was a long time ago, and I only watched it for a few minutes, but I think even Chuck got the voices wrong.

I didn't listen to the whole podcast, but I started it at the point when you called in, then for about 10 mintes or so. Maybe you threw him off, but he couldn't seem to keep his thoughts straight -- in mid-sentence, he went in another direction a few times.

Chuck seemed to have been on a crusade to get people to watch L&H. That's fine, but I tend to let other people watch what they want, though when my kids were small I showed them L&H. My daughter (now an adult) recently told me that she had nightmares after I showed her BABES IN TOYLAND!

The boys made more talkies than silents (as a team), so I wouldn't start newbies off on their silents. Once they like L&H, they will gravitate to their silents as well.

I remember seeing Chuck host L&H films on WPIX -- distant memory but I remember that was the first time I saw SONS OF THE DESERT. I remember him say something like "this is the one where they go to the convention."

When I met him, he naturally asked if I was a member of THE SONS OF THE DESERT, and when I said no, he asked, "Why not? Join so we can all hold hands!" So I wrote to the address in Randy's book about joining (which was to Randy), but he never replied.

About a year later, I was talking to another film collector who I was buying and selling films with, and he told me when the next meeting was -- in Manhattan at the Player's ("Founding Tent").  https://theplayersnyc.org/ So I went and continued to go for about 3 years. I last went almost 30 years ago, but even then they were showing non-L&H films along with the boys. They showed some serials, A&C TV Show episodes, and even A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN. It was all fun and no one complained. Everything of course was in 16mm, prints and projector provided by Ray Faiola, who now runs his own tent (THEM THAR HILLS) up in the Catskills. Jack Roth was (and still is) the Grand Shiek of the "Founding Tent" but they no longer meet at the Players, probably since no current members of the Tent are members of the Players.

At one meeting, Bill Murray attended, and was very sociable. None of us asked him about his work, we just talked about L&H! He introduced himself to me saying his name, which was nice since he didn't act like a celebrity who everyone should know. I've read lots of bad things about him from co-workers on the sets of his movies, but I take it with a grain of salt since he coldn't have been nicer nor more down to earth than he was that night. He stayed for the whole meeting and watched all the films. He didn't get up to talk before the films; he wasn't introduced; he was just someone attending to have fun. He was honored several weeks later at a SONS dinner, though, that I didn't attend.

Circa 1997


https://www.sonsofthedesertnyc.org/
http://www.themtharhills.org/
This afternoon, I listened to the entire podcast from when I phoned in. I winced a little bit when it got to the part when I nitpicked over the voices for the DOUBLE WHOOPEE (1929) secondary characters, LOL!! I do recall thinking Chuck's point regarding his matching up the voices according to the characters rather than the actors portraying them was valid, plus the fact that back then (1969), the average viewer didn't get to see these films over and over endlessly.

I had never previously considered that my question may have thrown Mr. McCann off, but it would hardly be the first time I ever did that with somebody. It probably goes with my being on the autistic spectrum. Near the end of the interview, I did tell Chuck I enjoyed him and Bob Denver in "Far Out Space Nuts" and his "Little House On The Prairie" guest spot as Tinker, the kindly Deaf Mute, so at least I wasn't a total arse, LOL.  ;)

From what I've seen of Bill Murray over the decades, he seems really decent to a fault when he hangs out in public. The sort one would enjoy having a beer with. Perhaps some of the people he's worked with on TV and Film simply rub him the wrong way and/or vice versa? It happens.

Interesting that Randy Skretvedt never got back to you. As it happens, we are friends on Facebook, though I don't post much there, these days.

CHEERS!  [pie]


Offline NoahYoung

This afternoon, I listened to the entire podcast from when I phoned in. I winced a little bit when it got to the part when I nitpicked over the voices for the DOUBLE WHOOPEE (1929) secondary characters, LOL!! I do recall thinking Chuck's point regarding his matching up the voices according to the characters rather than the actors portraying them was valid, plus the fact that back then (1969), the average viewer didn't get to see these films over and over endlessly.

I really do need to watch the "talkie" version again soon!

Regarding MUSH AND MILK (which you reference in the podcast), the waiter (Rolfe Sedan) at the end is saying "porridge" with a French accent. Sedan was an American born in NYC!

I had never previously considered that my question may have thrown Mr. McCann off, but it would hardly be the first time I ever did that with somebody. It probably goes with my being on the autistic spectrum. Near the end of the interview, I did tell Chuck I enjoyed him and Bob Denver in "Far Out Space Nuts" and his "Little House On The Prairie" guest spot as Tinker, the kindly Deaf Mute, so at least I wasn't a total arse, LOL.  ;)

Since I didn't listen to the whole thing, I don't know if Chuck acts that way throughout. I'm surprised they kept you on the phone so long - - I thought that after the question you were gone. Not because of the question -- I'm just used to listening to sports talk radio every day where after the question is asked they often disconnect the caller, though it depends on the host.

Regarding "Far Out Space Nuts", I remember it being on Saturday mornings, but I don't have memories of watching it very much. I remember how watching Sat morning shows was "must see" TV back in the 70s, and we were always excited to watch the new shows for the season.

I do remember watching Chuck and Larry Harmon on MATT HOUSTON in the 80s doing L&H. I had never watched the show before but tuned-in for that episode.

I still have on tape somewhere Chuck and Jim MacGeorge hosting a L&H show on a cable channel (I think CBN) where they showed some of the shorts. At the end they gave the address from which to order Randy's book, and I quickly ordered it via mail. That was circa 1988. It was broadcast live with an audience there to watch the shorts on a big TV screen. They were running out  of time to show another short at the end (or perhaps the remainder of the one that they were showing), and you could call in to vote on whether they should extend the time of the show or switch to the scheduled program (which I think was THE PAPER CHASE with John Houseman). I think the short that needed more time was ANOTHER FINE MESS. Unfortunately, they showed the L&H Show versions. And they did extend the time of the show!

Edit: here it is!


From what I've seen of Bill Murray over the decades, he seems really decent to a fault when he hangs out in public. The sort one would enjoy having a beer with. Perhaps some of the people he's worked with on TV and Film simply rub him the wrong way and/or vice versa? It happens.
Yes. We've all had those problems at work -- but we're not famous enough for it to be written about in the news!

Interesting that Randy Skretvedt never got back to you. As it happens, we are friends on Facebook, though I don't post much there, these days.

Well, I got the address from the 1987 edition of Randy's book, and when I wrote the letter smail-mail, it was already 1995. Maybe he never got it. Looking at the book now, it was an address in Encino, Ca, but it doesn't specifically say that it's Randy's address. It just says to write for more information.

Kids today wouldn't understand that there was no web to look this stuff up back then. But there was an Internet, though, and I used to read and respond in newsgroups when I had a spare minute here or there at work. (Didn't have internet at home at that time.) Around 95/96 AOL became popular and then it was easy.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline NoahYoung

I was mistaken on a few counts -- they showed the improved RHI versions. They showed, in this order: ANOTHER FINE MESS, THE MUSIC BOX, and HOG WILD. The call-in was to vote for the 3rd short -- HOG WILD or THEM THAR HILLS. They do mention that THE PAPER CHASE would air in its entirety.  Perhaps there was no call-in for that and I misremembered. I couldn't find them talking about that it might not air in full, but I only zipped thru the video quickly to catch the commentary. I need to dig out my tape, and a working VCR, to see if perhaps the youtube video didn't include everything.

I do remember how fun it was to watch it live, though they didn't allow us to hear the audience reactions, which may or may not have been a good thing. At the time, it was good for me since I wanted pristine recordings of the shorts that they did show.

BTW, 60th anniversary of what? The second year of their silents together? They're a year off! (Or more if you include LUCKY DOG and/or 45 MINUTES FROM HOLLYWOOD.)

Regarding porridge, listen closely: https://youtu.be/rt1ExQoYMuo?si=FfM9smz32TFN3dp8&t=1069
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz


Offline Tony Bensley

I really do need to watch the "talkie" version again soon!

Regarding MUSH AND MILK (which you reference in the podcast), the waiter (Rolfe Sedan) at the end is saying "porridge" with a French accent. Sedan was an American born in NYC!

Since I didn't listen to the whole thing, I don't know if Chuck acts that way throughout. I'm surprised they kept you on the phone so long - - I thought that after the question you were gone. Not because of the question -- I'm just used to listening to sports talk radio every day where after the question is asked they often disconnect the caller, though it depends on the host.

Regarding "Far Out Space Nuts", I remember it being on Saturday mornings, but I don't have memories of watching it very much. I remember how watching Sat morning shows was "must see" TV back in the 70s, and we were always excited to watch the new shows for the season.

I do remember watching Chuck and Larry Harmon on MATT HOUSTON in the 80s doing L&H. I had never watched the show before but tuned-in for that episode.

I still have on tape somewhere Chuck and Jim MacGeorge hosting a L&H show on a cable channel (I think CBN) where they showed some of the shorts. At the end they gave the address from which to order Randy's book, and I quickly ordered it via mail. That was circa 1988. It was broadcast live with an audience there to watch the shorts on a big TV screen. They were running out  of time to show another short at the end (or perhaps the remainder of the one that they were showing), and you could call in to vote on whether they should extend the time of the show or switch to the scheduled program (which I think was THE PAPER CHASE with John Houseman). I think the short that needed more time was ANOTHER FINE MESS. Unfortunately, they showed the L&H Show versions. And they did extend the time of the show!

Edit: here it is!

Yes. We've all had those problems at work -- but we're not famous enough for it to be written about in the news!

Well, I got the address from the 1987 edition of Randy's book, and when I wrote the letter smail-mail, it was already 1995. Maybe he never got it. Looking at the book now, it was an address in Encino, Ca, but it doesn't specifically say that it's Randy's address. It just says to write for more information.

Kids today wouldn't understand that there was no web to look this stuff up back then. But there was an Internet, though, and I used to read and respond in newsgroups when I had a spare minute here or there at work. (Didn't have internet at home at that time.) Around 95/96 AOL became popular and then it was easy.

Unfortunately, NBC Universal has this video blocked from my country. Even after I just set my VPN to United States and refreshed this page twice, I still get the same blocked from your country message. Maybe if you could send me the YouTube address link, I might have better luck accessing it there, directly?

CHEERS!  [pie]

P.S. Nevermind, it just displayed!