He Cooked His Goose (1952)

metaldams · **on:** January 02, 2016, 12:08:38 PM

http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/139
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044695/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2UwGWkBR7p4

Watch HE COOKED HIS GOOSE in the link above

Before really discussing this short, I would like to get something out of the way about Thelia/Diana Darrin, making her Stooge debut. A very pretty girl who would appear in future shorts, and she even appeared at a Stooge convention. Fortunately, as I type this, she's still with us. However, before any of you comment on the air conditioner being turned up to ten in her scene, there is something you need to know about her when this was filmed. Please click the YouTube link below before reading the rest of the review.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GlN3oEjMpUQ

OK, that out of the way, HE COOKED HIS GOOSE may not be a classic, but it is an experimental and completely fascinating short. As a reviewer, I appreciate this, especially when in the not too distant future we have week after week of stock footage jobs to discuss. For the second week in a row, the Stooges fight over women. However, unlike in CORNY CASANOVAS, the boys are not a team, and the love angle is not linear, it's more complex. A few twists and turns here, where as last week, the boys all went through the same issue with the same girl and only found out in the end.

The highlight of this short is unquestionably Larry. Here, instead of being the middle man, he gets to play a completely unethical would be casanova. He plays the role well. I don't know if I'm imagining things, by his hair appears even more wild than usual, as as his facial expressions in his close ups. If you're a Larry fan, and you want a short where he stretches out, throw this in with WOMAN HATERS, THREE LOAN WOLVES, and another short coming up very soon. I also enjoy the little musical theme they play whenever Larry gets a screwball idea in his head. Also observe how the only basic Stooge slapstick scene in this short is Larry dashing it out t a defenseless Moe! The Stooge dynamic really changed for this one short.

The complicated love angle is interesting, the only problem is the normal Stooge shenanigans they try to throw in seem forced in a more complicated plot than usual. Shemp coming down the chimney as Santa, normally a pleasant idea, seems too far fetched and childlike in this more adult themed script. So does all the slapstick that follows. The birdseed stuff, the clam scene, the painful business of Shemp ringing out the dog (a bad Jules White animal gag), just don't belong in this kind of script.

Another note. Shot in early 1952, HE COOKED HIS GOOSE was filmed about two weeks before the death of Curly. As for my rating, it's a 6 on its own, but in the canon of Stooge work, its fascinating uniqueness is a 10. Therefore, I give this an.....

8/10

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2016, 01:03:35 PM

This is a good, experimental short in a year--1952--where I don't think the boys released a bad short. I know some might disagree with that statement, given that the year ends with Cuckoo on a Choo Choo, but I stand by my opinion.

At any rate, Cooked is pretty good on its own--and it features the debut of perhaps my favorite stooge lady, Diana Darrin; what a dish (dish, she's a flying saucer).

7 out of 10...

GreenCanaries · **Reply #2 on:** January 02, 2016, 03:06:56 PM

*AHEM*

Also making their Stooge debut in this short: the also beautiful and also still-with-us Angela Stevens.

Also with this short, we say goodbye (at least in new footage) to sporadic support Mary Ainslee.

And once again, Johnny Kascier gets a good fall ("That's what you get for trippin' me!").

metaldams · **Reply #3 on:** January 02, 2016, 03:11:22 PM

Quote from: GreenCanaries on January 02, 2016, 03:06:56 PM

*AHEM*

Also making their Stooge debut in this short: the also beautiful and also still-with-us Angela Stevens.

Also with this short, we say goodbye (at least in new footage) to sporadic support Mary Ainslee.

And once again, Johnny Kascier gets a good fall ("That's what you get for trippin' me!").

Agree on Angela Stevens.

Paul Pain · **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2016, 06:48:38 AM

I enjoy this short for a variety of reasons, but I think we all agree the best part is the unique scripting going on here with the Stooges operating as separate, but still slapstick-y (is that a word? Fine, it is now!), figures. It is also one of the few shorts where Larry takes the leading role as the full-blown womanizer, something that we shall discuss in the not too distant future in another experimental short.

This short has so many funny moments mingled in the seriousness... Larry chewing on the golf ball, that little music that plays when Larry gets a "screwball idea" (credit metaldams) in his head, the bird seed, Santy Claus in the chimney, etc.

Perhaps more interesting is how Larry leads in dishing out the violence in this. In other shorts with a Larry lead, Moe still is the disher-outer of pain, but here he is the full-fledged screwball that Larry normally is. And Shemp is still Shemp in his limited time here.

Moe is a bit different but still thoroughly at home in his different role here. Perhaps it's a testament to his talents, seeing how many cameo roles in movies and guest appearances on talk shows he had post-Stoogedom. I feel bad though that he has such a loser wife ("You might fall... I hope."), which makes her anger at accusations of infidelity from Shemp's fianceé more ironic. Moe gets so much abuse, verbal and physical, dished out to him in this.

And speaking of dishes, how about Diana Darrin as Miss Lapdale! OK, I won't make comments about the AC being turned up because I have others to use such references on (unfortunately, we are post Christine McIntyre). When Larry remarks about being engaged to 3 beautiful girls plus his secretary, I cringe as I laugh because of poor Miss Lapdale being engaged to that masher. Edit: he says "ask my secretary," not "and my secretary."

Larry here is a great comedic masher... OK, his role is more or less being a potato to be mashed rather than the masher with him getting a can-ful at the end. He does well in his leading role here, and it's a shame he doesn't get many more after this short.

So how did Shemp get into that Shempy Claus outfit whilst in the chimney?

Some of the more comedic bits do kind of seam in badly to the adult plot, but I'm OK with it. The wringing of the obviously fake dog leads to a continuity error as Angela Stevens laughs when she sees Shemp twisting the pup, but then she's ready to slap him when she comes over to grab the dog. But then again she's just being fickle, like most women. No apologies, ladies.

Overall, an interesting thing worth keeping in any Stoogephiles repertoire, but not their best.

8/10

Dr. Hugo Gansamacher · **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2016, 10:17:09 AM

Angela Stevens dressed for entertaining a male caller.

Lefty · **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2016, 10:34:28 AM

It's never a bad thing to have hometown hero Larry as the "main man" of a Stooges' short, even if he was the villain in this one (although if he had smacked Belle I wouldn't have had a problem with that). At least Diana Darrin, gaw-juss as always, was already 18 when this show was made.

My favorite part was where Moe got his coat hanger caught in the Christmas tree and pulled the whole thing down on himself. Of course, Christmas trees and Santa Claus was quite incongruous for the Stooges being Jewish, but the scenes did provide lots of humor.

Now back to Belle: What exactly did she say that sounded like "My, they're all acute" when Shemp was showing her the underwear? And why did they have a replacement for Mary Ainslee in the Joe remake when it was all stock footage?

metaldams · **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2016, 11:35:26 AM

Quote from: Lefty on January 03, 2016, 10:34:28 AM

It's never a bad thing to have hometown hero Larry as the "main man" of a Stooges' short, even if he was the villain in this one (although if he had smacked Belle I wouldn't have had a problem with that). At least Diana Darrin, gaw-juss as always, was already 18 when this show was made.

My favorite part was where Moe got his coat hanger caught in the Christmas tree and pulled the whole thing down on himself. Of course, Christmas trees and Santa Claus was quite incongruous for the Stooges being Jewish, but the scenes did provide lots of humor.

Now back to Belle: What exactly did she say that sounded like "My, they're all acute" when Shemp was showing her the underwear? And why did they have a replacement for Mary Ainslee in the Joe remake when it was all stock footage?

Lefty, Diana Darrin was born April 1934, not too far from where I was born, doing the research. HE COOKED HIS GOOSE was filmed January 1952. She was only 17, like Kip Winger states in the link above.

The replacement for Mary Ainslee, interestingly enough, was Connie Cezan. Ms. Ainslee's career path fascinates me. Her later roles were years apart, and only Stooge shorts. I also agree with all those who find her character completely unsympathetic here.

Paul Pain · **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2016, 12:31:22 PM

Mary Ainslee with roller blades in SOME MORE OF SAMOA == *wolf whistle*

We are spoiled rotten with the ladies in this short.

Well, Kitty McHugh was Mrs. Henderson in LISTEN, JUDGE, 17 years after her previous role!

metaldams · **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2016, 12:32:44 PM

Quote from: Paul Pain on January 03, 2016, 12:31:22 PM

Mary Ainslee with roller blades in SOME MORE OF SAMOA == *wolf whistle*

Amen to that! Tennis outfit in IN THE SWEET PIE AND PIE as well. Smokin'!

Lefty · **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2016, 03:00:33 PM

Quote from: metaldams on January 03, 2016, 11:35:26 AM

Lefty, Diana Darrin was born April 1934, not too far from where I was born, doing the research. HE COOKED HIS GOOSE was filmed January 1952. She was only 17, like Kip Winger states in the link above.

The replacement for Mary Ainslee, interestingly enough, was Connie Cezan. Ms. Ainslee's career path fascinates me. Her later roles were years apart, and only Stooge shorts. I also agree with all those who find her character completely unsympathetic here.

Thanks for the info, Metal. When I first read it, I thought it said, "... not to far WHEN I was born ..." I feel that old myself sometimes. But I'm married, so Diana is disqualified.

Kopfy2013 · **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2016, 12:47:40 AM

Different and unique. I love that Larry carries the short. The end was a little scattered - why the waiter?

I like seeing the ribs when he swallows the light.

" practically a steal "

I give it an eight.

BeatleShemp · **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2016, 03:03:59 PM

This short is definitely one of my favorites, BECAUSE of Larry. All of the Stooges are great, and it is very neat to see the Stooges not the Stooges in this short. It gets a big 10 for experimentation. I wonder if it created a little bit of a stir back in 1952 with Larry being such a womanizer in this short. It's not a perfect short, and the Stooges work better as a team, but I definitely loved this one.

Curly Van Dyke · **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2016, 02:43:38 PM

Angela Stevens was quite a Babe herself. Check her out in Joe Bessers's "Spies and Guys".
She runs around in a Sexy One Piece Bathing Suit!!!

metaldams · **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2016, 04:18:28 PM

Quote from: Curly Van Dyke on November 19, 2016, 02:43:38 PM

Angela Stevens was quite a Babe herself. Check her out in Joe Bessers's "Spies and Guys".
She runs around in a Sexy One Piece Bathing Suit!!!

I'll be getting to SPIES AND GUYS short soon, but you're correct about Angela Stevens.

Curly Van Dyke · **Reply #15 on:** November 20, 2016, 01:59:28 PM

Angela Stevens-HUBBA HUBBA! The short "Spies and Guys" is pretty lame but worth it to ogle Angela.

stoogerascalfan62 · **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2016, 01:49:57 PM

I've seen this film once or twice and IMO it has a somewhat better ending than the gosh-awful remake "Triple Crossed", which I avoid like the plague.

Tony Bensley · **Reply #17 on:** December 24, 2016, 10:28:40 AM

I just viewed this gem for the first time last night after having read about Shemp's recycled Santa Claus footage from this short that was used in TRIPLE CROSSED (1959).

Don't really have much to add, except to say I was sad to see that Angela Stevens passed away this past March 17 (Saint Patty's Day, begosh, begorrah!) at the age of 91! At least Diana Darrin is still with us as of this writing! Man, she looked like such a dish sitting on Larry's lap, I guess her Miss Lapdale character was aptly named for this! By the way, her IMDB page lists her date of birth as April 15, 1933 for whatever that's worth. If correct, Diana Darrin was 18 at the time of the HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952) shooting!

I agree with others that Belle doesn't come off as very sympathetic, and she also seemed just a bit old (For the Stooges, that is, wink!).

As for any incongruities regarding Christmas Trees, and the Stooges Jewish heritage, that was hardly unusual for Hollywood, where there has always been a very pronounced Jewish presence, then and now, especially among studio heads, but also performers, to a degree. However, any deeper debate about this is probably more appropriately discussed elsewhere. This was entertainment meant for the masses.

Just viewing this short also served as a reminder just how beautiful these restorations are! This one looked like it could have been released yesterday!

HE COOKED HIS GOOSE gets an 8/10 from me!

CHEERS!

GreenCanaries · **Reply #18 on:** December 24, 2016, 01:56:03 PM

Quote from: Tony Bensley on December 24, 2016, 10:28:40 AM

Don't really have much to add, except to say I was sad to see that Angela Stevens passed away this past March 17 (Saint Patty's Day, begosh, begorrah!) at the age of 91! At least Diana Darrin is still with us as of this writing! Man, she looked like such a dish sitting on Larry's lap, I guess her Miss Lapdale character was aptly named for this! By the way, her IMDB page lists her date of birth as April 15, 1933 for whatever that's worth. If correct, Diana Darrin was 18 at the time of the HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952) shooting!

Hmm... I cannot find anything to indicate Angela has died (I even looked under her married name of Ann Zika). Unless someone is really good at keeping a secret. I'm sure if she had, we Stooges fans would've heard about it by now.

I see such a date is listed on "ol' reliable" IMDb, where of course they don't even bother to list a source. The lack of a death place also says to me that someone there is probably playing us for fools again...

IMDb also claims bit actress and former "Miss California" Aloha Porter kicked it some day in 2004, also without a place, whereas I discovered she actually died in 1982. Another example is brief-serving Hal Roach actress Elizabeth Forrester - some day in 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona is claimed on IMDb, but I found she more likely passed in 1968 in the Los Angeles area. They didn't have a death date at all for another brief Roach girl, Christine Maple, tricking some posters at Another Nice Forum (which Tony and I both frequent) into thinking she might still be alive, but we ultimately uncovered that she's been "out of the game" for nearly 7 decades (NOW they list her date of death on there after we found it).

But anywhat, I digress... On the other hand, I however can believe Diana Darrin may have been born a year earlier than listed here.

Tony Bensley · **Reply #19 on:** December 25, 2016, 01:01:14 AM

Quote from: GreenCanaries on December 24, 2016, 01:56:03 PM

Hmm... I cannot find anything to indicate Angela has died (I even looked under her married name of Ann Zika). Unless someone is really good at keeping a secret. I'm sure if she had, we Stooges fans would've heard about it by now.

I see such a date is listed on "ol' reliable" IMDb, where of course they don't even bother to list a source. The lack of a death place also says to me that someone there is probably playing us for fools again...

IMDb also claims bit actress and former "Miss California" Aloha Porter kicked it some day in 2004, also without a place, whereas I discovered she actually died in 1982. Another example is brief-serving Hal Roach actress Elizabeth Forrester - some day in 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona is claimed on IMDb, but I found she more likely passed in 1968 in the Los Angeles area. They didn't have a death date at all for another brief Roach girl, Christine Maple, tricking some posters at Another Nice Forum (which Tony and I both frequent) into thinking she might still be alive, but we ultimately uncovered that she's been "out of the game" for nearly 7 decades (NOW they list her date of death on there after we found it).

But anywhat, I digress... On the other hand, I however can believe Diana Darrin may have been born a year earlier than listed here.

Of course, it was presumptive of me to just assume that IMDB had this one right, when so much that's posted on there is bupkis! Still, I do find it more than a bit mystifying that somebody would post a false death report of a 90+ year old character actress that ridiculously few people of today have probably even heard of, but I suppose that there are those who have no life and will post anything false for reasons known only to them, assuming they are even that self aware to begin with!

Anyway, if Angela Stevens is still with us, I hope that she is well and happy, and I hope the same for Diana Darrin!

CHEERS! (And Merry Christmas!)

GreenCanaries · **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2017, 06:52:49 PM

Well, I guess I'll eat my words on this one. It has been confirmed that Angela did indeed pass away last March.

R.I.P. Angela.

Woe-ee-Woe-Woe80 · **Reply #21 on:** November 26, 2017, 11:43:53 PM

As a kid I've hated this short and found it very difficult to watch, as an adult it has somewhat grown onto me but it's still one of my least favorite Shemp shorts ever made and the only dud of the 1952 shorts, I do admire the Stooges for wanting to do something different with the boys playing separate characters but I've thought it worked better in the later shorts like "Cuckoo On A Choo Choo" (which I find to be an underrated Stooge short) and "Gypped In A Penthouse".

Overall I give this short a 3/10, this was my least favorite Shemp short with all original footage.

Dr. Mabuse · **Reply #22 on:** December 06, 2020, 01:44:42 AM

An underrated gem, with the Stooges revitalized by fresh material and Larry enjoying the spotlight for a change. Like "Brideless Groom," I could never envision Curly in this short. My only criticism is the unnecessarily abrupt conclusion. In terms of experimental two-reelers, "He Cooked His Goose" remains far superior to "Cookoo on a Choo Choo."

7.5/10

Daddy Dewdrop · **Reply #23 on:** August 02, 2021, 11:41:33 AM

I remember I used to really hate this one when I was younger (probably one of my least favorites overall). I guess I just never liked the boys as separate characters. I've softened a bit on it over the years, but it still ranks in the lower rungs of Shemp shorts. I do like how Larry throws himself into this loathsome character though.

#166. He Cooked His Goose