Topic: The Stooges on Epic Records???

[Hammond Eggar]

While surfing the 'net, I found a site with an interesting musical entry.  I'm almost 100% sure this record, "You Are My Girl," is not by Larry, Moe and Curly Joe.  That said, I can't imagine anyone other than them legally being allowed to use the name THE THREE STOOGES.  Do any of you know anything about this record?  It's definitely a unique, and odd, discovery.

[ThumpTheShoes]

Definitely not the Three Stooges as we know them. Here's a sample at Amazon:

http://new.ca.music.yahoo.com/various-artists/albums/best-of-spinett--45273602

[Hammond Eggar]

Well, that answers one question.  It's definitely not OUR boys.  That said, it doesn't explain how someone other than Moe, Larry, Curly, Shemp or the two Joes could use the name THREE STOOGES.  Since the name is so associated with the comedy team, I can't imagine anybody else actually wanting to use it.  Any thoughts?

[ThumpTheShoes]

Well, that answers one question.  It's definitely not OUR boys.  That said, it doesn't explain how someone other than Moe, Larry, Curly, Shemp or the two Joes could use the name THREE STOOGES.  Since the name is so associated with the comedy team, I can't imagine anybody else actually wanting to use it.  Any thoughts?

I see the label lists "Three Stooges", so they weren't actually claiming to the "The Three Stooges".. Legally, I'd bet that made a difference, at least back then. With no info on the music group, all I can guess is that if someone tried to use that name on a record today, C3 would have their heads for it!

[metaldams]

all I can guess is that if someone tried to use that name on a record today, C3 would have their heads for it!

Not if they covered this song.............

[youtube=425,350]isdEDAH3hJs[/youtube]

[OldFred]

And here, for everyone's listening pleasure, are the Three Stooges performing 'You Are My Girl'.

Oh, the wonders of YouTube! 

[BeAStooge]

all I can guess is that if someone tried to use that name on a record today, C3 would have their heads for it!

Not if they covered this song.............

Now, that's funny! And true.

[OldFred]

Well remember, there was a group called Spanky & Our Gang, and George 'Spanky' McFarland wasn't that happy about it.

[garystooge]

Just for the "record", here's a picture of the 'B' side (which is completely instrumental...no vocals). I reported in Journal #93 that this was listed in Scrapbook as a Stooges record, but in fact was not.  This rare version housed at the Stoogeum actually bills the artist as "3 Stooges", not "Three Stooges" as in Hammond's version. But if you look closely, someone at the radio station apparently crossed out "3 Stooges" and wrote "3 SCROOGES" in red below. The yellow-label version of this record which was released to the public also bills the artist as "Three Stooges".   

Two other tidbits:
1.Scrapbook says the record was supposedly re-released on Sprint Records but I've never seen that version in 30 years of collecting.
2.Scrapbook erroneously lists the B-side title as "Sinking of the Robert E. Lee"

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[Blystone]

I wonder if C3 ever considered suing these guys?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/iSN-Y1W4Jm4&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/iSN-Y1W4Jm4&amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;fs=1</a>

Not that I want to give them any ideas...

[Larry Fine Fan]

Great video. I wonder why the drummer wore such a strange looking hat? He looks like he can't see what he's doing. 

Well remember, there was a group called Spanky & Our Gang, and George 'Spanky' McFarland wasn't that happy about it.

[Mark The Shark]

Just for the "record", here's a picture of the 'B' side (which is completely instrumental...no vocals). I reported in Journal #93 that this was listed in Scrapbook as a Stooges record, but in fact was not.  This rare version housed at the Stoogeum actually bills the artist as "3 Stooges", not "Three Stooges" as in Hammond's version. But if you look closely, someone at the radio station apparently crossed out "3 Stooges" and wrote "3 SCROOGES" in red below. The yellow-label version of this record which was released to the public also bills the artist as "Three Stooges".   

Two other tidbits:
1.Scrapbook says the record was supposedly re-released on Sprint Records but I've never seen that version in 30 years of collecting.
2.Scrapbook erroneously lists the B-side title as "Sinking of the Robert E. Lee"

[attachment deleted by admin]

Hey Gary -- just out of curiosity, what is the actual B-side?

[garystooge]

The actual title of the B-side is  "Sinkin' the Robert E. Lee"

[dbeatlefreak]

I know I am way late to the party, but I just found this record listed on eBay. I have messaged the seller about whether this is THE Three Stooges or not. He has not yet responded. The seller has it listed as a Popcorn/R&B record. I think my question about the record has been answered here and it is most certainly NOT THE Three Stooges.
How the artists and Epic Records got away with this in 1960 is strange. I guess in 1960, people were not as quick to sue someone else over such matters. I wonder also just who owned The Three Stooges name at that time. I don't think C3 Productions was even in business yet then. If I were to guess, I would say it was owned by Columbia/Screen Gems at that time and perhaps if they were even aware of this record at the time, may have figured it just wasn't worth suing over.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THREE-STOOGES-45-You-Are-My-Girl-Sinkin-PROMO-Popcorn-R-amp-B-1960-Epic-w2965-/201435590832?fromMakeTrack=true

[dbeatlefreak]

Here's an updated youtube link for You Are My Girl by Three Stooges....the picture shown is the Spinett Records release.

[BeAStooge]

I wonder also just who owned The Three Stooges name at that time. I don't think C3 Productions was even in business yet then. If I were to guess, I would say it was owned by Columbia/Screen Gems at that time and perhaps if they were even aware of this record at the time, may have figured it just wasn't worth suing over.

Columbia owns the films it produced.  It has never owned the intellectual property "The Three Stooges." 

"The Three Stooges" was always the property of the act, formalized with the founding of Comedy III in 1959.  Norman Maurer Prod. managed the licensing business of Comedy III from 1959 - 1994, and yes, it is believed that Norman did send a "cease and desist" to Epic when that 45rpm came out, but I am not aware of any extant document.

[dbeatlefreak]

Good info. Thank you!

[Mark The Shark]

Columbia owns the films it produced.  It has never owned the intellectual property "The Three Stooges." 

"The Three Stooges" was always the property of the act, formalized with the founding of Comedy III in 1959.  Norman Maurer Prod. managed the licensing business of Comedy III from 1959 - 1994, and yes, it is believed that Norman did send a "cease and desist" to Epic when that 45rpm came out, but I am not aware of any extant document.

And yet, in "The Three Stooges Scrapbook," co-authored by Joan Howard Maurer, this single is mentioned in the chapter on the Stooges' records with no details about the recordings themselves and no mention.of the fact that it's not Larry, Moe and Curly-Joe.

[dbeatlefreak]

Yep. That's where I first heard of it too, way back when that book was published. They really did some in depth research on that one!