The Three Stooges Biopic | Fact or Fiction?
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- Опубликовано: 7 июл 2024
- Let's look back at Mel Gibson's Three Stooges biopic from 2000.
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I worked on this picture. And yes It was shot in Sydney Australia, but it did have some great period correct locations that are seen all through the film, yes Mel knew that because he grew up in Sydney. Yep when this film was made the Australian dollar was very low Vs the American dollar, so the bang for buck was double at the time.
I did the fireworks scene at the beach. From memory the location was Palm Beach. Years later I did work with him later on Hacksaw Ridge which was also shot in Sydney and had Mel Gibson as director.
Nice
Oh wow...prove it
I didn’t know you worked on this biopic
Kool Moe Dee!!!
Having seen some of the things you’ve done on your channel I wouldn’t be surprised
I remember being shocked at how they almost completely skipped Shemp's post-Curly career. Shemp was probably not a weakling, but I have read that his multiple phobias were "the stuff of legend".
I know. They made Shemp look like a wimp.
Pepperidge farms remembers
The kinks were worse than the phobias. Or not..
@@dangusmomangus3003you damn Skippy, bro!
Shemp did have a lot of phobias, but he wasn't as big of a wuss as they portrayed him in the movie.
If you really want to experience acting whiplash, watch Michael Chiklis in this and then watch his performance as a darkly complex Vic Mackey on the Shield. Its a testament to the guy's genuine talent that pulls off both so naturally.
He also played John Belushi in a biopic early in his career
@@christopherrichardson2945 His first movie.
Yes! One of my favorite shows growing up was The Commish.
The actor who plays Moe in this film also played a smooth Greek mobster in The Wire. It's worth checking out.
and then throw in his tenure as Ben Grimm just to round it out.
Lou Costello dying while trying to drink a strawberry malted is Gilbert Gottfried's most quoted scene on his podcast.
I love when him and Frank Santo Padre rag on it!
good thing Lou didn't ask for an Orange.
I haven't watched the scene until now and it's even more ridiculous than Gilbert's bit
Who was that actor playing Costello I almost remember I remember one of his last rolls was on that show action but that's about all I can rember.
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu Buddy Hackett. Was in Little Mermaid, Mad Mad World, and The Music Man.
Mel Gibson does a three stooges impression in one of his films; I believe it is Lethal Weapon.
he does curly
It was. Remember seeing the other day. I think he does a few more in the other movies.
"Eeny, meany, miney, hey, Moe!"
Braveheart
@@craigyoung9321 ha!
Thanks for reviewing this. I was Michael Chiklis' stand in for this movie. If you go to 2.45 in your video, I'm the first one in line, slapping my head as another Curly wannabe (Aussie actor John Batchelor) is coming out the door. This was a great experience and was a period where I was actually making a living as an actor - which surprised me more than anyone, as I've never thought of myself as an actor. I was taking every chance I could to talk to director James Frawley. I was mainly being a fan boy, as he directed about half of all the episodes of 'The Monkees', but also talking to him about other movies he directed including 'The Muppet Movie' and his experience of working with Mel Brooks. He told me about a little conflict he had with Mel in the muppet movie. Mel wanted to appear as Adolf Hitler, and was convinced he was right. Jim Frawley had to explain two things to Mel. Firstly, that he was the director and secondly, it's the world of the muppets and there is no Hitler there. I also made a sound friendship with the director of photography, Rob Draper. Rob has worked in Hollywood for decades, but is Australian and his resume is extensive. Again, thanks. You've reminded me of a great time in my life. Maybe I should call my old agent see what's happening... ;)
I will say that the scene with Curley in the hospital really tore me to shreds as a teenager. One of the few things that still brings a tear to my eye.
Not ashamed to say that scene and the end of the "Stan & Ollie" movie made me cry like a baby.
@@RubberChickenFilms I thought that Stan and Ollie was very touching! They did a good job portraying their partnership and friendship onstage and off! The part where Stan had to cancel the stage performances while Oliver was ill forshadowed his retirement after Hardy's death.
@@melissacooper4282 omg me too i almost cried in bits i just recently watched it
@@melissacooper4282 the guy who played stan also played the spartin guy in "night at the museum" movies ^_^
@@RubberChickenFilms Me too !!!
That bit with Leslie Nielsen blows my mind because he’s so genuinely great as a comedian and for the longest time he was a straight man. Just that little bit is fun to watch. Imagine he had never been in Airplane! and just kept being serious 😳
The curse of being too handsome.
He was so dang funny, I am thankful we got to see that side of him
Surely, you can't be serious.
@@Gabriel_Cook I am serious and dont call me shirley
@@christolliver4626
😃
There's a youtube series (9 episodes if I remember correctly) called "Hey Moe Hey Dad" Which is absolutely amazing. It's presented by Moe's Son and goes from the birth of the Howard Brothers right through to Moe's death and the legacy they left behind. I'd recommend it to anyone who remotely likes the Stooges.
I just got finished and I second this. It also shows rare stuff some of which I never saw and I have been a fan since I was a kid.
Seeing the real Mo Howard give a lecture on the art and science of pie-throwing is genuinely delightful :)
Actually, AMC aired Three Stooges shorts BEFORE the biopic aired. I remember, because the AMC airings were how I got hooked on the stooges, which got me excited for the biopic.
Yep. I remember waking up on New year day 2000 and putting on AMC (that and TCM were my go to channels as a teen) and watching a three stooges marathon hosted by Leslie Nielsen. I'm not sure if that was the first time they were aired, but I don't remember him hosting it in 1999.
They still air the shorts at ungodly hours.
@@elijahblechman8633 MeTV airs a block of Stooges shorts every Saturday afternoon/evening.
old school AMC was really special
i remb watching every new yrs eve AMC would air 3 stooges marathons!
I remember watching this when this first came out and being really baffled by the depiction of Moe, considering that he was a famously sweet and blatantly kind hearted guy.
It wasn't until I read Moe's autobiography that I realized how inaccurate they depicted Moe in the film. In real life Moe never worked as a gopher at the studio after their contract expired. He was never angry and jaded about his career as depicted. He actually looked back fondly as his days as a Stooge.
Chiklis is great, he loved getting to play Curly. The real Shemp has always been under-rated.
"Shemp and Curly died on the way back to their home planet."
Even that would have been better pacing.
@@HatsOffEntertainment True, we at least got to see Poochie taking off for space. There was some actual setup and payoff there.
#LOL, they will be missed!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@HatsOffEntertainment It at least is better than the 2012.
The recreation scenes really made me appreciate the non-stooge actors in the original. All the extras in the biopic sound like they’re trying to speed run all their lines, especially the court clerk in the "disorder in the court" remake. Also yes the Michael Fleming stooge book is fantastic, one of my favorites growing up
"Are you trying to give me the double talk?"
The 2012 movie also suffered from this. Knowing how to play off of the Stooges was an art in and of itself.
How has David Paymer gone his whole career without ever playing Larry? Also we need a Sam Raimi directed Three Stooges movie
Excellent question
It's because no one knows who Paymer is! I know who he is, as a matter of fact he showed up on Picard last year.
Sam Raimi would be great for that. He's an old fan too.
David Paymer's brother Steve would be even better.
I would LOVE a Sam Raimi Three Stooges movie. For now, we'll have to settle for Crimewave, which is basically a Three Stooges movie without the Three Stooges.
I cried when Curly gets attacked at the hotel snd Moe helps him and when Moe made him sign the papers to give up the act. My god that performance is underrated
Speaking of that scene at the hotel, I really can't believe that Moe would stand by and watch as Curly got attacked. He was very protective of his brother in real life, so if anybody messed with him, Moe would kick their asses, regardless if they were male or female.
Oh, I very every time at the papers scene. Curly's whole death just broke my heart.
Mel Gibson should remake this biopic, this time in the director's chair. It will be a bloody depiction of the Stooges' lives but it will be good.
And then he adds a random Jesus somewhere
"The Passion of the Stooges"
Larry is like a bass player he is largely ignored but is the most important and if you don't notice him your doing your job
More like the drummer then,
He even looks a tad like Ringo.
If you're ignoring Larry, you're not a true fan buddo. He is that special ingredient you can't leave out because if you do, it's just not the same. Shit, that's why it's so damn hard to find anyone to portray/imitate the man. He's a god tier subtle genius and single handedly the most vital and important of all the Stooges. in the words of Walter Sobchak. AMIWRONG????
Larry was secretly the glue that held the Stooges together: they could replace Curly, Shemp and Joe, but not Larry. As soon as Larry died, the Stooges were over.
Its crazy how much range Michael Chiklis has with his voice.
I remember this movie. Chiklis was great in The Shield. The guy who playes Moe looks too tough
I actually liked Michael Chiklis as John Belushi in Wired. As well as this movie
He could probably use his voice range to form a bond with his potential grandchildren.
A theee stooges biopic done by the mind behind passion of the Christ , sounds like a recipe for success.
The Moe in this film sounds like he walked off the set of Jersey Shore.
Wasn't Moe on Jersey Shore in the 2012 film?
I think he was on The Kardashians in the 2012 film.
In November of 2019, with practically zero prep time, I was told I would be moderating the Saturday and Sunday panels at a local convention for John Kassir, aka the voice of the Cryptkeeper. I skimmed his imdb page and made a note to ask him about playing Shemp in this. He spoke at length about the life and quirks of Shemp Howard, as if I'd invited him to be a guest lecturer at a Stooge-centric panel. I asked him the next morning did he want to do anything differently from the Saturday panel, he said he thought what we'd done the previous day was great, and we should do it again. When I got to the portion about Shemp, he told some of the same anecdotes but also, solely for my benefit, branched into additional details and stories. He even pulled up a pic on his phone of the main cast with Mel Gibson, and seeing our small Sunday audience, walked from person to person and let them study the picture as long as they wanted, while he still told stories about the movie and I peppered in questions. He was an absolute delight as a interviewee and a real Shemp scholar even almost twenty years later.
Damn, that's awesome! That warms my heart to know he has a personal love for Shemp, and it wasn't just a paycheck doing the movie. Any chance you got video of that panel?
@@srhays I think the con organizers did shoot video of most if not all of the panels, but I personally don't have a copy. By the way, Saturday night at the after-party, the improv comedy troupe that I co-founded was performing, and John Kassir hopped onstage with them and played some games. (Our troupe's event organizer had invited all of the celebs to do so throughout the first day of the con.) I was unable to attend, so I began the Sunday panel by telling him I was mad at him because I'd missed the coolest thing to ever happen to our troupe.
@@LextheRobot Wow, John Kassir sounds like such a cool guy. Too bad you missed the improv, but so cool you got to interview him. (I would love to ask him about his epic cameo (as the Cryptkeeper) in Casper, and if he has any cool stories from that)..... What was the name of the convention? Maybe there's video on youtube?
@@srhays They called it Con-Fuzion that year, since it was under new management. I forget what it was called the previous year, which I attended but did not host any panels. They didn't have one for 2020 because of the pandemic. Not sure if they'll do it this year or not. I didn't think to ask about Casper, but he did cover the genesis of the Cryptkeeper's laugh. In his standup days, he'd done a one-man Wizard of Oz routine, and the CK's laugh is his Wicked Witch of the West cackle from that. The cool thing was, I said to the audience, "I think we'd all like to see that," and it took no prompting from them whatsoever, he jumped up from his chair and did a few seconds of his one-man Oz bit. Plus he mentioned how the puppet's eyes were recycled from Chucky (from Child's Play). So if you take Chucky's eyes and the Wicked Witch's cackle, you've got part of the Cryptkeeper's DNA right there.
@@LextheRobot Thanks. I couldn't find any video of the panel, but that must've been awesome to hear him talk about Shemp. And yeah, I can definitely hear the Wicked Witch influence on the Cryptkeeper. I never knew John Kassir was quite so versatile, to play the Cryptkeeper, Shemp Howard, and the entire cast of Wizard of Oz, too? Somebody give this man an Oscar.
One of the things I noticed in this biopic of the Three Stooges when I recently saw it was the scene of Curly's last Stooges short 'Half Wits Holiday'. Curly has his stroke during when they're filming a earlier scene for the short. In reality, Curly actually suffered his stroke while sitting in the director's chair waiting to film the last scene.
I loved this biopic as a kid. Despite the flaws, it was very humanizing. I still have the VHS from when I recorded it off TV.
Me too
Me three 😂
Also Shemp being portrayed by the guy whos also the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt is a very surreal thing to me, even to this day haha
Ironically there was a scene in "The Ghost Talks" and later "Creeps where the real Shemp was talking like a horror movie host before scaring himself!
@@melissacooper4282 Haha yeah the whole Desmond bit
Kassir is a master, the fact that he plays Shemp, The Crypt Keeper & Monsoon (My PFP) is absolutely incredible
There are a LOT of inaccuracies in the movie. Curly's debilitating stroke didn't happen during the filming of a scene; rather he was sitting in a chair waiting for filming to resume. They only realized something was wrong when they called him to the stage and he didn't respond. Also, as somewhat alluded to, the film makes it seem like Moe was in poor financial shape in his later years, when in fact he was the most fiscally responsible and stable of the group. Another thing is after Joe Besser argues with the director, it's implied that Columbia got sick of his antics and decided to bring in Joe DeRita instead. In fact it was Moe who wanted Joe DeRita to replace Shemp, but Columbia refused because they wanted someone who was already under contract and thus wouldn't have to hire someone new - that was where Besser came in. Also, when the Stooges went back out on tour doing live shows as a result of their renewed popularity from the shorts being shown on TV, Moe invited Besser to rejoin the act. Besser declined as his wife was having health problems and he did not want to leave her; it was then that DeRita finally joined. One thing the film gets very much right, however, is the fact that they were largely screwed by Columbia. The Stooge shorts made the studio a TON of money, yet the Stooges only make $20K a year each. Now that was still a very comfortable salary back in those days, but it was only a fraction of what they were worth.
Another thing the film gets wrong is Shemp's age at his sudden death on November 22,1955 claiming he was 59 when he was 60. The Film also depicts Moe and Larry hearing and learning of Shemp's passing on the Radio, when in Actuality, Morton called his Uncle on the Phone Wednesday Morning November 23,1955 and informed him that Shemp had suffered a Fatal Heart Attack Tuesday Night. And Joan Howard Maurer vividly recall "The Somber and Sad look of my Dad when he got the Telephone call that Uncle Shemp had passed and was gone".
Your channel is quite enjoyable and educational.
I'm a simple man. When i see a Hats Off Entertainment video on RUclips, i click on it :D
I agree. Such quality content and I look forward to more of them!
@@ShawnCaldwell11 same with The Critical Drinker if you haven’t seen his stuff.
As someone living in Sydney Australia, seeing them walk through central station is bizarre and would definitely ruin any immersion for me
I remember when I first saw old Moe on a talk show and there’s something so charming to see Moe being such a nice guy, explaining their comedies.
This is what amazes me as you create content for me and 104k other people, you are able to use a clear smooth pace as you are talking, most other RUclipsrs oftentimes go very fast because they may have little or no time to get into their points (and videos). All and all, you are probably one of the greatest RUclipsrs I know of! Never stop making these videos, (they are very satisfying!).
Thanks so much!
Perfectly said.
Last time I was this early, it was Ted Healy and his Stooges
Well played 👍
Nyuk nyuk nyuk.
Funnily enough, Chiklis also played John Belushi in a universally panned biopic. He’s often the highlight of lacklustre things like Fantastic Four and AHS: Freakshow. Dude deserves more than just The Shield.
I wonder if Conan O'Brien knows that Joel Edgerton stole his look for this movie?
I lold
Oh he knows, and he ain't happy another dude stole another job from him.
I thought that was Conan O'Brien at first 😆
I thought it was O'Brien too! 😂
The shemp bed wetting scene broke my heart to pieces and was burned into my brain as young kid. "I can't do this anymore Moe". 😭
Although Shemp was a bed wetter in real life I don't believe that the scene on the train actually happened. Shemp actually was offered a contract to go solo. He was more fed up with the way Healy was treating them than with any rough stuff from Moe. But still the scene on the train broke my heart too.
Love this bio pic, would love to see you cover Chaplin starring Robert Downy Jr and Me and My Shadows: Life Of Judy Garland
@visible to all users here
Eight years old in 2000? You’re younger than me, why are all your favorite movies from the 1980s?
I was 21 in the year 2000. I remember taping the movie when it aired on TV.
Because they are better, I suppose.
I was 7 in 00.
All the best movies were made in the 80s
Taste is ageless. Lol. I was born in 84 yet all of my favorite stuff is late 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
@@madamefeast4824 That's cool. I was born in 86 and have pretty much the same taste. I do like some things from the 30s and 40s, also. The Stooges have always been my favorite comedy team and Larry has always been my favorite Stooge.
As a kid, I used to have a VHS tape of this that I recorded off of television. It definitely made me appreciate the shorts much more, as my dad had grown up with them and tried to get me into the Stooges as well. This movie was quite melodramatic in retrospect, but it definitely served to humanize the people in those old black and white slapstick shorts. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the Stooges as genuine artists.
Thinking about Mel Gibson fangirling over Three Stooges makes me all fuzzy inside.
I guess no one ever told him that the Stooges were Jewish.
@@HarryBuddhaPalm oh pssh mel's not antisemitic.he's just catholic and blissfully unaware of how antisemitic catholicism is.
and yknow, when you're under pressure to not say the wrong thing, at times of stress you tend to just blurt out whatever the wrongest possible thing would be.
naw it's michael jackson who said shit like that and _meant_ it. but he in turn was just buying the hype about the blame. It's not as if he imagined his life being screwed over, he just incorrectly thought it was jews.
@@KairuHakubi He called Winona Ryder and oven-dodger. He went on many a drunken antisemitic rant. The asshole hates Jews.
@@HarryBuddhaPalm despite what popular phrases might tell you, the shit you say when you're drunk isn't what you really feel. it's just what you usually aren't allowed to say. and real hatred doesn't use cutesy terms, that's just humor. oven-dodger doesn't really make a lot of sense but it's still slightly funny.
@@KairuHakubi ironically, one of the stereotypes of Jewish people (According to my Jewish brethren) is that they either become atheists or convert to Catholicism
I have this on dvd as part of the “Big Box of Nyuks” set.
That was the main reason I bought that set
I first got into the Stooges during rhe early mid 90's when TBS would run their Stooge A Thons... And I'd record them, commercials and all on VHS... I might even still have some of those tapes....
I got into them in the mid-80s when they were a part of their cartoon blocks. The summer between first and second grade, TBS had a contest where you would send a postcard when you noted the time that a bug popped up on the screen (I think it was for the contest specifically), and I won a third prize, which was a Three Stooges home game for VHS.
The movie version in 2012 was as close to perfect in casting the stooges as anyone could get. The Farrelly Brothers made a great stooges flick.
I hadn't laughed that hard from a movie since I was The Naked Gun. I thought the Stooge movie was a LOT of fun.
Andy Pagana, Chris Durmic and Brad ( Curly G.) server are the closest this world will ever see to the Stooges. They are steamier by oddly having two Brilliant Curlys and piecing together a Larry
I watched this for the first time during the shutdown. My favorite bit was the part where Curly, reeling in from a night of partying, ran into some sailors and their girlfriends in the hotel lobby. They immediately started doing the slapping and poking routines on him--and it HURT him, because those routines onscreen were choreographed and carefully monitored, and they just don't work that way in real life.
I loved that NYUK thing on AMC! Leslie Neilson was the right guy to be the professor.
Thanks again for another great video essay. Your channel is wonderful and your care and insight into each video's subject is appreciated!
It's been right at 100 years since the Stooges were created. You tube has an interview with Moe in 1973 or 74 and Moe explained how they started. He also did a skit in these appearances. He was just as able bodied as ever ( at about 75 years old in these appearances). The Mike Douglas show was where I seen it .
Thankfully, this was better than that John Belushi biopic that also starred Michael Chiklis.
Yes but he was great as Belushi.
Allegedly
I always felt bad for Chiklis. He really did a good job as Belushi but that movie was so horrible. The estate wanted nothing to do with it. Dude who played Aykroyd was good too.
@@Stjtcb I heard the real Dan Aykroyd had everybody starring in that movie blacklisted.
@@greentree68 I don’t know if Danny has that much pull. But I’m sure he wasn’t fond of them for a while.
The way that Ted Healy and his vaudeville act are portrayed borders on libel.
Dude , I love all of your videos .
The way you convey your feelings about actors and shows that have left the world and lime light never ceases to almost bring a tear to my eye. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
I really didnt like how this movie made it seem like Moe was trying distance himself from his Stooge years when he got older, when you look at archive footage and interviews of him when he was older he clearly loved being remembered as a Stooge.
I'm not sure why they painted Moe to be that way in the movie. When I read Moe's autobiography he seemed to look back fondly as his days as a Stooge.
@@melissacooper4282 I could not figure that out, either. As you said, it seems like he really embraced his role in the Stooges.
I guess there had to be some kind of underlying storyline to lust forward the film? Beats me.
I still liked it a lot, though.
I think this was the first movies that ever made me cry. Seeing Curly brought so low hurt.
I still have the VHS tape of this my parents recorded off of the broadcast in early 2000. Never knew it took them so long to finally give this a proper home video release. (Good thing we held onto that tape for as long as we did! And I can't believe you're only a year or two older than me!)
Had a lot of personal experience on this project, as I was up for the role of Moe, a process which took up several months of my life. It was a nationwide casting call. Of course, in the end it went to Ben Victor, for better or for worse.
@Daniel Strickland For real.
You do a fantastic job with your videos. They always feel original and you pick all the best media to talk about. Great work!
0:38 "...was produced by long-time Three Stooges fanatic Mel Gibson."
He showcased that fandom in the Lethal Weapon series - in the first one, Martin Riggs uses moves of the Three Stooges in an early scene with some drug dealers, and in the third one Riggs plays a Three Stooges video game.
Thank you so much for breaking this down. I was five when this came out and being able to watch it as an adult warms my heart. While all your points were valid, I am still so grateful it was made. The last scene of them on the stage still makes me cry. What a group of legends they all are!
I love getting movie recommendations from this channel
Being a life long Stooge fan, I loved this TV movie. I remember being 13 years old and watching it. I wish it was more known. I'm glad that people can find it on different platforms. Great RUclips channel!
Thank you for these Stooges reviews and introspectives. They’re wonderful.
This will always hold a special place in my heart. I know it’s pretty inaccurate but this came out when I was 6 and was a huge Three Stooges fan (still am).
Do you know John Kassir did the voice of the Cryptkeeper
Yes.
I think I read about it when I looked him up on Wikipedia.
In 1962 my father brought me and a few of my siblings to the RKO theater in New Rochelle, New York, USA. The latest Three Stooges movie was playing "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules." This theater had a capacity of maybe three thousand seats. The theater was packed with kids! We stood in a side area because the main section and balcony were full.
Before the movie started out came Moe, Larry and Curly Joe! The crowd erupted as Moe said "Hiya Boy and Girls!"
They did some of their classic schtick, eye-pokes and all. It was all over in about five minutes.
My dad asked if we wanted to stay and watch the movie, we didn't want to because we would have to stand during the movie.
I didn't see that movie until just a few years ago. It wasn't great.
The Mel Gibson biopic was okay. I recorded it off the air and have it on my computer. I think their story deserves a mini-series.
This is the second time Michael Chickis has a played a comedy legend in Biopic, the first was as John Belushi in Wired!
I'm glad I'm not the only person who watched the show on AMC with Leslie Neilsen!
Nobody can do a Larry impression like Billy West!
You somehow managed to find a diamond in the rough and take what could have been a less than stellar biopic and point out how the good intentions outweighed the bad. Thank you for sharing your love for The Stooges and helping keep these wonderful comedians alive and forever relevant.
I was in my twenties when this movie came out and boy did I like it yes I knew there were inaccurate stuff going on but still found it to be a very good biopic can't imagine how it would have been being just 8 years old and being able to comprehend all the different real life stuff going on probably just would have laughed at the slapstick and been bored with all the other stuff going on .Good to see this movie peaked intrest in a whole new generation of stooge fans I'm glad for you young man .keep up the great videos!
Wow, you're on fire lately dropping the Nothing but trouble vid the day before Shock G's passing and doing a retrospective on this little if slightly flawed gem which popped into my head last week when a podcast I listened to was doging Chiklis for his part in the 2000's Fantastic 4 franchise. Side note: Even barring this as an example of his range, I'll even argue his Ben Grimm was spot on for the thankless material/ makeup he had to work in the Tim Story Duology. The strangest thing this was his second time portraying a comedy great, the first as John Belushi in the much reviled 1989's Wired that nearly stalled his career.
Well in reality I have to concede that both are mostly coincidental but maybe there's something to appreciate about consistently putting out great work and by some virtue tapping into nostalia zeitgeist/algorithm.
Keep up the great work, this channel is quickly becoming one of my drop everything and watch rituals.
When you said Shemp was played by John Kassir, my mind was blown; that dude has so much range
Michael Chicklis (I'm sure I'm spelling that wrong) is such an awesome actor. One of my favorites. He knocks everything out of the park. I'll have to check this out.
Hats Off Entertainment I remember watching this when it came out, I think I was 12 at the time, I'd love to rewatch it.
Great documentary on this film!!! I remember watching it, I don't think I even had the internet yet so this was my first big way of learning about the behind the scenes of the three stooges.
GREAT video man!!👍
I LOVED that movie back in the day! I haven't seen it in almost twenty years, though, so I definitely need to rewatch it. I also had that same book, with Mel Gibson's introduction (he almost blinded his kid brother with the eye-poke!), but never knew that Mel Gibson actually produced the TV movie. I used to read the book all the time, in addition to watching the reruns with Leslie Nielsen, whose sketches we used to quote incessantly ("Remember, class, it's all fun and games until somebody gets their eyes poked out… then it's hilarious").
All of those things -- the movie, the book, and the reruns -- contributed to making me a hardcore stooges fan. Plus, my dad grew up as a big stooges fan, and we used to watch the reruns together.
This film was a pretty good effort and made by people who really appreciated the Stooges. Michael Chiklis combined his acting skills with his intense childhood and beyond viewing of all the shorts as so many of us did to make for a memorable Curly. I also appreciated the fact that Shemp played a significant role in the film as they got it right that Shemp was key to their initial development and in saving the act after Curly's unfortunate demise. There was plenty of playing with the facts (example: Columbia, MGM and Warner Bros. competing early on for the Stooges services whereas Larry had actually signed a contract for the three stooges at Universal at the same time Moe signed them to Columbia and this had to be sorted out in real life and this could have been a better scene IMO, yet Universal was never even mentioned in this particular actual scene) However, they got most of the big items correct and Moe really was the leader both on and off screen of the team. Also, while they mentioned in the end credits their comeback in the 60's, this would have been great to explore further as it really was an amazing comeback.
It didn't make sense that MGM was offering them a contract the same time as Columbia and Warner Brothers. The Stooges had already worked for MGM when they were still with Ted Healy. Also the scene where The Three Stooges were in Harry Cohen's office for the first time. Cohen said that Buster Keaton was making shorts for Columbia Pictures. While the scene takes place in 1934 Keaton didn't work for Columbia until 1939!
@@melissacooper4282 Yes, the movie contracts with those companies at that time was fanciful. Warner Bros. never offered them a contract. According to Moe's biography, Larry signed a contract for the team with Universal minutes after Moe signed them to Columbia and so Columbia got them. Funny how Universal was not even in the movie as a competitor for their services even though they actually were.
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I remember watching this when it first aired, with my mother. It made me realize, that there were people that actually thought the eye pokes were real, and that the original Curly died midway through Moe and Larry's career.
Leave it to Chiklis to be Curly and Belushi. My two idols.
I still enjoy this film, I even rewatched it the other week. The scene where Curly reads Moe's letter still hits me every time I see it. I agree that Moe wasn't portrayed as well as he could have, because they made it feel like he was ashamed or wanted to get that part of his life away when really, he embraced it and loved talking about the Stooges based on his interviews and public appearances. It's funny how you mentioned how Larry is "just there" when some people actually feel that way about him in the actual shorts and films. Overall, I still like the film and glad it gave more exposure to the stooges.
I was 5 years old when this biopic was released and I didn’t see it for the first time until ten years later at age 15. As a teenager I began to learn what really happened offscreen and even at that age it was heartbreaking for me. Especially learning about how Curly and Shemp died since they were my favorites 😢 may all the Stooges rest in paradise and their legacy live on forever ❤
From what I’ve read about them,as people, they truly appreciated their fans. Just kind human beings.
You have a great channel covering stuff not many cover. My hats off to you.
I had forgotten about this one!! I loved it then and I love it now...
I'm glad somebody finally made a video on this
I remember my dad taped this when it first appeared on TV. When I got older and learned more about the Stooges I watched the biopic a lot less because of the inaccuracies, but also because I wished that they had given more time to Shemp's return to the Stooges after Curly's stroke
They can only cover so much in a 2 hour movie. But like you I didn't notice the inaccuracies until I read Moe's autobiography.
@@melissacooper4282 true, but an extra 10-15 mintues would have been nice for my favorite Stooge
@@AceLM92 I agree that would've been nice. They also should've covered a little bit on where Shemp had a successful solo career up until that point.
I can listen to this guy talk about things I don’t care about for hours.
No idea why
I remember watching this on Netflix or Amazon back in the early teens, I love this movie
For all its flaws this movie is still really great, Mel did a good job for the budget he had and probably what the producers wanted to have in the film. I still remember this film fondly when I caught it on tv back when I was 8 years old. I am gonna have to watch it again soon thanks for reminding me of it.
Despite the inaccuracies, the TV movie is a nice tip-of-the-hat to the Three Stooges. But they really need a miniseries to do 'em justice--there is so much rich territory to cover: Ted Healy, the Curly/Shemp/Joe Besser shorts, the Joe DeRita movies, Curly's slow decline, Shemp dying while telling a joke in a taxi, the budgets for the shorts being next to nothing in the 50's. Not to mention their being ripped off by manager Harry Romm (the 'Harry' at 6:50, subsequently fired by Moe) and their late-inning surge in popularity. A great ending would be the Stooges performing before a stadium-crowd of 35,000 people at the 1963 Canadian National Exhibition.
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Never saw this movie, but growing up my Saturday mornings were all about the 3 stooges on AMC, and after them classics by John Wayne, Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood, and the like
3:55 wow... 2 comedy biopics in ‘76 and ‘78 and I’ve never even knew about them until now.
Really enjoyed the biopic, loved the ending when they went to that fan show, didn't know what to expect
Michael Chiklis did do a great job playing Curly, and John Kassir was not too shabby as Shemp either, he had Shemp’s mannerisms down pretty well
i remember when this aired originally. It was a huge event and we taped it off the TV. Though not perfect, everyone in the family was crying by the end.
I’m just happy to see other people saw this movie at all! I saw it a while back, and thought I imagined it!
Woah, woah, wait... John Kassir? The Cryptkeeper?! He played Shemp?!
You summed up both how I felt about this movie as well as really expand on why I felt that way in this review. I really enjoyed the movie but yeah, could have been better.
Thank you for another superb video.
With all due respect, I'm one of those people who are partial to Joe Besser as the third Stooge. Yes, he was an established comic before joining the Three Stooges, having appeared alongside the likes of Abbott & Costello and Olsen & Johnson, among others, on film. He even had his own series of two-reel comedy shorts for Columbia Pictures (the Stooges' studio) between 1949 and 1956. The later Besser solo shorts featured Jim Hawthorne, later a DJ and TV host, as the straight man. One of my favorite Besser solo entries is 1955's Hook a Crook (a remade of an earlier short, Fraidy Cat, released in 1951), where he and Hawthorne are detectives who search for a stolen necklace. In fact, the gorilla (in the remake) was played by Dan Blocker, the future Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza.
Joe Besser was a very funny man in his own right, especially as an extra for Abbott and Costello. I never could get the hang of him being the third Stooge, and he is my least favorite of the six who were in the group. But I still thought he held his own
I suspect it is because he had to fill some huge shoes, that is why he is not cared for as a Stooge. But he was very funny!
I watched the three stooges movie a few years earlier and that was it, and when i was little i had a vhs that had an episode of the cartoon but in very poor condition, but a year ago i stumbled upon this biopic and watched it. After i watched it, i looked up what most was true and what wasnt. Then i watched whatever shorts i could find on youtube, even a 4 hour compilation of the animated series. Then i watched the movies with curly joe and loved them. Finally i stopped after watching kooks tour, which everyone knows was the last thing the stooges done( i think but i know larry had a stroke midway through filming). But the point is, i loved this biopic and if it wasn't for it, i wouldn't have been more of a 3 stooges fan than what i am now ( despite it taking a year or 2, wasting half my summer watching them was worth it)
Holy Shit I thought Michaels Chiklis was Curly in the opening clip, then Dean Norris, then their doppelgänger , then finally realized I have terrible eyesight... then saw Francis Buckston/Stillwell “you’re gonna lose!” “Angel!” portraying Curly and lost my shit....then realized it WAS Michael Chiklis..... def shoulda watched the video for more than 5 before commenting.
P.S. was really happy to also see Ira Shalowitz, 1/2 of Barry and Ira Shalowitz from City Slickers
Thank you! I was waiting for you to cover this movie... I have a copy on vhs!