In the late 50s, The Three Stooges old Columbia shorts were released to television, only a few years after their contract was ended. They suddenly became instant stars. So Moe Howard tried to get the act together and wound up hiring burlesque/comedy short comedian Joe DeRita as his “Curley replacement.” (Note: a silly typo by this lifelong mega-Stooges fan had him in earlier posts identified as Joe Besser, a Curley replacement who never caught on with stooges fans but who was a scream as the little kid/adult Stinky in the Abbott and Costello show).
What Stooges fans don’t often find is an example of them in live performance. And here, from 1959 is a gem: the Stooges doing an extended comedy sketch before a live NBC audience on The Steve Allen Show. Note that DeRita was an excellent comedian. He came in late in the act — when the Stooges were doing a series of relatively bland features, only so-so-cartoons and a pilot for a show that never aired — and he spent 12 years in the act. But he reportedly shined onstage – and here’s an example. Watch it to end of the video (there’s more than one sketch).
FOOTNOTE: I NEVER consider old comedy films “nostalgia.” They allow the enjoyment of other generations of comedy, and for those of us who are involved in some aspect of comedy (as I am in my nonwriting incarnation), it provides us with a chance to study someone’s timing, stage presence, and body language.
FOOTNOTE 2: There is now a COMPLETE set of the Columbia shorts. I usually urge people to buy this kind of DVD set when you can, because due to generational shifts it may never be available again. And this one is a Stooge/comedy fan’s dream:
UPDATE: And the heirs to “the boys” are still working actively on licensing. Part of a press release from Nov. 2013:
C3 Entertainment, Inc. announced a new license agreement with Bondis Entertainment in Argentina for the production of an all new live Three Stooges Stage Show and television broadcast of The Three Stooges classic shorts in connection with an agreement with Sony Pictures Television. The Three Stooges shorts will be broadcast on the America TV Channel in Argentina.
Ani Khachoian, C3’s Executive Vice President of Licensing & Consumer Products said ‘South America and Argentina specifically have millions of Three Stooges fans, and this new license will elevate the presence of The Three Stooges® brand in Argentina even more. An all new exciting live Three Stooges Stage Show, as well as broadcast of the classic The Three Stooges shorts on free television on the American TV Channel will bring the wild antics of the greatest comedy team ever to a whole new audience in South America.’
Continuing she said ‘Bondis is confident the return of The Three Stooges to Argentina TV will further fuel the audience for the all new live Three Stooges Stage Show. The shorts playing on television and a new live stage show will also elevate demand for more licensed The Three Stooges® brand products in Argentina, as well as throughout South America.’
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.