The Three Stooges took time from their shooting schedule at Columbia to try a pilot for a possible TV series, bringing along repertory player Emil Sitka for Jerks of All Trades.
First produced in 1949, this was reissued nearly 30 years later.
Performed live, Jerks was a test to see if the Stooges could adapt to the new medium, using the same slapstick comedy we'd come to know & love for more than 15 years. However, the live format took away some of the charm of the classic shorts.
Rating: B--.
One of the things that held back the Stooges' efforts to create a TV series like this was that they tried to film this in a single take. The Stooges' antics with their Columbia shorts allowed for edits and camera tricks and timed sound effects, which unfortunately don't work as well in the kinetoscope era of television. Thankfully, the Stooges learned their lesson regarding live television, and with the exception of appearances on variety shows, the remainder of their career was composed on edited film.
ReplyDeleteI've got videos of the Stooges with Ed Wynn and Frank Sinatra on their shows. Looking for more.
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