Hello, Pop! (1933)

 

Studio: MGM. Runtime: 17 minutes. Production Number 696. Release Date: September 16, 1933. Director: Jack Cummings. Story: Ted Healy. Screenplay: Matty Brooks. Cast: Ted Healy, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard (Themselves), Bonnie Bonnell (Bonny Latour), Henry Armetta (Italian musician), Edward Brophy (himself), Grace Hayes (herself), Jack 'Tiny' Lipson (strongman), The Albertina Rasch Girls (dancers), Lawrence Gray (I'm Sailing on a Sunbeam singer). Songwriters: Dimitri Tiomkin, Ballard MacDonald, Al Goodhart, Dave Dreyer. Working Titles: Back Stage; New Musical Short by Suber and Ted Healy Short. 

Ted Healy and His Stooges' third short film for MGM is very much in the same vein as their first (Nertsery Rhymes (1933)). It is again a color film (the second they made), features Jack Cummings in the director's seat, is a musical revue film, features Bonnie Bonnell in a supporting role and even has the Stooges once again playing Ted Healy's sons. 

In this short film, Ted Healy is a theatrical producer, who is attempting to put on his stage show, The Ted Healy Follies. However, his sons (Moe, Larry and Curly) cause much trouble for their father. 

This is not a bad film, but one can't help but feel that it should be better. Many Stooge fans will be disappointed that this short never really allows Moe, Larry and Curly a chance to shine. They get a decent amount of screen time but each scene they are in is dominated by Healy. While Healy is a better comedian than many of his detractors give him credit for, this film hardly shows him to his best advantage. Most of the comedy simply comes from Ted getting more and more frustrated. However, nothing really funny is done with this mounting frustration. If he was trying to repress his rage in the style of Edgar Kenndy or if his anger was shown in an over-the-top comedic way, it might be funny. Simply having him get angry and frustrated though is not funny in and of itself. The only really funny moment here comes not from Ted Healy and his Stooges but rather from Grace Hayes. Still the two-stirp Technicolor has a real charm to it and the musical numbers are delightful. 

Unlike the previous musical revue shorts featuring Ted Healy and his Stooges, the song numbers were not originally filmed for this short. I'm Sailing on a Sunbeam was originally from the MGM feature film, It's a Great Life (1929). The source of the Moon Ballet number is uncertain, but some sources believe that it is from an unreleased MGM feature film entitled The March of Time (1930). 

I'm Sailing on a Sunbeam was written by Dave Dreyer (music) and Ballard MacDonald (lyrics). Dave Dryer wrote music for such songs as Me and My Shadow, There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder and Back in Your Own Backyard. Ballard MacDonald wrote lyrics for such songs as On the Mississippi, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (which many of you might know from Laurel and Hardy singing it in their feature film, Way Out West (1937)) and Three Wonderful Letters from Home. 

Henry Armetta (born July 4, 1888; passed away October 21, 1945) plays an Italian musician in this film. Born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, he stowed away to the United States at the age of 14. The immigration authorities were prepared to send him back, but he found an Italian family to sponsor him. He spent much of his young life working any menial jobs he could find. One day while working as a pants presser, he was noticed by actor/producer Raymond Hitchcock, who got him a job in the chorus of the play A Yankee Consul. In 1920 he hitchhiked to Hollywood. He went on to appear in a great number of films often played stereotyped Italians. His portrayal of these characters often was both comedic and empathetic at the same time. His filmography includes such movies as Street Angel (1928), The Passionate Plumber (1932), Speak Easily (1932), What! No Beer? (1933) (the previous three with Buster Keaton), Fra Diavolo (1933) (with Laurel and Hardy), The Black Cat (1934), Imitation of Life (1934), Magnificent Obsession (1935), The Big Store (1941) (with the Marx Brothers) and Anchors Aweigh (1945). 

Lawerance Gray (born July 27, 1898; passed away February 2, 1970) appears in the reused scenes from It's a Great Life. Probably his best remembered movie role is as the playboy, who Marion Davies tries to get the attention of by impersonating movie stars in the silent classic The Patsy (1928). He would again co-star with Davies in Marianne (1929) and Marianne (1929). His other films include Kid Boots (1926), Pajamas (1927), Marriage by Contract (1928) and Sunny (1930).

Actress Grace Hayes (born August 23, 1896; passed away February 1, 1989) was born in Springfield, Missouri but moved to San Fransico at the age of ten. She began to sing at nightclubs at the age of fourteen. She married Joseph Lind in 1912, and they had a son, Peter Lind Hayes, in 1915. Her son would join an act with her at The Palace in New York. Starting in 1922 she began appearing in Broadway shows including The Bunch and Judy, The Merry World, A Night in Spain, Ballyhoo of 1930 and A Little Racketeer. Her screen work included such films as King of Jazz (1930), Myrt and Marge (1933) (which would also feature Ted Healy and his Stooges), Rainbow Over Broadway (1933), Babes in Arms (1939), Zis Boom Bah (1941) and Always Leave Them Laughing (1949). From 1939 to 1941 she would perform at various resorts in Las Vegas. Soon after she moved to Las Vegas and in 1947 she purchased the Red Rooster club. Changing the name to the Grace Hayes Lodge, she ran the nightclub until she sold it to Steve Wynn in 1960. She would remain in Las Vegas until her death. 

In 1932, the year before this film was released, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle starred in a short with the same title. That would be Arbuckle's first film in front of the camera since 1921, when the infamous scandal (he was accused of raping and killing a young woman, though he would be acquitted) ruined his career.

The following are some exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. 

"Hello Pop: Ted Healy - A good example of how to butcher a musical comedy with no material for the comedians. - Charles Bern, Elk Theatre, Prescott, Ariz. General Patronage." 

"Hello Pop: Musical Revue - This is only fair entertainment with Ted Healy and his Stooges in the lead. In spite of the fact that it is in color, it does not add to the entertainment. Come on, Metro, give us good shorts or don't give us any. Running time, 20 minutes. - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C. General Patronage." 

"HELLO, POP!: Ted Healy and his Boys— In color. Musical numbers great. Ted Healy and his boys try to be funny, but the Four Marx Brothers have got him beat for entertainment. Play it. Running time, 18 minutes. - Edmund M. Burke, Fort Plain Theatre, Fort Plain Theatre, N. Y., General Patronage." 

"HELLO, POP!: Ted Healy— Color and music are good. The dancing is beautiful. The comedy is punk. - Harold C. Allision, Baldwin Theatre, Baldwin, Mich. Small Town Patronage."

You can watch this film below. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer and Greg Lenburg

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

https://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/finding-aids/MS-00271.pdf

https://threestooges.net/filmography/view/201/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-peter-lind-hayes-1161769.html

Video Link: Three Stooges Spike TV Bumpers (Part 1)

Yogi Bear and The Three Stooges Meet the Mad, Mad, Mad, Dr. No-No (1966)

Note: This has previously been posted on my Movies With Michael blog. 


 Many of you are aware that Scooby-Doo! met The Three Stooges in two episodes of The New Scooby-Doo! Movies. However, Scooby wasn't the only Hanna-Barbera character to meet The Three Stooges. That smarter than your average bear, Yogi also met the threesome. However, there were two major differences. One was that this was not animated and the second was that The Three Stooges were voiced by themselves here. This was released as a record album rather than a cartoon episode. The record album came from Hanna-Barbera Records in 1966 and is very similar to the style of an old radio show, with the story being told through narration. Both the Stooges and Hanna-Barbera were no strangers to record albums. Hanna-Barbera made plenty of similar albums on their label that lasted from 1964 to 1967, and The Stooges had been releasing record albums since 1959. This would mark The Stooges last record album. An often forgotten but very enjoyable part of the comedy team's career.

This is a very enjoyable album that is just as silly as it sounds. The jokes consist of very corny puns, but the makers of this album are completely aware of this and take great joy and just how corny these puns can get. Along with these corny puns is some silly but clever satire on the mad scientist trend in movies and TV. Both Yogi and The Stooges are completely in character, and this should make the album a delight to fans of both. I hope you enjoy this album as much as I did.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

How Ted Healy Defines a Stooge

 Ever wonder how the Stooges one time boss and head man would define what a stooge is? Well wonder no more. You can find out from the following article from a 1934 issue of Movie Classic magazine. If you have any trouble reading any of the following pages, you can click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you do not have a touch screen, click here. 

Video Link: N.Y.U.K. - Remembering Leslie Nielsen's Three Stooges Show on AMC

This video is by Hats Off Entertainment, a wonderful YouTube channel that delves into the history of classic comedy and more. 

Beer and Pretzels (1933)

 

Studio: MGM. Runtime: 20 minutes. Production Number 690. Release Date: August 26, 1933. Director: Jack Cummings. Story: Ted Healy. Screenplay: Matty Brooks. Cast: Ted Healy, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard (Themselves), Bonnie Bonnell (Bonny Latour), Edward Brophy (Theater manager), Fred Malatesta (Restaurant manager), Martin Sperzel, Al Teeter, Jack Smith (Singing bartenders). Music: Al Goodhart. Lyrics: Gus Kahn. Working title: Beer Gardens. 

The Stooges second short film for MGM was very much in the same vein as their first. As with Nertsery Rhymes (1933), this film is a musical revue with Ted Healy and the Stooges providing bits of comedy between the musical numbers. It also features Bonnie Boswell (credited as Bonny) once again in a supporting role (with her own song number) and has Jack Cummings once again as the director. However, unlike Nertsery Rhymes this film is in black and white.

In this short film the boys are thrown out of the Happy Hour Theatre because of Ted's women chasing ways. As the boys get jobs as waiters, Ted promises to give up women, but this proves to be harder than he thought.  

This is one of the better films that the Stooges made with Ted Healy. The Stooges are at the top of their game here. Not only do their characters already feel fully developed this early in their movie career but their humor is also quite well developed here as well. There are some truly laugh out loud moments with the Stooges here, each in the vein of the Stooges later films. 

Meanwhile the musical numbers are fine. The songs are pleasant but not exactly memorable. They are filmed in a mostly basic fashion. However, the male dancing trio are a lot of fun to watch and the use lighting is very clever in these scenes.    

One of the supporting players in this film is Edward Brophy, one of my favorite character actors. Born on February 27, 1895, in New York City, Brophy had a career that stretched from the 1920's until his death in 1960. He made his screen debut in Yes or No? (1920) staring Norma Talmage. Probably his best-known role of the silent era was as the big man sharing a changing room with Buster Keaton in The Cameraman (1928). Brophy would continue working with Keaton in the talkie era with such films as Doughboys (1930), Parlor, Bedroom and Bath (1931), Speak Easily (1932) and What! No Beer? (1933). His best-known film role though was as the voice of Timothy Mouse in Disney's Dumbo (1941). Over his career he would appear (mostly in supporting roles in such movie classics as The Champ (1931), Freaks (1932), The Thin Man (1934), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939), All Through the Night (1942) and The Thin Man Goes Home (1944). He would also play a reoccurring character in the B-Movie series starring Tom Conway as the Falcon. He would appear with the Stooges again in Hello Pop! (1933) and Swing Parade of 1946 (1946). He passed away on May 27, 1960 in Pacific Palisades, California at the age of 65 during the production of John Ford's Two Rode Together (1961), which would end up being his last movie. 

At one point in this film, the Stooges sing, "You'll never know, just what tears are..." They also sang this song in Soup to Nuts (1930), Dancing Lady (1933), Fugitive Lovers (1934), Horses' Collars (1935), Half Shot Shooters (1936) and A Ducking We Will Go (1939). 

The title of this film is a play on a Universal Pictures musical released the same year. That movie was called Moonlight and Pretzels (1933) and starred Leo Carrillo and Mary Brian. Despite being directed by legendary cinematographer Karl Freund (who also directed Universal's The Mummy (1932)), this musical is surprisingly laughably bad. That movie had rested in obscurity and been hidden from public eyes for decades. However, it had its first public screening in decades at the 2025 TCM Film Festival, where it was introduced by Jeopardy host, Ken Jennings. 

The lyricist for the songs in this film was Gus Kahn (born November 6, 1886, passed away October 8, 1941), a legend in the music world. Various songs he wrote the lyrics for include Ain't We Got Fun, It Had to Be You, Yes Sir, That's My Baby and Dream a Little Dream of Me to name just a few. Writing the music was Al Goodhart (born January 26, 1905, passed away November 30, 1955), who had written the music for such songs as I Apologize, Happy Go Lucky You and Broken-Hearted Me and Fit as a Fiddle (which can be heard in the classic movie musical, Singing in the Rain (1952)).  

The following are some exhibitors' reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. " BEER AND PRETZELS: Ted Healy and Stooges — Very funny. Feature this, you won't regret it. Good dance trio in this subject. Healy and stooges are a great combination. Running time. 18 minutes. - Perry L. Lessley, Diamond Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Neighborhood patronage." "BEER AND PRETZELS: Ted Healy and Stooges — They listed it as a Colortone Review but there is no color in it. It is not up to the standard of MGM Colortones. Without the color it is rather overdone as to silly gags. Running time, 18 minutes. - C.A. Pratt, Texas Theatre, Smithville, Texas. Small Town Patronage." "BEER AND PRETZELS: Ted Healy & Stooges— This is only fair entertainment of the slapstick variety. There are a few laughs but as a whole it did not, please our patrons. Let's have better shorts in the future. Running time, 19 minutes. - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C., General Patronage." 


Resources Used

The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer and Greg Lenburg

https://threestooges.net/filmography/view/200

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Turn Back the Clock (1933)

 

Studio: MGM. Runtime: 80 minutes. Production Number 689. Release Date: August 25, 1933. Director: Edgar Selwyn. Screenplay: Edgar Selwyn, Ben Hecht. Cast: Lee Tracy (Joe), Mae Clarke (Mary), Otto Kruger (Ted), Geo. Barbier (Evans), Peggy Shannon (Elvins), C. Henry Gordon (Mr. Holmes), Clara Blandick (Joe's Mother), Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard (Wedding Singers). Art Director: Stanwood Rogers. Gowns: Adrian. Cinematographer: Harold Rosson. Editor: Frank Sullivan. Interior Decorator: Edwin B. Willis. Mixer: Fred R. Morgan. Associate Producer: Harry Rapf. Assistant Director: Fred Wilcox Recording Director: Douglas Shearer. 

By the time this 1933 fantasy came out, Lee Tracey (born April 14, 1898; passed away October 18, 1968) and Mae Clarke (born August 16, 1910; passed away April 29, 1992) had already become a popular screen team having appeared in the early talkie Big Time (1929), which marked the first credited screen appearance for both stars. Since then, Lee had appeared in such films as Doctor X (1932) and Dinner at Eight (1933). Mae Clarke had built up and even more impressive filmography by this time appearing in such as The Front Page (1931), The Public Enemy (1931) Frankenstein (1931) and Three Wise Girls (1931). Though she never became the major star she should have been her acting career including quite a few roles in classic movie and TV shows. 

In this movie a man (Lee Tracey) is struggling with money. He begins to wish that instead of marrying his wife (Mae Clarke), he had married a woman he didn't love (Peggy Shannon) but who marrying would have helped make him rich. After an accident, he gets a chance to see what his life would have been like if he had pursued money instead of love. 

This overlooked gem is a true minor classic. The story may be basic but it not without depth. It speaks to the basic desire for both money and love and how the purist of money can hinder the want for love and companionship. Because of this anyone can relate to and feel an emotional connection to the main character. Also, fulfilling the one of the basic needs for this type of fantasy film, this movie provides basic wish fulfillment. At the same time showing that perhaps what one wishes for more not be as great as it initially seems. At only 80 minutes this movie moves at a fast pace and never gets dull for a second. Yet (with the exception of the ending) it doesn't feel rushed. The acting is excellent. Lee Tracey is wonderful in the main role. He brings a real humanity and likability to this role, even when his character is behaving selfishly. Mae Clarke is excellent as always in her role as the true love of his life. The two have great chemistry together and even though they don't share a lot of scenes, we truly believe they are in love. Peggy Shannon is also excellent in the role of the woman he marries for money. The character herself is great as well. She may be the wrong woman for our main character; however, she is not the unlikable stereotype that she would have been in lesser hands. She is actually surprisingly quite likable and sympathetic. She is just as much trapped in a cold loveless marriage as he is, and the film makes us understand this part of her. 

The co-writer of this film was Ben Hecht (born February 28, 1894; passed away April 18, 1964). Hecht was an extremely successful novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Hect's plays include The Front Page, The Great Magoo and Twentieth Century. The Front Page had already given him a connection to the two main stars. Lee Tracy had starred in the original Broadway version of the play, while Mae Clarke had acted in the 1932 film version. His screenwriting credits include such classics as Scarface (1932), Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933), Nothing Sacred (1937), Wuthering Heights (1939), The Black Swan (1942), Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) and Hitchcock's Notorious (1946). 

The film's director Edgar Selwyn (born October 20, 1875, passed away February 13, 1944) only directed a handful of films. Included in these handful of films was The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931), for which Helen Hayes received an Academy Award. He was also a quite prolific playwright and quite a few movies were based off of his plays. These movies include The Arab (1924), Dancing Mothers (1926), Possessed (1931), Baby Face Harrigan (1935) and Pierre of the Plains (1942).     

One of the most notable names attached to this movie for film buffs, is cinematographer Harold Rosson (born April 6, 1895; passed away September 6, 1988). With a career that lasted from the 1910's through the 1960's, Rosson was one of the most prominent and respected cinematographers of his day. His work includes such classics as Oliver Twist (1916), The Docks of New York (1928), Treasure Island (1934), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Johnny Eager (1941),Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), The Stratton Story (1949), On the Town (1949), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Red Badge of Courage (1951), Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Bad Seed (1956) and El Dorado (1966). 

The Stooges have very minor roles in this film. They appear briefly in a wedding scene as wedding singers. They don't really have comedic moments in their brief scenes, playing the roles straight instead. Moe and Larry's hair are even slicked back making them look completely normal. Despite this not being a true Stooge film, it does mark a couple firsts from the comedy team. This is the first time that they appeared without Ted Healy. It is also Curly's first time appearing in a feature length movie. 

When released this movie received positive reviews from critics though some felt it was too similar to John L. Balderston's play Berkeley Square. Berkely Square premiered on stage in 1926. The play received a movie adaption the same year this movie was released (Berkeley Square (1933)). 

All in all, this is a true underrated gem that needs more attention from classic movie lovers.

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Resources Used

The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer and Greg Lenburg

https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1959/turn-back-the-clock#articles-reviews?articleId=1008303