Stop, Look and Laugh
Encyclopedia
Stop! Look! and Laugh! is a 1960
feature-length Three Stooges
compilation featuring Moe Howard
, Larry Fine
, and Curly Howard
Eleven of the Stooges shorts were shown and bridged together with segments featuring Paul Winchell
and his dummies, Jerry Mahoney
and Knucklehead Smiff
. Near the end of the film, the Marquis Chimps performed a version of Cinderella
narrated in rhyme by Winchell with June Foray
providing female voices (and Alan Reed
providing the male ones) as part of Knucklehead's bedtime story.
New York Stooges TV host Officer Joe Bolton (a staple of WPIX-TV through the early '70s) has a cameo as a customer in a cafe.
. As Winchell enters the home to complain of the noise he is hit with one of the pies in that sequence's pie fight.
created the film without their knowledge or permission. Columbia Pictures
, which would eventually distribute the film, apologized and admitted that it had made an error by putting together a compilation of Three Stooges shorts behind their backs. Both parties agreed to have the film released on July 4, 1960, and to provide the funding for the Three Stooges' then-newly-formed production company, Normandy Productions.
The movie also aired on WCIU's Saturday night program Stooge-a-palooza, which was met with criticism and angry emails to the station according to host Rich Koz
.
1960 in film
The year 1960 in film involved some significant events, with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho the top-grossing release in the U.S.-Events:* April 20 - for the first time since coming home from military service in Germany, Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood, California to film G.I...
feature-length Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
compilation featuring Moe Howard
Moe Howard
Moses Harry Horwitz , known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television for four decades...
, Larry Fine
Larry Fine
Louis Feinberg , known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American comedian and actor, who is best known as a member of the comedy act The Three Stooges.-Early life:...
, and Curly Howard
Curly Howard
Jerome Lester "Jerry" Horwitz , better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and vaudevillian. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine...
Eleven of the Stooges shorts were shown and bridged together with segments featuring Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
and his dummies, Jerry Mahoney
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
and Knucklehead Smiff
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
. Near the end of the film, the Marquis Chimps performed a version of Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
narrated in rhyme by Winchell with June Foray
June Foray
June Foray is an American voice actress, best known as the voice of many animated characters...
providing female voices (and Alan Reed
Alan Reed
Alan Reed was an American actor and voice actor, best known as the original voice of Fred Flintstone on The Flintstones and various spinoff series...
providing the male ones) as part of Knucklehead's bedtime story.
New York Stooges TV host Officer Joe Bolton (a staple of WPIX-TV through the early '70s) has a cameo as a customer in a cafe.
Plot
Paul Winchell plays a father to Jerry Mahoney who is avoiding going to school at all costs where he is failing his subjects. Mahoney's tricks range from painting the window black to sleep in, continually falling asleep, and faking an illness by painting spots on his face and heating a thermometer with a match to give him a temperature reading of 264F to stay home. Winchell relates stories that segue into scenes from Three Stooges short subjects with the film concluding with a loud party that is footage from Half-Wits HolidayHalf-Wits Holiday
Half-Wits Holiday is the 97th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
. As Winchell enters the home to complain of the noise he is hit with one of the pies in that sequence's pie fight.
Production
The film provoked controversy due to a lawsuit filed by the Three Stooges, who claimed producer Harry A. Romm who had produced their previous film Have Rocket, Will TravelHave Rocket, Will Travel
Have Rocket, Will Travel is a 1959 comedy film starring The Three Stooges. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita . Released by Columbia Pictures, the feature was produced to capitalize on the comedy trio's late 1950s resurgence in popularity...
created the film without their knowledge or permission. Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, which would eventually distribute the film, apologized and admitted that it had made an error by putting together a compilation of Three Stooges shorts behind their backs. Both parties agreed to have the film released on July 4, 1960, and to provide the funding for the Three Stooges' then-newly-formed production company, Normandy Productions.
Rich Koz
Rich Koz is a Chicago area actor and broadcaster best known as horror-movie host Svengoolie. Out of costume, he is also the knowledgeable host of the syndicated Three Stooges Stooge-a-Palooza program.- Beginnings :...
.
Featured shorts
The following eleven Stooge shorts were featured in Stop! Look! and Laugh!:- Goofs and SaddlesGoofs and SaddlesGoofs and Saddles is the 24th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1937) - Violent is the Word for CurlyViolent Is the Word for CurlyViolent Is the Word for Curly is the 32nd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1938) - Calling All CursCalling All CursCalling All Curs is the 41st short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, first released on August 25, 1939. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1939) - Oily to Bed, Oily to RiseOily to Bed, Oily to RiseOily to Bed, Oily to Rise is the 42nd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:Once again, the Stooges are three hapless tramps...
(1939) - A Plumbing We Will GoA Plumbing We Will GoA Plumbing We Will Go is the 46th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1940) - How High Is Up?How High Is Up?How High is Up? is the 48th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1940) - What's the Matador?What's the Matador?What's the Matador? is the 62nd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
(1942) - Sock-a-Bye BabySock-a-Bye BabySock-a-Bye Baby is the 66th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.- Plot :...
(1942) - Higher Than a KiteHigher Than a KiteHigher Than a Kite is the 72nd short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1943) - Micro-PhoniesMicro-PhoniesMicro-Phonies is the 87th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1945) - Half-Wits HolidayHalf-Wits HolidayHalf-Wits Holiday is the 97th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1947)