Product Details

• Actors: Shemp Howard, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Bert Lahr, Ed Wynn
• Format: Black & White, Full Screen, Mono, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Passport
• DVD Release Date: March 18, 2008
• Run Time: 315 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0010S6EU6
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,687 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Shemp Cocktail: A Toast To The Original Stooge" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Much has been made of Moe, Larry and Curly – and rightly so – but Shemp Howard was a comic master too often overlooked, with a solo career that far outshone that of the other Stooges. Apart from costarring in many classic Three Stooges shorts, Shemp appeared opposite such fellow comic legends as W.C. Fields, Ed Wynn, Bert Lahr, and Abbott & Costello, as well as such luminaries as John Barrymore, William Powell, Jack Haley, and The Andrews Sisters.

This long-overdue 2-disc spotlight on Shemp – one of the first and one of the last Stooges and brother of Moe and Curly Howard – contains two early ‘30s solo Shemp shorts; a trio of Shemp’s Three Stooges shorts; a live TV Camel Comedy Caravan with Shemp, Larry, and Moe; the complete 1942 feature Private Buckaroo, starring Shemp and The Andrews Sisters; the 1949 feature Africa Screams, starring Abbott & Costello and Shemp - and more, including outtakes from Africa Screams and sequences from the 1935 drama Convention Girl, in which Shemp plays it straight as a smalltime hood!

But the real treasure is a remarkable, revealing, and very intimate look at Shemp Howard’s life and career featuring exclusive interviews with Shemp’s daughter-in-law, Geri Howard Greenbaum; Geri’s sister, Diane Silvers; and Shemp’s granddaughter, Jill Howard Ullo. These touching, humorous and fascinating firsthand reminiscences are supplemented by rare, never-before-seen home movies, personal photos, and priceless memorabilia from Geri, Jill, and Shemp’s second granddaughter (and namesake), Sandie Howard Isaac. A well-deserved salute that is a must for fans of the Three Stooges and classic comedy!

Disc One

Henry the Ache (1934) – Bert Lahr (THE WIZARD OF OZ) is King Henry in a parody of the then-current Charles Laughton film, with Shemp as one of his lackeys. (17:12)

Knife of the Party (1934) –Shemp is the leader of a different group of Stooges (four instead of three) who have to work at a hotel to pay their bill. (20:00)

Convention Girl (1935) – Sequences from a rare drama starring Rose Hobart (DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE), in which Schemp plays a straight role – a small-time hood who resorts to extortion and attempted murder! (10:00)

Private Buckaroo (1942) – Shemp is an Army drill sergeant, Dick Foran (THE MUMMY’S HAND) is a new recruit, and The Andrews Sisters provide musical accompaniment in this wartime delight. (68:10)

Africa Screams (1949) – Shemp and future Stooge, Joe Besser, provide strong support in this jungle-themed Abbott & Costello classic (including outtakes!). (80:00)

Disc Two

The Brideless Groom (1947) – Moe and Larry help Shemp get married immediately so he won’t lose out on his inheritance. Hold hands, you lovebirds! (16:35)

Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947) – Shemp, Moe and Larry have "pressing business" in a dry-cleaning store but get mixed up with bank robbers. (16:53)

Malice in the Palace (1949) – Shemp, Moe and Larry are restaurateurs who run off to a faraway land in search of the Rootin Tootin Diamond. (15:42)

Camel Comedy Caravan (1950) – A rare, live kinescope with Shemp, Moe and Larry as TV executives (!) who harass Ed Wynn on his television show. (28:07)

Bonus:

Remembering Shemp - An intimate look at Shemp Howard’s life and career featuring exclusive interviews with Shemp’s daughter-in-law, Geri Howard Greenbaum; Geri’s sister, Diane Silvers; and Shemp’s granddaughter, Jill Howard Ullo. These touching reminiscences are supplemented by rare, never-before-seen home movies, personal photos, and priceless memorabilia. (approx. 45 mins.)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars shemp cocktail, March 26, 2008

By 

D. M. THOMAS (Clawson, Mi USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shemp Cocktail: A Toast To The Original Stooge (DVD)

A shame on you. Another company out to make a quick buck on the popularity of THE THREE STOOGES. The quality of this set is awful. AFRICA SCREAMS, an Abbott and Costello comedy has been released over and over again since it is public domain as are the three STOOGES comedies that are part of this set. They have been released and much better quality. To add insult to injury this company thought it would be cute to add a horrible brownish tint to give the shows an ancient look. All it does it make it even harder to watch. Come on....colorized movies are bad or good depending on the individual. But no need to give it a phony brownish look to make it look like an old tin type photo. Other episodes are soft focus, poor sound and just an insult to a great comic who has so often been considered the "forgotten Stooge". It ain't worth the money fans.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spoiled rotten, March 24, 2008

By 

C. FRANCO "Classic TV Lover" (Florence, SC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shemp Cocktail: A Toast To The Original Stooge (DVD)

I think I am getting very spoiled by the high quality DVD sets that have been coming out of late. Cartoons, old movies, The Stooges Collection Volume 1...I mean, most of the stuff coming out today has been restored and cleaned up and just looks and sounds amazing. Popping this DVD in over the weekend, I realized just how spoiled I have become. The quality of most of the video and sound transfers on this DVD look like they came off some bad reception UHF station from the 1980's via a rabbit ear antenna. Yes, I love Shemp. Yes, I love the Stooges. Is it great to have some of these movies and clips that I have never seen before? Absolutely. But, the 1980's style of poor video transfers made this kind of tough to watch. 5 stars if you are a completest and must have some of this rare hard to find Shemp material. But dont buy this DVD If you are not prepared to watch clips and shorts that look like they come off of an old VHS tape from the 1980's. I'll give it 4 stars just because I love Shemp so much.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing Quality, April 7, 2008

By 

jachorn (Venice, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shemp Cocktail: A Toast To The Original Stooge (DVD)

I so looked forward to receiving this 2-disc set. The exterior packaging seemed complementary to the sets of 3 Stooges DVDs being released chronologically by another company. BUT - and I rarely bother to write reviews here - I was greatly disappointed with the over-all quality of the films on this disc. Granted, the first two selections on disc 1 are rare, Radio Pictures shorts, and they're choppy and not restored. That I could forgive due the rarity of their availability, but the rest of the material was given no attention at all to clarity of picture- it was as bad in quality as they come. Since most of it is available elsewhere in better condition, I expected that Passport would have restored and refined the prints. Alas, not to be. So disappointing... buyer beware!