The Three Stooges are the greatest comedy team of all time. Their great body of work spanned almost forty years and includes over 200 films. This book pays tribute to the great comedy genius of The Three Stooges with a detailed study and analysis of all of their films. This is the definitive source book from respected Stooge expert Professor Jon Solomon and specifically authorized by The Three Stooges'company, Comedy III Productions, Inc. This is a one of a kind book. The 562 page book presents all of the film work of The Three Stooges from their beginning in 1930 to their last in 1970. Each film is meticulously analyzed and added to the chapters are anecdotes and information regarding the film itself, the supporting players, directors and producers. There is no book quite like this. It is a Stooge fans dream, but it is also informative and quite entertaining for non-stooge fans who are interested in entertainment.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Meticulous in detail and precise in facts, Professor Solomon produced a complete work fit for the kings of comedy. -- Comedy III Productions, Inc.
About the Author
Jon Solomon was born in Philadelphia where he spent many hours watching The Three Stooges on television. He began his study of Latin at 12, ancient Greek at 16, earned a BA in Classical Languages & Literature from the University of Chicago and an MA in Greek and a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of North Carolina. He has taught at the University of Colorado and the University of Minnesota and is currently a Professor of Classics at the University of Arizona. He has written, eidted or translated ten books, including The Ancient World in the Cinema.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Eric Lamond
Format:Paperback
I must tell you that I am somewhat biased toward the subject matter of The Complete Three Stooges as I am Larry Fine's eldest grandchild. I also worked with them in my youth.
Having intimate knowledge of The Three Stooges both personally and professionally, I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy and detail brought to this filmography by Dr. Solomon.
As a family member I think all Three Stooges fans will get a true picture of the Stooges body of work and its importance to the development of comedy as a visual art.
As a fan I was surprised about the many details brought to light that even I did not know about their films.
The book as a filmography is the most detailed I have seen and can serve as a guide for compiling such a work. It's simply the most complete filmography I have encountered on any subject.
It's well researched, well written, factual and fun to read. This book belongs in the library of every Three Stooges fan, comedy fan and film fan.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Scott Leslie
Format:Paperback
For years I've been looking for that perfect guide to Stoogedom. Did I find it? Well, kind of. Solomon's book does have its merits. It covers and analyzes ever single one of their films and cameos appearances (it is a filmography after all) in excessive detail. In some ways, that is also one of its faults, however. Much of the book's wopping size is taken up with Solomon's listing of their verbal and visual gags. A few succinct summaries or examples would've worked perfectly here - such as the first appearance of certain jokes and gags, etc. - but instead, he goes on for pages, listing much of the dialogue and which of their 190 shorts they'd previously appeared in. Unfortunately, this tendency towards "list writing" made for a very tedious read at times.
What was more effective was Solomon's "Perspective" and "Other Notes" sections where he offered up more analysis on Stooge themes and included some production details of the talent involved. But despite all Solomon's research, what his writing lacked was a strong sense of the Stooges themselves and what went on behind the scenes. Many times I found myself frustrated when Solomon would start into a brief anecdote or personal detail and drop it very quickly. (The death of Curly during the Shemp's years comes to mind - mentioned in a couple of sentences. Or Joe Besser's decision to give up the group over his sick wife. Or a brief mention that Shemp had a stroke a few years before his death.) He also tends to refer the reader to other sources rather than including them (ie. read Moe's autobiography here to find out more about his feelings on Curly, etc.)
Admittedly, Solomon isn't writing a biography here. And doing both a filmography and biography would make for an even more massive tome! But I found other comedy team books like Randy Skretvedt's "Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies" or Bob Furmanek's "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood" much more successful in this regard. Yes, they summarized the films - but also delved into the lives of the comedians themselves and how they merged with the making of the films. Did the Stooges have a lot of input into their scripts? How did Larry and Moe feel about the death of Shemp or the years of cost-cutting and rehashing of "Shemp" material before and after his death? What kind of injuries did the Stooges suffer while filming? How did the complaints of violence by the PTA effect their films? Solomon doesn't give us much insight or info here. With this book coming from the Stooge's company, I really expected more of an "insider's take" on their films - and here, you don't get it.
Perhaps the biggest drawback here is the book's layout and construction. Despite all the obvious research, it "looks" like a rush job in many respects and certainly could've used some more editing and proofing - there are countless misspellings, careless mistakes like boldings and a title missed in the table of contents, etc. At times, the san serif font makes reading a little difficult. Solomon often repeats himself, telling the reader the same details on subsequent pages, or even in the photo captions on the same page. The pictures also tend to be dark and sometimes resemble screen captures that should've been of much higher quality. The cover indicates this book was for the 75th anniversary of the Stooges so that could explain the rush to get it finished in time. However, since this book was authorized and published by The Three Stooges company itself (maybe an additional problem here because Solomon hardly says anything critical of the Stooges) you'd think they should've produced something with more care and higher quality, given their vested interest in the product.
Don't get me wrong - it's great to have info on all the Stooge films in one place with a guide of this kind. But coming from "the Stooges" themselves, the bar just should've been set so much higher.
What was more effective was Solomon's "Perspective" and "Other Notes" sections where he offered up more analysis on Stooge themes and included some production details of the talent involved. But despite all Solomon's research, what his writing lacked was a strong sense of the Stooges themselves and what went on behind the scenes. Many times I found myself frustrated when Solomon would start into a brief anecdote or personal detail and drop it very quickly. (The death of Curly during the Shemp's years comes to mind - mentioned in a couple of sentences. Or Joe Besser's decision to give up the group over his sick wife. Or a brief mention that Shemp had a stroke a few years before his death.) He also tends to refer the reader to other sources rather than including them (ie. read Moe's autobiography here to find out more about his feelings on Curly, etc.)
Admittedly, Solomon isn't writing a biography here. And doing both a filmography and biography would make for an even more massive tome! But I found other comedy team books like Randy Skretvedt's "Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies" or Bob Furmanek's "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood" much more successful in this regard. Yes, they summarized the films - but also delved into the lives of the comedians themselves and how they merged with the making of the films. Did the Stooges have a lot of input into their scripts? How did Larry and Moe feel about the death of Shemp or the years of cost-cutting and rehashing of "Shemp" material before and after his death? What kind of injuries did the Stooges suffer while filming? How did the complaints of violence by the PTA effect their films? Solomon doesn't give us much insight or info here. With this book coming from the Stooge's company, I really expected more of an "insider's take" on their films - and here, you don't get it.
Perhaps the biggest drawback here is the book's layout and construction. Despite all the obvious research, it "looks" like a rush job in many respects and certainly could've used some more editing and proofing - there are countless misspellings, careless mistakes like boldings and a title missed in the table of contents, etc. At times, the san serif font makes reading a little difficult. Solomon often repeats himself, telling the reader the same details on subsequent pages, or even in the photo captions on the same page. The pictures also tend to be dark and sometimes resemble screen captures that should've been of much higher quality. The cover indicates this book was for the 75th anniversary of the Stooges so that could explain the rush to get it finished in time. However, since this book was authorized and published by The Three Stooges company itself (maybe an additional problem here because Solomon hardly says anything critical of the Stooges) you'd think they should've produced something with more care and higher quality, given their vested interest in the product.
Don't get me wrong - it's great to have info on all the Stooge films in one place with a guide of this kind. But coming from "the Stooges" themselves, the bar just should've been set so much higher.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this book to be quite enjoyable. A lot of work has gone into this. There are a few mistakes, but I'm sure these can and will be corrected, in a 2nd printing. If your a Stooge fan, this book is a must. The only real complaint I have, (reason why I didn't give five stars) is that the pages are SO paper thin, you have to be careful with the book, to prevent a page from tearing. I would rather have paid $60 for a hardback copy, with top quality paper. I hope this will be considered if another edition is printed. You will enjoy this book almost GUARANTEED, but I wanted to forewarn you about the paper being telephone book style.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
evrything you want to know about the films
This is a very in depth survey of all aspects of the stooge careers. It is for serious afficinados.For some stoogeaphiles it may seem a bit too serious but if you want in depth... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Marcs student
2.0 out of 5 stars
Skip this one
As a life-long student of the Stooges, I was excited by the prospect of such a weighty and apparently in-depth treatment of their filmed output. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bat-Might
4.0 out of 5 stars
3 Stooges Encyclopaedia
I bought this book a few years ago and I still haven't finished it. This book starts from the Ted Healy & Stooges movies to the Columbia Shorts we all love and can quote from to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Raven Shaddock
4.0 out of 5 stars
For die hard stooge fans
This is definitely the book for die hard stooges fan. It lists the shorts, the date they were released, who starred in them, what they were about, even some of the dialogue. Read more
Published 14 months ago by B. Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three Stooges
Excelent book about all their films.Reviews are well written.Lots of information.Contains details and tidbit of the films.Would recommend this for any fan of the Stooges.
Published 16 months ago by tinliz50
5.0 out of 5 stars
This has EVERYTHING!!
If you're a Three Stooges fan, this is an absolute must to have. Sure it's big, but it includes all their films. Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by P. F. Brooks
1.0 out of 5 stars
Crash Goes The Re-Hash
College professor Jon Solomon has just rehashed all the same old information in already existing Stooge books to create this new "Stooges Companion. Read more
Published on July 16, 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much better than a poke in the eye!
I read this book every day, and pretty much know it by heart. Dr. Solomon's years of research have paid off handsomely, as he presents the most exhaustive and detailed reviews of... Read more
Published on January 18, 2003 by Edward J. Barczak
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