|
|
 |
| |
 |
|
| |
| The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary TV Special on NBC |
| C3 Press Release • Glendale, CA • February 15, 2003 |
| |
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special is a one hour prime-time grand tribute on NBC for the most beloved comedy trio ever. Fans of The Three Stooges can again enjoy the most classic and knuckleheaded Stooge moments. The show is produced by Comedy III Productions and stars the six characters who ultimately embodied the trio through the years -- Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Shemp Howard, Joe Besser and Curly-Joe DeRita. The special also features celebrity appearances from Bridget Fonda, Michael Chiklis, Tracy Morgan, Cheryl Hines, Tom Arnold and Peter and Bobby Farrelly.
In addition to favorite routines, the show is loaded with ultra-rare shorts, feature-film clips, solo appearances and TV performances, with many of these scenes new to network television audiences. Stooge family members share home movies, photos and treasured personal memories with special "Stooge Factoids."
Harrelson first came to prominence on "Cheers" as dull-witted but lovable bartender Woody Boyd, and his performance earned him an Emmy. When the comedy ended in 1993, Harrelson's feature-film career began to soar. He was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor in "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" and appeared in "EDtv," "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "The Thin Red Line" as well as "Wag the Dog," "Welcome to Sarajevo" and "Palmetto." His earlier features include "Indecent Proposal," "Natural Born Killers," "White Men Can't Jump," "Doc Hollywood" and "L.A. Story."Content 1. Sample Content 1.
|
| |
The South Florida Sun Sentinel had the following to say about the 75th Anniversary Special:
Imagine a comedy troupe that never resorted to off-color jokes, didn't put down anyone and had no political point of view. It would never last. Well, at least not longer than three-quarters of a century. That's how long the Three Stooges have been delighting audiences, a phenomenon undimmed by their deaths. Their amazing longevity and impact is being feted by NBC with The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special.
Woody Harrelson, a self-acknowledged huge fan, fronts the fast-paced hour, which includes reminiscences by Michael Chiklis, who began to turn around his career when he played Curly Howard in a Three Stooges TV movie a couple of years ago; Saturday Night Live's Tracy Morgan; Tom Arnold; Cheryl Hines (Larry David's wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm); Bridget Fonda and the Farrelly Brothers, who wrote, produced and directed There's Something About Mary.
However, the special is dominated, as it should be, by clips of the Stooges; there actually were six. The original trio consisted of Moe and Shemp Howard, and Larry Fine. When Shemp opted out in 1932, another brother, Jerome, became Curly, arguably the most beloved of the Stooges. A couple of heart-rending moments involving Curly are the only breaks in an hour of raucous fun. Footage is resurrected of Curly's last real contribution in the 1946 Half-Wits Holiday as well as an uncredited appearance in Hold That Line, in which, debilitated by a stroke, he was reduced to sitting, almost unrecognizable, in a chair.
Shemp then rejoined the act, until 1955. When he suffered a heart attack, comedian Joe Besser was recruited for the act's last 16 films. Curly-Joe DeRita became the final Stooge, making live appearances with Moe and Larry after TV rediscovered the Stooges.
Each milestone -- form their early days as second-banana opening acts on the vaudeville circuit in the late'20s, to their Hollywood breakthrough in the '30s, when they made more than 190 films and shorts, through their rediscovery and renaissance on TV in the '50s -- is covered via a well-conceived timeline navigated by Harrelson.
As free-from and undisciplined as the Stooges might have seemed, each of their features followed a tried and true blueprint, Harrelson notes. A Stooges flick invariable included wacky word play, tools and gadgets and juiced-up sound effects. The boys were put in crazy occupations and there was always a lovely leading lady or three as comedic folls.
By the time the final credits roll on the remembrance, the audience will have the feeling it has gotten a sampling of almost every bit the Stooges ever did. While this obviously would be impossible, the high spots are covered: the best pie fight, best slap fest and overall favorite Stooges bit, as determined by a poll of fans. The contemporary celebrities weigh in with personal choices.
Fonda, who was born almost a decade after the Stooges made their last film, opines, "Anyone who doesn't like The Three Stooges never really watched."
|
| |
It's never too late to start and there's no better place than The Three Stooges' 75th Anniversary Special
By Tom Jicha
TV/Radio Writer
|
| |
Earl M. Benjamin, Robert N. Benjamin and George Paige will serve as executive producers for the special. Comedy III Productions, Inc. is a C3 Entertainment, Inc., company which was formed by Larry, Moe and Curly-Joe of The Three Stooges in 1958.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Skorlich, NBC Entertainment, 818/840-4630
C3 Entertainment:
Eddie Michaels or Michael Hansen, EM&A PR, 310/777-1150
About C3 Entertainment, Inc.:
C3 Entertainment, Inc., is the home of The Three Stooges®, a diversified entertainment company involved in television and motion picture production, retail sales and the licensing and merchandising of The Three Stooges®. For more information, please visit www.c3entertainment.com and www.threestooges.com.
|
| |
|
|
|
