The Three Stooges (TV 2000)

A biography of the Three Stooges, in which their careers and rise to fame is shown throughout the eyes of their leader, Moe.

Director:

James Frawley

Writers:

Michael Fleming (book), Janet Roach (television story),

Stars:

Paul Ben-Victor, Evan Handler, John Kassir

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Moe Howard
Evan Handler	...	Larry Fine
John Kassir	...	Shemp Howard
Michael Chiklis	...	Jerome 'Curly' Howard
Rachael Blake	...	Helen Howard
Anna Lise Phillips	...	Mabel Fine (as Anna-Lise Phillips)
Jeanette Cronin	...	Gertrude Howard
Joel Edgerton	...	Tom Cosgrove
Marton Csokas	...	Ted Healy
Linal Haft	...	Harry Cohn
Brandon Burke	...	Harry Romm
Lewis Fitz-Gerald	...	Jules White (as Lewis Fitzgerald)
Peter Callan	...	Joe DeRita
Laurence Coy	...	Joe Besser
Phillip Hinton	...	Judge

Storyline

In the late 1950's, Moe Howard, the leader of the Three Stooges is at a low point of his life with his film career apparently over, and he won't earn a dime from the impending big profits when his films are shown on TV. In addition, he is being pestered by a young TV exec who wants his team for a live show at his city. Amidst all this, Moe can't help but think back to the past starting from the beginning of the team's career with Ted Healy and their break from him to eventually having a successful film career in shorts. Yet that can't obscure the tragedy of Jerome "Curly" Howard's stroke and death or the death of his other brother, Shemp. While he reminisces, Moe must decide whether to gamble on whether there will be a new generation of fans who will let the team to enter a new phase of their career.

---

Plot Keywords:

slapstick | vaudeville | comedy team | stroke | comedian | 

---

Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

A három komédiás

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Comedy III Productions Inc., C3 Entertainment Inc., Columbia TriStar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Curly Howard did not suffer his career ending stroke during the filming of a scene of Half-Wits Holiday. It happened while he was offstage waiting for the scene to begin. He didn't respond when called, and Moe found him with his head slumped to his chest, unable to speak.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Young Moe: How old are you?
Young Shemp: Seventeen.
Young Moe: Come on, you're older than that.
Young Shemp: No, I got a birth certificate.
Young Moe: You couldn't get that dirty in seventeen years.
Young Moe: How 'about you, how old are you?
Young Jerome: I was seven three years in Sanford Connecticut.
Young Moe: That makes you nine.
Young Jerome: Not 'til I get back to Connecticut...

---

Connections

References Pies and Guys (1958)

User Reviews

A LABOR OF LOVE FOR MEL GIBSON

In all the comments I have read before this one, not one mention of the man responsible for the production was Australian actor, Mel Gibson. Gibson, a life-long fan of the Stooges, was the executive Producer of the Film and put up most of the money for the production.(He even did a Stooges routine in the opening scene of Lethal Weapon). And it was filmed entirely in Australia. It is a shame that no American Studio thought enough of them to make the film.

The film was a wonderful tribute to the Stooges and the portrayals were magnificent. Here it is two years later and the movie is still not available on Video. How fortunate I was to tape the movie (less commercials), so that I have enjoyed it time and again since I first saw it. I do hope ABC will repeat it or Cable will pick it up to screen on the TRUE Channel.

JohnnyReb