Ed Bernds
SCarras
Is ed Bernds still with us?(I know Jules White died some years ago.)
SCarras
Ed Bernds,to his credit,never had Moe or anyone poke anyone else in the
eyes,the way Jules White did. Much as I admired White,(perhaps I am being
much too kind here!) he did tend to go a bit overboard.
Moore007
I felt Edward Bernds directing was among the best of the various Stooge
directors. His writing was incredible as well: "Squareheads of the Round
Table", "Gents In a Jam", "Micro-phonies". I've often said it is really a
shame he couldn't have worked with Curly in his prime. He definitely had
a BIG part in the success of the Shemp shorts, and when you saw his name
in the credits before the short began you knew it would be a classic!
Another good example of his directing was in "Three Little Pirates".
Curly was very ill at the time, and this was his second to last short, but
I feel it is one of the best shorts with Curly. He worked with Curly very
well in this one, and the short is a riot from beginning to end!
The firing of Hugh McCollum and Edward Bernds hurt the Stooges in 1952,
and the quality of the future shorts started going downhill.
I do hope Mr. Bernds is doing well, and I'm glad he is still with us! I
believe he'll turn 92 in July. It would be super if he could release his
journals he wrote while he worked with the Stooges. I'm sure those hold
some very interesting information on all the Stooges!
Chuck
JimNeibaur
Ed was a good writer-director, Ellwood Ullman was a good writer too. Of
course the boys themselves had much input.
Ed is doing quite well, and yes he will be 92 in July. He was a sound
technician at Columbia before directing, so he knew Curly during the prime
years, but did not have an opportunity to direct him until he was ill.
Bernds told me: "Curly would be up for one film and donw for the next.
He was like the old Curly for MicroPhonies and Three Little Pirates, only
so-so for Three Troubledoers, and very very down in Monkey Businessmen. I
remember during Monkey Businessmen, Moe would coach Curly on his lines one
word at a time, as one would a child. It was very touching how Moe would
take care of his baby brother that way. After some scenes, Moe would
stand away from the action with tears in his eyes. I think he realized
Curly was getting worse, but was careful not to bring anybody else down
(especially not Curly). Larry was very helpful to Moe during this
emotional time. It was a moving thing to see, these men who had been
together for so many years, all pulling for each other that way.
"If Curly had to be replaced, it is good that Shemp was able to fill that
great void. Shemp was the same natural comic genius Curly was, but in a
different way. His own style worked well, and he fit in with the others
like he had never been away."
Jules White disagreed. He said the shorts were done for after Curly left.
"We made a few funny ones later on, and I love Shemp and I love Joe, but
it just wasn't as good as the Curlys."
Jules was a very, very nice man. I used to balk at the heavy violence and
use of stock footage on some of the White-directed films, but after I met
this very kind, helpful, friendly old man whose knowledge of comedy was so
vast and his contribution was so significant, I just leave well enough
alone and realize that none of us makes the right decision all of the
time.
JimN
Moore007
Jim,
Very interesting information on Edward Bernds, and thanks for posting! It
must have been great to chat with him. Very informative! Thanks again,
and if you know of more info. on Ed Bernds please post. I always love
having more knowledge of the Stooges :)!
Chuck