Jules White
G.S.
A while ago I tried to start a discussion about the great contribution
made by Jules White to Stooge comedy. With the publication of the AFI's
oral history series (of which one VERY interesting entry is about the
White brothers) I became confirmed in a belief I'd held for a long time,
which is that Jules White and Moe Howard had differences, and he was
therefore given short shrift in Moe's book, and in the Scrapbook edited
by Moe's daughter. Compound this with the fact that Ed Bernds -- who
didn't get along with Jules White, and who worked exclusively for Jules'
"competitor" in the shorts department, Hugh McCollum, and who was fired
by Jules after McCollum left Columbia -- outlived Jules and was
interviewed many times and therefore got his point of view across, well,
I just think that Jules didn't get the credit he deserved.
Jules White was the head of the Columbia comedy department from its
inception until its dissolution. He produced most of the Stooge shorts,
and directed many as well, including some of their best. It is under
Jules tutelage that the Stooges' characters began to develop and take on
defining characteristics (in contrast to the undifferentiated patsies
they played at MGM).
All the actors -- Emil Sitka, Jock Mahoney, et al -- liked Ed Bernds
because he was apparently a nicer guy on the set and let them create
their own characters. But this meant that they talked up Bernds, and
knocked White.
Anyone who reads the AFI book cannot fail to see that Jules White played
a major role in making the Stooges who and what they became -- much
more so than did Ed Bernds, who didn't direct his first short until
1945!
Your thoughts?
Gregg Stevens
JimNeibr
I interviewed him in 1980 and he was a very nice man and answered all of my
questions.
Ed Bernds was not fired by White, he left on his own when Jules fired McCollum.
Emil Sitka, who was a friend of mine for twenty years, always spoke well of
White, but liked Bernds better because Ed gave his actors more creative
freedom.
For the best info on Jules, check out The Columbia Comedy Shorts by Ted Okuda
and Ed Watz. Jules was alive when the book was written and offered a great
deal of insight as to his Columbia comedies.
JN
"The most contagious thing in the world is enthusiasm."
G.S.
When you say that "The Columbia Comedy Shorts" is the best source of info on Jules
White, are you taking "Behind the Three Stooges: The White Brothers" into
account? It's an oral history conducted by David Bruskin with Jules, Jack
("Preston Black") and Sam White. I inadvertently referred to it as an AFI
publication in a previous post; it's a Directors Guild of America publication.
Gregg Stevens
Jim Neibaur
When you say that "The Columbia Comedy Shorts" is the best source of info on
Jules
White, are you taking "Behind the Three Stooges: The White Brothers" into
account? It's an oral history conducted by David Bruskin with Jules, Jack
("Preston Black") and Sam White. I inadvertently referred to it as an AFI
publication in a previous post; it's a Directors Guild of America publication.
-------------
I have not read this book, so I can't comment on it. I am sure it is great.
But the Watz-Okuda book also benefits from extensive interviews with all of the
Whites, has chapters and filmographies on all the Columbia shorts series, has
capsule biographies on all the players, directors, and writers, etc. etc. It
is an outstanding book and now in an affordable paperpack from McFarland.
I think the book you cite would have to go pretty far to be better than the one
I mention, but, again, I have not seen it. Is David Bruskin as knowledgable on
the Stooges shorts as either Okuda or Watz (that would be hard to believe, to
be honest). Is it readily available? How do we obtain a copy? Thanks.
JN
visit my Favorite Movies web page:
http://hometown.aol.com/jimneibr/myhomepage/movies.html
G.S.
got it from Amazon.com for around $20.
Gregg Stevens
edbina
Thank you for the kind words about our Columbia Comedy Shorts Book.
Actually, Dave's White Brothers Book and the book Ted and I wrote more
or less complement each other. I'd call them companion books. Dave's
book is an oral history of reminiscences of Jack, Jules and Sam White.
Our Columbia shorts book (as you well know!) is just that: a history of
the short subjects department, all their two-reelers, with a biography
of everyone who worked for the unit. We all interviewed the same
people, but you'll see we walked away with differing results. Stooge
and comedy fans could get 'em both and doubly enrich their knowledge!
--Ed Watz
--
"Inhale ever
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Jim Neibaur
Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to buy your book. I am curious,
however, to know how much access you had to some of the rarer Columbia shorts
that starred comedians like Eddie Quillan, Tom Kennedy and Richard Lane or even
the solo efforts by DeRita and Besser. Are they worth seeing too (not that one
will ever get a chance to see them)?
-------
Ed Watz and Ted Okuda do indeed extensively cover the comedians you list above,
including assessments of key films.
JN
visit my Favorite Movies web page:
http://hometown.aol.com/jimneibr/myhomepage/movies.html
and my Favorite Performers web page:
http://hometown.aol.com/jimneibr/myhomepage/rant.html
edbina
sgz <szalusky...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to buy your book. I am
curious, however, to know how much access you had to some of the rarer
Columbia shorts that starred comedians like Eddie Quillan, Tom Kennedy
and Richard Lane or even the solo efforts by DeRita and Besser. Are they
worth seeing too (not that one will ever get a chance to see them)?
>
performer was costarred as part of a team at Columbia (their respective
partners were Wally Vernon, Monte Collins, and Gus Schilling). We did
manage to see the majority of non-Stooge Columbias as well, and quite a
few shorts were as hilarious as the best Stooge comedies. Besser's solo
shorts were very funny, a lot better than his Stooge comedies, but
DeRita was DeRita and his efforts are just as miserable in 1946 as they
would be when he was teamed, many years later, with Moe and Larry.
Don't feel you won't be able to see the shorts; they're elusive, but not
impossible to locate. Ted and I started working on the book in 1980,
before video recorders were widespread. We had to track down stray 35mm
and 16mm prints wherever we could find them. Now, with a number of
Columbias appearing on bootleg casettes, you can at least sample a broad
spectrum of the non-Stooge product. Or, check out ebay any given week.
You're bound to find a few Columbias there right this minute!
Ed Watz
--
"Inhale every puff" -- Shemp Howard
Hal Erickson
>Don't feel you won't be able to see the shorts; they're elusive, but not
>impossible to locate. Ted and I started working on the book in 1980,
>before video recorders were widespread. We had to track down stray 35mm
>and 16mm prints wherever we could find them. Now, with a number of
>Columbias appearing on bootleg casettes, you can at least sample a broad
>spectrum of the non-Stooge product. Or, check out ebay any given week.
>You're bound to find a few Columbias there right this minute!
>
>Ed Watz
There's a mail-order company called FLASHBACK VIDEO (po box 686,
Goodlettsville TN 37070--it's also on the internet,
www.flashvideo.com) that offers a few non-Stooge Columbia 2-reelers.
Flashback has five volumes (3 shorts per tape) of Andy Clyde comedies,
four volumes of Buster Keaton shorts (both Columbia and Educational)
three volumes of Shemp Howard films (both Vitaphone and Columbia),
another three of Harry Langdon (Columbia, Educational and RKO) and two
volumes each of Hugh Herbert, Charley Chase, and El Brendel.
Print quality varies wildly, but generally the copies are quite
watchable.
PS: Ed is right. The Joe DeRita shorts are terrible. During this
period (1946-48), Joe was little more than a cheap imitation of Lou
Costello; in fact, in one of the films he performs a quasi-Abbott and
Costello routine with an anonymous straight man. The only DeRita short
with any real merit is WEDLOCK DEADLOCK, and that's due to the strong
supporting cast (Christine McIntyre, Esther Howard, Dorothy Granger,
Charley Williams, Patsy Moran and William Newell--with special kudos
to Granger! )
--Hal E