“Bedlam in Paradise” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Bedlam in Paradise (1955)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler, Zion Myers

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Vernon Dent, Phillip Van Zandt, Sylvia Lewis and Symona Boniface.

Tagline:  BLUE SKY BUFFOONERY ALL THE WAY!!!

The Plot…

Shemp has died and is at the pearly gates waiting to get into heaven. Shemp has come up short and will be taking the down elevator, when he is given one chance at heaven. Shemp must return to earth, invisible to all, and reform Moe and Larry. It won’t be easy, because Larry and Moe are about to scam some rich business prospects. Can Shemp save his and the other two Stooges’ souls?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bedlam in Paradise is a remake of the Stooges’ 1948 short, Heavenly Daze.  They added a subplot with the Devil that works.  There’s an extended scene with the Devil tempting Shemp with a sexy dancer before he returns to Earth.  There’s also a payoff at the end where the Devil gets a “pie” to the face.  Despite these additions, Bedlam in Paradise makes much use of footage from Heavenly Daze.

Bedlam in Paradise (1955) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Of Cash and Hash” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Of Cash and Hash (1955)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Christine McIntyre, Vernon Dent, Kenneth MacDonald, Stanley Blystone, Blackie Whiteford and Duke York.

Tagline:  It takes the cake for laughs!

The Plot…

Our boys wander into the middle of a gunfight between cops and armored car robbers.  Both our guys and the thieves run off with the coppers in hot pursuit.  Of course Larry, Shemp and Moe are identified as the crooks.  They realize that unless they can find the real bad guys, their in big trouble. Let the hijinks begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Of Cash and Hash is a reworking of the Stooges’ Shivering Sherlocks from 1948.  New footage was created changing the reason for the boys ending up in a creepy, old house where the crooks are hiding.  The rest is done using footage from the original.

There’s a funny gag involving the cops, our guys and a lie detector.

Duke York plays Angel a big, dumb, scary-looking thug.  Love the look of this character.  And any time a monster is after our guys, it is the best.

Of Cash and Hash (1955) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Fling in the Ring” (1955) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Fling in the Ring (1955)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Dick Wessel, Claire Carleton, Heinie Conklin, Frank Sully and Sammy Stein.

Tagline:  A knockout of a knockabout comedy!

The Plot…

Our guys are managers of heavyweight boxer, Chopper Kane.  When gangsters tell our boys that Chopper loses his next fight or they lose their lives, they know what they have to do.  Chopper has to take a dive, but Chopper refuses.  Let the hijinks begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Fling in the Ring is a remake of the Stooge’s 1947’s Fright Night which was Shemp’s first film with the team.  The remake makes use of much footage from the original.

There is an extended scene of the Stooges being chased and fighting with the thugs in a warehouse full of crates that is worth the price of admission.

Moe gets his hand banged in a door and says, “I think I broke my eye-poking fingers.”

Fling in the Ring (1955) rates 4 of 5 stars.

WHERE THE BODY WAS by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips!

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Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have announced WHERE THE BODY WAS, a new original graphic novel that drops December 12, 2023.  Here’s the lowdown…

A boarding house full of druggies. A neglected housewife. A young girl who thinks she’s a superhero. A cop who wants to be left alone. And a Private Detective looking for a runaway girl. These stories collide one fateful summer in WHERE THE BODY WAS, a tale of love and murder in the suburbs, told from a dozen different points of view. All the neighbors on the block have an opinion about the murder and how it happened, but which of them is telling the truth?

WHERE THE BODY WAS is a tour-de-force from grandmasters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Starting with a map of the crime scene, this murder mystery follows the ripples of this killing as they echo through decades of love and loss and passion and violence. Like a true crime podcast crossed with a long-lost diary, WHERE THE BODY WAS is unlike anything Brubaker and Phillips have ever done, and a must-have for all their avid fans!

WHERE THE BODY WAS is available for pre-orders now.

“Perry Mason: Season 1” (2020) / Z-View

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Perry Mason: Season 1 (2020)

Written by: Rolin Jones & Ron Fitzgerald (ep. 1-3, 8); Steven Hanna & Sarah Kelly Kaplan (ep. 4); Eleanor Burgess (ep. 5); Kevin J. Hynes (ep. 6); Howard Korder (ep. 7)

Directed by: Tim Van Patten (ep. 1 – 4; 7-8); Deniz Gamze Ergüven (ep. 4 – 6)

Stars: Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Tatiana Maslany, John Lithgow, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Eric Lange, Verónica Falcón, Gretchen Mol, Gayle Rankin, Stephen Root, Robert Patrick, Lili Taylor and Matt Frewer. 

Tagline:  Everyone is guilty of something.

The Plot…

The year is 1932.  Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private eye. He’s a divorced parent, and a WWI vet who struggles with PTSD.  Mason’s main employer is a struggling attorney named “E.B.” Jonathan (Lithgow).  When EB takes on a sensationalized, highly publicized case involving a baby kidnapping/murder, he assigns Mason to investigate.  Mason follows leads that point to corruption at the highest levels and the fact that an innocent person is taking the fall.  As Mason gets closer to the truth, he and those around him become targets.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This is not your grandparents’ Perry Mason.  Instead we are treated to the evolution of the great attorney from before he was even a lawyer.  The series captures the feel of the era.  It is well written, well directed, well acted and well, just an all-around superior viewing experience.

Perry Mason: Season 1 is one of the few shows were the supporting characters could actually be leads had the show been written differently.

  • Juliet Rylance plays Della Street, E.B.’s legal secretary and perhaps the most intelligent person in the series.
  • Chris Chalk plays Paul Drake, a beat cop who becomes a partner of sorts to Mason.  Drake was my favorite character in season one.
  • Shea Whigham, who is always great, plays Pete Strickland, Mason’s not too bright and somewhat shifty PI partner.
  • Tatiana Maslany plays Sister Alice McKeegan, the charismatic and beautiful religious leader who is either a true believer or one of the best religious shysters the world has ever seen.

The first season starts out very dark and Mason isn’t all that likeable.  Stick with the series and you’ll be rewarded.

Perry Mason: Season 1 (2020)) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Musty Musketeers” (1954) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Musty Musketeers (1954)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Jules, White, Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Vernon Dent, Philip Van Zandt, Heinie Conklin, Diana Darrin, Virginia Hunter, Norma Randall, Frank Sully and Al Thompson.

Tagline:  It’s a Laugh Riot!

The Plot…

Moe, Larry and Shemp are the famous “fiddlers three” for Old King Cole (Dent).  Our boys want to get married, but the King has ruled that until his daughter, Princess Alicia (Hunter) marries Prince Gallant III of Rhododendron there shall be no marriages allowed.  Working behind the scenes the diabolical magician Murgatroyd (Van Zandt) has his own plans of his own to marry the princess.  It will be up to our boys to foil Murgatroyd’s plans.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Musty Musketeers is a remake of the Stooge’s 1948 short, Fiddlers Three.  The remake makes use of much footage from the original.

Musty Musketeers (1954) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Justified: City Primeval” starring Timothy Olyphant – The Trailer is Here!

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I cannot wait.  Deal me in!

Timothy Olyphant is back as Raylan Givens. OFFICIAL TRAILER for FX’s Justified: City Primeval premieres 7.18 on FX. Stream on Hulu.

Starring Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis and Boyd Holbrook. Raylan Givens left the hollers of Kentucky and is balancing life as a U.S. Marshal with being a part-time father. A chance encounter sends him to Detroit and on a collision course with a violent sociopath and a formidable defense attorney.

LUSH AND OTHER TALES OF BOOZY MAYEHM by Duane Swierczynski!

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Lush and other tales of Boozy Mayhem by Duane Swierczynski just came out.  It’s Swierczynski’s first book of short stories.  Here’s the lowdown…

Cimarron Street Books is pleased to bring you the first collection of short stories from Duane Swierczynski!

If you’re in the mood for mayhem, you’ve come to the right place, pal. Cozy up to the bar and let Duane Swierczynski spin you a yarn. I’ll warn ya, though; these eighteen tales aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll find crime, science fiction and plenty of horror in these pages . . . and rest assured, he isn’t afraid to serve up the hard stuff.

As Duane notes in his introduction: “Stories have always been an escape for me, just like a couple of stiff drinks at the end of the day. Both are methods of altering your personal reality, even just for a little while.” We invite you to escape into Duane’s wild world of high-octane (and high-proof) short fiction, where you’ll experience . . .

A journalist landing an interview with Philadelphia’s last hardboiled P.I., the hunt for a pulp writer’s lost manuscript, the downside of finding out that death isn’t the end, the dangers of ignoring a Polish death curse, a new twist on serving time for crimes committed, a cross-country trek under the watchful eye of a killer, a particularly dangerous film print, lawbreakers in a future where technology has tamed the L.A. freeway system, and a whole lot more . . .

Gird your brain and your liver . . . it’s time for Lush and Other Tales of Boozy Mayhem.

If this sounds like something you’d like, you know what to do.

“Bubble Trouble” (1953) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Bubble Trouble (1953)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Jules, White, Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Emil Sitka and Christine McIntyre.

Tagline:  THE MIRTH MANIACS..AT THEIR MADDEST!

The Plot…

Larry, Shemp and Moe are pharmacists who invent a potion that reverses the aging process! What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bubble Trouble is a remake of the Stooge’s 1957 short All Gummed Up.  Although it uses much footage from the original, the payoff with the old man is different.

Bubble Trouble (1953) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Rip, Sew and Stitch” (1953) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Rip, Sew and Stitch (1953)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Jules, White, Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Phil Arnold, Vernon Dent and Jules White (voice).

Tagline:  A RIOTOUS ROMP… BURSTING AT THE SEAMS!

The Plot…

Larry, Moe and Shemp run a dry cleaning shop and if they don’t get some fast cash, they’re going to lose their business. When a safe cracker ditches the police and leaves his clothes in their shop, the boys find his cash. They get an idea that when he returns they’ll capture him for the reward money. What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Rip, Sew and Stitch is a remake of the Stooges’ short Sing a Song of Six Pants from 1947.  The remakes uses much footage from the original.

For a brief moment, Shemp seems to be doing a Lou Costello impression when one of the thugs questions him.

Rip, Sew and Stitch (1953) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Pardon My Backfire” (1953) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Pardon My Backfire (1953)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Frank Sully, Phil Arnold, Diana Darrin, Jules White (voice) and Blackie Whiteford.

Tagline:  3-Delirious in 3-Dimensions!!

The Plot…

Larry, Moe and Shemp are auto mechanics who need money in order to marry their sweethearts.  When escaped convicts pull into their gas station to get their car fixed, our boys release that the reward money would be just what they need to get hitched.  Let the fun times roll…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Pardon My Backfire was filmed and released in 3D.  It was their second (and last short) done this way.  The first was Spooks! released earlier that year. Because it was filmed in 3D, it took 5 days to complete.  Most Stooges’ shorts were done in 3 and the later remakes were sometimes done in a single day!

Pardon My Backfire (1953) rates 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: George Maharis

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George Maharis, the actor, singer and artist, died on May 24, 2023 from natural causes.  Mr. Maharis was 94.

George Maharis studied at the Actors Studio after a stint in the US Marines.  He began to get roles in off-Broadway productions and television appearances.  His big break came in 1960 when he was cast as Buz Murdock in Route 66.  The show catapulted him to stardom.  Due to his popularity and singing ability, Mr. Maharis even began a recording career!

During the third season of Route 66, George Maharis left the series for health reasons.  The show’s producers felt that Mr. Maharis wanted to break his contract to pursue roles in feature films.  Reports later surfaced that tensions rose when the producers learned that George Maharis was gay.  Once Mr. Maharis was off the show, Route 66 declined in popularity and was cancelled the following year.

George Maharis went on to star in television roles and feature films.  Later in his career, he sang in nightclubs and became an impressionist painter.

Some of George Maharis’ television appearances include: Mister Peepers; The Investigator (2 episodes); The Phil Silvers Show; Naked City (4 episodes); Search for Tomorrow (5 episodes); Route 66 (82 episodes); Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (2 episodes); The Danny Thomas Hour; Journey to the Unknown; The Most Deadly Game (13 episodes); Night Gallery; Cade’s County; Medical Center; Canon; Mission: Impossible; Barnaby Jones; Marcus Welby; McMillan & Wife; Rich Man, Poor Man; The Bionic Woman (2 episodes); Kojak; Police Story (3 episodes); Switch (2 episodes); Fantasy Island (6 episodes); Matt Houston and Murder She Wrote (2 episodes).

Some of George Maharis’ feature films include: Quick Before It Melts; The Satan Bug; The Happening and The Sword and the Sorcerer;

I can remember watching Route 66 because it was what the adults watched in the house.  I also remember my mom and her friend talking about the rumors that Mr. Maharis left the show because the producers found out he was gay. They had a hard time believing it, and thought George Maharis was so handsome.  I liked him in Route 66 and always enjoyed seeing George Maharis appear in shows that I watched.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to George Maharis’ family, friends and fans.

“Loose Loot” (1953) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Loose Loot (1953)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Felix Adler, Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Kenneth MacDonald, Suzanne Ridgway  and Emil Sitka.

Tagline:  A BOFFO BONANZA! of burlesque belly-laffs!

The Plot…

Larry, Moe and Shemp learn that they’ve inherited a good bit of money.  They’ve also come to realize that their broker, Icabod Slipp (MacDonald) is a crook and plans to run off with their dough!  Let the hijinks begin!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

 Loose Loot is a remake of The Three Stooges’ 1947 short, Hold That Lion! and makes use of ample footage from it.  Loose Loot also makes use of a gag used in their 1941 short, I’ll Never Heil Again.  Both feature a figure in a painting that comes to life to steal an object everyone is fighting over.

The extended scene in Icabod Slipp’s office is worth the price of admission. Each Stooge enters separately.  They find Slipp in the office, but Slipp pretends that he just entered as well.  He is there because “Slipp” ripped him off.  He then accuses each Stooge of being Slipp and beats them up!

Loose Loot (1953) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Up in Daisy’s Penthouse” (1953) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Up in Daisy’s Penthouse (1953)

Director: Jules White

Writer: Clyde Bruckman, Jack White

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard  and Blackie Whiteford.

Tagline:  THEY’RE BLOWING UP! – a gale of guffaws!

The Plot…

When Larry, Moe and Shemp learn that their father has struck it rich and plans to divorce their mother to marry a gold-digger, they know what they have to do: STOP THE MARRIAGE.  Let the good times roll!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Up in Daisy’s Penthouse is a remake of 3 Dumb Clucks, with Shemp taking on Curly’s role.  It also uses some footage from the original.  You can even hear Curly’s famous “Woowoowoo!” during the flagpole scene.

Up in Daisy’s Penthouse (1953) rates 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: Ed Ames

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Ed Ames who was born Edmund Dantes Urick died May 21, 2023, at the age of 95 from natural causes.

While still in high school Ed and his brothers formed a singing group which won many competitions in the Boston area.  They changed their group’s name to the Ames Brothers and landed their first record contract in 1947.  The group continued recording and scored several hits throughout the 1950s and early 1960s.

When the group broke up, Ed Ames decided to pursue a full-time acting career.  Mr. Ames landed roles in off-Broadway and Broadway plays.  While playing Chief Bromden in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest opposite Kirk Douglas, Mr. Ames was offered the role of Mingo on the television series Daniel Boone.  This role made him a star.  For the rest of his career Ed Ames would alternate between acting on television and stage as well as singing as a solo performer.

Some of Ed Ames television appearances include: The Rifleman; The Travels of Jamie McPheeters; The Danny Thomas Hour; Daniel Boone (72 episodes); The Ed Sullivan Show (4 episodes); The Tonight Show; McCloud; Murder She Wrote; In the Heat of the Night and Jake and the Fatman.

I was a huge fan of Ed Ames as Mingo.  It was the first time that I can remember liking a supporting character more than the star.  There’s a classic clip of Ed Ames promoting Daniel Boone on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  Mr. Ames was demonstrating his prowess at tomahawk throwing.  If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth looking up.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ed Ames’ family, friends and fans.