Yep, Two More Stooges Shorts

Sock-a-Bye Baby: 

(Short # 66 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

Like with quicksand, babies being left on random doorsteps doesn’t happen as often as I was left to believe in the media I saw as a child! However, a woman does just that at the start of this Stooge short. Naturally they are oblivious as to care for a little boy (portrayed by a girl! As far as anyone knows, Joyce Gardner is still alive at the age of 83).

This includes changing the diaper and not knowing what a baby eats. They buy it limburger cheese and beer, among other items! No, little Jimmy is not given the beer to drink. Plenty of time is spent giving the tyke various items—from spaghetti to “a feathered apple,” i.e. an artichoke. Then, Larry reads “the scandal sheet” (a newspaper) and sees that Jimmy was reported kidnapped.

This wasn’t my favorite short from the trio; the general consensus would agree with me. That said, I still laughed at the typical Stooge antics so Baby was a good time. The final few minutes is a chase outdoors by the SoCal hills so at least the background scenery was scenic.

They Stooge to Conga: 

(Short # 67 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

When Lloyd Bridges appearing for 2 seconds isn’t the most noteworthy aspect… this was early in his career, years before he became famous. Rather, Conga (the name spoofs She Stoops to Conquer, a play purportedly still popular; theatre kids can confirm or deny) is (in)famous for being the most violent Stooge short, as I’ll soon explain.

Their blue-collar job this time is “handymen” tasked w/ fixing a doorbell. As the United States is solidly in World War II, the house holds “enemy spies” both German and Japanese engaging in “sabatoogie,” to quote Curly. The latter is one guy who clearly isn’t Japanese and has buck teeth… that is the one unfortunate aspect of Conga, although around two weeks from now I’ll have to discuss a short w/ a more offensive portrayal of those from Japan…

Otherwise, there’s the expected gags, puns, & the devastation done to the house due to the trio's bungling. Those spies picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue! Then, the violence hits; a radio gets thrown in Moe’s face, then Moe crashes it on Curly’s skull, then they throw a telephone at each other’s head, then Moe is pulled through a wall, then Curly’s nose is put on a grinder. This is more frequent and more intense then typical.

Then, Curly climbs a telephone pole-this is done with a climbing spike on his shoe. The spike ends up in his head, his ear… and his eye! No, even fans can’t explain why the mayhem was this visceral; an outlier, it was. Once the trio deal with those spies, it’s another opportunity for the Jewish Moe to spoof Hitler. In addition, Black actor Dudley Dickerson had a small but funny role as a chef.

The next few years will understandably have some shorts related to World War II; Conga probably is the best one. Rumors that TV stations in the past balked at playing TStC due to its content—I understand that was PROBABLY apocryphal.