Soitenly! #06 - Shemp comes back (1947-1955)

Previously: Introduction and Episode guide – Chapter #1 – Chapter #2 – Chapter #3 
Chapter #4 – Chapter #5

As we were saying a couple of weeks ago, Shemp had come back to play the third stooge after almost 15 years, replacing his younger brother Jerry (Curly); Shemp wasn’t doing bad at all with his solo career, though (he had worked with actors like Abbott & Costello, Marlene Dietrich and even John Wayne). He still agreed to reunite with Moe and Larry, mostly so they wouldn’t lose their job due to Curly’s sudden absence, but he made clear right from the beginning that he was there on a temporary basis. However, Curly’s fast declining health and his posterior death, caused that replacement to become permanent, in spite of a weak opposition from the people at Columbia Studios, who felt that he looked to much like his brother Moe (and very little like Curly).

Shemp and Lou Costello in a scene of “Africa screams”

Shemp con Lou Costello en una escena de “Africa screams”

Maybe Shemp was aware that he was coming to replace who had been –and by far– the most popular member of the trio, and felt he was going to be subject to comparisons in which he was always going to lose. This is all according to Shemp’s particular vision, as he was a very shy and insecure person, as well as notably phobic. For example, even though he owned a dog, he was afraid of other dogs and that is why he would always carry a cane with him, to hit them in case they were going to attack him. However, Shemp’s kind and sensitive nature (not what you would infer from his looks) wouldn’t even allow him to touch them. He was also afraid of water, and even afraid of driving or riding in a car, which caused the Stooges to travel by train whenever they were touring the country (oh, yes, because Shemp was also afraid of planes!).

Many have underestimated Shemp’s contribution to the act, but I think this is due to an error: they compare him with Curly. Both brothers had completely different styles. Curly was hilarious, and his presence on the screen was dominant; Shemp, on the other hand, was a comic actor of great category and timing, able to ‘milk’ the scripts with his arsenal of adlibs, non sequiturs, hilarious faces and an amazing, almost perfect body language. His first short upon his return to the Stooges (“Fright Night”) is also his favourite, maybe due to the fact that Shemp himself was a big fan of boxing and he played a boxer on this one. Other memorable performanaces include “Malice in the Palace” and especially “Brideless Groom”, in which not only he shines in the leading rol, but also who is perhaps the most talented and versatile actor ever to perform in the show, stooges included: Emil Sitka as a poor Judge that is constanly attacked by the women who are trying to marry Shemp so he can inherit $500,000. This sequence of the failed wedding (“Hold hands, love birds”) became so popular that it’s even featured in the movie “Pulp Fiction”, almos 50 years later (and Emil Sitka appears in the cast). It has to be said, this short is by far one of the most popular ever, perhaps due to the fact that it slipped into public domain, so TV stations could playing without having to pay any royalties.

Shemp appeared with the Stooges in a total of 77 shorts, as well as a Western movie called Gold Raiders; unfortunately, by 1952 Columbia had to downsize and cut its budget and it's due to it that the quality of the later shorts was greatly affected. Those who were shot starting that year included on average 75% of stock footage and recycled material, with the boys just acting a few scenes to interconnect those old shorts pieces. Since the scripts weren't exactly pieces of art, they could go around this problem easily, but the quality of the shorts decreased anyway. To make things even worse, Shemp suffered a mild stroke that same year. Even though it's been said that there were no visible consequences of it, many have mentioned that Shemp looked pale and even a little disoriented on those last shorts.

In spite of it all, things were still going OK, and the shorts continued to do as well as when Curly was in the trio. However, tragedy struck again. One evening in late November 1955, Shemp got into a cab along with his friends Al Winston and Bobby Silverman, after having attended a boxing event. Once in there, he leaned to light a cigar and slumped forward. His friends thought he was fooling around again, but the truth is that he had suffered either a heart attack or a brain hemorrhage (there's still some controversy about the real cause of Shemp's death), and he had died almost instantly, at only 60 years old.

The world would so lose a talented actor, a gifted comedian and a very sensible and generous man. Moe would find himself in a similar situation than a few years ago, when it had become evident that Curly was not going to be able to continue acting. But this was worse; with two brothers dead in just within three years, how could he carry on?

(Continues here)

Como decíamos hace un par de semanas, Shemp había vuelto al acto después de casi 15 años, reemplazando a su hermano menor Jerry (Curly); a Shemp no le estaba yendo nada mal en su carrera solista (había filmado con actores como Abbott & Costello, Marlene Dietrich y hasta John Wayne). Accedió a reunirse con Moe y Larry más que nada para asegurarse de que no se quedaran desempleados ante la imprevista ausencia de Curly, pero desde el principio aclaró que lo hacía en forma temporaria. Sin embargo, el rápido declinamiento en la salud de Curly y su posterior muerte, hicieron que ese reemplazo se convirtiera en permanente, a pesar de la tibia oposición de los Estudios Columbia, que lo veían muy parecido a Moe (y para nada a Curly).

Larry, Moe and Shemp with my favourite actor –and honorary Stooge– Emil Sitka

Larry, Moe y Shemp con mi actor preferido –y chiflado honorífico– Emil Sitka

Tal vez Shemp era consciente de que venía a reemplazar a quien era –y por mucho– el integrante más popular del trío, y sentía que iba a ser sujeto de comparaciones en las que iba a perder siempre. Esto según la visión particular de Shemp, ya que él era una persona muy insegura y marcadamente fóbica. Por ejemplo, si bien el era dueño de un perro, le tenía miedo a los otros perros y por eso siempre caminaba con un bastón con el que supuestamente le pegaría a aquellos canes que lo quisieran atacar. Sin embargo, la naturaleza amable y sensible de Shemp (que contraste con su aspecto físico, no?) no le permitiría siquiera tocarlos. También tenía miedo al agua, y hasta a conducir o viajar en automóviles, por lo que cada vez que los Chiflados viajaban por el país lo tenían que hacer en tren (ah, porque Shemp también le tenía miedo a los aviones!).

Muchos han menospreciado la contribución de Shemp a las rutinas de los Tres Chiflados, pero en mi opinión esto está basado en un error: el de compararlo con Curly. Ambos hermanos tenían estilos diametralmente opuestos. Curly era graciosísimo, y su presencia opacaba al resto; Shemp, en cambio, era un actor cómico de gran categoría y timing, capaz de ‘sacarle el jugo’ a los guiones con su arsenal de sutilezas, morisquetas y un casi perfecto lenguaje corporal. Su primer corto de vuelta con los Chiflados (“Fright Night”), es casualmente su favorito, y tal vez esto se deba al hecho de que Shemp era un gran aficionado al boxeo, y en este corto hizo el papel de un pugilista. Otras actuaciones memorables incluyen “Malice in the Palace” y sobre todo “Brideless Groom”, en el que no sólo se luce él en el rol principal sino que también lo hace tal vez quien sea el más talentoso y versátil actor que haya pasado por el show, chiflados incluídos: Emil Sitka en el papel de un pobre Juez de Paz que no para de ser agredido por las mujeres que pelean por casarse con Shemp para que pueda heredar $500,000. Esta secuencia del fallido casamiento (“Dénse las manos, palomitos”) se hizo tan popular que hasta aparece en la película “Pulp Fiction”, casi 50 años después (y Emil Sitka figura en el elenco). También diremos que este corto es uno de los más populares de toda la historia de los chiflados, tal vez porque accidentalmente fue a parar al dominio público, por lo que las estaciones de TV no pagaban royalties por emitirlo.

Shemp apareció con los chiflados en un total de 77 cortos y una película de cowboys llamada Gold Raiders; desafortunadamente, para 1952 Columbia debió achicar sus presupuestos y debido a eso la calidad de los cortos sufrió mucho. Los que se filmaron a partir de ese año incluyeron prácticamente un 75% de material reciclado, con los muchachos haciendo meramente de enlace entre los pedazos de film viejos. Como normalmente los guiones no tenían mucho sentido, podían sortear este obstáculo, pero de todas maneras la calidad de los cortos decreció muchísimo. Para colmo de males, Shemp sufrió un pequeño accidente cerebro vascular en ese mismo año. Si bien se dice que no le dejó secuelas, muchos opinan que en los últimos cortos a Shemp se lo ve pálido y hasta un poco desorientado.

A pesar de todo, las cosas seguían marchando bien y los cortos se seguían vendiendo como en la época de Curly. Sin embargo, nuevamente la tragedia golpeó a los Chiflados. Una noche de Noviembre de 1955, Shemp subió a un taxi junto a sus amigos Al Winston y Bobby Silverman, luego de asistir a un espectáculo de boxeo. Allí, se inclinó para encender un cigarro y se cayó hacia adelante. Sus amigos pensaron que estaba haciéndose el payaso, pero la realidad es que había sufrido un ataque al corazón o una hemorragia cerebral (todavía hay confusiones acerca de la verdadera causa de su muerte) y había fallecido casi instantáneamente, con sólo 60 años de edad.

El mundo perdía así a un actor talentoso, un dotado comediante y un sensible y generoso hombre. Moe se volvía a encontrar en la misma encrucijada que hace unos pocos años, cuando se había hecho evidente que Curly no iba a poder seguir más en el acto. Con dos hermanos muertos en sólo tres años, cómo seguir?

(Continúa aquí)

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