Jerks of All Trades (identified on the title card only as “The Three
Stooges†) is the title of an American television pilot released on
October 12, 1949. It was The Three Stooges' first and only pilot made
with Shemp Howard in the role of the third stooge. Filmed before a
live studio audience, it was a pilot for a planned TV series on the
then-new ABC Television Network. The pilot film is currently in the
public domain and is available on home video.The series never went
into production due to objections from Columbia Pictures, who held the
trio under contract. To avert a legal hassle, Columbia instead
licensed a package of 30 shorts from the film series to ABC.The
overall concept of the series was that each week The Stooges would try
a different job or trade to see if eventually they might succeed; the
comedy would ensue as each career they tried would eventually turn
into a fiasco. In the pilot they try their hand as interior
decorators. In their office, they meet a new client, Mr. Pennyfeather
(Emil Sitka). Just a few moments after Pennyfeather arrives, Shemp
accidentally spills ink down the front of Pennyfeather's suit, who
becomes enraged. The Stooges then challenge Pennyfeather to mischief
with them, featuring the famous "Texas" routine. After the some
slapstick mayhem, they are successful in tossing Mr. Pennyfeather out
of the office. Suddenly, the next client calls him on the phone for
them to come in to manage her house. In her house, The Stooges not
only hang wallpaper, but also manage to trash their client's home.
Unfortunately, that woman is Mrs. Pennyfeather (Symona Boniface in her
last on-camera performance before her death) and that house is Mr.
Pennyfeather's house. After Mr. Pennyfeather comes home, the Stooges
cover Mr. Pennyfeather with wallpaper and both Mr. Pennyfeather and
the Stooges recognize each other (after Pennyfeather imitates the
"Texas" routine done for him earlier by the Stooges). In a rage, as
the trio attempts to sneak out of the house, both Pennyfeathers attack
the boys with their own paint and utensils; the Pennyfeathers also
snipe at each other for hiring them.In the end, Moe, Larry, and Shemp,
defeated and severely injured, remove "interior decorators" from the
long list of services (listed on their office door) they offer. The
list included other comically misspelled potential occupations for the
trio for future episodes: physicians, surgeons, lawyers, engineers
(civil, aeronautical, electrical and chemical), psychiatrists,
optometrists (and "downtown-etrists"), bank examiners, real estate
brokers (and broke estate realers), income tax preparers and
babysitters (18 and over only).
Stooges†) is the title of an American television pilot released on
October 12, 1949. It was The Three Stooges' first and only pilot made
with Shemp Howard in the role of the third stooge. Filmed before a
live studio audience, it was a pilot for a planned TV series on the
then-new ABC Television Network. The pilot film is currently in the
public domain and is available on home video.The series never went
into production due to objections from Columbia Pictures, who held the
trio under contract. To avert a legal hassle, Columbia instead
licensed a package of 30 shorts from the film series to ABC.The
overall concept of the series was that each week The Stooges would try
a different job or trade to see if eventually they might succeed; the
comedy would ensue as each career they tried would eventually turn
into a fiasco. In the pilot they try their hand as interior
decorators. In their office, they meet a new client, Mr. Pennyfeather
(Emil Sitka). Just a few moments after Pennyfeather arrives, Shemp
accidentally spills ink down the front of Pennyfeather's suit, who
becomes enraged. The Stooges then challenge Pennyfeather to mischief
with them, featuring the famous "Texas" routine. After the some
slapstick mayhem, they are successful in tossing Mr. Pennyfeather out
of the office. Suddenly, the next client calls him on the phone for
them to come in to manage her house. In her house, The Stooges not
only hang wallpaper, but also manage to trash their client's home.
Unfortunately, that woman is Mrs. Pennyfeather (Symona Boniface in her
last on-camera performance before her death) and that house is Mr.
Pennyfeather's house. After Mr. Pennyfeather comes home, the Stooges
cover Mr. Pennyfeather with wallpaper and both Mr. Pennyfeather and
the Stooges recognize each other (after Pennyfeather imitates the
"Texas" routine done for him earlier by the Stooges). In a rage, as
the trio attempts to sneak out of the house, both Pennyfeathers attack
the boys with their own paint and utensils; the Pennyfeathers also
snipe at each other for hiring them.In the end, Moe, Larry, and Shemp,
defeated and severely injured, remove "interior decorators" from the
long list of services (listed on their office door) they offer. The
list included other comically misspelled potential occupations for the
trio for future episodes: physicians, surgeons, lawyers, engineers
(civil, aeronautical, electrical and chemical), psychiatrists,
optometrists (and "downtown-etrists"), bank examiners, real estate
brokers (and broke estate realers), income tax preparers and
babysitters (18 and over only).
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