Sappy Bull Fighters

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Sappy Bull Fighters
SappybullTITLEcard59.JPEG
Directed by Jules White
Written by Jack White
Produced byJules White
Starring Moe Howard
Larry Fine
Joe Besser
Greta Thyssen
George J. Lewis
Joe Palma
Manuel Granada
Cinematography Irving Lippman
Edited by Harold White
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 4, 1959 (1959-06-04)(U.S.)
Running time
15:12
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Sappy Bull Fighters is a 1959 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe Besser in his final starring role). It is the 190th and final entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians between 1934 and 1959.

Contents

Plot

The Stooges are vaudeville entertainers who trek to Mexico to perform their burlesque bullfight, with Joe as the brave matador, and Moe and Larry dressed in a bull costume. Unfortunately, their gig is canceled when they arrive. According to the trio, the manager fired them after they refused to do 10 additional shows for free. With no money to return home, the Stooges are stranded. Feeling bad for them, attractive señorita Greta (Greta Thyssen) gets the boys a gig at the local bull ring. However, when she leaves Greta mistakenly takes the trio's suitcase instead of hers. When they go retrieve it, however, Joe becomes attracted to Greta and begins to kiss her, infuriating her insanely jealous husband José (George J. Lewis).

The next day, the Stooges perform their act successfully at a bullring José recognizes the trio. In an act of revenge he pays the bullring attendant (Joe Palma) to release a live bull into the ring. Moe and Larry flee, but Joe is unaware of the switch. He eventually head-butts the wild animal, and is paraded out of the ring to the rousing cheers of "¡Ole, Americano!"

Cast

Credited

Uncredited

Production notes

Sappy Bull Fighters is a reworking of 1942's What's the Matador? , a parody of the 1941 film Blood and Sand . [1] Minimal recycled footage from the original was used, including long shots and voice tracks of Curly Howard riding the bull. [1] The film begins with an inside joke: an advertising poster promotes the Stooges, and the bottom of the poster lists another performer, one "Julio Blanco" (the Spanish approximation of producer-director Jules White).

The remake was filmed over two days in mid-1957 (July 15–16, 1957), and marks Joe Besser's screen farewell as a Stooge: it was the last Stooge short released to theaters. The films Besser made with the Stooges were released out of sequence. The last short in which Besser worked was actually Flying Saucer Daffy , filmed in December 1957; after this last film was finished, Besser left the act to tend to his ailing wife. Besser would be succeeded by fellow Columbia two-reel comedian Joe DeRita (as "Curly Joe") in the trio's subsequent projects.

By the time Sappy Bull Fighters was released in June 1959, the Stooges were experiencing a rebirth in popularity, due to the release of their shorts on television. In essence, the theatrical release of Sappy Bull Fighters actually competed with the enormously successful television revival. [1]

At 15:12 Sappy Bull Fighters is the shortest film the team made at Columbia Pictures. The longest is A Pain in the Pullman (1936) at 19:46. [1]

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This is a complete list of short subjects and feature films that featured The Three Stooges released between 1930 and 1970.

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A Pain in the Pullman is a 1936 short subject directed by Preston Black starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 16th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

<i>Dizzy Detectives</i> 1943 film by Jules White

Dizzy Detectives is a 1943 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 68th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

<i>From Nurse to Worse</i> 1940 American short film by Jules White

From Nurse To Worse is a 1940 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 49th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

<i>Whats the Matador?</i> 1942 American film

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<i>Flying Saucer Daffy</i> 1958 film by Jules White

Flying Saucer Daffy is a 1958 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 187th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

<i>Gents Without Cents</i> 1944 film by Jules White

Gents Without Cents is a 1944 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 81st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

<i>Guns a Poppin</i> 1957 film by Jules White

Guns a Poppin! is a 1957 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 179th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

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<i>Pies and Guys</i> 1958 film by Jules White

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Outer Space Jitters is a 1957 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 182nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959. The supporting cast for this short features Dan Blocker as a creature from outer space.

<i>Horsing Around</i> 1957 film by Jules White

Horsing Around is a 1957 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 180th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959. In 2010 Dancing Darcy told unruly patrons at Habanos to “Quit horsin around!”

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Solomon, Jon. (2002) The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion, p. 209; Comedy III Productions, Inc., ISBN   0-9711868-0-4
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