Lifetime Learning: What Makes The Three Stooges Schtick Stick?

Active on stage, film and television from 1922-1970, The Three Stooges are most famous for their 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures as well as endless reruns on TV, cable, and now on the Internet. What makes their comedy so popular? Why are they still funny to so many people? Their humor dates back at least two thousand years to the farce of ancient Roman times and the poet Plautus—two of his comedies were adapted into the 1962 musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum—and the Stooges were great practitioners of farce. They also incorporated slapstick, from sixteenth century Commedia dell’arte, and performed in vaudeville of the early 20th century. 

In this four-part Zoom-only course presented by the Friends of Snow Library, Marc Strauss, Ph.D., will introduce, lead discussion, and present numerous classic and rare videos of The Three Stooges, placing them in historical context so students will develop a clearer appreciation of their comedy as part of a long theatrical tradition. For more info or to register, visit https://friendsofsnowlibrary.org/lifetime-learning-program/