The Big Idea (film)
Encyclopedia
The Big Idea is a short film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(MGM), starring Ted Healy
and His Stooges: Moe Howard
, Larry Fine
, and Curly Howard
.
, which ironically had a supporting role by Healy and a cameo by the Stooges.
This is one of the last films and the fifth and final musical-comedy short subject
in which the Three Stooges
appeared with their longtime partner, Ted Healy. The Big Idea was edited from footage of Healy and the Stooges filmed for the unfinished MGM variety film The March of Time
(1930), which later became the title of a long-running newsreel
series. By the time of the release of The Big Idea, the Three Stooges had signed a new contract with Columbia Pictures
to do a series of comedy short films without Healy, beginning with Woman Haters
(1934).
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
(MGM), starring Ted Healy
Ted Healy
Ted Healy was an American vaudeville performer, comedian, and actor. He is chiefly remembered today as the original creator of the Three Stooges, but had a successful stage and film career of his own.- Early life :...
and His Stooges: Moe Howard
Moe Howard
Moses Harry Horwitz , known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television for four decades...
, Larry Fine
Larry Fine
Louis Feinberg , known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American comedian and actor, who is best known as a member of the comedy act The Three Stooges.-Early life:...
, and Curly Howard
Curly Howard
Jerome Lester "Jerry" Horwitz , better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and vaudevillian. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine...
.
Production
Like other shorts Healy and the Stooges filmed at MGM, stock footage was utilized to fill out the 20 minutes of time. For The Big Idea, MGM used musical numbers edited out of the feature film Dancing LadyDancing Lady
Dancing Lady is a 1933 musical film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, and featuring Franchot Tone, the fourth of eight collaborations between Crawford and Gable. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, produced by John W. Considine Jr. and David O. Selznick, and was based on the novel of the...
, which ironically had a supporting role by Healy and a cameo by the Stooges.
This is one of the last films and the fifth and final musical-comedy short subject
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
in which the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
appeared with their longtime partner, Ted Healy. The Big Idea was edited from footage of Healy and the Stooges filmed for the unfinished MGM variety film The March of Time
The March of Time (MGM musical)
The March of Time was the title of a planned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film originally scheduled to be released in September 1930. Production of this early film, which would have been one of the first musicals filmed in two-color Technicolor, was abandoned, although a number of musical numbers...
(1930), which later became the title of a long-running newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
series. By the time of the release of The Big Idea, the Three Stooges had signed a new contract with Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
to do a series of comedy short films without Healy, beginning with Woman Haters
Woman Haters
Woman Haters is the first short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
(1934).