Im not complaining but, did you know that AMC is...

This isnt a complaint in any way, shape or form but, did you all know that starting Sat mornings @ sunrise, that AMC will be playing episodes from the excellent Chuck Connors, Paul Fix & Johnny Crawford TV Series: The Rifleman.

Im definitly NOT complaining but, I wonder why they are now starting to dive into showing old TV shows? The ONLY complaint I can think of having, is that they are playing them too darn early. Anyway, im shocked an dopleased at the same time.

Quote from BILL OF PA

what no more stooges?

Heh heh, I guess not, but thats OK, they edited those way too much just to play more commercials. I HOPE they dont chop these Rifleman eps for commercials.

Rio Bravo is on again right now, so I at least will get my birthday started in a good way ;-))

We have our glorious pres here yesterday and today-menaning lousire bus service than ususal if thats possible? Ah well, he leaves before I really need the buses again so ill make dinner at CHUYS tomorrow for some down time for myself ;-))

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

13 minutes not enough for commercials? each stooge short was only 17 minutes in the first place.....

Sadly, ive seen some Stooges episodes edited down to about 7 minutes. When that happened? I quit watching them.

AMC has gone so far downhill ever since they started playing commercials >:-((

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

What's the point in even airing them if you are going to gut them? 17 minutes is a perfect running time practically made for inserting commercials.

Thats what I asked myself before I had had enough of their airing commercials and when I decided to quit watching the boys. At least I have most of theier early episodes on DvD--most of the Curly years. I refuse to get the ones with Shemp though i like Shemp but?? just not near as enjoyable without Curly..

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

I have the entire Columbia shorts collection, so what AMC does really doesn't matter to me.

Although I do have to be a disagreeable little cuss and say that I find Shemp to be the best third Stooge ever. After all he is the original third Stooge. Anyway you should check out Africa Screams where Joe Besser and Shemp appear with Abbott and Costello along with Clyde Beatty.

Whenever Shemp shows up I immediately start laughing.

Shemp was especially good when he was by himself, and I liked him more that way. Ive seen Africa Screams and its one of the better A&C movies. Speaking of Joe Besser, he was VERY good opposite A&C on their TV show and also in indy movies, but I couldnt stand him as a Stooge, and the other Stooges never really considered him a Stooge.

Heh heh, my first many exposures to the Stooges, came after school which were intermixed with Bugs Bunny Cartoons. When they first started playing them, and as soon as I saw these were not cartoons, I changed the channel before the theme music stopped as I never gave them a chance. My Exposure to them came months later when I let one pass the theme music and if im not mistaken? the very episode that got me started watching them, was called: Uncivil Warriers. This one had Curly as a Reb. At that time, I was very into reading about the Civil War so, it piqued my interests. I decided to watch it as I thought it was a full movie being played, and at that time, I still had never heard of the Stooges and didnt know what a short subject was?

Anyway, Curly made me laugh so much that even though I was upstairs, y Dad heard me laughing so hard that he came up stairs to see what was going on. I thought I was in big trouble because, I had not yet done my homework and no TV was allowed till that ws done. Anyway, he saw what was on, said they were the Three Stooges, and watched the rest of that episode and another with me.

I was still laughing about what I saw when we had supper, and the discussion that night was about the Three Stooges. Turned out that my parents loved them too. From that day on, i was hooked. They played only Curly episodes for months and I didnt know there were any other Stooges other than Larry, Curly and Moe. well, one day they started with the Shemp episodes, and I was disappointed as I didnt think he was as good as Curly. I guess that was where I formed my Stooged opinion of Shemp? They also played the ones with Joe, and I hated ever Joe episode. I still cant stand him in any of them though I do like him in other things.

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

The worst of Shemp's stuff was through no fault of his own, he died and they used stand in's and stock footage to replace him. Boy those were horrible stinkers.

I agree. I remember some of those too and--all I can do is shake my head no-no.

Also, from what I understand, they tried to get Joe Di Rida before Joe Besser but, he was busy with other projects so he declined.

Quote from Lt. Brannigan

Quite true, DeRita was indeed their first choice, but prior obligations forced him to decline.

On a side note, did you know that Emil Sitka was going to replace Larry in the 70's?

I seemed to hear something about that but dont know what all I heard? I also remember that just a few weeks or months before Moe passed away, he started to appear in TV episodes of shows on at the time. I just barely remember seeing him in something, before hearing he had passed away.