Hubbry Logo
Woman HatersWoman HatersMain
Open search
Woman Haters
Community hub
Woman Haters
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Woman Haters
Woman Haters
Woman Haters
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Woman Haters
The Stooges were not known professionally as the Three Stooges when the film was released and were billed under their own names
Directed byArchie Gottler
Written byJerome S. Gottler
Produced byJules White
Starring
CinematographyJoseph August
Edited byJames Sweeney
Music byLouis Silvers
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • May 5, 1934 (1934-05-05) (U.S.)
Running time
19:18
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Woman Haters is a 1934 musical short subject directed by Archie Gottler starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Jerry Howard). It is the inaugural entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who ultimately starred in 190 short subjects for the studio between 1934 and 1959. This was Marjorie White's last film role before her untimely death.

Plot

[edit]

The Stooges, employed as traveling salesmen, join the Woman Haters Club, dedicated to eschewing romantic entanglements with women. Their resolve is swiftly tested when Jim (Larry) succumbs to the charms of Mary and proposes marriage. His comrades, Tom (Moe) and Jack (Curly), talk him out of it, citing their oath to the club.

Things escalate when Jim meets Mary's formidable father, who intimidates Jim by recounting tales of the violent punishment he and his brothers have administered to men who attempted to break engagements to Mary's sisters. Reluctantly, Jim acquiesces to the marriage.

The newlyweds begin their honeymoon with a train journey. Aboard the train, Jim rejoins Tom and Jack but conceals Mary from them and keeps his marriage a secret. Mary, upset at Jim's sudden indifference, uses her feminine allure to woo first Tom and then Jack in an attempt to make Jim jealous, thereby undermining the Stooges' fidelity to their oath. Finally, in exasperation, Mary tells Tom and Jack that Jim and she are married, and pushes her way into bed with the trio, knocking Tom and Jack out of the train window in the process.

In a denouement suggesting the passage of time, the aging Stooges reunite at the nearly deserted Woman Haters clubhouse when Jim enters and declares he wants to rejoin the club.

Cast

[edit]

Credited

[edit]

Uncredited

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Woman Haters was filmed over four days on March 27–30, 1934.[1] It was the sixth entry in Columbia's "Musical Novelty" series,[2] with all dialogue delivered in rhyme. Jazz Age-style music plays throughout the entire short, with the rhymes spoken in rhythm with the music. Being the sixth in a “Musical Novelties” short subject series, the movie appropriated its musical score from the first five films. The song “My Life, My Love, My All”, featured in this short, was originally “At Last!” from Umpa, a previous "Musical Novelty" entry.[1] Other music cues used in other Columbia "Musical Novelty" shorts like School for Romance and Susie's Affairs.

Curly Howard was billed under his pre-Stooge name "Jerry Howard" in this short. The Stooges have different names: Curly is "Jackie", Moe is "Tom", and Larry is "Jim". This is one of the few Stooge shorts that features Larry as the lead character. Others include Three Loan Wolves and He Cooked His Goose.[3] Thirty-nine year old Walter Brennan plays the train conductor being initiated into the Woman Haters Club by Moe and Curly.)[4]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Woman Haters

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Woman Haters is a American musical comedy short subject directed by Archie Gottler and starring the comedy trio (, , and ). Released by on May 5, 1934, it marks the first of 190 shorts featuring produced by the studio, distinguishing itself with nearly all dialogue delivered in rhyme and set to music. In the film, the Stooges portray traveling salesmen who are members of the "Woman Haters Club," vowing to avoid romantic entanglements with women; however, Larry's secret marriage to Marjorie White's character leads to chaotic jealousy and antics aboard a train. The short introduces several signature elements of ' comedy, including Curly Howard's debut of his iconic "woob-woob-woob" and "Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk" catchphrases, as well as early uses of eye-poking gags by supporting actor . Running approximately 20 minutes, Woman Haters blends vaudeville-style rhymes with physical humor, reflecting the Stooges' transition from earlier group iterations like and His Stooges to their independent Columbia era. Produced during the early period, it exemplifies the novelty short format popular in , where comedy teams experimented with musical and rhythmic dialogue to enhance visual gags. Despite its historical significance, the film has been recognized as a foundational piece in ' enduring legacy of 190 shorts spanning 25 years.

Background

Three Stooges' Debut

The trio, consisting of , , and (born Jerome Lester Horwitz), formed in the early 1930s through their roots in comedy acts. Originally part of and His Stooges starting in 1925, the group included Moe and his brother alongside , performing raucous routines where Healy served as the lead comedian. Shemp departed in 1930 due to Healy's abusive behavior, with Curly—another Howard brother—joining in 1932, solidifying the classic lineup that emphasized the trio's over Healy's straight-man role. Following multiple tensions, including a 1930 split where Corporation offered the Stooges an independent that Healy sabotaged by asserting ownership over them as his employees, the group persisted in touring theaters despite legal threats from Healy, who even warned of bombing venues if they performed his material. After a brief 1932 reconciliation with Healy for a Broadway show that ended acrimoniously, the Stooges fully parted ways with him in late 1933 amid his alcoholism and jealousy, securing their autonomy as a starring act. , initially reluctant to feature them without Healy and after a failed deal earlier that year, signed the trio to a one-year in late 1933 for eight two-reel shorts, marking their transition to lead roles in the studio's short-subject series. "Woman Haters," filmed over four days from March 27 to 30, 1934, served as their debut starring vehicle under this agreement, released on May 5, 1934, as the fifth entry in Columbia's Musical Novelty series. The 18-minute black-and-white short exemplified the era's standard one-reel format for comedy shorts, capturing ' emerging style of anarchic humor. This milestone, detailed in Moe Howard's autobiography, launched a prolific career producing 190 shorts over the next two decades, as the initial contract was repeatedly extended despite the studio's underpayment relative to their popularity.

Columbia Musical Novelty Series

The Columbia Musical Novelty series, launched in under the studio's newly established short subjects division, consisted of eight low-budget two-reel comedies that blended musical numbers, novelty acts, and humorous sketches to provide economical for theater programs. Produced by Jules White, who had been appointed head of the division by studio president , the series featured direction by talents such as Archie Gottler and emphasized in-house performers and simple sets to minimize costs while serving as filler before main features. These shorts were designed for quick production and broad appeal, often incorporating vaudeville-style routines to attract audiences during the early Depression era when theaters sought affordable content to round out double bills. "Woman Haters," released on May 5, 1934, served as the fifth entry in the series and introduced in their debut Columbia short, though the format adhered strictly to the musical novelty style rather than the that would define their later work. To meet the series' musical mandate, the film employed rhymed, operetta-like dialogue throughout, accompanied by a continuous jazz-age score, marking a deliberate stylistic choice that prioritized rhythmic recitation over . This approach contrasted with the Stooges' subsequent shorts, which shifted toward chaotic antics under White's evolving production strategy. Earlier installments, such as "Umpa" (1933), similarly utilized fully rhymed dialogue and novelty elements like song-and-dance sequences to showcase performers, but without ' involvement, highlighting the series' focus on versatile, low-cost musical comedy before transitioning to specialized acts. The budget constraints of the era—typically under $20,000 per short—encouraged reliance on stock music, recycled props, and contract players, ensuring the series' viability as a staple of Columbia's output amid economic pressures on Hollywood studios.

Plot

The , portrayed as traveling salesmen named Tom (), Jim (), and Jack (), join the Woman Haters Club and swear an to avoid romantic involvement with women, sealed with an initiation involving eye pokes. Jim secretly falls in love with Mary (Marjorie ) and proposes , but Tom and Jack convince him to break it off. At Mary's home, her father pressures Jim into going through with the wedding by recounting how he once punished a man who jilted his own daughter. On a train journey, Mary boards and flirts with Tom and Jack by singing "My , My Love, My All" to provoke Jim's jealousy, leading to chaos as struggle to maintain their club vows. Mary eventually reveals that she and Jim are already married, then knocks Tom and Jack out of the train window in retaliation. The film concludes years later with the elderly reuniting at the now nearly deserted Woman Haters Club, where Jim seeks to rejoin, reaffirming their disdain for women.

Cast

Principal Cast

The principal cast of Woman Haters (1934) features the debut of in a Columbia short, with the trio billed under their real names rather than as a group act, reflecting their early contractual status at the studio. Top billing went to as Mary, the romantic lead whose marriage to one of sparks the central conflict, while received secondary credits as "Jerry Howard, , and ." Moe Howard portrays Tom, the stern leader of the Woman Haters Club, who enforces the group's vow against women through rhymed admonitions and physical discipline, such as eye pokes and slaps, to maintain order among members. His role establishes the film's comedic premise, as Tom's discovery of a member's secret leads to chaotic confrontations aboard a train. Larry Fine plays Jim, the club's newest member and a traveling salesman who secretly marries Mary, creating the romantic subplot that tests the Woman Haters' oath and drives much of the narrative tension. Fine's performance highlights Jim's , balancing club loyalty with his affection for his wife, whom he hides from his comrades. , credited as Jerry Howard per the film's opening titles, appears as Jackie, the bumbling sidekick providing through mishandled props and antics, such as fumbling with musical instruments during the club's rituals. His exaggerated reactions amplify the physical humor, particularly in scenes involving the intrusion of women into the all-male club. Marjorie White stars as Mary, Jim's wife and the catalyst for the story's discord, whose persistent efforts to join her husband on his trip expose the hypocrisy of the Woman Haters' rules; she is prominently featured in the film's musical sequences, performing songs that underscore the romantic elements. White's top-billed role marked a significant showcase for her talents before her tragic death in 1935.

Supporting Cast

The supporting cast of Woman Haters consisted of performers in minor roles, typical of Columbia's low-budget short subjects series in the 1930s. appeared as the train conductor in the film's opening sequence, delivering a brief comic cameo that establishes ' journey and their initiation of the character into the Woman Haters club through rhymed dialogue and antics. Bud Jamison played the club chairman, a key minor role that sets up the central plotline by overseeing the Stooges' entry into the Woman Haters organization and enforcing its rules during group scenes. Other supporting performers filled out the ensemble with small parts as club members, family relatives, and background figures, contributing to the film's musical and comedic rhythm without individual speaking lines for most. Examples include June Gittelson as Mary's sister, who briefly interacts with Larry's character in a domestic subplot; Tiny Sandford as Mary's uncle, the policeman; Dorothy Vernon as Mary's mother; and A.R. Haysel as Mary's father, all portraying relatives in the wedding sequence to heighten the chaos around the Stooges' vows. Additional stock players such as Don Roberts (club doorman), Jack Norton (justice of the peace), C. L. Sherwood (bald man in bar), Monte Collins (Mr. Zero), and Fred "Snowflake" Toones (porter) appeared in roughly a dozen such peripheral roles, enhancing the crowded club and office environments with reaction shots and group dynamics.

Production

Development and Writing

The development of Woman Haters began in early 1934 as sought to launch in their own short subject series following the trio's departure from . The script was crafted to fit the studio's Musical Novelty format, emphasizing rhymed dialogue and musical sequences to highlight ' vaudeville-honed timing while introducing their characters in a comedic exploration of misogynistic tropes subverted through absurdity. Jerome S. Gottler received credit for the story and screenplay, providing the core premise of club members vowing only to face romantic complications and scripting the in verse to create a rhythmic, opera-like structure. This collaborative approach allowed the short to align with ' one-film trial contract signed on March 19, 1934, just days before commenced. The addressed the novelty series' requirements by prioritizing song-and-rhyme delivery over pure , resulting in a 19-minute runtime optimized for double-bill programs. Key challenges arose in integrating ' nascent persona with the rhymed constraints, leading to revisions that toned down action for musical interludes while preserving humorous timing in spoken verse. Initial drafts reportedly focused more heavily on music to meet Columbia's guidelines for the series, but adjustments ensured ' personalities shone through the unconventional format, giving the film its distinctive "talkie opera" feel.

Filming and Direction

Woman Haters was directed by Archie Gottler, a Broadway composer who developed ' Musical Novelties series, emphasizing musical comedy formats in short subjects. Gottler's approach integrated the film's rhymed dialogue with Jazz Age-style music, directing the action to maintain rhythmic synchronization throughout the production. occurred over four days from March 27 to 30, 1934, at Columbia's in Hollywood, adhering to the tight single-week schedules standard for two-reel shorts of the era. The production utilized simple interior sets for office, train, and club scenes, all constructed on soundstages to accommodate the low-budget constraints typical of Columbia's comedy shorts. Technically, the film employed early synchronized sound recording techniques to capture its musical elements, with handled by Joseph August and sound engineering by Edward Bernds, ensuring clear integration of ' verbal and within the verse structure. Minimal props supported the gags, focusing on adapted that complemented the rhythmic delivery without relying on elaborate setups.

Release

Premiere and Distribution

Woman Haters premiered on May 5, 1934, as a short subject produced and distributed by , marking ' official debut under their new studio contract. The film was released as the sixth entry in Columbia's Musical Novelty series, a program of comedic designed to complement feature films in theaters. Distribution occurred nationwide across the U.S. theater circuit through Columbia's established short subjects program, where it was typically paired with major features to fill out double-bill screenings. Marketing emphasized ' introduction to audiences, with promotional posters touting the film's "hilarious rhymes" and unique musical comedy format to attract viewers seeking . As part of the era's weekly changeover system for B-movies and , Woman Haters received standard theatrical rollout without extensive promotional campaigns, relying instead on the growing popularity of from their prior and live stage appearances to build initial attendance. Its box office performance contributed to Columbia extending the trio's contract, establishing the foundation for their long-running series of 190 . Internationally, the short had limited export primarily to English-speaking markets during , with broader availability coming through re-release packages in the 1940s that bundled shorts for overseas theaters.

Home Media Releases

The first release of Woman Haters occurred in the 1980s through VHS compilations issued by , where it appeared alongside other early shorts in multi-volume sets. These tapes, such as The Volume I (1980), marked the film's entry into consumer home media, making the 1934 short accessible beyond theatrical revivals. In the DVD era, Woman Haters was featured in Home Entertainment's : The Ultimate Collection (2012), a comprehensive 20-disc set compiling 159 Columbia shorts from 1934 to 1959. It also appeared in ClassicFlix's restored editions, notably : Volume One (1934-1936) (2012), which utilized newly discovered elements to enhance visual clarity and improve the audio synchronization for the film's distinctive rhyming dialogue. Since the 2010s, Woman Haters has been available for streaming on platforms including and , often as part of broader collections. Although not all shorts share the same status, Woman Haters benefits from elements in the U.S. stemming from lapsed copyrights on early Columbia productions since the 1960s, facilitating its free online access on sites like the . Notable later editions include the 2024 Blu-ray release within , which offered high-definition transfers and tracks highlighting the short's significance as the Stooges' Columbia debut. This edition emphasized the film's unique musical novelty format and its role in establishing the trio's on-screen dynamic.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Reception

Upon its 1934 release, Woman Haters received no major awards, reflecting its status as an experimental entry in Columbia's Musical Novelties series rather than a standout comedy. In modern evaluations, the film maintains a modest reputation, valued more for its historical significance as the Three Stooges' debut Columbia short than for its humor. On IMDb, it holds a user rating of 6.6/10 based on over 1,200 votes, with reviewers often highlighting its unique rhymed format as a charming but awkward novelty that lacks the slapstick intensity of later Stooges efforts. User comments frequently commend Curly's emerging antics, such as his exaggerated reactions, as early highlights amid the verse-driven narrative. Scholarly analyses position Woman Haters as an inauspicious yet pivotal debut, with the rhyming structure viewed as an experimental departure that foreshadowed the team's toward signature . ThreeStooges.net's community rating of 6.78/10 echoes this, appreciating the energy while critiquing the atypical focus on as lead and minimal pie fights or chases.

Cultural Impact

"Woman Haters" marked the debut of ' long association with , initiating a prolific output of 190 short films from to 1959 that defined their legacy. The film's success, combined with the follow-up "," convinced Columbia president to extend a seven-year contract to the trio, solidifying their shift toward unadulterated in subsequent productions. This early entry established core elements of their style, including eye pokes and rhythmic sound effects, which became hallmarks across their Columbia tenure. Unique among ' shorts, "Woman Haters" features dialogue entirely in rhyme, set to a jazz-age as part of Columbia's "Musical Novelty" series, a format not repeated in their later work. This rhyming structure, including adapted lyrics for the song "My Life, My Love, My All," has inspired niche fan tributes and recreations, highlighting its distinctiveness in the team's oeuvre. The short has been featured in documentaries exploring the Stooges' origins, such as the 1994 film "Stooges: The Men Behind the Mayhem," which examines their formative years and comedic evolution. Its preservation in film archives underscores its value for studying early sound-era comedy techniques.

References

  1. https://threestooges.com/woman-haters/
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026000/
  3. https://walkoffame.com/the-three-stooges/
  4. https://collider.com/three-stooges-columbia-pictures-contract-problems-explained/
  5. https://tedium.co/2021/10/22/three-stooges-history/
  6. https://www.amazon.com/Moe-Howard-Stooges-Pictorial-Entertainment/dp/0806507233
  7. https://columbiashortsdept.weebly.com/the-musical-novelties.html
  8. https://columbiashortsdept.weebly.com/historical-overview.html
  9. https://psychotronicpaul.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-columbia-shorts-department-part-one.html
  10. https://threestooges.net/filmography/view/1/
  11. https://www.threestooges.net/filmography/view/1/
  12. https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=29892
  13. https://travsd.wordpress.com/2014/09/17/stars-of-slapstick-194-jules-white/
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026000/trivia/
  15. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/79542/10-slapstick-facts-about-first-three-stooges-short
  16. https://three-stooges.fandom.com/wiki/Woman_Haters
  17. https://columbiashortsdept.weebly.com/the-three-stooges.html
  18. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/115771-woman-haters/cast
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026000/fullcredits/
  20. https://threestooges.net/about/index/5
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026000/locations/
  22. https://www.encyclopedia.com/movies/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/three-stooges
  23. https://journalofantiques.com/antique-marketplace-news/robert-edward-auctions-delivers-record-setting-results-in-historic-7-54-million-baseball-auction/
  24. https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/021872
  25. https://threestooges.net/videography/index/beta
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6aqa6DsUSw
  27. https://www.amazon.com/Three-Stooges-Collection-1934-1959/dp/B01JZKX7P0
  28. https://www.classicflix.com/blog/2024/6
  29. https://www.amazon.com/Three-Stooges-Collection-1934-1936/dp/B0018YAQ5Q
  30. https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200020215/s01-e01-woman-haters
  31. https://archive.org/details/001.WomanHaterstheThreeStooges1934
  32. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Three-Stooges-Collection-Blu-ray/361426/
  33. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026000/reviews/
  34. https://www.threestooges.com/woman-haters/
  35. https://stooges.fandom.com/wiki/Punch_Drunks
  36. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281229/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.