THE STOOGEUM

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:  but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)

I’ve just returned from five (or so) days on vacation in Pennsylvania.  This was not my first time in Pennsylvania.  I’ve been to “Penna” a number of times before.  I’ve driven or ridden across Pennsylvania on Interstate 80 on several occasions.  I’ve also been to Erie, PA and that northwestern part of the state several times.  Until this past week, I’d never been inside the Philadelphia city limits, and I’d never been to Lancaster County which is famous for having far more Amish and Mennonite people per capita than anywhere else in America.  If I have time, I’ll write more about Pennsylvania, the Amish, etc. over the next few weeks.

Mary Ann and I went on vacation with Tim and Sonda McCarthy from our church.  (Incidentally, they run Moody Optical in Ashland, MA.  If you ever need an eye exam, eyeglasses, or contact lenses, Moody Optical is the place to go!)  On our way home today Tim and I each agreed that the event on this vacation that we each enjoyed the most was our visit to The Stoogeum in suburban Philadelphia!  (Only the guys went...the gals did something else during that time.  You’re not surprised, are you?!)

Tim found the information about The Stoogeum on-line and prearranged our visit through President Gary Lassin of The Three Stooges Fan Club, Inc.  You can check out The Stoogeum’s website at:

www.stoogeum.com

Our appointment was for Thursday, July 24 at 11 a.m. and was scheduled to last three hours.  There were a few other people visiting the museum at the same time, but I’d say there were fewer than ten of us in the building at any time during our visit.  The Stoogeum is located in a suburban professional building complex (something like “Framingham Technology Park” here in Framingham, only much SMALLER...maybe a fifth the size of F.T.P.).  There were several similar looking buildings located a short distance down a driveway between a bank and a small shopping center.  (Note:  There was an emergency at the bank which appeared to have been a robbery while we were visiting The Stoogeum.  We’re INNOCENT!  nyuck, nyuck, nyuck!)  The Stoogeum was the last building in the complex.  From the outside, it looked as though it could have housed the offices of dentists, pediatricians, and attorneys.  There was an impressive metallic sign on the building which read “The Stoogeum”.

We opened the door and heard Gary Lassin beckoning us upstairs.  On the stairway, was a replica of the Stooges.  As soon as we began ascending the stairway, from the replica came the Stooges’ greeting, “HELLO...HELLO...HELLO!!”  We were definitely in the right place.  Gary Lassin is a very serious, professional looking guy who I’d say is about my age.  He looks like he’d be an architect or an attorney or something like that.  He was very pleasant but strictly business.  In fact, he spent most of his time working at a computer in his office...the office door being a stained glass window depicting who else...the Stooges?!  The Stoogeum is made up of three floors.  Gary recommended we start with the middle, move down to the lower level, and finish up with the upper level.  There is also a movie theater in there which shows continues Columbia Three Stooges “two-reelers”.  Tim and I were impressed that this museum had at least double the amount of stuff we’d ever have expected. We were there for the full three hours.  There are all kinds of artifacts and memorabilia from all SIX Three Stooges...yes there WERE six when you include Shemp, Joe, and Curly Joe along with Moe, Larry, and Curly.  There was all kinds of stuff from their film career.  There were several scripts (obviously under glass) including one which was Shemp’s and in which he’d made some notes and changes.  There was one very rare script for a proposed two-reeler which was never filmed.  There were drivers’ licenses, cancelled checks, and other artifacts.  There was all kinds of personal information about the guys.  Did you know, for instance, that Moe, Shemp, and Larry were all philanthropists who donated lots of time and money to various charities?  Well, ALL of them did that, but those three especially excelled in that area.  There was a whole “Hall of Fame” of Shemp for you to look at on your way into the theater.  I did not know that Columbia Pictures made MANY other “short subject” films besides The Three Stooges.  Shemp starred or co-starred in a bunch of these.  I also didn’t know that for many years the Stooges performed live every Fourth of July in Atlantic City.

On the upper level was all sorts of artwork of The Three Stooges.  There were also samples of product campaigns, comicstrips, etc.  There was a Three Stooges Trivia Game to play.  I was also impressed with all sorts of information about the character actors who were featured such as Vernon Dent and Bud Jamison.

At 2 p.m. Tim and I were in the theater watching “Violent is the Word for Curly”...you know, when they visit “Mildew College” and sing “Swingin’ the Alphabet”?!  In the middle of that, the electricity went out.  Tim and I walked out of the theater and encountered Gary Lassin.
In a way, the situation was as ironic as the surprises Curly experienced visiting Uncle Bob-O-Link’s haunted house, but that’s something which would take me too long to describe.  

“Did we have a power failure?” I asked Gary Lassin.

“No,” he replied matter-of-factly, “I’m closing up.”

“Oh, O.K.; 2 o’clock,” we responded and thanked him.

Three Stooges lovers- you’ve got to see The Stoogeum!