Spent the afternoon today visiting the Stoogeum in Ambler, PA, an eccentric institution, chock full of Three Stooges collectibles and memorabilia. I must say, there is more in there than you might suspect – yellowed newspapers, candid glossies, and theatrical broadsides share space with state-of-the-art touch screens (activated by poking an image of Curly in the eyes), pinball machines and video games, a “Hall of Shemp” (which endeared the place to me immediately), statues and sculptures of the team, costumes and posters from the films, a Joe Besser ceremonial banner (!), a gallery of autographed photos of Stooges associates and contemporaries (ranging from Mae Clarke, memorable recipient of Cagney’s grapefruit in “Public Enemy,” and Dick Powell, to Jimmy Durante and Hugh Herbert, to Lloyd Bridges and Adam West), salutes to Stooges regulars Christine McIntyre, Emil Sitka, and director Jules White, a sit-down movie theater that continuously runs Stooges shorts, and of course monitors all over the place.
The third floor is crammed with Stooges art, storyboards from the cartoon series and floor-to-ceiling Stooges tributes – somebody actually managed convincing likenesses of Moe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp on four different Etch-a-Sketches, now preserved behind plexiglass (let’s hope there’s not an earthquake!); but perhaps most striking for those with long memories is a stained glass window by Stanley Livingston, who played Chip on “My Three Sons.” Bizarrely, there is no photography allowed in the museum (what are they trying to hide?), but if you Google it, you will find some images.
If you’re interested in visiting – and it is worth the trip if you’re fascinated by the era – plan ahead and make a reservation, as the museum keeps very specific, roaming hours. You’ll be admitted with everyone else approved for the period (two hours) and then set loose to explore. I went with my former newspaper editor (now retired, but he can’t stop writing), Dan Aubrey, and one of his acquaintances. We passed the car trip recalling our favorite Stooges shorts and marveled at just how surreal they could be. For example, we rewatched “Idle Roomers” on one of the museum monitors – that’s the one where the boys get trapped in an elevator with a werewolf – which has one of the great WTF Stooges endings!
Here’s the website. Have fun figuring it out. Nyuk nyuk nyuk…
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