RKO Two-Reelers

This forum is nearly identical to the previous forum. The difference? Discussions about comedy from the SOUND era.
Ed Watz
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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:49 pm

Gary Johnson wrote:It's not too surprising that McCullough was the dominant partner at first. They were boyhood friends and Paul was 5 years older than Bobby. That's a big age difference when one is young. But I bet it didn't take long for them to realize who had the most talent, which may be what helped drive McCullough to that fateful barber's chair eventually....


It's a surprise in the context that Paul McCullough does absolutely nothing in the team's films together...he's not a straightman, he's not a love interest, he doesn't sing. McCullough is a funny-looking character in a funny-looking getup, so the uninitiated viewer expects him to eventually do something funny. Instead he usually just stands around and runs after Bobby Clark. It's as though McCullough's mere presence is some kind of unfunny in-joke itself. One would imagine that McCullough had some comedy chops after all those years in burlesque, vaudeville, musical comedy...but it doesn't come across in any of their films that I've seen. The closest I've seen McCullough come to life is in a fleeting Movietone outtake where he and Clark do a stage rehearsal of the Gershwin number "Mademoiselle from New Rochelle." One could easily envision Clark starring solo in their RKO shorts with very little changes made to the films' scripts. Clark often ends up talking to himself, anyway.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Gary Johnson
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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Gary Johnson » Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:07 am

The Boys started out as a tumbling act, did they not? Maybe McCullough was very proficient in that area and as they slowly turned to comedy he was left adrift? Not that we were left with any examples of their former profession on film - at least I can't recall any examples of acrobatics performed in their two-reelers which wasn't a stuntman. Of course, by the time they entered films they were heading into middle age but Keaton was still doing belly flops when he should had been in a wheelchair.

Ed Watz
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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Thu Jan 05, 2012 12:36 pm

Judging Clark & McCullough by the only legacy they left us -- their films -- poor Paul McCullough as a comedy performer doesn't even qualify for "stooge" status. (Using the term "stooge" here in its exclusively pre-1934 terminology, before being elevated to another level by Moe Howard & Co.)

Broadway & musical comedy "stooges" who appeared in early talkies are often fringe characters surrounding a lead comic. Goofy-looking stooges like Dave Chasen or Fred Sanborn may not be good comedians by any stretch of the imagination, but in their rare film appearances they strive to do some funny business or display some degree of talent (one may hate him as a performer, but there's no denying Fred Sanborn played one mean xylophone).

Then there's stooges like Tammany Young and Bill Wolfe in the W.C. Fields films, who are not comic performers per se but who become funny when incorporated into his act (think of Fields making outraged faces at Tam in the opening scene of THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, or just about any time W.C. reacts to Bill Wolfe's face).

On the other hand -- Paul McCullough is always "out there, somewhere" -- adrift. Bobby Clark takes no interest in engaging him -- as a teammate, straightman, foil or stooge. A very strange "comedy team" indeed.
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Richard Finegan

Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Richard Finegan » Thu Jan 05, 2012 1:10 pm

Ed Watz wrote:I don't enjoy Clark & McCullough's films for C & McC themselves, but I would never turn down an opportunity to catch the ones I've missed.

It surprised me when I read that Paul McCullough was originally the "star comic" of the team and Bobby Clark only assumed the top spot when audiences began to laugh at his adlibs. If that story is true it makes McCullough's subsequent demotion to chuckling at his partner and an occasional "okay!" sound like a real life BLUE ANGEL story.


Ed,
I suppose the appeal of Clark & McCulluogh (and especially Paul McCullough's role in the team) is something that cannot be explained to someone who doesn't get it right away. I LOVED these guys first time I saw them back in the early 1980's and still enjoy them even after dozens (at least) of viewings.

And I find Paul McCullough hilarious! I find myself watching him more than Clark a lot of the time.

But certainly keep watching for any of their films you haven't seen yet - maybe you'll see something you've missed all these years.

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Thu Jan 05, 2012 1:47 pm

Hi Rich,

Well, I DO enjoy the much-maligned Wheeler & Woolsey ;-)

But I have a feeling the Clark & McCullough films will always maintain an elusive, "creepy" feel about them: Paul McCullough, dull & unfunny...Bobby Clark, frenetic (and unfunny)!
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Richard M Roberts » Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:49 pm

Ed Watz wrote:Hi Rich,

Well, I DO enjoy the much-maligned Wheeler & Woolsey ;-)

But I have a feeling the Clark & McCullough films will always maintain an elusive, "creepy" feel about them: Paul McCullough, dull & unfunny...Bobby Clark, frenetic (and unfunny)!


I don;t know, Paul McCullough manages an odd comedy bit here and there, and when he does, they;re definitely surreal. He actually has scenes sans Clark in THE DRUGGISTS DILEMMA, and I remember him being more active in the Fox Four-reeler WALTZING AROUND (1928). I've always wondered if his participation decreased as time went on due to his mental and emotional issues.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Gary Johnson » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:05 am

Did Bobby Clark discuss his former partner much? I've read a few comments of his where he mentions 'Paul fighting his demons' but did he ever go into detail about their working relationship?

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Ed Watz » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:05 am

When I was doing research for my book on Wheeler & Woolsey I interviewed people from The Lambs Club in NYC (Bert Wheeler lived at The Lambs in its original location on West 44th Street). Tom Dillon, who became Bert's last partner in 1955, also knew Bobby Clark (Bobby was an active member in The Lambs and was on the committee for a 1958 tribute to Wheeler). According to Tom, sometimes the oldtimers would reminisce about the "good old days" and laugh over an anecdote involving Clark & McCullough. On more than one occasion Bobby Clark commented at the end of the story, "Poor old Paul, I guess should've paid more attention to his problems."
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby ralph celentano » Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:20 am

I enjoyed Ed Watz's WHEELER & WOOLSEY book EXCEPT for the Clark & McCullough negative comment.
In my opinion, Clark is a high energy Woolsey. As for McCullough's support, it compliments Clark.

They don't annoy me like the Ben Blue/Billy Gilbert Taxi Boys series. WHAT PRICE TAXI and THUNDERING TAXIS are the 2 best shorts. No Ben Blue.

I'll add THE COLUMBIA COMEDY SHORTS main fault was the panning of some amusing shorts. I'll agree that some are far from classics, but the
novice reading this book will think that most are not worth watching.

My newest RKO acquisition is the 1931 HIGH HATS AND LOW BROWS from the Rufftown series. James Gleason, Harry Gribbon, & Mae Bush star.

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Re: RKO Two-Reelers

Postby Gary Johnson » Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:29 am

ralph celentano wrote: WHAT PRICE TAXI and THUNDERING TAXIS are the 2 best shorts. No Ben Blue.


Those two are excellent sound shorts and it is a pity the series veered into the direction it did. I can only assume it had to do with cost-cutting. Why pay free-lance actors like Pangborn and Bevan and Cook when Gilbert was already on the payroll? Although, was Blue brought in specifically to be teamed with Gilbert or had Roach already signed him to a contract for whatever reasons? (Such as the fact that he had Laurel's look...)


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