The early days of television provided movie studios a place to unload a backlog of short films that they thought no longer marketable, and the Stooge films seemed perfect for the burgeoning genre. ABC had even expressed interest as far back as 1949, purchasing exclusive rights to 30 of the trio's shorts and commissioning a pilot for a potential series, Jerks of All Trades.Grossman, Gary H. Saturday Morning TV, Dell Publishing, 1981 However, the success of television revivals for such names as Laurel and Hardy, Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, Tom and Jerry, and the Our Gang series in the late 1950s led Columbia to cash in again on the Stooges. In September 1958, Columbia's television subsidiary Screen Gems offered a package consisting of 78 Stooge shorts (primarily from the Curly era), which were well received.
the early days of television provided movie studios a place to unload a backlog of short films that they thought no longer marketable and the stooge films seemed perfect for the burgeoning genre abc had even expressed interest as far back as 1949 purchasing exclusive rights to 30 of the trio's shorts and commissioning a pilot for a potential series jerks of all tradesgrossman gary h saturday morning tv dell publishing 1981 however the success of television revivals for such names as laurel and hardy woody woodpecker popeye tom and jerry and the our gang series in the late 1950s led columbia to cash in again on the stooges in september 1958 columbia's television subsidiary screen gems offered a package consisting of 78 stooge shorts (primarily from the curly era) which were well received