The Big V Comedies (also known as “Vitaphone Comedies”) were two-reel (17 to 20 minute long) comedy film shorts produced by Warner Bros. and Vitaphone between 1931 and 1938, contemporary of the more famous Hal Roach, Mack Sennett and Columbia Pictures comedies.
Overview
Most of these Warner short subjects were filmed at the Brooklyn, New York facilities, but a few 1935 titles handled by Ralph Staub were done in Hollywood, including the classic Keystone Hotel.Maltin, Leonard. The Great Movie Shorts. 1972. Bonanza Books, p. 25 (This was a similar situation with the contemporary Educational Pictures, which also made its film shorts in both New York and Hollywood during the same period.) Samuel Sax was often producer in charge.
Among the most famous of these were the very last films starring Fatty Arbuckle, along with vintage screen appearances of Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame and Bob Hope before his big break in features and radio. One mini-series, dubbed “Girlfriends Comedies” featured Thelma White and Fanny Watson.
The production standards were usually first rate (since the same company made the popular Broadway Brevities and Melody Masters), but the success of an individual film depended on both the talent of the performers and the writers involved. Also many titles were filmed indoors with fewer outdoor action scenes than many California produced comedy shorts.
The name “Big V” was used rather loosely in the trade periodicals, with later logos “Vitaphone Comedy” and “Vitaphone Gay-ety” (for the more musical product) alternating as substitute names in the later years.1936 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures. 1936. Film Daily, p. 447 lists 19 “Big V Comedies”BoxOffice magazine. December 5, 1936 (p. 38), January 8, 1938 (p.71) use “Vitaphone Comedy” Some titles were given alternative series names by Motion Picture Herald as “Big Star Comedies” or simply “2-reel comedies”.Motion Picture Herald magazine, "Release Chart Lists" including issues December 26, 1931 (p. 73), April 23, 1932 (p. 88) & December 31, 1932 (p. 89)
The studio stopped making two-reel comedies in 1938, the same year that Hal Roach sold his Our Gang series to MGM and 20th Century Fox stopped distributing the Educational product. Apart from an occasional special, the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies supplied much of the comedy before the Warner feature attraction, until the Joe McDoakes series began in the 1940s.
List of titles
Below is a listing arranged by year of release with title listed first, followed by major credits, release date BoxOffice magazine, including issues July 20, 1935 (p. 33), December 7, 1935 (p. 46) (and sometimes Film Daily review or copyright date Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1912-1939 (51,112 films), published in 1951. L.C. card, 51-60018. (copy)) and DVD availability (some on sets put out by the Warner Archive Collection).
1931
TitleDirector & performersRelease or review dateNotesThe Meal Ticket Al Ray (director); Jack Pearl, Peggy Shannon & Claire Trevor June 7 (Film Daily review)Success Alfred J. Goulding (director); Fred Allen (writer); Jack Haley, Helen Lynd & John Hamilton July Vitaphone Varieties Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVDThe Silent Partner Roy Mack (director), Rupert Hughes (writer); William Gaxton, Frank McGlynn, Shirley Palmer, Roger Gray, Detmar Poppen & Winifred Harris August 2 (Film Daily review)Where Men Are Men Alfred J. Goulding (director); Joe Penner September 20Rough Sailing Alfred J. Goulding (director); Joe Penner September 27 (Film Daily review)Lucky 13 Alfred J. Goulding (director); Thelma White & Fanny Watson October 4 (Film Daily review) Girlfriends ComedyThe Smart Set-Up Roy Mack (director) & Burnet Hershey (writer); Walter O'Keefe & Margaret Lee November 1 "Big Star Comedy" Smart Money (1931 film) (Greatest Gangster Films Prohibition Era) DVDOf All People Alfred J. Goulding (director); Thelma White & Fanny Watson November 15 (Film Daily review) Girlfriends ComedyHer Wedding Nightmare Alfred J. Goulding (director); Thelma White & Fanny Watson December 27 (Film Daily review) Girlfriends Comedy
1932
TitleDirector & performersRelease, copyright or review dateNotesShake a Leg Thelma White & Fanny Watson February 21 Girlfriends ComedyPoor but Dishonest Alfred J. Goulding (director); Thelma White & Fanny Watson, Al Klein, James C. Morton & Jessie Busley March 1932 Girlfriends ComedyThe Perfect Suitor Benny Rubin, Warren Hymer & Marjorie Hines (Margie Hines) March 20 (Film Daily review) "Big Star Comedy"Maybe I'm Wrong Roy Mack (director); Richy Craig Jr., Frank Allenworth & others March 27 (Film Daily review) "Big Star Comedy"The Toreador Alfred J. Goulding (director); Joe Penner, Paul Guilfoyle, Julie Chandler, Dudley Hawley & Frances McHugh April 17 "Big Star Comedy"On Edge Alfred J. Goulding (director); William & Joe Mandel April 24 (Film Daily review) "Big Star Comedy"In The Family Alfred J. Goulding (director); Thelma White & Fanny Watson July 2 (Film Daily review) Girlfriends ComedySherlock's Home Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Haley, June O'Dea, Anthony Hughes & Herschel Mayall September 10Here, Prince Joseph Henabery (director); Joe Penner, Joan Castle, Dan Coleman & Margaret Dumont October 1You Call It Madness Alfred J. Goulding (director); Richy Craig, Earl Gilbert, Frank McNellis & Walter Wilson October 10Hey, Pop! Alfred J. Goulding (director); Fatty Arbuckle, Dan Wolheim, Billy Hayes & Herschel Mayall October 15 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDThen Came the Yawn Joseph Henabery (director); Jack Haley, Christine Maple & John Hamilton November 26 The Run Around William Demarest, Jackie Kelk, Eleanor Phelps, Joe Lyons & Hal Clarendon © December 10
1933
TitleDirector & performersRelease, copyright or review dateNotesTrouble Indemnity Alfred J. Goulding (director); Frank Orth, Ann Codee, Jesse Busley & Marie Marion January 17 (Film Daily review)The Build Up Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Haley, Helen Lynd, Don Rowan & Ed Jerome January 19 (Film Daily review)Buzzin' Around Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Henley (writer); Fatty Arbuckle, Al St. John, Dan Coleman, Alice May Tick, Tom Smith & Al Ochs © February 4 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDNothing Ever Happens Roy Mack (director); George Givot, Jane Gale & others March 1 Grand Hotel DVDWrongorilla Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Haley, Harry Shannon, Joan Castle & Victor Kilian © March 4An Idle Roomer Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Haley, Blossom MacDonald (Blossom Rock), Emily Lowry & Lou Lubin April 29How've You Bean? Alfred J. Goulding (director); Jack Henley (writer); Fatty Arbuckle, Fritz Hubert, Jean Hubert & Mildred van Dorn © June 24 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDNothing But the Tooth Joseph Henabery (director); Jack Haley, Mildred van Dorn, Chester Clute & Jackie Kelk © August 3Salt Water Daffy Ray McCarey (director); Jack Haley, Shemp Howard, Charles Judels & Lionel Stander © September 16 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDClose Relations Ray McCarey (director); Fatty Arbuckle, Shemp Howard, Charles Judels, Harry Shannon, Hugh O’Connell & Mildred van Dorn © September 30 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDGobs Of Fun Ray McCarey (director) George Givot, Charles Judels, Olive Borden & Toney Hughes © October 11 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVDTurkey in the Raw Joseph Henabery (director); Gus Shy, Fritz Hubert, Al Ochs & Helen Goodhue © November 9 In the Dough Ray McCarey (director); Jack Henley (writer); Fatty Arbuckle, Shemp Howard, Lionel Stander & Ralph Sanford © November 15 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVD Here Comes Flossie Ray McCarey (director); Ben Blue, Janet Reade, Shemp Howard & Paul Everton © December 9 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDTomalio Ray McCarey (director); Jack Henley (writer); Fatty Arbuckle, Charles Judels, Fritz Hubert, Jerry Bergen & Phyllis Holden December 30 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVD
1934
TitleDirector & performersRelease, copyright or review dateNotesHowd' Ya Like That? Ray McCarey (director); George Givot, Charles Judels, Donald McBride, Lionel Stander & Philip Loeb © January 13 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDNervous Hands Ralph Staub (director); Ben Blue & Donald MacBride © January 29Mushrooms Ralph Staub (director); Harry Gribbon, Lionel Stander, Cora Witherspoon, Shemp Howard & Russell Hicks © February 14 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDPugs and Kisses Ray McCarey (director); Charles Judels, Lionel Stander, Greta Granstedt, Shemp Howard & Ralph Sanford © February 17 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDFoiled Again Ralph Staub (director); Ben Blue, Sybil Burns, Robert Malcolm & Russell Hicks © March 20Very Close Veins Ralph Staub (director); Ben Blue, Dorothy Dare, Shemp Howard, Herb Warren & June East © April 14 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDCorn On The Cop Ralph Staub (director); Harry Gribbon, Shemp Howard, Mary Doran & Boyd Davis © April 28 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDI Scream Ray McCarey (director); Gus Shy, Shemp Howard, Curtis Karpe & Lionel Stander © May 19 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDArt Trouble Ralph Staub (director); Jack Henley (writer); Harry Gribbon, Shemp Howard, Gertrude Mudge, Beatrice Blinn & James Stewart © June 23 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 (Warner Archive) DVDMy Mummy's Arms Ralph Staub (director); Russell Hicks, Harry Gribbon & Shemp Howard © June 28 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVD The Prize Sap Ralph Staub (director); Ben Blue, Hugh Cameron, Dorothy Brown & Cora Witherspoon © July 21Daredevil O'Dare Lloyd French (director); Ben Blue, Shemp Howard, Vicki Cummings, Milton Frome & Maude Odell © August 3 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVDOh Sailor Behave Ralph Staub (director); El Brendel & William Carey with Gordon Westcott, Doris Arkinson, Mary Forbes & Vivien Oakland September 1Radio Scout Ralph Staub (director); El Brendel, Joan Wheeler, Bob Nolan & others September 1All Sealed Up Lloyd French (director); Ben Blue, Fred Harper, Louise Troxell, Harry Shannon & Lionel Stander © September 13Salted Peanuts Ralph Staub (director); George Givot & Charles Judels © October 9Smoked Hams Lloyd French (director); Shemp Howard & Daphne Pollard © October 20 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVDHigh, Wide and Hansom Lloyd French (director); Jack Henley (writer); Herb Williams, Leona Powers & Frank Otto November 5So You Won't T-t-t-talk Lloyd French (director); Roscoe Ates, Shemp Howard, Donald MacBride, Jackie Kelk & Ruth Gillette © November 24 Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVD Dizzy And Daffy Lloyd French (director); Jerome & Paul Dean, Roscoe Ates, Shemp Howard & others November 30 (Film Daily review) Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 (Warner Archive) DVD
1935