Halfway to Hollywood

During the 1930s-50s, Columbia Pictures made hundreds, perhaps thousands of shorts...and not all of them were Three Stooges films. Many were down and out comics who were in low points in their careers (Harry Langdon and Buster Keaton are good examples) and many were folks you simply don't associate with comedy shorts today (such as the incredibly unfunny El Brendel as well as the odd teaming of Tom Kennedy and Johnny Arthur). Both were supporting actors in films, but until recently I had no idea either starred in these shorts...including "Halfway to Hollywood".

Tom and Johnny work for a very grouchy man. So, they decide on the weekend to make a movie...and end up making fun of their awful boss in this film. Unfortunately for them, the grouchy boss SEES this home movie! What's next??

The pairing of Arthur and Kennedy is odd. They just seem too different and ill-matched. Perhaps if they'd made more than a few shorts together I might have felt differently, though their styles were very different and the pairing just seemed random. So does it work here? Well, the film isn't bad and has a few good moments...but the pair just seem like the unlikeliest of friends...too unlikely..