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Have Rocket, Will Travel
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Wikipedia article
'Have Rocket, Will Travel' is a 1959 American science fiction comedy film starring The Three Stooges. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and new "third Stooge" Joe DeRita (dubbed "Curly Joe"). Released by Columbia Pictures, the feature was produced to capitalize on the comedy trio's late 1950s resurgence in popularity. The picture's supporting cast features Anna-Lisa and Robert Colbert.
Plot
The Stooges are janitors working at a space center who accidentally blast off to Venus. They encounter a talking unicorn, a giant fire-breathing tarantula, and an alien computer which has destroyed all life on the planet and creates three evil robot duplicates of the Stooges. When the boys return home triumphant, they are given a hero's welcome; a party in their honor becomes a free for all stooge-like manner fight complicated by the arrival of the evil robots; our heroes and their unicorn friend managed to escape. The epilogue shows the Three Stooges riding on a rocket singing a monologue and ends with Moe getting plastered with cream pies by Larry and Joe!
Cast
* Moe Howard - Moe/robot duplicate
* Larry Fine - Larry/robot duplicate
* Joe DeRita - Curly Joe/robot duplicate
* Anna-Lisa - Dr. Ingrid Naarveg
* Robert Colbert - Dr. Ted Benson (billed as "Bob Colbert")
* Jerome Cowan - Mr. Morse
* Don Lamond - The Venusian Robot/Reporter/Narrator
* Robert Stevenson - Voice of The Thingtz
* Dal McKennon - Voice of Uni the Unicorn
Production notes
'Have Rocket, Will Travel' was Joe DeRita's inaugural screen appearance with the Stooges, having replaced Joe Besser after Columbia ceased production of the Stooges' shorts series. The title is a parody of the then-popular television show 'Have Gun, Will Travel'. Filming was completed over 13 days on May 18-June 1, 1959.[http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/228 'Have Rocket, Will Travel' at threestooges.net]
Although billed as such, it was not the first starring feature for The Three Stooges. That honor goes to 'Rockin' in the Rockies', the only starring feature made with the best known lineup of Moe, Larry and Curly. The trio had also starred in a 1951 film called 'Gold Raiders' with George O'Brien during the Shemp Howard era, and had also had supporting roles in several 1930s films when the trio was still affiliated with Ted Healy, including 'Dancing Lady' with Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Robert Benchley and Fred Astaire.
The space travel theme of 'Have Rocket, Will Travel' was prevalent in the late 1950s. The Stooges had already filmed three shorts for Columbia revolving around this theme ('Space Ship Sappy', 'Outer Space Jitters', 'Flying Saucer Daffy'). They followed up with yet another space entry in 1962 with 'The Three Stooges in Orbit'.
In the original cut, after the Stooges entered the rocket, (about ten minutes into the film), they were the only humans in the movie. The studio insisted a party scene be filmed, simply to get other people into the movie.
Reception
Box office
'Have Rocket, Will Travel' was released on August 1, 1959, to mixed critical reviews but was a success at the box office. During its first five days of a multiple-theater engagement in Los Angeles, California, where it was double-billed with 'The Legend of Tom Dooley', the film grossed $127,000 ($ today). The film ultimately grossed over $2.5 million ($ today) for Columbia Pictures against a $380,000 budget ($ today).Critical response
Moe Howard expressed his dislike for the film in 1973, stating "Didn't care much for 'Have Rocket, Will Travel'. It was contrived a lot. The pies were dragged in at the tail end and not only that, the unicorn business and all that...ugh."Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released in August 1959 by Colpix Records to coincide with the film's release. Released as a two-sided 45 rpm disc, the Stooges sing the film's theme song backed by vocal group The Tinglers. The title song was written by George Duning and Stanley Styne and arranged by Dennis Farnon.
The album sold exceptionally well but did not enter the Top 40, due to Columbia Pictures giving the album minimal publicity.
See also
* List of American films of 1959
References
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