Stoogefest

When: 1-4 p.m. Feb. 19

Admission: $10

Where: Keynote Cafe, 227 S. Fourth St., Jeannette

Details: 412-638-5263

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Updated 2 hours ago

If pratfalls, pies to the kisser and threats to gouge someone's eyes out make you chuckle, you might be a Three Stooges fan.

And you might want to mark your calendar for Feb. 19, when Jeannette Arts Council will hold its second annual “Stoogefest” at the city's Keynote Cafe.

Adults who grew up laughing at “woob, woob, woob,” “why, I oughta,” and “nyuck, nyuck” in the early days of television, or younger fans who discovered the Stooges via YouTube, likely will enjoy the event.

An arts council fundraiser, the festival will include film shorts, commentary and a memorabilia display.

What many local residents may not know, says Richard Sanner, arts council member, is Jeannette's connection to some men who would be Stooges. Between 1918-21, Sanner says, brothers Moe and Shemp Howard performed a vaudeville show at Oakford Park.

“They spent their entire summers here and lived above what was the old post office, which had rooms for rent. This (festival) continues that little legacy,” he says.

Sanner was so curious about the Stooges that, as a teenager, he wrote to Columbia Pictures and was provided an address for Moe Howard.

“I had a pen pal relationship with him. ... I think part of that was Jeannette brought back some warm memories for him,” he says.

Sanner's correspondence with the slap-happy Stooge continued for three years. Moe Howard died in 1975. More than 10 years ago Sanner wrote “My Friend Moe ... Memories of a Stoogeboomer.” He's working on a follow-up about the Stooges and their appearances in the Pittsburgh region.

“They appeared at Kennywood Park, and the (former) Holiday House in Monroeville,” Sanner says.

Several members of the Howard family are expected to attend, including Curly Howard's daughter, Janie Howard Hanky.

As she has at other Stooges events, she will reminisce about her father and her uncles, Sanner says.

“This is her first appearance in Jeannette. She's going to do a brief presentation and talk about her experiences. Her mother was (Curly Howard's) fourth wife. He had had a stroke and was retired,” Sanner says.

“It's kind of significant because, by and large, worldwide, Curly is (considered) the favorite Stooge,” he says. “We will show some of the classic shorts, mostly with Curly, a couple with Shemp.”

Saxon Sitka, son of one of the Stooges' most well-known supporting actors, Emil Sitka, will do a phone-in presentation.

“Emil Sitka originally was from Johnstown and Pittsburgh,” Sanner says.

During the program, tickets will be sold for a chance to win a painting of The Three Stooges by Jeannette artist Jeff Carroll.

The festival, held in previous years by the Jeannette Area Historical Society, has proven popular.

“Last year it did well for us ­— it was standing room only,” Sanner says.

Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5401 or mpickels@tribweb.com.

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