Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey

BertnBob · April 2016

Hi!

Many of you may already know me so I'd like to introduce myself to those of you who don't.

My name is Glenn and I collect paper on Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey.

I'm 27 lobby cards short of having complete sets for all of their 21 films.

If anyone out there has anything on Bert and Bob they'd like to trade or sell I'd be interested if I don't already have it. That goes for anything from pressbooks to glass slides to posters up to 3 sheet size. I'm not much on stills unless you're offering them in a lot for a really good price.

Thanks,

Glenn

HONDO · April 2016

Good luck with this request Glenn.

theartofmovieposters · April 2016

BertnBob said:

I'm 27 lobby cards short of having complete sets for all of their 21 films.

Phenomenal effort! Best of luck...

Bruce · April 2016

Wheeler and Woolsey are criminally under-appreciated!

Here is a great clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCGD2a5iE3M

HONDO · April 2016

Loved the clip. Very funny.

David · April 2016

Never heard of them. Good work on the clip, some good editing too.

HONDO · April 2016

Have a look on Bruce's Auction History site under the title Kentucky Kernels and you will find an image of an Australian long daybill from RKO.

theartofmovieposters · April 2016

Too cute!

BertnBob · April 2016

Thanks to all for the encouragement! I know most of the 27 are out there somewhere from previous eBay sales and auctions.

It will be interesting to see if I outlast the hunt or the other way around!

Glenn

David · April 2016

How come this comic duo, how did you get interested?

BertnBob · April 2016

David -

I saw Wheeler and Woolsey on AMC years ago when that channel was all movies. I had never heard of them. I was still a novice when it came to old movies. I knew all the "greats" but was kind of thrown off by them. Very different kind of humor. Now they seem very quaint. More toward vaudeville then strictly film like Laurel and Hardy for example. Hard to imagine a whole theatre erupting with laughter at their antics but they helped save RKO in the early days. And then there's their delightful co-star, the adorable Dorothy Lee.

Bert and Bob only made 21 features and a couple of shorts. A good comedy team to collect since there is a limited number of material to be had and, for the time being, somewhat reasonably priced. So much of it is that great 1930's RKO artwork. Also their stuff comes up so rarely that it gives me time to save up for the next big ticket item that surfaces! I think I'm one of about 3 or 4 people who specifically collect Wheeler and Woolsey. I know I've met 2 others for sure.

My first lobby card was from MUMMY'S BOYS. Since then I've seen all their movies, read the Ed Watz book several times. In fact Ed Watz sold me his collection which included a highly prized, full script for the extremely censored SO THIS IS AFRICA.

I know there is a lot out there that exists that I don't have. I don't expect to ever see the entire collection completed. I did recently get the last of their heralds I've been hunting for. That was a nice feeling.

I've had many respected collectors chuckle and shake their head at my interest in them. One told me any card with Wheeler and Woolsey in it is a "dead card" which made me laugh. In the early days a few dealers made some extra money on my naivete. Live and learn like all collectors. Still I very much enjoy my collection and, like everyone else, look forward to the next piece that will unexpectedly turn up.

Bruce · April 2016

Glenn, I know you know the fellow with the collection of Bogart lobby cards, who is SO close to finishing it.

The last few years he has been adding a card or two per YEAR.

Has it been like that for you with W & W?

Also, if you make a list of the cards you need (how many from each title, and if you need the TC), that might help find you more.

BertnBob · April 2016

Bruce - I've met John. I sold him some Chaney cards about 10 years ago. I think he needs 2 Bogarts. One of which is known to exist and the other no one knows.

I've been doing the same. Adding a card here or there. The Everett/Profiles auction was a big help in filling in alot of holes. 3 cards from Hold 'Em Jail were in a lot of sports lobbies. I had to pass on that one to get 3 lots that were just Wheeler and Woolsey.

I'll take your advice and post a list later today.

David · April 2016

Great stuff Glenn, without a doubt a story that most collectors can relate to.

BertnBob · April 2016

I know it probably doesn't help not to see the cards but here is a list of what I'm looking for as relating to Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey.

I know a number of these cards do exist as they have appeared in auctions.

Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934)    1 scene card
Cracked Nuts (1931)              TC + 1 scene card
Diplomaniacs (1933)              2 scene cards
Girl Crazy (1932)                    2 scene cards
Hips, Hips, Hooray (1934)      1 scene card
Hold 'Em Jail (1932)                TC + 2 scene cards
Hook, Line and Sinker (1930) TC + 2 scene cards
Kentucky Kernels (1934)         TC
Nitwits, The (1935)                 1 scene card
Rainmakers, The (1935)          1 scene card
Rio Rita (1929)                        TC + 3 scene cards
So This Is Africa (1933)           6 scene cards

Everything's Rosie (1931)         SET
Cowboy Quarterback (1939)    2 scene cards
Las Vegas Nights (1941)          1 scene card
Brown Derby, The (1926)         TC + 4 scene cards

Glenn

HONDO · April 2016

Cool avatar of the team.

HONDO · April 2016

Glenn there is a very old Signet paperback book written by Leonard Maltin titled Movie Comedy Teams which includes a section on Wheeler and Woolsey. If you haven't seen it yet it would probably be worth you while to track down a copy.

BertnBob · April 2016

Hondo -

That's a great vintage still I found on eBay of a Hirschfeld rendering of the boys. I was lucky on that one. I'd been looking for a while for it.

I'm quite familiar with the Maltin book. I think that's what may have inspired Ed Watz to write his.

BertnBob · July 2016

Got the last card I needed for Las Vegas Nights! Another Bert Wheeler set completed!

If anyone has cards on THE COWBOY QUARTERBACK or the silent Johnny Hines picture, THE BROWN DERBY please let me know!

Thanks,

Glenn

David · July 2016

Congrats Glenn! Now show us the card!

BertnBob · July 2016

I can't believe how long it took me to find this card. And unless you collect barn animals it would be considered a dead card!

(Looks like I'm having trouble uploading the image. Will try again later.)

theartofmovieposters · July 2016

Always great to be able to tick another one off! Congratulations!

BertnBob · August 2016

David - Control V worked over cut and paste! Here's the image for all those who wanted to see what the card looked like. I can't imagine, outside of the "Francis" movies, how many lobby cards feature a mule!

Image: http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q495/exit82a/LVN%20-%20Lobby_zps79wncyj5.jpg

Bruce · August 2016

I can't imagine, outside of the "Francis" movies, how many lobby cards feature a mule!

You are absolutely right, Glenn, but here are a few you can add to your "non-Francis mule showed lobby card collection"!

Here's one:

"crowd watching men racing in homemade mule chariots!"

Here's another:

The ads for this movie credited "Bernard Bolden and his white mule, Uncle Sam right after Tom Mix and Tony!

Here's another:

Stan Laurel leads mule dragging Oliver Hardy wearing a towel!

Finally, there is this modern one:

Image: http://www.emovieposter.com/images/moviestars/AA111204/550/lc_gus_tc_JC01251_L.jpg

the team mascot mule becomes their field goal kicker

BertnBob · August 2016

Hilarious images! Love them. But I'm too old now to start another sub-genre!

I have to stick to Wheeler and Woolsey!

Thanks for sharing!

Glenn

David · August 2016

BertnBob said:

But I'm too old now to start another sub-genre!

We all are, and yet we do.

And yet no one has suggested the obvious?

Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
Shrek I, II, or III

Bruce · August 2016

I thought Shrek was a donkey?

David · August 2016

Bruce said:

I thought Shrek was a donkey?

Since you are splittin' ass hairs...no, Shrek is an Ogre.

Bruce · August 2016

I don't think it would be splitting hairs to the donkey, because mules are almost always sterile.

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/08/difference-between-a-donkey-and-a-mule/

David · August 2016

Probably a mule point overall

HONDO · August 2016

Let us not forget, probably the best of all is to view is on Google, in all the many various poster sizes available, Brighty Of The Grand Canyon ( 1967 ).

Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey

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