Tweet The Ritz Brothers- Thank God for "fast forward?"

For me the best Ritz Bros. moment is in Kentucky Moonshine, when Harry comes out dressed as the queen from Disney's Snow White

A while back I saw a tape of Ben Blue on a talk show in the late ‘60s. I never found him funny in the first place, but he came off so badly during that appearance I almost felt sorry for him. He seemed like a sour, unpleasant person. Comedy, by that point in his career, was reduced to a reflex action. If someone mentioned that they’d been to a restaurant, he’d automatically tell a couple of restaurant jokes. If someone mentioned hippies, he’d tell a hippy joke. But there was no joy or spontaneity in anything he did. It’s hard to be funny when you’re a bitter old man.

Bitter Ben Blue
Bitter Ben Blue
Bitter Ben Blue

say fast and repeat

For me the best Ritz Bros. moment is in Kentucky Moonshine, when Harry comes out dressed as the queen from Disney's Snow White

Yeah--another choice scene. And a wild "duet" with Tony Martin as a finale. Insanity if you're in the right mood.

Most interesting Ritz moment... SING, BABY, SING (1936), when Ted Healy gives them the triple-slap.

Most interesting Ritz moment... SING, BABY, SING (1936), when Ted Healy gives them the triple-slap.

A Three Stooges specialty, of course.

Just sayin'.

Jim

I agree totally with Richard Roberts on the New York idea of humour. It is perfectly exemplified today by ... no, not Saturday Night Live ... the supremely unamusing David Letterman. This guy has never once made me laugh. He made me crack a faint smile exactly once, and I don't even remember what it was he said that time.

Jim

Uh, recall how many you'd put away, Jim, the night he elicited that one "faint smile"? Believe I'd pass out cold before he prompted one from me. And how much is this wit "earning" for all his sparkle & charm?

You can bet I wasn't drinking Manhattans!

Jim

When I read the title I thought "The Ritz Broterhs? I love those guys! Incredible athletic tap dancing. And those splits! I don't need a fast forward function, I need a repeat button!"

And then I realized I was actually thinking of the Nicholas Brothers ...

When I read the title I thought "The Ritz Broterhs? I love those guys! Incredible athletic tap dancing. And those splits! I don't need a fast forward function, I need a repeat button!"

And then I realized I was actually thinking of the Nicholas Brothers ...

Or was it the Berry Bros... of which there were three.

Back to the Ritz Bros.: Don't ignore "Serenade to a Fish" from the 1938 Technicolor GOLDWYN FOLLIES.
It only runs about 3 minutes, which helps.

I blow hot and cold on the Ritz Brothers. At the right time, in the right venue, they can be supremely funny. I was lucky enough to see YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING, ON THE AVENUE, ONE IN A MILLION and THE THREE MUSKETEERS for the first time at the Emery Theatre with an appreciative audience on each occasion, and a good time was had by all. (In fact, I sat through THE THREE MUSKETEERS twice -- I loved the cymbal dance!) They definitely go over less well on the small screen, but on the big screen everything makes sense.

On the whole, I think the Ritzes are at their best when they stick to the precision song-and-dance novelties that made them famous in the night clubs. Otherwise, like so many lesser comedy teams with no defined characters, they are only as good as their material. When the material is good, they're very, very good; but when it's bad, they are HORRID!

So far, the only film of theirs that I outright disliked was THE GORILLA -- but has there ever been a good film version of THE GORILLA?

Bitter Ben Blue
Bitter Ben Blue
Bitter Ben Blue

say fast and repeat

I keep trying, but it comes out "Blitter ben-boo."

Can't say that I'm a huge fan of the Ritz Brothers, but their short Hotel Anchovy is kind of fun; maybe that's because we know it's a two-reeler, and won't last too long. I think the most I ever enjoyed their shtick was when Harry & Jimmy appeared on Dick Cavett's PBS talk show in the '70s -- only it turned out to be the opposite of the Ben Blue experience. They were full of good cheer, and seemed to be having the time of their lives.

I saw the two surviving Ritzes on the Dick Cavett Show too, circa 1979, and this before I had a VCR! Rrrr! Still, I hope that show resurfaces somewhere.

What's the name of the third Ritz brother? Shemp?

Jim

They were Al, Jimmy & Harry.

They were Al, Jimmy & Harry.

Al's the one I can never remember. Maybe if he had called himself Ally, the alliteration would be mnemonic.

I found it telling that the credits for Three Musketeers listed them as simply "The Ritz Brothers" -- no first names. Every Marx Brothers film credited them as "The Marx Brothers -- Groucho, Chico, Harpo" (and sometimes Zeppo, of course) and every Three Stooges film listed their first names, too. But the Ritz Brothers were a homogenous smear of brothers without distinction.

Jim
(who is very distinct from his brother, Whatshisname Roots)

Harry was the "star" of the trio, the one in the middle, and he received many offers to go solo, but he never wanted to break up the team out of loyalty.

I've always thought the Ritz Bros. were like if you took the Marx Bros. out of their gimmicks and had them play an entire movie as themselves. They would just look generic, wouldn't they? I can semi enjoy the Ritzes as 2nd rate comics in their own features, but I agree with the original poster when it comes to them being supporting players in big budget musicals. What purpose do they serve in an excellent musical like On the Avenue?

I've heard some praise for Harry Ritz over the years and have always been baffled....in fact I'm not sure I could tell him from his brothers!

Perhaps, Brian, the issue is not that you can't tell Harry from his brothers; it may be that you can't tell his brothers from him.

Bob

Harry stands out simply because the other brothers were virtual lookalikes. Plus he would jitter his eyes.

The Ritzes...

Another great film number they did was "The Horror Boys of Hollywood" in ONE IN A MILLION. On roller skates yet.

And here they are: