Big V Comedies

The Big V Comedies were two-reel comedy film shorts produced by Warner Bros. and Vitaphone between 1931 and 1938, contemporary of the more famous Hal Roach, Mack Sennett and Columbia Pictures comedies.

Overview

Most of these Warner short subjects were filmed at the Brooklyn, New York facilities, but a few 1935 titles handled by Ralph Staub were done in Hollywood, including the classic Keystone Hotel. Samuel Sax was often producer in charge.
Among the most famous of these were the very last films starring Fatty Arbuckle, along with vintage screen appearances of Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame and Bob Hope before his big break in features and radio. One mini-series, dubbed “Girlfriends Comedies” featured Thelma White and Fanny Watson.
The production standards were usually first rate, but the success of an individual film depended on both the talent of the performers and the writers involved. Also many titles were filmed indoors with fewer outdoor action scenes than many California produced comedy shorts.
The name “Big V” was used rather loosely in the trade periodicals, with later logos “Vitaphone Comedy” and “Vitaphone Gay-ety” alternating as substitute names in the later years. Some titles were given alternative series names by Motion Picture Herald as “Big Star Comedies” or simply “2-reel comedies”.
The studio stopped making two-reel comedies in 1938, the same year that Hal Roach sold his Our Gang series to MGM and 20th Century Fox stopped distributing the Educational product. Apart from an occasional special, the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies supplied much of the comedy before the Warner feature attraction, until the Joe McDoakes series began in the 1940s.

List of titles

Below is a listing arranged by year of release with title listed first, followed by major credits, release date and DVD availability.

1931

Title	Director & performers	Release or review date	Notes
The Meal Ticket	Al Ray ; Jack Pearl, Peggy Shannon & Claire Trevor	June 7	-
Success	Alfred J. Goulding ; Fred Allen ; Jack Haley, Helen Lynd & John Hamilton	July	Vitaphone Varieties Vol. 2 DVD
The Silent Partner	Roy Mack (director), Rupert Hughes ; William Gaxton, Frank McGlynn, Shirley Palmer, Roger Gray, Detmar Poppen & Winifred Harris	August 2	-
Where Men Are Men	Alfred J. Goulding ; Joe Penner	September 20	-
Rough Sailing	Alfred J. Goulding ; Joe Penner	September 27	-
Lucky 13	Alfred J. Goulding ; Thelma White & Fanny Watson	October 4	Girlfriends Comedy
The Smart Set-Up	Roy Mack (director) & Burnet Hershey ; Walter O'Keefe & Margaret Lee	November 1	"Big Star Comedy" Smart Money (1931 film) DVD
Of All People	Alfred J. Goulding ; Thelma White & Fanny Watson	November 15	Girlfriends Comedy
Her Wedding Nightmare	Alfred J. Goulding ; Thelma White & Fanny Watson	December 27	Girlfriends Comedy

1932

Title	Director & performers	Release, copyright or review date	Notes
Shake a Leg	Thelma White & Fanny Watson	February 21	Girlfriends Comedy
Poor but Dishonest	Alfred J. Goulding ; Thelma White & Fanny Watson, Al Klein, James C. Morton & Jessie Busley	March 1932	Girlfriends Comedy
The Perfect Suitor	Benny Rubin, Warren Hymer & Marjorie Hines	March 20	"Big Star Comedy"
Maybe I'm Wrong	Roy Mack (director); Richy Craig Jr., Frank Allenworth & others	March 27	"Big Star Comedy"
The Toreador	Alfred J. Goulding ; Joe Penner, Paul Guilfoyle, Julie Chandler, Dudley Hawley & Frances McHugh	April 17	"Big Star Comedy"
On Edge	Alfred J. Goulding ; William & Joe Mandel	April 24	"Big Star Comedy"
In The Family	Alfred J. Goulding ; Thelma White & Fanny Watson	July 2	Girlfriends Comedy
Sherlock's Home	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Haley, June O'Dea, Anthony Hughes & Herschel Mayall	September 10	-
Here, Prince	Joseph Henabery ; Joe Penner, Joan Castle, Dan Coleman & Margaret Dumont	October 1	-
You Call It Madness	Alfred J. Goulding ; Richy Craig, Earl Gilbert, Frank McNellis & Walter Wilson	October 10	-
Hey, Pop!	Alfred J. Goulding ; Fatty Arbuckle, Dan Wolheim, Billy Hayes & Herschel Mayall	October 15	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Then Came the Yawn	Joseph Henabery ; Jack Haley, Christine Maple & John Hamilton	November 26	-
The Run Around	William Demarest, Jackie Kelk, Eleanor Phelps, Joe Lyons & Hal Clarendon	© December 10	-

1933

Title	Director & performers	Release, copyright or review date	Notes
Trouble Indemnity	Alfred J. Goulding ; Frank Orth, Ann Codee, Jesse Busley & Marie Marion	January 17	-
The Build Up	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Haley, Helen Lynd, Don Rowan & Ed Jerome	January 19	-
Buzzin' Around	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Henley ; Fatty Arbuckle, Al St. John, Dan Coleman, Alice May Tick, Tom Smith & Al Ochs	© February 4	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Nothing Ever Happens	Roy Mack (director); George Givot, Jane Gale & others	March 1	Grand Hotel DVD
Wrongorilla	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Haley, Harry Shannon, Joan Castle & Victor Kilian	© March 4	-
An Idle Roomer	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Haley, Blossom MacDonald, Emily Lowry & Lou Lubin	April 29	-
How've You Bean?	Alfred J. Goulding ; Jack Henley ; Fatty Arbuckle, Fritz Hubert, Jean Hubert & Mildred van Dorn	© June 24	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Nothing But the Tooth	Joseph Henabery ; Jack Haley, Mildred van Dorn, Chester Clute & Jackie Kelk	© August 3	-
Salt Water Daffy	Ray McCarey ; Jack Haley, Shemp Howard, Charles Judels & Lionel Stander	© September 16	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Close Relations	Ray McCarey ; Fatty Arbuckle, Shemp Howard, Charles Judels, Harry Shannon, Hugh O’Connell & Mildred van Dorn	© September 30	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Gobs Of Fun	Ray McCarey George Givot, Charles Judels, Olive Borden & Toney Hughes	© October 11	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Turkey in the Raw	Joseph Henabery ; Gus Shy, Fritz Hubert, Al Ochs & Helen Goodhue	© November 9	-
In the Dough	Ray McCarey ; Jack Henley ; Fatty Arbuckle, Shemp Howard, Lionel Stander & Ralph Sanford	© November 15	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Here Comes Flossie	Ray McCarey ; Ben Blue, Janet Reade, Shemp Howard & Paul Everton	© December 9	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Tomalio	Ray McCarey ; Jack Henley ; Fatty Arbuckle, Charles Judels, Fritz Hubert, Jerry Bergen & Phyllis Holden	December 30	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD

1934

Title	Director & performers	Release, copyright or review date	Notes
Howd' Ya Like That?	Ray McCarey ; George Givot, Charles Judels, Donald McBride, Lionel Stander & Philip Loeb	© January 13	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Nervous Hands	Ralph Staub ; Ben Blue & Donald MacBride	© January 29	-
Mushrooms	Ralph Staub ; Harry Gribbon, Lionel Stander, Cora Witherspoon, Shemp Howard & Russell Hicks	© February 14	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Pugs and Kisses	Ray McCarey ; Charles Judels, Lionel Stander, Greta Granstedt, Shemp Howard & Ralph Sanford	© February 17	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Foiled Again	Ralph Staub ; Ben Blue, Sybil Burns, Robert Malcolm & Russell Hicks	© March 20	-
Very Close Veins	Ralph Staub ; Ben Blue, Dorothy Dare, Shemp Howard, Herb Warren & June East	© April 14	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Corn On The Cop	Ralph Staub ; Harry Gribbon, Shemp Howard, Mary Doran & Boyd Davis	© April 28	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
I Scream	Ray McCarey ; Gus Shy, Shemp Howard, Curtis Karpe & Lionel Stander	© May 19	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
Art Trouble	Ralph Staub ; Jack Henley ; Harry Gribbon, Shemp Howard, Gertrude Mudge, Beatrice Blinn & James Stewart	© June 23	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 1 DVD
My Mummy's Arms	Ralph Staub ; Russell Hicks, Harry Gribbon & Shemp Howard	© June 28	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
The Prize Sap	Ralph Staub ; Ben Blue, Hugh Cameron, Dorothy Brown & Cora Witherspoon	© July 21	-
Daredevil O'Dare	Lloyd French ; Ben Blue, Shemp Howard, Vicki Cummings, Milton Frome & Maude Odell	© August 3	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Oh Sailor Behave	Ralph Staub ; El Brendel & William Carey with Gordon Westcott, Doris Arkinson, Mary Forbes & Vivien Oakland	September 1	-
Radio Scout	Ralph Staub ; El Brendel, Joan Wheeler, Bob Nolan & others	September 1	-
All Sealed Up	Lloyd French ; Ben Blue, Fred Harper, Louise Troxell, Harry Shannon & Lionel Stander	© September 13	-
Salted Peanuts	Ralph Staub ; George Givot & Charles Judels	© October 9	-
Smoked Hams	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard & Daphne Pollard	© October 20	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
High, Wide and Hansom	Lloyd French ; Jack Henley ; Herb Williams, Leona Powers & Frank Otto	November 5	-
So You Won't T-t-t-talk	Lloyd French ; Roscoe Ates, Shemp Howard, Donald MacBride, Jackie Kelk & Ruth Gillette	© November 24	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Dizzy And Daffy	Lloyd French ; Jerome & Paul Dean, Roscoe Ates, Shemp Howard & others	November 30	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD

1935

Title	Director & performers	Release, copyright or review date	Notes
Out Of Order	Lloyd French ; Ben Blue, Donald MacBride & Frances McHugh	© January 19	-
Vacation Daze	Ralph Staub ; Hobart Cavanaugh, Mary Treen, Jack Norton & others	© February 9	-
A Peach of a Pair	Lloyd French ; Daphne Pollard & Shemp Howard	© February 12	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
His First Flame	Lloyd French ; Daphne Pollard, John Sheehan, Fred Harper & Shemp Howard	March 9	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Once Over Lightly	Lloyd French ; Roscoe Ates, Loretta Sayers & Donald MacBride	© March 25	-
Why Pay Rent?	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Roscoe Ates, Ethel Sykes, Billie Leonard & Dickie Wallace	May 4	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Pretty Polly	Lloyd French ; Polly Moran, Marjorie Main, Jane Gale, David Burns, Pats Flick and Ginger Pearson	June 1	-
Serves You Right	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Nell O’Day, Donald MacBride & Horace McMahon	June 15	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
On The Wagon	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Roscoe Ates, Gertrude Madge, Lillian Pertka & Zeni Vatori	July 1	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Get Rich Quick	Ralph Staub ; Allen Jenkins, Eddie Shubert, Mary Treen & Herman Bing	© July 6	completed August 1934
Husband's Holiday	Ralph Staub ; music: Howard Jackson; Hobart Cavanaugh, Mary Treen, the Canovas, Jack Norton & Billy Barty	July 6	-
The Vodka Boatmen	Lloyd French ; The Yacht Club Boys, Gertrude Madge & Nancy Evans	August 7	-
Watch the Birdie	Lloyd French ; Bob Hope, Nell O’Day, Arline Dinitz, George Watts	August 10	Top Hat DVD
Keystone Hotel	Ralph Staub ; Joe Traub ; music: Howard Jackson; Ben Turpin, Hank Mann, Chester Conklin, Ford Sterling, Marie Prevost, Vivien Oakland, Jack Duffy, Bert Roach	August 24	-
The Officer's Mess	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Louise Squires, Horace MacMahon, Charles Kemper & Dermar Poppen	October 19	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Lonesome Trailer	Ralph Staub ; Joe Traub ; music: Howard Jackson; El Brendel, Edna Bennett, Eddie Schubert & Mary Treen	October 26	-
The Old Grey Mayor	Lloyd French ; Bob Hope, Lionel Stander, Ruth Hall, George Watts & Sam Wren	© November 2	G Men DVD
Double Exposure	Lloyd French ; Bob Hope, Jules Epailly, Johnny Berkes & Loretta Sayers	November 23	Gold Diggers of 1935 DVD
The Lucky Swede	Ralph Staub ; music: Howard Jackson; El Brendel & Helen Ericson	December 4	-

1936

Title	Director & performers	Release, copyright or review date	Notes
When the Cat's Away	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Johnny Berkes, Anita Garvin & Jean Cleveland	January 4	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
Shop Talk	Lloyd French ; Bob Hope, Johnny Berkes & Richard Lane	© February 14	The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film) DVD
Slide, Nellie, Slide	Murray Roth ; Herman Bing, Paula Stone, Al Shean & Marie Wilson	© February 17	-
Calling All Tars	Lloyd French ; Bob Hope, Johnny Berkes, Oscar Ragland	March 25	Critic's Choice (film) DVD
Absorbing Junior	Lloyd French ; Shemp Howard, Johnny Berkes, Gertrude Madge, Gerie Worthing, Arthur & Morton Havel & Kenneth Lundy	April 25	Vitaphone Comedy Collection Vol. 2 DVD
The Wife of the Party	Lloyd French ; Ken Murray, Sassafras, George Watts, Peggy O'Donnell & Donald MacBride	June 12	-
The Oily Bird	Lloyd French ; Ken Murray, Oswald, Charles Withers & Harvey Moffat	July 25	Vitaphone Comedy
The Good Old Plumbertime	Lloyd French ; Johnny Berkes, Hugh Cameron, Loretta Sayers, Grace Worth and Donald MacBride	© August 24	-
The Lyin' Tamer	George Jessel	August 29	Vitaphone Gay-ety
Dough-Nuts	Lloyd French ; The Yacht Club Boys, Virginia McNaughton, Johnny Berkes & Jules Epailly	November 14	Vitaphone Comedy

1937

Title	Director & performers	Release or copyright date	Notes
Toot Sweet	Roy Mack (director); Fifi D'Orsay & Rufe Davis	© August 3	Vitaphone Gay-ety
Doctor Cupid	Lloyd French ; Ken Murray & Oswald, Gertrude Mudge, Dorothy Edwards & Phyllis Crane	September 4	Vitaphone Comedy
One on the House	Lloyd French ; Ted, Judd & Joe McMichael	December 18	Vitaphone Gay-ety
Under the Wire	Lloyd French ; Joe & Asbestos, Harry Gribbon, Eddie White & Phil Silvers	© December 21	Vitaphone Comedy
Wedding Yells	Lloyd French ; music: William Lava; Ken Murray, Oswald, Jeanne Kelly, Milton Charleston & Regina Wallace	December 28	Vitaphone Comedy

1938

Title	Director & performers	Release date	Notes
Waiting Around	Lloyd French ; Frank Libuse, Jimmy Shay, Gus Raymond, Margo Brandon & the Stanley Twins	February 26	Vitaphone Gay-ety
Hold That Ball	Lloyd French ; the Preisser Sisters, Bobby Pinkus, Thurston Crane	April 23	Vitaphone Gay-ety
Stocks and Blondes	Lloyd French ; Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart, Richard Bishop, Marie Hartman & Butler Hixon	May 21	Vitaphone Comedy
Rise and Sing	Roy Mack (director); Alan Cross & Henry Dunn	June 25	Vitaphone Gay-ety
My Pop	Lloyd French ; Henry Armetta, Harry Burns, Anita Simpson & Claire Carleton	July 16	Vitaphone Comedy
There Goes the Bride	Roy Mack (director); Fifi D'Orsay & 4 McNally Sisters	August 27	Vitaphone Gay-ety