Subject: rec.martial-arts FAQ part 4 of 3 (Stooge-Fu addendum)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
rec.martial-arts FAQ - Part 4 of 3
Stooge-Fu Addendum
Part 4 of 3
16) What are the different Arts, Schools, Styles?
Contents of this section in Part 4 of 3:
16.33) Stooge-Fu
Intro:
Stooge-Fu is a system of many unconventional techniques, weapons or whatever is at hand used to dominate you opponent.
Origin: United States.
History:
Stooge-Fu was developed in the early 1900s in the United States from a system commonly known as "slapstick". Slapstick was used by many in those days and was introduced to the only Stooge-Fu masters Moe Howard by Ted Healy. Moe, his brother Jerome (Curly), and other Stooge-Fu master Larry Fine broke with Ted Healy and developed slapstick into what is now know a Stooge-Fu.
The art was principally developed by Howard, Fine and Howard from 1934 to 1965 with the help of their two disciples Joe Besser & Joe DeRita. Howard, Fine & Howard were the only men to have ever mastered the art and took most of the knowledge of Stooge-Fu with them to the grave. Although disciples Joe Besser and Joe DeRita never masterd the art, they both left behind many unanswered questions regarding Stooge-Fu when they died.
Although many have tried to duplicated the masters of Stooge-Fu, none have come close to success. While still practiced by some, there are currently no known masters of Stooge-Fu. The best sources of knowledge are available in the archives left behind by the Masters in the form of 190 18-20 minute Columbia Pictures two-reelers.
Descriptions:
Stooge-Fu is well know for the distintive sounds made upon a successful strike. A fist to the forehead strike, if done propery, will produce a distintive sound similar to two coconut halves being pounded together. If this sound is not present when you rap your opponet on the head, then you know the technique was not executed properly.
Stooge-Fu also uses many open-hand techniques to the face, called slaps. These strikes also result in a distintive smacking sound when applied properly. This strike is also useful against multiple opponents who are side by side. After slapping the first opponent, the hand can be followed through to slap the next opponent, and the next. This was sometimes used against the Masters as well.
A common move in the art of Stooge-Fu, is the "Moe-Eye-Poke". The Grandmaster, Moe used it often. Occasionally his proteges would be able to block this move using a knife hand placed vertically about the bridge of the nose. In most cases, Grandmaster Moe was able to pull off the move successfully by luring his opponents in to "pick out two".
Combination moves are also a feature of Stooge-Fu. A common one employed by Grandmaster Moe would be an abdomen punch followed immediately by a fist to the forehead. You'll know it was applied properly if the "bass drum" sound occurs from the abdomen punch and the opponent bows over. This is usually followed up with a fist to the forehead, which returns the opponent to the upright position, vulnerable for a follow-up attack.
Master Curly favored the defensive moves of Stooge-Fu, being the quivering hand wave. This move can be described by quickly shaking you wrist while moving your hand up and down in your opponent's face. If done properly, the opponet will be distracted and his gaze will be fixed upon your hand, giving you time to escape. It has limited offensive capabilities as well. For example, when your opponent's gaze is fixed upon you hand, you can lower it and pat the ground, in which case the opponent's head will follow, and smack the ground in a similar fashion.
Not uncommon to Stooge-Fu is the use of feints, or distractions to create an opening. One such example is to present your fist to your opponent about chest-high and say "see that?" The opponent will slap the fist sending it in a circular movement behind you and back over your own head to result in a rap on your oponent's skull. Great discretion should be observed before attempting this move, because used indiscriminantly, you could end up rapping your own skull.
Some moves in Stooge-Fu are designed for multiple attackers. One of these is using the opponent's jacket against him and his partner. When one of the opponents is removing his jacket to thrash you, you must manuever your arm into his empty sleeve before he gets his arm out of the other sleeve. Then with a spinning movement, you strike his partner with your fist and turn such that when he strikes back, your opponent, who is caught in the other sleeve, receives the blow. Then repeat the process until both opponents are rendered unconscious.
Stooge-Fu is not just limited to strikes. There exists numerous grabs as well. One commonly used grab is to pull a handful of the opponents hair out of his head, also resulting in a loud tearing sound when applied properly. Master Curly showed the best defense for this move by keeping his head shaved.
Stooge-Fu also employs a wide variety of weapons. Some of these are hammers, pipes, various dishes, power tools, boiling water, hot irons, ink pens, golf clubs, vices, saws, etc...
While on the subject of weapons, pie-hurling was a favorite technique of the Masters. But this was not limited to just pies. Although pies, pastries and eggs were the main items of throwing due to their damaging effects, food of all sorts could be used effectively.
Stooge-Fu is quite unique in that it makes use of whatever is at hand. Even chemical warfare was implemented by the Masters if they could manage to get a hold of a skunk.
There are even psychological aspects in the practice of Stooge-Fu: intimidating yells such as, "Why you, nitwit! I oughtta murder you!", and "Hey, Porcupine! Come here!", and "Remind me to kill you later!".
Training:
Stooge-Fu consisted of quite a bit of knock-downs and falls (off tables, down stairs & mine shafts, through holes in floors & roofs, so students of the art must learn how to fall correctly. Accuracy in throwing is also a key factor in being a successful Stooge-Fu practitioner. This can be practiced safely using pastries and pies, but hammers, axes, pipes, etc. should not be hurled at one another until the student has mastered throwing pies & pastries.
Shemp and Curly were noted for hand and footwork techniques, respectively. Shemp's training method, often used in combat situations as a distraction, involved throwing wild punches into the air and close to the opponent's face while dazzling him with fancy footwork. Curly's footwork training was called the "Curly Shuffle", where you tap the floor behind you with the toe of one foot while sliding backwards on the other foot, repeatedly. Curly sometimes combined this with the difficult manuever of his finger-snapping, hand-clapping moves, great for developing coordination.
Stooge-Fu also involves some cardio-vascular training as demostrated by Shemp with his circular floor-run. Lying on the floor, simply start running as if you were standing. If executed properly, you'll find yourself doing circles on the floor. You don't have any excuses for not running with this method.
Common in many of the Asian styles were yells to clear the lungs of air during a punch or kick. In Stooge-Fu, there are many recognizable yells which aided in mastering the art. Curly is credited for the "wooob-wooob-wooob-woooob" and "nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk" yells. Shemp gets the honors of developing the "eeeeb-eeeb-eeeeb-eeeeeb-eeeeeeb" yells, while all the masters could be heard going "nyaaaaaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa" when opponents tried to intimidate them.
Sub-Styles:
Slapstick.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer and Copyright Notice
Some answers given may reflect personal biases of the author and the martial arts FAQ listing's contributors. The answers contained herein pertain to discussions on the rec.martial-arts group, and are by no means exhaustive.
The martial arts FAQ list owes its existence to the contributors on the net, and as such it belongs to the readers of rec.martial-arts. Copies may be made freely, as long as they are distributed at no charge, and the disclaimer and the copyright notice are included.
--
David Lyons
http://g50mc.org/members/lyonsd
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
rec.martial-arts FAQ - Part 4 of 3
Stooge-Fu Addendum
Part 4 of 3
16) What are the different Arts, Schools, Styles?
Contents of this section in Part 4 of 3:
16.33) Stooge-Fu
Intro:
Stooge-Fu is a system of many unconventional techniques, weapons or whatever is at hand used to dominate you opponent.
Origin: United States.
History:
Stooge-Fu was developed in the early 1900s in the United States from a system commonly known as "slapstick". Slapstick was used by many in those days and was introduced to the only Stooge-Fu masters Moe Howard by Ted Healy. Moe, his brother Jerome (Curly), and other Stooge-Fu master Larry Fine broke with Ted Healy and developed slapstick into what is now know a Stooge-Fu.
The art was principally developed by Howard, Fine and Howard from 1934 to 1965 with the help of their two disciples Joe Besser & Joe DeRita. Howard, Fine & Howard were the only men to have ever mastered the art and took most of the knowledge of Stooge-Fu with them to the grave. Although disciples Joe Besser and Joe DeRita never masterd the art, they both left behind many unanswered questions regarding Stooge-Fu when they died.
Although many have tried to duplicated the masters of Stooge-Fu, none have come close to success. While still practiced by some, there are currently no known masters of Stooge-Fu. The best sources of knowledge are available in the archives left behind by the Masters in the form of 190 18-20 minute Columbia Pictures two-reelers.
Descriptions:
Stooge-Fu is well know for the distintive sounds made upon a successful strike. A fist to the forehead strike, if done propery, will produce a distintive sound similar to two coconut halves being pounded together. If this sound is not present when you rap your opponet on the head, then you know the technique was not executed properly.
Stooge-Fu also uses many open-hand techniques to the face, called slaps. These strikes also result in a distintive smacking sound when applied properly. This strike is also useful against multiple opponents who are side by side. After slapping the first opponent, the hand can be followed through to slap the next opponent, and the next. This was sometimes used against the Masters as well.
A common move in the art of Stooge-Fu, is the "Moe-Eye-Poke". The Grandmaster, Moe used it often. Occasionally his proteges would be able to block this move using a knife hand placed vertically about the bridge of the nose. In most cases, Grandmaster Moe was able to pull off the move successfully by luring his opponents in to "pick out two".
Combination moves are also a feature of Stooge-Fu. A common one employed by Grandmaster Moe would be an abdomen punch followed immediately by a fist to the forehead. You'll know it was applied properly if the "bass drum" sound occurs from the abdomen punch and the opponent bows over. This is usually followed up with a fist to the forehead, which returns the opponent to the upright position, vulnerable for a follow-up attack.
Master Curly favored the defensive moves of Stooge-Fu, being the quivering hand wave. This move can be described by quickly shaking you wrist while moving your hand up and down in your opponent's face. If done properly, the opponet will be distracted and his gaze will be fixed upon your hand, giving you time to escape. It has limited offensive capabilities as well. For example, when your opponent's gaze is fixed upon you hand, you can lower it and pat the ground, in which case the opponent's head will follow, and smack the ground in a similar fashion.
Not uncommon to Stooge-Fu is the use of feints, or distractions to create an opening. One such example is to present your fist to your opponent about chest-high and say "see that?" The opponent will slap the fist sending it in a circular movement behind you and back over your own head to result in a rap on your oponent's skull. Great discretion should be observed before attempting this move, because used indiscriminantly, you could end up rapping your own skull.
Some moves in Stooge-Fu are designed for multiple attackers. One of these is using the opponent's jacket against him and his partner. When one of the opponents is removing his jacket to thrash you, you must manuever your arm into his empty sleeve before he gets his arm out of the other sleeve. Then with a spinning movement, you strike his partner with your fist and turn such that when he strikes back, your opponent, who is caught in the other sleeve, receives the blow. Then repeat the process until both opponents are rendered unconscious.
Stooge-Fu is not just limited to strikes. There exists numerous grabs as well. One commonly used grab is to pull a handful of the opponents hair out of his head, also resulting in a loud tearing sound when applied properly. Master Curly showed the best defense for this move by keeping his head shaved.
Stooge-Fu also employs a wide variety of weapons. Some of these are hammers, pipes, various dishes, power tools, boiling water, hot irons, ink pens, golf clubs, vices, saws, etc...
While on the subject of weapons, pie-hurling was a favorite technique of the Masters. But this was not limited to just pies. Although pies, pastries and eggs were the main items of throwing due to their damaging effects, food of all sorts could be used effectively.
Stooge-Fu is quite unique in that it makes use of whatever is at hand. Even chemical warfare was implemented by the Masters if they could manage to get a hold of a skunk.
There are even psychological aspects in the practice of Stooge-Fu: intimidating yells such as, "Why you, nitwit! I oughtta murder you!", and "Hey, Porcupine! Come here!", and "Remind me to kill you later!".
Training:
Stooge-Fu consisted of quite a bit of knock-downs and falls (off tables, down stairs & mine shafts, through holes in floors & roofs, so students of the art must learn how to fall correctly. Accuracy in throwing is also a key factor in being a successful Stooge-Fu practitioner. This can be practiced safely using pastries and pies, but hammers, axes, pipes, etc. should not be hurled at one another until the student has mastered throwing pies & pastries.
Shemp and Curly were noted for hand and footwork techniques, respectively. Shemp's training method, often used in combat situations as a distraction, involved throwing wild punches into the air and close to the opponent's face while dazzling him with fancy footwork. Curly's footwork training was called the "Curly Shuffle", where you tap the floor behind you with the toe of one foot while sliding backwards on the other foot, repeatedly. Curly sometimes combined this with the difficult manuever of his finger-snapping, hand-clapping moves, great for developing coordination.
Stooge-Fu also involves some cardio-vascular training as demostrated by Shemp with his circular floor-run. Lying on the floor, simply start running as if you were standing. If executed properly, you'll find yourself doing circles on the floor. You don't have any excuses for not running with this method.
Common in many of the Asian styles were yells to clear the lungs of air during a punch or kick. In Stooge-Fu, there are many recognizable yells which aided in mastering the art. Curly is credited for the "wooob-wooob-wooob-woooob" and "nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk" yells. Shemp gets the honors of developing the "eeeeb-eeeb-eeeeb-eeeeeb-eeeeeeb" yells, while all the masters could be heard going "nyaaaaaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa" when opponents tried to intimidate them.
Sub-Styles:
Slapstick.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer and Copyright Notice
Some answers given may reflect personal biases of the author and the martial arts FAQ listing's contributors. The answers contained herein pertain to discussions on the rec.martial-arts group, and are by no means exhaustive.
The martial arts FAQ list owes its existence to the contributors on the net, and as such it belongs to the readers of rec.martial-arts. Copies may be made freely, as long as they are distributed at no charge, and the disclaimer and the copyright notice are included.
--
David Lyons
http://g50mc.org/members/lyonsd
