Topic: Woman Haters in theaters

[garysheski]

Doing lots of historical research (curiosity mostly) And looking through www.newspaperarchive.com for Woman Haters across the 48 states, 1934, and what's interesting is it never shows up in any major city, only small "cow-towns" across the country. And THEN, when it DOES appear on a bill, it's always way down in the fine print below the ad for a Ken Maynard "B" western, or a Lee Tracy melodrama. Hard to find, but it seems it was always relegated to "bottom-of-the-barrell" filler, with the cartoons that ran during intermission! Strange, I find it one of the best of the lot, for many reasons, and among present-day Stooges fans, it's the most famous and popular of all! Fact that it was so low-rated in 1934, and then only in the small towns, says alot about the culture of America, and regional tastes!

[FineBari3]

Doing lots of historical research (curiosity mostly) And looking through www.newspaperarchive.com for Woman Haters across the 48 states, 1934, and what's interesting is it never shows up in any major city, only small "cow-towns" across the country. 

That reminds me of the scene in "Ed Wood" when Ed is with his producer from a Poverty Row studio. He is explaining to Ed how his studio's films play in the hick towns. 

I do not know much about Ed Wood, but I'm sure there is someone out there who knows the studio he worked at.

[metaldams]

I do not know much about Ed Wood, but I'm sure there is someone out there who knows the studio he worked at.

I don't think Ed Wood had a studio.  The 50's is when the death of the studio system began and independent producers, like Ed Wood, came along.  Of course, somebody had to distribute his films, but Ed Wood didn't work for a studio the way Michael Curtiz worked for Warner Brothers.

As for WOMAN HATERS initial reception, I'm not a bit surprised.  Columbia was a lowly studio at the time, and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, perhaps their first stab at credibility, was only released a few months earlier.  Add this in with the fact a new (film) comedy team and and shorts department were just added at this lowly studio, and I see no reason why WOMAN HATERS would be billed above anything.  Of course, today it stands head and shoulders over 90% - 95% of all films from 1934 in terms of public knowledge, but that's because we know what The Three Stooges initially went on to do.  Marjorie White, to my knowledge (perhaps you can refute this?), was never really more than a supporting player and due to her untimely death, never had a chance to be much else.