Elwood Ullman – Writer

Of the 190 Three Stooges films, writer Ellwood Ullman was credited with writing nearly 100 of them.

Elwood Ullman Journalist

Ellwood Ullman (May 27, 1903 — October 11, 1985) a native of Memphis, Tennessee, chose a writing career, supplying humorous articles for magazines in the 1930s. Ullman contributed short stories to the “Saturday Evening Post,” articles to “Esquire” and “Country Gentleman” and travel pieces to several newspapers.

Elwood Ullman at Columbia Pictures

He submitted script ideas to Columbia Pictures, and the studio assigned him to the short-subject department. Producer Jules White teamed Ullman with Al Giebler, a former sight-gag writer for Mack Sennett in the silent-film days. Ullman was soon completing scripts by himself and wrote for most of Columbia’s short subject stars, including The Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, Charley Chase, Harry Langdon, and Hugh Herbert.

He also did feature comedy films, including many of the Abbott and Costello and Martin and Lewis pictures and later in his career some dramas, including Battle Flame and Tickle Me, an Elvis Presley movie.

Academy Award Snafu

Elwood Ullman worked closely with Columbia producer Hugh McCollum and writer-director Edward Bernds until McCollum and Bernds left the studio in 1952. Bernds then became a writer-director for The Bowery Boys and hired Ullman to write for the popular feature-length comedies.

Ullman and Bernds were nominated for an Oscar in 1955 for the film High Society. Unfortunately, the Academy had confused the high-budget Bing Crosby/Grace Kelly feature with Ullman’s work on a Bowery Boys movie of the same name. Ullman and Bernds declined the nomination but were permitted to keep the certificates of recognition.

Ullman continued to work with Bernds into the 1960s, contributing to several Three Stooges feature films including The Three Stooges Meet Hercules and The Three Stooges in Orbit.

Elwood Ullman died of natural causes in Hollywood, California on October 11, 1985.

Elwood Ullman Three Stooges Filmography

Of the 190 Three Stooges films, Ullman was credited with writing nearly 100 of them (including multiple credits here’s a list of 60.)