The Alex Theatre in Glendale is gearing up for its 28th annual Three Stooges Big Screen Event, set for Nov. 28 with screenings at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. This year's theme, “Pains, Trains and Autocrats,” continues a Thanksgiving weekend tradition that has become a fixture on the local calendar.
The Alex Film Society is presenting the event, and according to the organization's own website, tickets are already on sale. As Outlook Newspapers reports, the event draws fans not just from the Glendale area but from across the country, a reflection of how far the Stooges' reach still extends decades after their heyday. Ticket information for this year's shows can be found at alexfilmsociety.org and thealex.com.
A Theme Built From a Deep Film Vault
Organizers select the featured shorts for each year's event through a specialized committee that draws from Columbia Pictures' library, which holds 190 Three Stooges films, per the same report from Outlook Newspapers. That deep well of material is what allows the Alex Film Society to build a fresh theme nearly three decades running, pairing classic shorts around a loose storyline — this year's being “Pains, Trains and Autocrats.”
C3 Entertainment Inc. is associated with the event, continuing a partnership that has shaped recent editions of the big-screen tradition. Last year's 27th annual event, held Nov. 29, 2025, carried the theme “Spies, Disguises and Badges” and was presented in association with C3 Entertainment, according to the Alex Film Society. That 2025 show also featured a rarely seen interview with Larry Fine reflecting on his life and career with the group, and organizers said at the time that Stooges family members, friends and special guests would be in attendance, according to threestooges.com.
From Vaudeville Stages to Syndicated TV Reruns
The Three Stooges — Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp — formed in vaudeville back in the 1920s, long before their shorts became a television staple. The act gained widespread popularity through mid-century television syndication, a boost that helped cement an international fan base that persists today, per the seed report from Outlook Newspapers.
That staying power is part of what keeps the Alex Theatre event going strong nearly three decades in. With screenings slated for both afternoon and evening audiences on Nov. 28, the Glendale tradition shows no signs of slowing down as it heads into its 28th year.
