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Hugh McCollum (March 9, 1900 – March 16, 1968) was an American film producer best known for his credits on Three Stooges short subject comedies. McCollum was born in the Philadelphia suburb of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. He attended the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia and later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania for one year. In 1929, McCollum was hired as a secretary to ruthless Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn. He gradually worked his way up the corporate ladder, and when the studio's short-subject department became successful enough to support two units, department head... MORE

Hugh McCollum (March 9, 1900 – March 16, 1968) was an American film producer best known for his credits on Three Stooges short subject comedies. McCollum was born in the Philadelphia suburb of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. He attended the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia and later matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania for one year. In 1929, McCollum was hired as a secretary to ruthless Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn. He gradually worked his way up the corporate ladder, and when the studio's short-subject department became successful enough to support two units, department head Jules White led the first unit, and Hugh McCollum was placed in charge of the second. In 1945, McCollum gave Columbia sound man Edward Bernds an opportunity to write scripts for the shorts department, and then to direct. His first assignment in the director's chair was the Three Stooges film A Bird in the Head. Bernds was excited at his big chance, but was shocked when he saw that popular Stooge Curly Howard was ill, having suffered several minor strokes prior to filming (something Jules White failed to mention to Bernds). Years later, Bernds discussed his trying experience during the filming of A LESS