Hey. remember that video I posted of an unaired special, Burlesque is Alive and Living in Beautiful Downtown Burbank? Well, Brent Seguine has some more info on it…
I've heard the pre-emption for "too risque" story too, I also once heard a claim that it was bumped by NBC News for a special report on Apollo 12, which splashed down earlier that day (Nov. 24).
Joe Besser's leather-bound script is in The Stoogeum. The script includes cast information for each sketch. Sheldon Leonard is not listed at all.
In addition to Besser, a 2nd stagehand was to be played by Johnny Puleo (of Harmonica Rascals fame). The scripted bits have the two arguing about who will do the stage work, while the other watches the showgirls.
In the striptease scene with Goldie Hawn, the bit was scripted for both Puleo and Besser. Puleo has a crush on Goldie and follows her onstage, Besser chases after him, and the two argue in the wings. As Goldie discards her costume, the gloves, the boa, and then the skirt fly offstage and hit Johnny. It ends with a shot of Puleo hit in the face with Goldie's bra.
Goldie was profiled in the June 1970 issue of Life. It says that the special had not yet aired, and was scheduled for a TBA sometime that summer.
The way the show was edited makes me suspect that they taped a lot of material that didn't make it in and that it was chopped up a lot before airing. And I suspect that NBC decided not to air it because they (a) expected protests and (b) didn't like the show and didn't think it was worth defending.
For those who don't know: The Stoogeum is an entire museum devoted to The Three Stooges. It's located in Ambler, PA which is about 40 minutes north of Philadelphia and no, I've never been there. I'll have to make a pilgrimage some day.
It's open only by appointment and you can find out more about it on this website. Brent Seguine is a recognized authority on Larry, Moe, Curly and Curly's replacements and as I understand it, Brent's one of the people behind the place.