 This documentary on the history of short subjects was first shown on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) cable network. It surveys the genre from the beginning of the movies in the 1890 s, when all movies were shorts, through the 1950 s, when short subjects virtually disappeared from theaters. Several series of shorts are highlighted, including the  The Three Stooges  (qv), Joe McDoakes,  Robert Benchley  (qv), the  Pete Smith (I)  (qv) Specialties,  John Nesbitt  (qv) s Passing Parade, and the Dogville comedies. Animated short films are given short shrift.