'Three Stooges' Set Built behind Margaret Mitchell House

A slapstick comedy is filming behind the house where Margaret Mitchell wrote "Gone with the Wind." 

"The Three Stooges" -- a movie produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly -- is back filming in the heart of Midtown.

This week, the action is on Peachtree Place (next to the Midtown MARTA station). In May, in Colony Square and Piedmont Park. 

Early this week, passersby on Peachtree Street might have noticed a shop spring up on Peachtree Place called “Coffee Stop" -- and next to it, a Sprint store.

Movie crews spent several days constructing the fake shops and should remove the set early next week. Maroon awnings were installed atop the windows of surrounding stores to make the street scene look genuine and cohesive.

During a visit to the set Thursday afternoon, two fake mutilated bodies were lying on the street. A production assistant said the bloodied dummies are body doubles for one of the Stooges who, in the film, gets run over by a bus, mowed down by a street sweeper and then trampled by a person on a pogo-stick.

The film is inspired by the classic "Stooges" films produced between the 1930s and 1960s. A crew assistant on set said, “If you turned the film into black and white, it’s almost identical.”

Chris Diamantopoulos of the television series "24" plays Moe.  Sean Hayes of "Will & Grace" plays Larry, and  Will Sasso of "MADtv" is Curly.

Ernie Malik, media coordinator for the film, said when the actors put on their wigs and adjust facial expressions to match their characters, it's amazing how they resemble the original Moe, Larry and Curly.

“These guys are just sensational,” Malik said. “If you’re a Stooge fan, this is a must-see.”

The movie is slated for a 2012 release. Malik said the entire movie will be shot in metro Atlanta. He said filming will wrap up in less than six weeks.