okuda's long-held interest in movie comedies led to his first book, "the columbia comedy shorts" (1986, with edward watz) an in-depth account of columbia pictures' short-subject department, detailing the production of two-reel comedies starring the three stooges, buster keaton, andy clyde, charley chase, and gus schilling & richard lane, among many others. since the book's first publication in 1986, okuda has explored other areas of popular culture, including science fiction, children's television, and silent films.