Gag Man, The (Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy)
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Released January 08, 1948
Featuring Moe, Larry and Shemp
Featuring Moe, Larry and Shemp
Columbia
17.4 min. (Short Subject)
17.4 min. (Short Subject)
Vagrants Moe, Larry & Shemp are suspected in an armored car robbery. Gladys Harmon vouches for the Stooges' claim that they work at her Elite Cafe diner, and then gives them jobs at same. Gladys receives an offer on her family's old estate, and believing that she might be gypped, the Stooges accompany her to "look the joint over." Hiding out at the old mansion are the real armored car robbers, and Gladys and the Stooges are soon on the run from the crooks and their knife-wielding henchman Angel.
Remade as OF CASH AND HASH (1955), with stock footage.
This is the only Stooge comedy with Shemp that was directed by Del Lord.
Avg. Rating: 
[8.42/10]
[8.42/10]
Larry Fine
Larry
Shemp Howard
Shemp
Moe Howard
Moe
Cy Schindell
Officer Jackson
Blackie Whiteford
2nd policeman
Vernon Dent
Capt. Mullins
Joe Palma
Lie detector technician
Christine McIntyre
Gladys Harmon
Stanley Blystone
Customer
Kenneth MacDonald
Lefty Loomis
Frank Lackteen
Red Watkins
Duke York
Angel
B. Edney
Larry's stand-in
Joe Murphy
Shemp's stand-in
Harold Breen
Moe's stand-in
Hugh McCollum
Producer
Del Lord
Director
Del Lord
Story and Screenplay
Elwood Ullman
Story and Screenplay
Allen G. Siegler
Director of Photography
Henry DeMond
Film Editor
Charles Clague
Art Director
Bill O'Connor
Assistant Director
| Prod. No.: | 4103 |
| Shooting Days: | 4 days From: 1947-03-25 To: 1947-03-28 |
No audio files are available for this episode.
Transcription by xraffle: 
[The short opens with two police officers in a squad car listening to an announcement on the radio]
DISPATCHER: Attention all cars in District 15. Go to sixth and main streets. Armored car held up. Surround area and search for three men who made their getaway on foot. Use caution. They are heavily armed.
[The squad car siren blasts as the car takes off and the officers begin searching around for the robbers]
[The squad car stops in an alley in front of a garbage can and the officers get out of the car. One of the officers walks off-camera, while the other officer walks near the garbage can, searching for the robbers.]
[The lid on the garbage can moves suddenly and catches the officer's attention]
OFFICER JACKSON: Who's in that can?!
SHEMP: [in the garbage can] Just garbage!
[A slap sound is heard]
SHEMP: Ow!!
[The officer takes the lid off of the garbage can and pulls the Stooges heads out by their hair]
OFFICER JACKSON: Come on, get outta here!
STOOGES: Owwwww!! Ow Ow!! Ow ow ow ow!
MOE: Why you--!
[Moe bites one of the Stooges' feet in front of him]
SHEMP: Owww!! Ow!!
[Shemp bites one of the Stooges' feet in front of him]
LARRY: Ahhh ahhh!!
[The scene ends and a new scene begins with the officer dragging the Stooges into the police station, up to the captain]
OFFICER JACKSON: Here they are, captain.
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Ok.
MOE: [pointing off-camera] Hey, what's that on the stool?
[The camera cuts over to a pigeon sitting on a stool by the window]
SHEMP: [off-camera] Must be a stool pigeon.
CAPTAIN MULLINS: [to the Stooges] I know you pulled that car robbery. [to Larry] Hey, you, sit down on that chair! [points to a chair next to the Stooges]
LARRY: [to Moe] Nyaaaah! The hot seat! They can't fry me for nothin'!
MOE: Be brave, kid. It'll be over in a minute.
SHEMP: And we'll see that you get a nice send-off!
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Shut up!! [points to the machine next to the chair] That's a lie detector.
MOE: Oh, not that!
LARRY: Oh no, there's one th---
[Moe and Larry say this simultaneously]
[The Stooges try walking away, but the officer and captain grab them back. The captain sits Larry down on the chair]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Sit here!
[The captain hands Larry a squeezable ball handle, which is connected to an ink pen on the lie detector. Another officer sits in front of the lie detector, waiting to operate it.]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: [to Larry] Here, hold that! If you tell the truth, that pen'll travel in a straight line, but if you tell a lie, we'll know it! [yelling] Have you ever been to jail before?!
[Larry gets startled]
LARRY: Why, of course not!
[The lie detector beeps and the pen travels in a crooked line]
LARRY: Nahh!
LIE DETECTOR OPERATOR: That's a lie!
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Just as I thought! Have you any visible means of support?!
LARRY: [stands up and gives the ball handle to the captain] Sure! I've got suspenders! [stretches out his suspenders]
MOE: So you have!
[Moe stretches Larry's suspenders towards him, then suddenly lets them go, causing them to slap Larry's chest]
LARRY: Ohh!!
CAPTAIN MULLINS: I mean, have you guys got a job?
MOE: Why, certainly, captain. We work at the---
SHEMP: Yeah, at the Elite Café on Main Street.
[Moe and Larry suddenly look worried]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: [to the officer] Check on that, Jackson.
OFFICER JACKSON: [salutes] Yes, sir. [leaves]
[Moe stomps on Shemp's foot]
SHEMP: Oh!! Oh oh oh oh!!
[Shemp sits down on the chair and holds his foot in pain]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: [handing Shemp the lie detector handle] Hold that! Now then, I got a couple of questions I wanna ask you!
SHEMP: Me?
MOE: Yes, and so have I! Did you or did you not take that quarter out of my shoe last night?
SHEMP: [raises his right hand] On my honor, Moe, I didn't do it!
[The lie detector beeps and the pen travels in a crooked line]
SHEMP: [stands up and hands the lie detector handle to the captain] Whoa!!
MOE: [grabs Shemp] Ohh, a chiseler, eh? [slaps Shemp]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: That's enough! Break it up! [to Shemp] Now then, what were you doing at eleven o'clock last night?
SHEMP: I don't know. What were you doing at eleven o'clock?
CAPTAIN MULLINS: [still holding the lie detector handle] Uh, I was at a lodge meeting.
[The lie detector beeps very loudly, startling the Stooges]
LARRY: Nyah!
[The lie detector pen travels wildly in a crooked line, then the machine suddenly stops moving]
LIE DETECTOR OPERATOR: That last question seems to have broken the machine, captain.
CAPTAIN MULLINS: What's that? [puts the lie detector handle down on the table]
SHEMP: We didn't do it, captain! You're wastin' our time!
[Shemp unintentionally slams his hand down on the lie detector handle on the table, causing ink from the detector pen to squirt all over the captain's face. The captain slowly turns his ink-covered face towards the Stooges with an angry expression.]
SHEMP: [gasps] Whoaa!!
[The Stooges dash out of the police station and the captain and lie detector operator begin running after them]
LIE DETECTOR OPERATOR: Come back here!
[The scene ends]
[A new scene opens up on a sign that reads: "Elite Café"]
MOE: Gee, it was swell of you to tell the cops we worked here, Miss Harmon.
[Cut to the inside the café. The stooges are talking to Gladys at the counter]
LARRY: Yeah, if it wasn't for you, we'd be sent up for life.
SHEMP: You sure got us out of a jam.
GLADYS: Oh, that's alright boys. I'm sort of in a jam myself.
MOE: Yeah, what's the trouble?
GLADYS: Oh, trying to make a go of this restaurant. I can't afford any help. [looks through a pile of checks] And most of customers sign their checks instead of paying.
MOE: [looks at the checks] You mean they signed all these?
GLADYS: Mm Hm.
MOE: Why, the dirty chiselers.
LARRY: Who are they?
MOE: [reads the checks] Larry Fine, Larry Fine, Lar---
[Moe slaps Larry in the head with the pile of checks]
MOE: Why, you nitwit!
SHEMP: [to Larry] You've got a lot of crust, you have.
MOE: I wonder whose this is. [reads the checks] Shemp Howard, Shemp Howard, Shem---
[Moe slaps Shemp]
MOE: What's the matter with you?
SHEMP: I'm coming right back!
MOE: Hey! This guy must have had a tapeworm!
LARRY: Yeah.
MOE: [reads the checks] Moe Howard, Moe Howard, Moe H---
[Larry and Shemp look shocked and they stare at Moe]
MOE: What are you guys looking at? [slaps Shemp and Larry] Get out of here!
MOE: [to Gladys] Miss Harmon, you got yourself three new helpers.
SHEMP: Yeah, and for free too.
GLADYS: Oh boys, I couldn't let you do anything like that.
MOE: Oh, forget it. [to Shemp & Larry] Spread out. [to Shemp] You go into the kitchen. [to Larry] You get behind that counter.
[Shemp and Larry walk away]
GLADYS: [to Moe] Oh really, you shouldn't.
MOE: That's alright, Miss Harmon. They're gonna go to work and like it. And if it's absolutely necessary, I'll go to work too. [does a double take]
GLADYS: We're out of almost everything.
MOE: Then, you run along to the market and stock up.
[Gladys leaves]
MOE: [to Gladys as she leaves] We're in business.
[Moe starts changing into his uniform]
MOE: Ah!!
[Dissolve to the counter of the café where we see a customer sitting down. Larry walks up to him]
LARRY: What'll it be, sir?
CUSTOMER: I'll take the short ribs.
LARRY: [looks behind him and says to the customer] I think we got some delicious chicken soup.
CUSTOMER: [shakes his head] Just short ribs.
LARRY: I know, but you haven't tried our chicken soup. I know because I had--- [The customer grabs Larry by his shirt and pulls him up] Oh!
CUSTOMER: [yells] Short ribs!!!!
LARRY: Short ribs.
[The customer lets Larry go]
LARRY: [yelling to Shemp who is in the kitchen] Chicken soup, comin' up!
SHEMP: [yelling to Larry] One chicken soup comin' up!
[Larry sticks out his tongue to the customer who is off-camera. Suddenly, a plate flies from off-camera and lands on Larry's head. The plate breaks on Larry's head.]
[In the kitchen, Shemp takes out a raw chicken from the cabinet, holds it over a bowl, and pours hot water inside of a hole in the chicken. The water drips through the hole and into the bowl.]
SHEMP: Nice fresh chicken soup.
[After Shemp finishes, he places the bowl on a sliding table]
SHEMP: Fresh cackle soup comin' up!
[Shemp slides the bowl of steaming hot soup down the table into the main cafe room, but it goes too far and slides off the table. Moe is bending over near the end of the table cleaning a chair, when suddenly, the steaming hot soup spills all over his back.]
MOE: Ohhhh!! Haaa!! Ohh ohh ohh oh oh oh oh!
[Cut to inside the kitchen]
LARRY: [yelling off-camera] Fry two, over easy.
SHEMP: [yelling to Larry] Fried two over, easy does it!
[Shemp walks up to the stove, squirts two puddles of grease into a pan, then picks up two eggs]
SHEMP: Wonder where the egg-cutters are. [sees scissors] Oh! Hahaha!
[Shemp takes the scissors and cuts both eggs in half, pours yolk into the pan, then drops the eggshells into a bowl behind the pan. Shemp removes the pan from the stove, then picks up a match]
SHEMP: Wasn't lit. Hahaha!
[Shemp lights the match, then drops the match into the stove. He backs up a little bit, folds his arms across his chest, and the stove explodes and jumps up. Shemp smiles, then returns back to the stove and places the pan on the stove again. He pours some salt into the pan. Moe has walked into the kitchen and is observing Shemp with his arms folded across his chest. Shemp flips the eggs up in the air two times and catches it with the pan. The third time he throws the eggs up in the air, they flip too far back and land over Moe's eyes.]
MOE: Oh!
[The yolks of the two eggs pop off, revealing Moe's eyes under it. Shemp looks over at Moe, then gets scared and thinks he's wearing a burglar mask over his eyes. Shemp holds his arms up in the air.]
SHEMP: A stick-up!
[Moe angrily pulls the eggs off of his face]
SHEMP: Moe!
MOE: Why you!
[Moe picks up a pot and throws it towards Shemp, but Shemp ducks]
SHEMP: Cut it out now, Moe!
[Shemp runs out the kitchen door, accidentally bumping it into Larry, who's painting a sign for the café]
SHEMP: No no, Moe!
[Moe exits the kitchen door, accidentally bumping it into Larry again]
LARRY: Oh! [holding up a rag] Why you--
MOE: Shut up!
[Moe grabs the rag from Larry, then throws it towards Shemp]
SHEMP: Don't! Oh, Moe!!
[Shemp ducks and the rag hits a man behind Shemp, covering his face. Shemp and Moe run up to the man.]
SHEMP: I'm sorry, sir!
[The man removes the rag from his face and we find out that it's Captain Mullins. Moe and Shemp are shocked.]
MOE: Why, Captain Mullins, how are ya? Hehe. A funny thing, I was just thinking about you!
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Yeah, and I'm thinking about you right now. [raises his voice] And it could be murder!!
MOE: Now don't get excited, cap!
SHEMP: Yeah, sit right down and have somethin' on the house.
MOE: Yeah yeah, have somethin' on the house! [gets behind the counter]
SHEMP: Right back here.
[Shemp sits the captain down]
SHEMP: Sit down. Out of the draft. Now, how about some nice vittles? Chicken soup? Cereal?
[Moe hands the captain a cup of coffee]
MOE: Here ya are, Captain. A nice cup of hot java. What's on your mind?
[The captain pulls out a picture from his pocket]
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Did you ever see that guy before?
MOE: [looks at the picture] Hey! That's one of the guys who was in on the car robbery!
[The camera shows a close-up of the picture, which has marked fingerprints to the side of it and the signature "Lefty Loomis" under it]
SHEMP: Yeah, I'd know him anywhere!
CAPTAIN MULLINS: I had a hunch it was a Lefty Loomis job. Thanks for the tip, boys.
MOE: Oh, anything to accommodate the police department. Say, cap, don't let your coffee get cold.
SHEMP: I'll getcha a piece of pie. [walks towards the kitchen]
[Larry finishes painting his sign. Then, he puts his cup of paint down and leaves with the sign. The captain reaches for the sugar shaker, then mistakenly pours it into the cup of paint instead of his cup of coffee.]
[Shemp returns with a slice of pie]
SHEMP: This is on the house.
CAPTAIN MULLINS: Thanks!
[The captain takes a sip of his "coffee", then spits it out immediately]
MOE: Oh, you like it, eh?
CAPTAIN MULLINS: That tastes like paint!
SHEMP: Paint?! What are you talkin' about?!
[Shemp picks up the cup of paint and takes a sip of it, then grimaces]
SHEMP: Pfft! It is paint! [reaches for the real cup of coffee] That's the coffee!
[Shemp takes a sip of the coffee]
SHEMP: Hic hic-hic!! Eeb eeb ebb!! [pauses, then points to the cup of paint] This is better!
[Shemp drinks from the cup of paint, as Moe looks at the captain with an embarrassed expression. The scene ends]
[A new scene begins in the kitchen. The camera shows a clock with the time- 12:00]
SHEMP: Oh boy! Twelve o'clock! [to Moe and Larry] See ya later, fellas!
[As Shemp walks by Moe, Moe stops him]
MOE: Wait a minute. Where do you think you're going?
SHEMP: Out to lunch.
MOE: A wise guy, huh? [slaps Shemp] Listen, if the customers can stand to eat your cooking, so can you. Sit down.
GLADYS: [off-camera] Boys!
[Gladys enters the kitchen with a letter in her hand]
GLADYS: Boys! Some wonderful news!
MOE: Yeah?! What is it?
GLADYS: A letter from the lawyer who's handling my father's estate. Someone wants to buy our old homestead in the country for a thousand dollars.
MOE: Did you say one thousand dollars?
GLADYS: Yes. Oh, I'm so excited. Now I can pay all my bills. I'd better call Mr. Scott right away. [leaves]
MOE: [to Larry and Shemp] Can't be much of a joint for a thousand bucks.
SHEMP: Oh, must be a rat trap.
LARRY: Yeah, that's what I think.
MOE: Hey, do you think maybe she's being gypped?
LARRY: Yeah, why don't we go out there and look the joint over before we let her sell it?
MOE: I think you got something there. Now, you're showing intelligence.
LARRY: [looks behind him] Am I? Is---
MOE: Go on!! [grabs Larry's hair and pushes him away]
[On the table in front of Moe is a box that reads: "Fresh Northern clams." Moe grabs a ladle and takes some soup from the pot. He sees the box of clams]
MOE: Oh boy! Fresh clams!
[Moe takes a clam and adds it to the ladle where he has the soup]
MOE: Boy! Clam chowder!
[Moe walks up to the table where Moe and Shemp are eating at. Moe pours the soup in a bowl and sits down]
MOE: Ah!
[Moe takes a cracker and puts it in the soup. While Moe looks away to grab a spoon, the clam eats the cracker. Moe looks at the soup and notices that the cracker is gone. He looks at Larry. Larry is chewing some food and he smiles at Moe]
MOE: Oh! A cracker swiper, eh? [slaps Larry's head] What's the matter with you?
MOE: I'll knock your teeth out. [takes another cracker and drops it in his soup]
[Moe looks at Larry to make sure he doesn't take the cracker. While he looks at Larry, the clam eats the cracker again. Moe grabs his spoon and looks at the soup. He notices that the cracker is gone again. He looks at Shemp. Shemp is chewing some food and he smiles at Moe
MOE: You too, huh? [slaps Shemp] What's the matter with you?
[Moe looks at Shemp as he adds another cracker in the soup. He grabs a spoon and looks at both Larry and Shemp to make sure they don't steal the cracker. As he looks at them, the clam eats the cracker again. When Moe gets ready to eat his soup, he notices that the cracker is gone.]
MOE: Hmm! Sleight of handers, eh? Spread out. [slaps both Moe and Shemp at the same time] Go on, get out of here.
[Larry and Shemp move and they each sit at the opposite end of the table, far away from Moe]
MOE: I'll murder ya!
[Moe adds another cracker in his soup. As he grabs his spoon and looks at Shemp, the clam eats the cracker again. Moe gets ready to eat his soup and he sees the cracker gone again.]
MOE: Hmm. [to Larry and Shemp] Hey! How far can youse guys reach?
[Larry and Shemp extend their hands and we see that they can't reach Moe]
MOE: Hmm.
[Moe adds a cracker in the soup and he sees the clam eat the cracker. Moe starts squealing and he rubs his hand on his face]
MOE: [barks at the soup] Ruff! Ruff! Hmm!
[Moe grabs a knife and adds a cracker in the soup. He sticks his finger in the soup and the clam bites it. Moe's hand is now caught in the soup]
MOE: Ah! He's got me!
SHEMP: What's the matter with you?
MOE: Oh oh! [frees hand] The clam just bit me.
LARRY: You're crazy! A clam can't bite.
MOE: [points to the soup] That one did, right there.
SHEMP: I can't see any clam. [sticks his finger in the soup] Oh! Oh! He's got me! He's got me! Oh oh oh!
[Shemp takes his hand out of the soup and he sees the clam caught on his finger]
SHEMP: He's got me! He's got me! Let go! [pushes his hand out and he frees himself from the clam]
[We now hear a crunching sound and we hear Moe in pain. The clam is not caught in Moe's nose]
MOE: Oh oh oh! Ow! Oh!
[Shemp grabs a rolling pin]
SHEMP: Hold steady! I'll get it! [swings the rolling pin at Moe's face but he misses]
MOE: Hey!
LARRY: [grabs Moe] Hold still, will you?
SHEMP: That's it. [hits Moe's face with the rolling pin and the clam gets knocked off]
MOE: Oh!
SHEMP: Is it all right? Oh, you're all right.
MOE: Yeah, yeah. [hits Larry and Shemp in the stomach and in the head]
MOE: I'm all right.
[The scene ends]
[A new scene begins with an exterior shot of a deserted house.]
[Dissolve to the inside of the house. Lefty Loomis and Red Watkins are reading the front page of a newspaper with the Stooges' picture on it. The headline says "ARMORED CAR ROBBERS IDENTIFIED" with a subtitle "CAFE WORKERS NAME LOOMIS GANG".]
RED WATKINS: We make a clean getaway, and these mugs put the finger on us! What are we gonna do, Lefty?
LEFTY LOOMIS: What do we usually do with guys that know too much?
RED WATKINS: Yeah, but how are we gonna find them?
LEFTY LOOMIS: You expect them to walk right into our hands, do you?
[The stooges and Gladys walk up to the outside of the deserted house]
MOE: Well, here we are.
SHEMP: Don't look like much.
MOE: No. [to Gladys] You got a key?
GLADYS: [takes out the key from her purse and hands it to Moe] Yes, here it is.
MOE: Ok. [tries to open the door with the key, but it doesn't open] It won't open. It must be bolted from the inside.
GLADYS: Oh, that can't be.
MOE: Well it is. [to Shemp and Larry] Spread out, you guys. Find something to pry this door open with.
[Red Watkins removes a painting from a wall and reveals a hole behind it. He looks out the hole, and sees the Stooges outside the front door.]
RED WATKINS: It's them!
LEFTY LOOMIS: Let 'em have it.
[Red Watkins sticks the barrel of a rifle through the hole, pointing it right next to Shemp's face]
SHEMP: [to Moe] I don't see nothin'!
[Shemp turns his head and suddenly sees the rifle pointed at him]
SHEMP: Oh! A hunk of pipe!
[Shemp looks through the barrel of the rifle with one eye, then he blows through it]
SHEMP: This oughta do it.
[Shemp grabs the barrel of the rifle and tries to pull it toward him, but Red Watkins tries to pull the rifle back into the hole. Shemp and Red Watkins tug back and forth with the rifle for a while, until Shemp stops and spits on his hand to get a better grip. When he reaches for the rifle barrel again, he grabs nothing. Then he looks back through the hole in the wall and realizes the rifle barrel is suddenly gone.]
SHEMP: Hey, Moe! Hey, Moe!
MOE: What do ya want?
SHEMP: Moe!
[Moe walks up to Shemp]
MOE: What is it?
SHEMP: I had a piece of pipe in my hand, disappeared right out of my hands!
[As Moe and Shemp talk, Lefty opens the door behind Gladys, grabs Gladys by the mouth, and drags her into the house]
MOE: Maybe it's still in your hands.
SHEMP: No! [extends his hands]
[Moe slaps Shemp's hands into his face]
MOE: Get away! You had a hallucination!
SHEMP: No, I had a hunk of pipe!
MOE: Oh---
[Moe does a double take and then pats Shemp's head]
MOE: Hahaha! You're alright. [pulls Shemp's hair] Come on outta here! You nitwit!
SHEMP: Oh, Moe.
MOE: [looking around] Hey, Shemp!
SHEMP: What's the matter?
MOE: I wonder where Gladys went.
SHEMP: Where could she go?
MOE: I don't know. [yells] Gladys?
SHEMP: [yells] Gladys?
[Larry opens the door behind Moe and Shemp from the inside and has a crowbar in his hand]
LARRY: Hey, fellas!
[Moe and Shemp get startled]
LARRY: [showing the crowbar] You think this'll open it?
MOE: Swell! [takes the crowbar] Where'd you get it?
LARRY: In the house!
MOE: Oh--- [does a double take] In the house?
LARRY: Yeah, can you use it?
MOE: And how! [bangs the crowbar on Larry's head]
LARRY: Oh!!
MOE: [pushing Larry] Come on, get going!
[The stooges enter the house]
[Cut to Red and Lefty]
RED WATKINS: They're all in, Lefty. Should I bump them off?
LEFTY LOOMIS: I think that's a job for Angel.
[Lefty and Red walk over to Angel, a horrifying-looking goon who's sharpening his hatchet by cutting through wood]
LEFTY LOOMIS: Angel?
ANGEL: Hmm?
LEFTY LOOMIS: Strangers in the house.
ANGEL: [looking down at his hatchet] Uh?
[Lefty nods his head]
ANGEL: [getting up] Hmm!
[Angel leaves, and Lefty taps Red on the shoulder]
LEFTY LOOMIS: He'll do a nice, quiet job.
[Red Watkins holds his own neck with a fearful expression]
[Angel enters a room in which Gladys is tied to a chair and has a handkerchief wrapped over her mouth. Angel sneaks up behind her.]
ANGEL: Mmm.
[Gladys slowly turns around and sees Angel, then gets scared. Angel raises his hatchet in the air towards Gladys.]
GLADYS: [squirming] Mmm!!
LARRY: [off-camera] Gladys!
MOE: [off-camera] Oh, Gladys!!
[Angel walks away from Gladys and heads towards the stooges]
[The stooges are walking down a hallway]
SHEMP: We should've stayed outside.
MOE: [waves hand] Aw!
[Shemp looks to his side and sees a figure hidden under a sheet]
SHEMP: [grabs Moe] Oh!!
MOE: What's the matter with you? You're gettin' on my nerves!
SHEMP: [points to the figure] What's that?
MOE: That's a statue!
[Shemp feels the top of the figure]
SHEMP: Oh, it must be Washington. He slept everywhere!
[Moe and Larry wave their hand at Shemp]
LARRY: [yells] Gladys!
MOE: Where can she be?
[While the stooges are looking for Gladys, the figure under the sheet walks away]
SHEMP: [yells] Oh, Gladys!
MOE: [yells] Gladys!!
LARRY: [yells] Gladys!
MOE: I can't under--
[Shemp looks behind him and gets scared when he sees that the figure under the sheet is gone]
SHEMP: [grabs Moe] Moe!!!
MOE: What's the matter with you?!!
SHEMP: Washington's gone!
MOE: So are you! [pushes Shemp] Go ahead!
SHEMP: This joint gives me the creeps!
MOE: Well, start creepin'! We gotta find Gladys.
[As the stooges begin walking down the hallway, Angel enters through a door behind the Stooges and he follows them]
SHEMP: This looks like a good place for a murder.
MOE: Quiet!
[Moe and Larry walk down a different part of the hallway, away from Shemp and Angel]
SHEMP: I'm glad you guys are behind me!
[Shemp walks up to a door, then bends down to look through the keyhole. Angel walks closer behind Shemp and bumps into him.]
SHEMP: Hey, quit shovin' me, will ya?
[Shemp looks through the keyhole again]
ANGEL: Hmm.
SHEMP: What are you grunting about. I'm doing the looking.
[Shemp looks through the keyhole again, then he stands back up and looks at Angel]
SHEMP: I can't see a thing. It's so dark in there, I---
[Shemp does a double take when he realizes who he's talking to]
SHEMP: Heeb eeb eeb eeb eeb eeb eeb!
[Angel raises his hatchet and swings it towards Shemp]
SHEMP: Whoa!!
[Shemp quickly opens the door and ducks inside, causing Angel's hatchet to miss Shemp and hit the wall instead. Shemp slams the door shut. Angel tries to open the door, but it's locked.]
ANGEL: Mmm.
[Inside the room, Shemp pulls a wooden cabinet over to the door]
[Moe and Larry look around the hallway, not noticing Angel behind them. They hear noises outside of a room where Shemp is in.]
MOE: Shemp, is that you in there?
SHEMP: No, I ain't in here!! Hey, Moe, is that you?
MOE: Why, certainly!
LARRY: Who are you expecting, Santa Claus? Ha!
MOE: [sarcastically] Hehe. [slaps Larry] Get out!
[Moe looks behind him and notices Angel]
MOE: Pardon me!
[Moe and Larry do a double take]
MOE AND LARRY: Nyah!!
[Moe and Larry run away right as Angel swings his hatchet at them and misses. Moe and Larry run inside a room and slam the door. Angel tries to get in, but it's locked.]
ANGEL: Mmm. [walks over to the door of the room Shemp is in. He shakes the doorknob]
[Cut to the inside of the room Shemp is in, he's pushing the cabinet away from the door to let Moe and Larry inside]
SHEMP: Don't get excited, I'll let ya in a minute!
[Shemp opens the door and Angel walks in. Shemp closes the door.]
SHEMP: Boy, am I glad you came!
[Shemp pulls the cabinet over the door again]
SHEMP: [turns to Angel] Did you see that big guy outside in the--
[Shemp does a double take when he sees Angel]
SHEMP: Heeb eeb eeb eeb eeb eeb eeb!! Ohh!!!
[Angel swings his hatchet towards Shemp, but Shemp ducks out of the way and runs over to a marble head on a table. Angel runs after Shemp.]
SHEMP: Oh!! Oh!! Honest, mister, I didn't-- I didn't mean nothin'!
[Angel swings his hatchet towards Shemp and Shemp ducks]
SHEMP: Oh!!
[Angel chops off the marble head on the table by accident. The head lands by Shemp and Shemp sees it.]
SHEMP: [gasps] My head!! He got me! Moe!! [feeling his face] Ohh! Ohh! [does a double take] He didn't!
[Shemp stands back up and faces Angel again]
SHEMP: No! Whoa!! Whoa!
[Shemp runs out of the room. Moe and Larry walk outside a room and see that there is nobody around. They walk out in the hall quietly. Shemp runs out into the hallway. He and Moe & Larry see each other and get scared.]
STOOGES: Nyah!!
[Moe and Larry run into the room that Angel is in, and they slam the door shut and turn the lock]
MOE: Whew!
LARRY: Hey! That guy out in the hall looked like Shemp.
MOE: By golly, you're right! It was Shemp! I'll get him!
[As Moe tries to open the door, Angel grabs Moe and Larry by the shoulders]
MOE: [to Larry] Let go my shoulder, I wanna get Shemp!
[Larry shows both of his hands to Moe and starts mumbling in fear. Moe and Larry look behind them and realize Angel is holding them.]
MOE AND LARRY: Nyah!!
[Moe and Larry dash away, causing Angel to rip off their jackets. Angel throws their jackets down and chases after them.]
[Moe and Larry run through a room. They run outside the hallway into another room.
MOE AND LARRY: Shemp! Shemp! Shemp!
[Angel runs into the same room and stops in the doorway. The camera pans up and reveals Shemp standing on top of the door ledge, holding a barrel in his hands. He drops the barrel and it crashes over Angel.]
ANGEL: Oh!!
[Out in the hallway, Lefty Loomis and Red Watkins run into Moe and Larry.]
MOE AND LARRY: Nyahh!!
[Moe and Larry run away and Lefty and Red fire their guns toward them]
MOE: Oh!!
[Moe and Larry run through the same room as before]
MOE AND LARRY: Whoa!!
[Lefty runs through the room after Moe and Larry. As Red Watkins walks into the room, Shemp, on top of the door ledge, drops a barrel over him.]
[Lefty chases Moe and Larry through the room one last time while firing his gun]
MOE: Whoa! Whoa!
[As Lefty walks into the room, Shemp drops a barrel on top of him]
[Cut to Gladys who is untied. She sees that Angel, Lefty and Red trapped in their barrels]
[Cut to the hallway. Moe and Larry run into each other and fall]
MOE: Ow!
[Angel, Lefty and Red still have the barrels over their head. They walk outside and we hear a crashing sound. Gladys has a big smile on her face when she hears the crash. Three policeman walk up to the three crooks and pick them up so they can arrest them]
[Moe and Larry run into the room where Shemp is standing on top of the door ledge. Shemp drops a barrel over them. Moe and Larry remove the barrel and they're both covered in flour. They look up and see Shemp. Shemp does a double take when he realizes it was Moe and Larry]
MOE: [slaps Larry] What are you doing around here?!
LARRY: [points up] That's him up there.
MOE: [grabs Larry by the hair as he gets ready to stand up] Shut up!
LARRY: Ahhhh!
--THE END--
COLUMBIA : Studio Stoops and Other Nyuks
Published by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1990)
Released on:
Published by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1990)
Released on:
- VHS
COLUMBIA : Three Stooges Collection, The Vol. 5: 1946 - 1948
Published by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009)
Released on:
Published by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009)
Released on:
- DVD
|
Face Slaps: 15
Eye Pokes: 0
Head Bonks: 0
Pastry Thrown: 0
|
|
No trivia have been logged for this episode.
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2010-04-14 20:25:33 by Shemp_Diesel
Edited 2014-11-28 17:11:18 by Shemp_Diesel
Reviewer's Rating: (6)
Posted 2010-04-14 20:25:33 by Shemp_Diesel
Edited 2014-11-28 17:11:18 by Shemp_Diesel
Interesting short from the standpoint that a) It's the only Shemp directed by Del Lord and b) I would say this was the one exception where the Jules White stock footage remake of this short from the 1950s is actually better. The one and only case where I would say that.
6 pokes
Reviewer's Rating:
(6)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2011-03-20 07:40:33 by Funkbox
Reviewer's Rating: (8)
Posted 2011-03-20 07:40:33 by Funkbox
I actually liked this one, but I don't understand the "goofs" that are listed. Dry ice on Moe's back? Yes. That's all they had to work with. Shemp choking? I didn't see it. I noticed no one mentioned the fact that during the chase, the guys firing the guns kept firing towards the floor.For not being a Shemp fan, I liked this .Not great, but good. I wasn't a fan of the Oyster scene. Some scenes really shouldn't be duplicated.My favorite moments were Shemp/Moe and the eggs, and Moe reading the names on the checks. Good stuff!
Reviewer's Rating:
(8)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2010-10-15 20:12:08 by [Deleted Member]
Posted 2010-10-15 20:12:08 by [Deleted Member]
This is a pretty boring short. It's a typical "Stooges get chased around" type of film, although done pretty well. The diner sequence is the funniest part. The cracker sequence, which dated to a Del Lord directed Mack Sennett film of the 20s is funny, but I think it would have been better with Shemp than Curly. It really bogs down in the second half, with gags that have been so many times before, and better.
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2007-07-18 09:05:44 by KingKongFu
Reviewer's Rating: (6)
Posted 2007-07-18 09:05:44 by KingKongFu
Can someone fill me in on the details about Del Lord's so-called 1944-45 slump?
Anyway, I watched this short a year ago, and I thought it was a pretty good short, but it bogged down a couple of places. A lot of the gags in this short are executed well, but with the big exception being the redoing of the clam chowder scene by Moe. Even though I thought it was hilarious that he slapped Larry and Shemp because he thought they stole his crackers from the soup, his later attempt to copycat Curly's antics was absolutely pathetic and unnecessary. Whose idea was this? Aside from that, I liked the gags, but like everyone said, the plotholes in this short are too noticeable, especially when compared to the remake OF CASH AND HASH. In fact, I now prefer that short over this one because in the remake the plot is explained better and the jokes are funnier.
2.5 out of 4 pokes
Reviewer's Rating:
(6)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-07-12 08:30:00 by shemp.howard
Edited 2006-03-26 12:51:15 by shemps#1
Reviewer's Rating: (8)
Posted 2001-07-12 08:30:00 by shemp.howard
Edited 2006-03-26 12:51:15 by shemps#1
As far as plot holes go, this one has to take the biscuit as having the most of them, hindering what could have been a classic short into an above average one with some nifty gags. My favorite sequence here is with Moe, who delivers the best violence-esque pun when he smacks Larry and Shemp after they wrote bad checks. In typical Moe Howard fashion, when the tide turns, he still takes it out on the other two stooges... Classic. Like I said, this one has some good jokes (the bad check bit, Larry's Santa Claus joke) but some equally bad ones as well (Moe's oyster scene, Shemp's eggs scene) and it's filled with too many plot holes, making the narrative quite confusing. Still, with enough strong gags, this one gets three pokes.
Reviewer's Rating:
(8)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2002-05-14 23:29:00 by BJR
Reviewer's Rating: (9)
Posted 2002-05-14 23:29:00 by BJR
What's with all the criticism and mediocre ratings? I found this to be an excellent Shemp short, despite some plot problems.First of all, the gag with Moe and his ordeal with the soup was hysterical! I found it funnier than Curly's in DUTIFUL BUT DUMB and Larry's in INCOME TAX SAPPY, mainly because not only was he getting PO-d about the crackers, but he was slapping Shemp and Larry silly because he thought they did it.And other than that (which admittedly finds Moe imitating Curly too much), what is there to complain about? The lie-detector scene was a riot, Moe looking through the checks was hysterical, and the entire scene in the house for the last six or seven minutes was also hilarious. The only problem I find with the short is the restaurant scene with the cop, because it was a rip-off of BUSY BUDDIES, which was released only four years prior.3-1/2 pokesGrade: A-Rating: 8/10
Reviewer's Rating:
(9)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-11-16 03:31:00 by Mike Holme
Posted 2001-11-16 03:31:00 by Mike Holme
A decent short, some of the gags were quite funny, I even like the oyster soup gag a little more, but the plotholes in this one are just too obvious and happen often enough not to notice. Here are a few questions that relate to the plotholes:1. How did Gladys manage to untie herself?2. Why do the cops all of a sudden appear to arrest the bad guys? There was no phone call, the house was out in the country, so unless the police had ears as good as dogs, than how did they know there was trouble?3. Why are the stooges hiding in a garbage can?4. How are the stooges able to identify Lefty instantly?All this was explained or cut in the remake. This does subtract from enjoyment quite a bit, but this one still gets...2 1/2 pokes
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-09-08 03:54:00 by [Deleted Member]
Posted 2001-09-08 03:54:00 by [Deleted Member]
Hey, you chowderheads! Stop knocking Moe's oyster soup scene. I honestly can't decide if I like his or Curly's better. Didn't it crack you up when Moe wrongfully slapped the others for swiping his crackers? I loved the look on Larry's face when Moe thought he was eating his cracker! If you onionheads don't start appreciating this scene more, I'll anihilate ya!Anyway, great short! Angel is pretty creepy. He must be the insiration for all those slasher movies of the '70's and well beyond. I love the "stool pigeon" visual gag and the paint/coffee gag, even though I love coffee! I miss the remade ending of this, when Shemp got all giddy and planted those rapid-fire kisses on the beautiful, delicate skin of Angel...er, Christine! (Ahem).ISLIPP- when Larry spills the paint. ®2001
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-09-07 09:17:00 by Genius In the Lamp
Reviewer's Rating: (8)
Posted 2001-09-07 09:17:00 by Genius In the Lamp
Not outstanding, but still solid and funny. There are some great scenes, some funny one-liners, and fine performances from Vernon Dent, Christine McIntyre, and Kenneth MacDonald. If the clam soup scene seems a tad shopworn, Moe's impersonation of his younger brother gives it a degree of redemption. I agree about the plot holes and the lapsed logic (how did Christine get out of those ropes?), but it's entertaining nonetheless.
Reviewer's Rating:
(8)
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-02-18 14:25:00 by sickdrjoe
Posted 2001-02-18 14:25:00 by sickdrjoe
The slapstick is so-so but the overall production is very good (there's a switch!) Those restaurant gags were getting tired when Curly was recycling them (and I must write down that unique recipe for chicken soup: pouring boiling water through a rubber chicken's butt). But SHERLOCKS has a lot of zip regardless and you gotta love the cast: Christine, Vernon AND Ken McDonald (it's a shame Bud Jamison didn't live long enough to work with Shemp as well). By the way, if I were 10 years old in 1948 watching this in a theater I'd STILL be having nightmaresabout Angel today! The scene where he's introduced ("Angel....strangers in the house..") is ultra-creepy. Funniest scene, though, is the lie-detector at the precinct house.
Re: SHIVERING SHERLOCKS
Posted 2001-01-05 04:59:00 by Mike Holme
Posted 2001-01-05 04:59:00 by Mike Holme
Del Lord's only Shemp episode is quite good, even though the restaurant scene is nearly a carbon copy of "Busy Buddies," one of Del Lord's Curly shorts. But I liked it anyway. The spooky mansion scene is funny, especially when they are trying to get in. A funny line is when the garbage can moves, then a cop says, "Who's in that can?" Shemp replies, "Just garbage," and then of course, SLAP! This is overall one of the great Shemp episodes.
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