Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Released May 27, 1949
Featuring Shemp Howard and Joe Besser (Solo)
Featuring Shemp Howard and Joe Besser (Solo)
United Artists
79 min. (Feature Film)
79 min. (Feature Film)
Scheming Diana Emerson (Hillary Brooke) wants to get her hands on the wealth of diamonds described in Cuttleford's book "Dark Safari." Buzz and Stanley (Bud Abbott & Lou Costello) work at the department store book shop where Buzz learns of her plans, and convinces Emerson that Stanley can draw the map for her. Mounting a treasure expedition under the guise of a safari with Clyde Beatty, she takes Buzz and Stanley with her, along with strongarm henchmen Grappler and Boots (Max & Buddy Baer), butler Harry (Joe Besser), and myopic big-game sharpshooter Gunner (Shemp Howard). Beatty is also after the "Orangutan Gargantua," fabled to live in the Congo. While on the trail, Buzz and Stanley find diamonds left as bait by a tribe of cannibals, are captured, but escape. The Chief approaches Emerson and offers a deal: a bag of raw diamonds in exchange for Stanley (the Chief has a "sweet tooth").
Independently produced at Nassour Studios; distributed by United Artists.
Shemp's contract for AFRICA SCREAMS paid him $1000/week, with a guaranteed minimum of three weeks. He reported to filming on November 15, 1948.
Avg. Rating: 
[7.53/10]
[7.53/10]
Bud Abbott
Buzz Johnson
Lou Costello
Stanley Livington
Hillary Brooke
Diana Emerson
Max Baer
Grappler McCoy
Buddy Baer
Boots Wilson
Joe Besser
Harry
Shemp Howard
Gunner Jensen
Clyde Beatty
Himself
Frank Buck
Himself
Burton Wenland
Bobo
Charles Gemora
Gorilla
Charles Gemora
Orangutan Gargantua
Bill Walker
Interpreter
Martin Wilkins
Chief
Jack Clisby
Safari native
Edgar 'Blue' Washington
Native
Bobby Barber
Cab driver
Arthur Hecht
Elevator operator
Charles Barton
Director
William Nassour
Executive Producer
Edward Nassour
Producer
Huntington Hartford
Producer
David S. Garber
Associate Producer
Earl Baldwin
Original Story and Screenplay
Leonard Stern
Screenplay
Martin Ragaway
Screenplay
Charles Van Enger
Director of Photography
Frank Gross
Film Editor
Lewis Creber
Art Director
Edward R. Robinson
Set Decoration
Robert Pritchard
Sound Recording
Walter Schumann
Music
Albert Deano
Wardrobe Manager
Joseph E. Kenney
Assistant Director
Carl Lee
Special Effects
Norman Abbott
Dialogue Director
Betty Abbott-Griffin
Script Supervisor
Joe C. Gilpin
Executive Production Manager
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