50 Years of American Comedy
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The following is a list of those films and shorts that have either a working title or an explanation of the title's origins, or both, in the database. (Click on a title to go to that filmography page.)
Title
Working Title(s)
Title Origins
NERTSERY RHYMES (1933)
Nursery Rhymes
BEER AND PRETZELS (1933)
Beer Gardens
'Moonlight and Pretzels', a Universal Studios musical from 1933.
BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD (1933)
March of Time, Show World; Ring Up the Curtain (UK)
SALT WATER DAFFY (1933)
SHIP AHOOEY!
salt water taffy (candy)
HELLO POP (1933)
BACK STAGE; NEW MUSICAL SHORT BY SUBER; TED HEALY SHORT
CLOSE RELATIONS (1933)
MONKEY BUSINESS
PLANE NUTS (1933)
AVIATION SHORT and AROUND THE WORLD BACKWARDS
MEET THE BARON (1933)
THE BIG LIAR
WHAT A LIAR!
WHAT A LIAR!
HENRY THE ACHE (1934)
HENRY THE APE
EVERYBODY LIKES MUSIC (1934)
SO YOU WON'T TALK
JAIL BIRDS OF PARADISE (1934)
Stars and Stripes, Reformers, and Reformania
Bluebird of Paradise, also movie "Bird of Paradise" (RKO Radio, 1932)
VERY CLOSE VEINS (1934)
MUSH
HOLLYWOOD PARTY (1934)
HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1933 and STAR SPANGLED BANQUET
ART TROUBLE (1934)
THE NUDE DEAL
PUNCH DRUNKS (1934)
(A) SYMPHONY OF PUNCHES
SO YOU WON'T T-T-T-TALK (1934)
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR
THREE LITTLE PIGSKINS (1934)
HORSES' COLLARS (1935)
HYDEN ZEEKE
"Horse's asses."
HIS FIRST FLAME (1935)
THE FIREMAN'S BRIDE
UNCIVIL WARRIORS (1935)
OPERATORS 12, 14 AND 15
ANTS IN THE PANTRY (1936)
Pardon My Ants
Ants in the pants
MOVIE MANIACS (1936)
G-A-G MEN
Working title is parody of term "G-Man".
DISORDER IN THE COURT (1936)
Disorder in the Courtroom
"Order in the court!"
WHOOPS, I'M AN INDIAN! (1936)
FRONTIER DAZE
Song, "I'm An Indian."
MAN OF THE PEOPLE (1937)
TO THE VICTOR
3 DUMB CLUCKS (1937)
FIVE DUMB CLUCKS
GOOFS AND SADDLES (1937)
"Boots and Saddles" (1937 Gene Autry song and movie)
CASH AND CARRY (1937)
GOLDDIGGING IN THE TREASURY
HEADIN' EAST (1937)
WEST OF BROADWAY
OF HUMAN HEARTS (1938)
BENEFITS FORGOT
WEE WEE MONSIEUR (1938)
THE FOREIGN LEGIONEERS
"Oui, oui monsieur."
START CHEERING (1938)
COLLEGE FOLLIES OF 1938
CUCKOORANCHO (1938)
RANCHO BANGO
HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND DUMB (1938)
CUCKOO OVER CONTESTS
Expression, "Healthy, wealthy and wise."
VALIANT IS THE WORD FOR CARRIE (1936 Paramount)
THREE MISSING LINKS (1938)
SHOULD GORILLAS MARRY? and GORILLAS OF 1939
MUTTS TO YOU (1938)
MUTS TO YOU
Expression, "Nuts to you!"
FLAT FOOT STOOGES (1938)
"Flat Foot Floogie" is a popular jazz number of the '20s and '30s, usually associated with Fats Waller. "Floogie" is a 1920s slang expression for prostitute, "flat footed" from streetwalking. Just a play on words... no connection to the film's plot.
THREE LITTLE SEW AND SEWS (1939)
THREE GOOFY GOBS, SUBMARINE BEHAVE!
Three little so and so's. "So and so" is a euphemism for "son-of-a-bitch."
WE WANT OUR MUMMY (1939)
"We want our mommy."
A DUCKING THEY DID GO (1939)
NEVER DUCK A DUCK
YES, WE HAVE NO BONANZA (1939)
YES, WE HAVE NO BONANZAS
Song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" (1923) written by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn.
BEHIND PRISON GATES (1939)
ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ
CALLING ALL CURS (1939)
DOG HOSPITAL
"Calling all cars!"
OILY TO BED, OILY TO RISE (1939)
OIL'S WELL
THREE SAPPY PEOPLE (1939)
3 SLOPPY PEOPLE
Popular 1938 song "Two Sleepy People" (Frank Loesser and Hoagy Carmichael).
YOU NAZTY SPY! (1940)
OH, YOU NAZTY SPY!
Possibly from one of popular comedian Joe Penner's many catch-phrases, "You Nasty Man!"
ROCKIN' THRU THE ROCKIES (1940)
NELL'S BELLES, and GOODBYE MISTER CHUMPS
COOKOO CAVALIERS (1940)
BEAUTY A LA MUD
BOOBS IN ARMS (1940)
ALL THIS AND BULLETS TOO
BABES IN ARMS (1937 musical production by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) and the 1939 MGM movie version starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Working title is parody of 1940 Warner Bros. movie ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO.
DUTIFUL BUT DUMB (1941)
Expression "beautiful but dumb;" also possibly Beautiful, But Dummies (1938 Educational comedy short)
TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM (1941)
SHOW BUSINESS
HOLD THAT GHOST (1941)
OH, CHARLIE!
ACHE IN EVERY STAKE, AN (1941)
ALL THIS AND BEDLAM TOO
IN THE SWEET PIE AND PIE (1941)
WELL, I'LL BE HANGED
Expression, "In the sweet by and by."
HOOSIER BOY MAKES GOOD (1941)
30th BANQUET OF INDIANA SOCIETY OF CHICAGO
LOCO BOY MAKES GOOD (1942)
POOR BUT DISHONEST
The expression, "Local boy makes good"
WHAT'S THE MATADOR? (1942)
RUN, BULL, RUN
Expression "what's the matter?"
MATRI-PHONY (1942)
Matrimony
THREE SMART SAPS (1942)
FATHER'S IN JAIL AGAIN
THREE SMART GIRLS (1936 Universal)
SOCK-A-BYE BABY (1942)
THEIR FIRST BABY
"Rock-A-Bye Baby"
THEY STOOGE TO CONGA (1943)
Possibly a parody of She Stoops to Conquer, an early (1939) BBC TV series
DIZZY DETECTIVES (1943)
IDIOTS DELUXE
For origin of working title see entry for IDIOTS DELUXE (1945).
IT AIN'T HAY (1943)
HOLD YOUR HORSES
Retitled IT AIN'T HAY, a reference to Bud & Lou's record-setting War Bond tour prior to IAH production, raising $85MM... "It Ain't Hay" being an old slang expression meaning "a lot of money."
SPOOK LOUDER (1943)
"Speak louder"
BACK FROM THE FRONT (1943)
A SAILOR'S MESS
GOOD LUCK, MR. YATES (1943)
THE RIGHT GUY
I CAN HARDLY WAIT (1943)
NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH
Origin of working title: Expression, "nothing but the truth."
DIZZY PILOTS (1943)
PEST PILOTS
YOKE'S ON ME, THE (1944)
FOULED BY A FOWL
Expression, "The joke's on me."
3 OF A KIND (1944)
THREE OF A KIND
PICK A PECK OF PLUMBERS (1944)
SUNK IN THE SINK
GENTS WITHOUT CENTS (1944)
TENDERIZED HAMS
STRANGE AFFAIR (1944)
STALK THE HUNTER
NO DOUGH BOYS (1944)
THE NEW WORLD ODOR
Origin of working title, term "The New World Order". NO DOUGH BOYS is takeoff on "No-No Boys", WWII internees who had answered "no" to a two-part loyalty question that asked them to renounce the Japanese Emperor and agree to serve in the US Armed Forces
CRAZY KNIGHTS (1944)
Rereleased and retitled by Astor Pictures in 1951, as GHOST CRAZY.
IDIOTS DELUXE (1945)
THE MALADY LINGERS ON
Play "Idiot's Delight" by Robert E. Sherwood (1936), and MGM movie version (1939). Working title is parody of 1927 Irving Berlin song "The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)."
IF A BODY MEETS A BODY (1945)
NEARLY IN THE DOUGH
Line from the song, "Comin' Through the Rye."
SAILOR TAKES A WIFE, THE (1945)
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE / JOHN AND MARY
BEER BARREL POLECATS (1946)
THREE DUDS IN THE SUDS
Song, "Beer Barrel Polka."
GENTLEMAN MISBEHAVES, THE (1946)
LULLABY OF BROADWAY and THE LADY MISBEHAVES
TALK ABOUT A LADY (1946)
DUCHESS OF BROADWAY
UNCIVIL WAR BIRDS (1946)
3 SOUTHERN DUMBBELLS
Release title based on "civil warriors" and "war brides." Working title is parody of term "southern belle."
MONKEY BUSINESSMEN (1946)
SANITARIUM STOOGE
Expression, "monkey business."
DANGEROUS BUSINESS (1946)
POWER OF ATTORNEY and CORPUS DELECTI
THREE LOAN WOLVES (1946)
IN HOCK
Possibly a reference to Columbia's movie series "The Lone Wolf" (1935 - 1947)
RHYTHM AND WEEP (1946)
ACTING UP
Expression, "Read 'em and weep."
HALF-WITS HOLIDAY (1947)
NO GENTS --- NO CENTS
HOLD THAT LION! (1947)
THE LION AND THE LOUSE
Football term, "Hold that line," and possibly a reference to the lyric, "Hold that tiger" from song "Tiger Rag."
BRIDELESS GROOM (1947)
LOVE AND LEARN
SING A SONG OF SIX PANTS (1947)
WHERE THE VEST BEGINS
Nursery rhyme, "Sing a song of six pence." Working title is parody of phrase, "Where the west begins."
ALL GUMMED UP (1947)
SWEET VITA-MINE
THREE STOOGES IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT
JITTER BUGHOUSE (1948)
NOTES TO YOU
WONDERFUL RACE AT RIMROCK
HOT SCOTS, THE (1948)
SCOTLAND YARDBIRDS
HEAVENLY DAZE (1948)
HEAVEN'S ABOVE
Expression "heavenly days", a very popular catch-phrase at the time, from radio program "Fibber McGee And Molly".
CRIME ON THEIR HANDS (1948)
The phrase, "Grime on their hands"The phrase, "Time on their hands"
GHOST TALKS, THE (1949)
THAT'S THE SPIRIT
THE GHOST WALKS (1934 Invincible)
HOKUS POKUS (1949)
THREE BLIND MICE
MALICE IN THE PALACE (1949)
HERE WE GO SCHMOW
WAITING IN THE LURCH (1949)
Left in the lurch
VAGABOND LOAFERS (1949)
Possibly a play on words from the 1929 Rudy Vallee comedy, "The Vagabond Lover".
DIZZY YARDBIRD (1950)
WHAT A SOLDIER!
LOVE AT FIRST BITE (1950)
NEW GROOMS SWEEP CLEAN
Expression, "love at first sight."
THREE HAMS ON RYE (1950)
HOW HAMMY WAS MY HAMLET
THREE ARABIAN NUTS (1951)
GENI WITH THE LIGHT BROWN HAIR
Parody of term, "Arabian Nights." Working title is parody of 1854 Stephen Foster song, "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair."
DON'T THROW THAT KNIFE (1951)
NONCENSUS TAKERS
SCRAMBLED BRAINS (1951)
IMPATIENT PATIENT
GOLD RAIDERS (1951)
The Stooges Go West
TOOTH WILL OUT, THE (1951)
A YANK AT THE DENTIST
Expression, "The truth will out."
PEST MAN WINS (1951)
MOUSERS IN THE TROUSERS
Expression, "The best man wins."
'FRAIDY CAT (1951)
SILLY SLEUTHS
AIM, FIRE, SCOOT (1952)
DAFFY DRAFTEES
CORNY CASANOVAS (1952)
NONE WON
HE COOKED HIS GOOSE (1952)
CLAM UP
CAUGHT ON THE BOUNCE (1952)
GULLIBLE'S TRAVELS
Working title is parody of story "Gulliver's Travels".
THREE DARK HORSES (1952)
SMALL DELEGATES AT LARGE
CUCKOO ON A CHOO CHOO (1952)
A TRAIN CALLED SCHMOW
Working title was a parody of the 1951 Warner Bros. movie A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. The film parodies both STREETCAR and Universal's HARVEY (1951).
BOOTY AND THE BEAST (1953)
FUN FOR THE MONEY
A take off on the fairy tale, "Beauty and the Beast"
LOOSE LOOT (1953)
FILTHY LUCRE
TRICKY DICKS (1953)
COP AND BULL STORY
SPOOKS! (1953)
CUCKOO DETECTIVES
RIP, SEW, AND STITCH (1953)
A PRESSING AFFAIR
BUBBLE TROUBLE (1953)
DRUGSTORE DUBS
INCOME TAX SAPPY (1954)
TAX SAPS / INCOME TAX SAPS
PALS AND GALS (1954)
CUCKOO WESTERNERS
SHOT IN THE FRONTIER (1954)
LOW AFTERNOON
Working title was a parody of HIGH NOON (1952 movie)
SCOTCHED IN SCOTLAND (1954)
HASSLE IN THE CASTLE
OF CASH AND HASH (1955)
CROOK CRACKERS
GYPPED IN THE PENTHOUSE (1955)
BLUNDERING BACHELORS
BEDLAM IN PARADISE (1955)
GRUESOME THREESOME
Expression, "Trouble in paradise."
STONE AGE ROMEOS (1955)
CAVED IN CAVEMEN
WHAM-BAM-SLAM! (1955)
ENJOYING POOR HEALTH
BLUNDER BOYS (1955)
CUCKOO COPS
HOOK A CROOK (1955)
DAFFY DETECTIVES
HUSBANDS BEWARE (1956)
EAT, DRINK AND BE MARRIED
Working title is parody of the expression, "Eat, drink and be merry."
CREEPS (1956)
THREE BRAVE COWARDS
ARMY DAZE (1956)
ARMY DAYS and WHACKY IN KHAKI
FOR CRIMIN' OUT LOUD (1956)
NUTTY NEWSHOUNDS
Expression "for crying out loud."
RUMPUS IN THE HAREM (1956)
DIAMOND DAFFY
HOT STUFF (1956)
THEY GASSED WRONG
SCHEMING SCHEMERS (1956)
PIXILATED PLUMBERS
COMMOTION ON THE OCEAN (1956)
SALT WATER DAFFY
HOOFS AND GOOFS (1957)
GALLOPING BRIDE / HORSING AROUND
MUSCLE UP A LITTLE CLOSER (1957)
BUILDER UPPERS
MERRY MIX-UP, A (1957)
A MERRY MARRIAGE MIX-UP
SPACE SHIP SAPPY (1957)
ROCKET AND ROLL IT
GUNS A POPPIN! (1957)
NERVELESS WRECK
HORSING AROUND (1957)
JUST HORSING AROUND / JUST FOOLING AROUND
RUSTY ROMEOS (1957)
SAPPY LOVERS
OUTER SPACE JITTERS (1957)
OUTER SPACE DAZE
FIFI BLOWS HER TOP (1958)
RANCID ROMANCE
PIES AND GUYS (1958)
EASY COME, EASY GO
FLYING SAUCER DAFFY (1958)
PARDON MY FLYING SAUCER
TRIPLE CROSSED (1959)
CHISELING CHISELER
SAPPY BULL FIGHTERS (1959)
THAT'S BULLY
THREE STOOGES SCRAPBOOK, THE (1960)
HOME COOKING
RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE - A Smash Hit
OUTLAWS IS COMING, THE (1965)
THE THREE STOOGES MEET THE GUNSLINGERS
SAVAGE INTRUDER (1969)
THE COMEBACK and HOLLYWOOD HORROR HOUSE
MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR (1970)
MAKE MINE MANILA
BLAZING STEWARDESSES (1975)
THE JET SET
Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES (1974).
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