Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
59.5 min. (Feature Film)
On shore leave from the Merchant Marines, Tom Garrison, four buddies, Stubby, Slugger, Punchy and Lucky (Eddie Quillan, Murray Alper, Shemp Howard, Tom Kennedy), and the ship's band (The Mitchell Ayres Orchestra) head for Tom's San Diego cattle ranch. The local agricultural school is running the ranch during Garrison's absence, and Tom is shocked to find that all the students are girls, led by ranch foreman Lou Ferguson (Elyse Knox), housekeeper Abigail (Minerva Urecal) and Patty, Maxene and Laverne Andrews as the ranchhands and entertainment. While Tom was away, cattle have been disappearing. Tom and Lou hire neighbor Pasqualito (Leo Carrillo) and his Indian friend (Frank Lackteen) to help track down the thieves. Actually, it's Pasqualito that's behind the cattle-napping.
Meantime, Punchy, Stubby and Slugger are determined to get back the money they lost to Lucky in craps, involving the Andrews Sisters in their schemes. After Lucky falls for Patty, one of Punchy's (Shemp) ideas has him dressing in drag as Patty, and serenading Lucky while he tries to pick his pocket.
Tom Seidel
Tom Garrison
Elyse Knox
Louise Ferguson
Shemp Howard
Punchy Carter
Eddie Quillan
Stubby Lamont Jr.
Murray Alper
Slugger
LaVerne Andrews
LaVerne
Patty Andrews
Patty
Maxene Andrews
Maxene
Tom Kennedy
Lucky
Leo Carrillo
Pasqualito Luigi Pietro Gafaloni
Frank Lackteen
Ogala
Minerva Urecal
Abigail
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
Themselves
Jacqueline DeWit
Elsie
Mary O'Brien
Amanda
Harry Tenbrook
Seaman
Mady Correll
Girl
Chatita Tovar
Child dancer
Lollita Tovar
Child dancer
Edward F. Cline
Director
Frank Gross
Associate Producer
Eugene Conrad
Screenplay
Paul Girard Smith
Screenplay
Jerome Ash
Director of Photography
William Austin
Film Editor
John B. Goodman
Art Director
Martin Obzina
Art Director
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
Leigh Smith
Set Decoration
Bernard B. Brown
Sound Director
Charles Carroll
Sound Technician
Vic Schoen
Musical Director & Arranger
Lanny Grey
Original Music and Lyrics
Mann Curtis
Original Music and Lyrics
Harry Clarkson
Original Music and Lyrics
Hal Mooney
Original Music and Lyrics
Jack Lawrence
Original Music and Lyrics
Sidney Miller
Original Music and Lyrics
Hugh Prince
Original Music and Lyrics
Ray Gilbert
Original Music and Lyrics
Jeff Clarkson
Original Music and Lyrics
Cliff Friend
Original Music and Lyrics
Peter Van Steeden
Original Music and Lyrics
Frank Luther
Original Music and Lyrics
Roy Jacobs
Original Music and Lyrics
Charles O'Curran
Dance Stager
Vera West
Wardrobe
Seward Webb
Assistant Director
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of the issues involved. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information please visit: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission directly from the copyright owner.