Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
This website is made possible, in part, by displaying a few online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Released February 02, 1955
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)
Universal
79 min. (Feature Film)
79 min. (Feature Film)
Set in the silent era of film, a crook named Gorman and his wife con Harry Pierce and Willie Piper (Bud Abbott & Lou Costello) out of $5,000, selling them a movie studio... the Thomas Edison Studio in Orange, New Jersey. Bud and Lou track Gorman cross-country to Hollywood, where he has assumed the identity of a European director at Snavely Pictures. Bumbling and circumstances result in Pierce & Piper becoming Snavely's new slapstick comedy team, but still hot on Gorman's trail, who has a scheme to steal the Snavely Studio's payroll.
Joe Besser cameos in a very brief walk-on role.
One of Shemp's 1930s costars at Vitaphone, Roscoe Ates, has a recurring role as a stuttering hick, travelling cross-country with his horse and wagon. Shemp's 1940s costar at Monogram (and nightclub business partner), ex-boxer Maxie Rosenbloom, appears as Gorman's blackmailing henchman.
The young girl at the theater box office is played by Carole Costello, Lou's middle daughter.
The Kops were played by Universal stuntmen, under the consultation of Keystone Studio's famous producer/director Mack Sennett, who also portrays himself in a cameo.
Avg. Rating: 
[6.20/10]
[6.20/10]
Bud Abbott
Harry Pierce
Lou Costello
Willie Piper
Fred Clark
Joseph Gorman / Sergei Toumanoff
Lynn Bari
Leota Van Cleef
Frank Wilcox
Rudolph Snavely
Harry Tyler
Piano player
Bobby Jellison
Movie patron
Joe Gilbert
Movie patron
William H. O'Brien
Movie patron
Marjorie Bennett
Fat woman in theater
Frank Hagney
Theater usher
Carole Costello
Theater cashier
Billy Varga
Tough guy outside theater
Colin Campbell
Edison Studios guard
Roscoe Ates
Wagon driver
Don House
Motorcycle policeman
Forrest Burns
Motorcycle policeman
Carl Christian
Porter
Jack Stoney
1st brakeman
Kit Guard
Hobo
William Haade
Hobo
Joe Besser
Hunter
Henry Kulky
2nd brakeman
Sam Flint
Railroad conductor
Harold Goodwin
Cameraman
Ralph T. Brooks
2nd cameraman
Allan Ray
Assistant Director
Hank Mann
Propman
Murray Leonard
Studio guard
Mack Sennett
Himself
Heinie Conklin
Comic with bathing beauties
Beverly Snyder
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Barbara Jones
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Margaret Eubank
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Dorothy Martinson
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Peggy Gordon
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Doris Barton
Mack Sennett bathing beauty
Paul Dubov
Mr. Jason
Donald Kerr
Harvey
Jack Daly
Burglar
Joe Devlin
Policeman at Tomanoff's house
Charles Dorety
Watermelon peddler
Slim Gaut
Drunk roadside farmer
Byron Keith
Policeman arresting Gorman
Bob Herron
stunts
Carey Loftin
stunts
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 1
Sennett's propman
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 2
Sennett's bathing beauties
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 4
Wagon stunt drivers
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 5
Stunt pilot
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 6
Snavely's chauffeur
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 7
Toumanoff's film crew
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 9
Theater patrons
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 10
Train conductor
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 11
Harem actresses
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 12
Keystone Kops
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 13
Messenger motorcyclist
Unidentified A&C MEET THE KEYSTONE KOPS 14
Police driver
Howard Christie
Producer
Charles Lamont
Director
Lee Loeb
Story
John Grant
Screenplay
Reggie Lanning
Director of Photography
Edward Curtiss
Film Editor
Bill Newberry
Art Director
.jpg)
Alexander Golitzen
Art Director
Julia Heron
Set Decoration
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
Leslie I. Carey
Sound
William Hedgcock
Sound
Joseph Gershenson
Musical Director
Franz Waxman
Music
Jay A. Morley Jr.
Costumes
Bud Westmore
Makeup
Joan St. Oegger
Hair Stylist
William Holland
Assistant Director
Tom Shaw
2nd Unit 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.
