Idle Roomers (1944 film)

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For other uses, see Idle Roomers.
Idle Roomers
Directed by Del Lord
Produced by Hugh McCollum
Written by Del Lord
Elwood Ullman
Starring Moe Howard
Larry Fine
Curly Howard
Christine McIntyre
Vernon Dent
Duke York
Eddie Laughton
Cinematography Glen Gano
Editing by Henry Batista
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) Flag of the United States July 15, 1944
Running time 16' 49"
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Preceded by The Yoke's on Me
Followed by Gents Without Cents
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Idle Roomers is the 80th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Three live-size wax figures depicting the Stooges as they appeared in Idle Roomers.
Three live-size wax figures depicting the Stooges as they appeared in Idle Roomers.

The Stooges are bellhops at Hotel Snazzy Plaza, and pound each other in order to get some face time with an attractive woman (the lovely Christine McIntyre, in her debut appearance with the team). Unfortunately, she has a mean-tempered husband (Vernon Dent) who happens to excel in knife throwing. The husband is also secretly importing Lupe the Wolf Man (Duke York) who goes berserk when he hears music. Later on, when Curly is cleaning their room, he snaps on the radio, and the wolf man goes on the rampage.

[edit] Curly fades

Curly Howard's voice begins to deepen with this film. Since his 1940 divorce from Elaine Ackerman, Curly had lived the wild life, going out nearly every night, and partying until the wee hours of the morning. Columbia cinematographer Henry Freulich stated in a 1984 interview that it was not unusual to see Curly stumbling into work looking like "he had himself a heluva time!" [1] By 1944, the effects of Curly's constant drinking and eating began to catch up with him. Idle Roomers marks the first time his acting seems a little slower. The deeper voice confirms this assessment.[2]

[edit] Notes

  • The title Idle Roomers is a pun on "idle rumors."[2]
  • The plot device of bellhops pursuing the affections of an attractive female hotel guest would be used in the 1953 Woody Woodpecker cartoon Belle Boys.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Making of the Stooges VHS Documentary, narrated by Steve Allen (1984)
  2. ^ a b Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Comedy III Productions, Inc, 246. ISBN 0971186804. 
  3. ^ Woody Woodpecker.com

[edit] External links

The Wolfman (Duke York) gives the Stooges a scare in Idle Roomers.
The Wolfman (Duke York) gives the Stooges a scare in Idle Roomers.

[edit] Further reading

  • Moe Howard and the Three Stooges; by Moe Howard [1], (Citadel Press, 1977).
  • The Three Stooges Scrapbook; by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer, Greg Lenburg [2](Citadel Press, 1994).
  • The Three Stooges: An Illustrated History, From Amalgamated Morons to American Icons; by Michael Fleming [3](Broadway Publishing, 2002).
  • One Fine Stooge: A Frizzy Life in Pictures; by Steve Cox and Jim Terry [4], (Cumberland House Publishing, 2006).
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American films of the 1940s
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