Studio Stoops

Studio Stoops
Directed by	Edward Bernds
Produced by	Hugh McCollum
Written by	Elwood Ullman
Starring	Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Christine McIntyre Kenneth MacDonald Vernon Dent Joe Palma Chuck Hamilton Charles Jordan Stanley Price
Cinematography	Vincent Farrar
Edited by	Henry DeMond
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release dates	October 5, 1950 (1950-10-05)
Running time	16' 00"
Country	United States
Language	English

Studio Stoops is the 126th 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. This short was released in 1950 and features Shemp Howard, Moe Howard and Larry Fine.

Plot

The Stooges are exterminators mistaken for B.O. Pictures' publicity department. They are then instructed to drum up publicity for the studio's lovely new actress Dolly Devore (Christine McIntyre). Moe comes up with the idea of Devore disappearing and having the public believe she may have been kidnapped. She would hide in a hotel for a while and then return. The owner of the studio agrees to the plan and has the Stooges go to work. However, two gangsters, one played by Kenneth MacDonald, overhear the Stooges' plan and kidnap Devore for real.

Meanwhile, the Stooges are attempting to type up phony newsflashes. Moe asks Shemp to type up the report he dictates to him, but Shemp's attempt fails. He types a few letters as Moe speaks. After Moe reads the word 'and', Shemp begins a rapid typing session as Moe attempts to follow what he's doing. When he's finished, Moe asks him to read back what he just typed. Shemp expertly reads back his own gibberish, ending with 'June 22', the only thing he correctly typed. His results earn him a slap from Moe.

When Moe returns to his desk, Larry hits the carriage of his typewriter too hard, causing it to fly of the cradle and hit Moe in the head. Moe punishes Larry just as police captain Casey (Vernon Dent) and Mr. Brown (Stanley Price), a reporter, arrive. Brown informs them that their paper already figured out it was a phony story and refuses to listen to them. Captain Casey tells them that he won't have his resources used for a fake report and threatens violence if they try it again.

After Casey and the reporter leave, Devore calls the studio and tells them that she's been kidnapped for real, forcing the Stooges to come to her rescue. Moe and Larry use fake weapons and stage money to try and find her. They confront the kidnappers who realize the money and weapons are fake. While they battle the kidnappers (leading to being tied up), Shemp frees Devore and hides in her place. Devore hides until the kidnappers leave then frees Moe and Larry.

The trio finds out that Shemp is walking blindly outside on a window ledge. After Shemp frees himself he panics and falls, but winds up hanging out a tenth-story window from an old-fashioned extension telephone. Shemp manages to get the operator to call the hotel room. Moe and Devore find a rope and get it to Shemp while Larry goes to get the police. The kidnappers return, leading to Moe and Devore fighting them off.

Larry has found Captain Casey and his friends at a poker game in the hotel. He fails to convince the Captain that the kidnapping is now real, with Casey nearly tossing him from the room. Looking around, Larry discovers the refreshment table and tosses food at all four policemen. He then flees the room with them in pursuit. He runs into the kidnappers' room, bringing the police with him. Captain Casey realizes the gangster played by Kenneth MacDonald is the wanted fugitive Dandy Dawson. The police take the kidnappers away, leading to Shemp ending up on the balcony where a beautiful lady has been lounging. Moe and Larry end up falling into a filled tub and decide to take advantage and with all their clothes on, wash up for the night.

One small side-gag to this short involves Larry and Moe. As they are looking around for rope, Larry realizes they left the door unlocked. He suggests that they bolt the door in case their adversaries come back. Moe is surprised to hear Larry using such a word. Larry tells Moe that he's been smart all along and even suggests they come up with a password for when he gets back. Moe thinks his idea is brilliant until Larry suggests the password be "Open the door.".

Production notes

Studio Stoops was filmed on February 22–25, 1949.^[1]

The gag of Shemp hiding in a garment bag in the hotel room closet then managing to get out of the closet, wandering through an unbarricaded French window onto the narrow ledge surrounding the hotel on the 14th floor. was adapted from Buster Keaton's film "So You Won't Squawk" (Columbia, 1941).^[2]

References

External links

• Studio Stoops at the Internet Movie Database
• Studio Stoops at AllMovie
• Studio Stoops at threestooges.net