Blunder Boys | |
---|---|
Directed by | Jules White |
Written by | Felix Adler |
Produced by | Jules White |
Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Kenneth MacDonald Benny Rubin Frank Sully Barbara Bartay Angela Stevens |
Cinematography | Ray Cory |
Edited by | Anthony DiMarco |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 15:57 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Blunder Boys is a 1955 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 166th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.
Plot
After serving in the army, the Stooges decide to go to college and major in criminology. Graduating with the lowest possible honors, the boys join the police force and are assigned to search for a bandit called the Eel (Benny Rubin) who is going to rob the Biltless Hotel. They go to the hotel, but fail to catch the criminal or retrieve the money he stole. As a result, they are booted off the force and end up as ditch diggers.
Cast
Credited
- Moe Howard as Halliday
- Larry Fine as Terriday
- Shemp Howard as Saint Patrick's Day/Groundhog Day/New Year's Day/Christmas Day/Independence Day/Labor Day
- Benny Rubin as The Eel
- Angela Stevens as Alma Matter
- Kenneth MacDonald as F. B. Eye
Uncredited
- Frank Sully as Watts D. Matter
- Al Thompson as Desk clerk
- Barbara Bartay as Beautician
- Johnny Kascier as Room service waiter/Moe and Shemp's stand-in
- Bonnie Henjum as Woman in swimsuit
- Barbara Donaldson as Turkish bath tanner
- Marjorie Jackson as Turkish bath brunette
- June Lebow as Turkish bath blonde[1]
Production notes
Blunder Boys was the last Stooge film featuring Shemp Howard that was not a remake. In addition, it would also be the last film released during his lifetime; Shemp died of a heart attack 19 days later after its release.[2] Filming was completed on January 24–26, 1955.[1]
The premise of Blunder Boys is a parody of the television series Dragnet.[2] The ending was also a parody of the company that ran Dragnet, (Mark VII Limited); Moe stamps the logo, "VII 1/2 The End", on Larry's head in a similar fashion to how it is done in the logo.[2]
Of his 16 appearances with the Stooges, Blunder Boys marks the only time Kenneth MacDonald was not cast as the team's antagonist.[1]
Blunder Boys was the last Stooges film to feature new footage of long-time supporting actor Al Thompson.[2]