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Columbia Shorts 1947

97. HALF-WITS HOLIDAY

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Rl. Jan. 9 / Prod. No. 4056 / 171/2 m / p d Jules White / d Del Lord / st scr Zion Myers / ph George Kelley / e Edwin Bryant / a Charles Clague / C: Vernon Dent (Prof. Quackenbush), Barbara Slater (Lulu, his daughter), Ted Lorch (Prof. Sedletz), Emil Sitka (Butler), Symona Boniface (Mrs Smythe Smythe), Helen Dickinson (Mrs. Gotrocks) and Vic Travers (Guest)

SYN: The Stooges, as plumbers are sent back to fix a mistake made on their first visit to a psychologist's home. They end up the subjects of a $1,000.00 bet made by Prof. Quackenbush who insists that he can make gentlemen out of them in 60 days. With the aid of his lovely daughter, Lulu, the professor attempts to teach the boys the fine art of table manners, proper reading skills and etiquitte. Following weeks of hard training, the night finally arrives when Quackenbush's new protégés are unleashed on society. All goes well until the Stooges wreak havoc and eventually start one of their famous pie-hurling fiascos.

Quick Hits:

- Curly Howard suffered the stroke that ended his career in show business during the filming of this short. Ironically, Half-Wits' Holiday marked the beginning of Emil Sitka's career as a Stooge supporting actor.

- Emil remembers:

"When I met Curly, I said, 'My name is Emil Sitka and I'm playing the butler in this picture.' Curly stood up, politely shook my hand, and then said seriously, 'Yes, sir. I see.' Then, he sat back down. Now, I don't know if he called me sir because I was dressed like a butler, or if he was trying to be dignified."

 

WT: No Gents - No Cents SD: 4 (TH5/2 to SA 5/4, and M 5/6/46) FN: A remake of Hoi Polloi (8/29/35). Pie footage is reused in The Pest Man Wins (12/6/51), Scheming Schemers (10/4/56), and in yet another remake, Pies and Guys (6/12/58) and Stop! Look! and Laugh! (7/60). Moe's wife Helen who inspired the original premise for Hoi Polloi, also created the memorable scene in Half-Wits' Holiday, where Moe eludes a pie hanging from the ceiling as Mrs. Smythe Smythe approaches.