Rl.
Aug. 29 / Prod. No. 207 / 19
m / d Del Lord / st
scr Felix Adler / ph
Benjamin Kline / e
John Rawlings / C: Harry Holmes (Prof.
Rich), Robert Graves (Prof. Nichols), Bud Jamison (Butler), Grace Goodall
(Mrs. Rich), Betty McMahon (Nichols' Daughter), Phyllis Crane (Nichols'
Daughter), Geneva Mitchell (Dance Instructor), Kathryn Kitty McHugh
(Duchess, Curly's Dance Partner), James C. Morton, Wm. Irving, Arthur
Rankin, Robert McKenzie, Celeste Edwards, Harriett DeBussman, Mary Dees,
Blanche Payson, Geo. B. French, Gail Arnold, Don Roberts and Billy Mann
(Party Guests)
SYN:
In a cafe, two educators are discussing
what factors influence the development of human personality. Professor
Rich believes "Environment is the keynote to social distinction,"
while Professor Nichols argues that "Heredity is the backbone
of all social life." Nichols then wagers ten thousand dollars
that he can produce (through exposure to the proper environment) a
regular "social lion" from the lowest strata of life. He
picks three rubbish workers, the Stooges, for his experiment. Following
months of tutoring, Nichols unleashes the boys at a swank party, but
the Stooges' old habits resurface and become contagious with the party-goers,
causing a full-scale war. Having had enough of such vulgar behavior,
the Stooges exit Professor Nichols' mansion in tuxedos and top hats.
Quick
Hits:
-
During one take, Grace Goodall really
got a cream puff (thrown at her by Moe) stuck in her throat. After
the director Del Lord called cut, she needed help getting it out.
This scene never made the final film.
-
This film was remade in 1947 under
the title Half-Wits Holiday which was ironically Curly Howards
last film. Although the script varied slightly, the story was almost
exactly the same.
SD:
4 (TH 5/2 to SA 5/4 and M 5/6/35) FN:
Remade
as Half-Wits' Holiday (1/9/47) and Pies and Guys (6/12/58). Stock footage
used in In the Sweet Pie and Pie (10/16/41). Spring on the trousers
gag also seen in Asleep at the Switch (1923) with Ben Turpin, in the
Stooges' An Ache in Every Stake (8/22/41) and in Have Rocket Will Travel
(1959).
