Production Information
Title: Monkey Businessmen
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 92
Release Date: June 20, 1946
Running Time: 18:00
“What’s his temperature?” “Ninety proof!”
Short Take
The Stooges are inept electricians who manage to electrocute themselves as well as their boss, “Smilin'” Sam McGann (Fred Kelsey). After predictably getting fired from their job by their other boss Mr. Jordan, Curly suggests that The Boys take “a nice, long rest.” They spot an ad for Mallard’s Rest Home, and embark on their R&R trip.
Upon arrival, The Boys are introduced to Dr. Mallard (Kenneth MacDonald) who prescribes a detailed, regimented schedule of exercise, only to be fed a “nice bowl of milk” for breakfast and lunch. Mallard then assigns two nurses to train The Stooges, which sends The Boys head over heels into fits of love — until the “nurses” turn out to be men (Cy Schindell and Rocky Woods).
While The Stooges are vigorously training in the gym the following day, Moe and Larry attempt to help Curly flex his muscles by removing the individual weights, pound by pound. The weights land on the nurses’ heads, knocking them cold. In their daze, the two spill the beans that Mallard is a quack, and The Stooges realize that the phony doctor is out to swindle the trio from their hard-earned money. While attempting to escape, however, a vase falls on Curly’s head causing him to wail in pain and wake up a sleeping guard. Moe and Larry claim to be doctors and say that Curly is their patient. This fools the guard, however, Dr. Mallard becomes suspicious when hearing about the “new doctors” and investigates and discovers the ruse. The Stooges manage to defeat him.
However, while fleeing Moe and Larry are captured by the nurses and locked inside the steam room. Curly cannot figure out how to properly operate the temperature, forcing Moe and Larry to break out themselves. In their efforts to escape, Curly bumps into a wealthy man with a bad foot (Snub Pollard), and is handsomely rewarded with $1,000 when he accidentally fixes it by colliding with the man and kicking his bad foot. When Curly suggests using the money to take “a nice, long rest,” Moe and Larry promptly clobber him.
Monkey Businessmen Cast & Crew
| Directed by | Edward Bernds |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Hugh McCollum |
| Written by | Edward Bernds |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Kenneth MacDonald Cy Schindell Fred Kelsey Snub Pollard Jean Willes Wade Crosby Rocky Woods |
| Cinematography | Philip Tannura |
| Edited by | Paul Borofsky |
Monkey Businessmen Trivia
- This was Kenneth McDonald’s first appearance in a Three Stooges short
- The plot is a remake of Smith & Dale’s Mutiny on the Body
- Two other working titles were Sanitarium Stooge and Monkey Business
Production Notes
- Filming took place January 30-February 2 of 1946
- Edward Bernds notes that Curly was in such poor condition because of a series of strokes in 1945 that Moe had to coach Curly line by line throughout filming