Production Information
Title: Bubble Trouble
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 151
Release Date: October 8, 1953
Running Time: 16:30
“It’s great being a gorilla! You don’t have to pay income tax!”
Short Take
The Stooges operate a local drug store whose landlord, Amos Flint (Emil Sitka), informs them their lease is about to expire. Larry protests that the trio have had their establishment for a decade, and do not want to leave. As the four bicker, Flint’s elderly wife Cerina (Christine McIntyre) enters the store, only to be berated by Flint for being an old hag. “25 years is enough,” he coldly confirms. After he storms off, The Boys take to the frail Cerina, who begins to weep that ever since she lost her beauty, Amos has threatened to leave. Both saddened and incensed, The Stooges offer Cerina their spare room in the back. Shemp, seeing this, hatches a plan to invent a “Fountain of Youth” to restore Cerina to her stunning beauty.
After several false tries, the trio give Cerina a taste of their Fountain of Youth, and she transforms into a fetching beauty right before their eyes. To celebrate her return to youth, Cerina prepares a Marshmallow Jumbo layer cake. Shemp is assigned to get some marshmallows, but inadvertently retrieves bubble gum. The resulting celebration then finds The Stooges and Cerina blowing bubbles after every bite, with Shemp getting two bubbles out of his ears.
Several days later, Amos comes storming into the drug store only to see the youthful Cerina flaunting her newfound beauty. Amos quickly reneges on his threat to evict The Stooges, and requests a dose of the youthful serum himself. However, Amos overdoses on the potent stuff, and transforms into a gorilla instead. Realizing this, he attacks The Stooges in anger. Once subdued, The Boys get the idea to put Amos in a cage and make a mint off a traveling show involving the only talking gorilla in captivity. Moe adds that two talking gorillas would be even better and tries to get Shemp to take some of the concoction. Shemp knocks the spoon into Moe’s mouth, and the film ends with Moe acting like a gorilla.
Bubble Trouble Cast & Crew
| Directed by | Jules White |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by | Jack White Felix Adler |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Emil Sitka Christine McIntyre |
| Cinematography | Ray Cory |
| Edited by | Edwin Bryant |
Bubble Trouble Trivia
- Bubble Trouble is a remake of All Gummed Up, using ample stock footage
- The working title was Drugstore Dubs
Production Notes
- New footage was filmed on October 13, 1952