Rl.
Jan. 6 / Prod. No. 4223 / 16
m / p d Jules White
/ st Clyde
Bruckman / scr Jack White / ad Eddie
Saeta / ph Ray Cory / e
Robert B. Hoover / a Edward
Ilou / C: Dick Wessel (Chopper Kane, in stock footage),
Claire Carleton (Kitty Davis, in stock footage), Frank Sully (new Big
Mike), Harold Brauer (Old Big Mike), Cy Schindell (Moose), Tommy Kingston
(Chuck), Joe Palma (New Chuck), Johnny Kascier (Moe's Stand-In), Charlie
Cross (Larry's Stand-In) and Hurley Breen (Shemp's Stand-In)
SYN:
The Stooges train Chopper Kane
a Heavyweight boxer in the Slap-Happy Gym a testosterone-laden facility
where bruisers get prepared for the big fights. Chopper Kane (the
Stooges boss) sends word that Chopper had better take a dive in the
upcoming fight as he has a lot of money at stake on it. Terrified
of the results of not complying, the Stooges ply Chopper with cream
puffs and the affection of Kitty, a winsome blonde, until he can't
fathom hurting anyone. On the night of the fight, Kitty has dumped
him for Gorilla Watson and is ready to destroy anything and anyone
in his path. He punches a wall, breaking his hand, and can't fight.
This really angers Big Mike who now realizes all bets are off! He
offers to take the Stooges on a "one-way ride" to the middle
of nowhere. But Big Mike and his thugs never counted on Shemp's facility
with mothballs and an ax, and the Stooges survive to train another
day.
Quick
Hits:
-
Originally, Jack White's screenplay
called for an ending with Moe and Larry speeding off for China on
a motorcycle, with Shemp in a sidecar. This footage was never shot.
Why? We may never know.
-
Although I did give Fright Night a
4.5 on my rating scale, and although much of this material is exactly
the same, I had to give this short a 3 based on the fact that it's
obviously just a filler short to close out the boys contract later
in chapter of Shemp's career.
-
New
footage includes a meeting with Big Mike (Frank Sully). Watch for
the old Big Mike (Harold Brauer) in stock footage. This is a mistake
that was possibly overlooked in editing.
-
The
original short Fright Night marked Shemp's first short film with
the Stooges.
SD:
1 (T 3/27/54) / FN: Remake
of Fright Night (3/6/47) using a high volume of stock footage.
The gag of acting as a puppeteer for an unconcious victim is also used
in Matri-Phony (7/2/42) and in Fright Night (3/6/47).
