Three Sappy People

Three Sappy People (1938) starring The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard), Bud Jamison

The Three Stooges short film Three Sappy People is one of the Stooges finest attempts at making fun of the upper class.  The film begins with the Three Stooges working as troubleshooters for the telephone company. They try to repair the switchboard at the offices of three psychiatrists, Ziller, Zeller and Zoller.  After causing much mayhem, to their surprise the switchboard works! They take a phone call a wealthy man wants the doctors to cure his wife, Sherry.  Sherry, played by Lorna Gray, is an irresponsible party girl, self-centered and thinking of no one but herself and her own pleasure.  The Three Stooges decide to impersonate the doctors and ‘cure’ the rich man’s wife …. In order to claim the large reward that’s being offered.

At the high society dinner party

Once at the party, the Three Stooges fit in like a square peg in a round hole. They inadvertently cause Sherry (and the audience) gales of laughter. Often at the expense of the butler, played by Three Stooges regular Bud Jamison..  This culminates in a very well-done pie fight. It ends with Moe, Larry and Curly being paid handsomely by the rich man, who then presents his wife Sherry with her birthday cake … in the face! A very good Three Stooges short film, highly recommended.

Highlights of the film include the well-known Moe telling Curly “Remind me to tear out your Adam’s apple!” with Curly pulling out a pencil and notepad in order to make a note of it.  Disgusted, Moe takes away Curly’s pencil, only to have Curly produce a larger pencil, and after Moe takes that away, a gargantuan pencil.  The pie fight itself in wonderful, and has to be seen to be appreciated.

Three Sappy People is very funny, highly recommended. It’s available on DVD as part of The Three Stooges Collection volume 2.

Funny movie quotes from Three Sappy People

Moe (Moe Howard): Remind me to tear out your Adam’s apple!
Curly (Curly Howard): I’ll make a note of it.
[pulls out a pad of paper and a pencil]

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Williams (Bud Jamison): [as stuffy butler, speaking into telephone] Is this Susquehanna tew, tew-tew-tew-tew?
Moe (Moe Howard): [on doctors’™ switchboard] Too-too-too-too? What do ya think you’re doin’, bub, playing train?

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Moe (Moe Howard): [to Curly] Why don’t you get a toupee with some brains in it!

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Mr. Rumsford: [wanting to tell the “doctors” about his wife] Let me tell you a little about Sherry.
Moe (Moe Howard): Don’t bother, I’ll take scotch.
Larry (Larry Fine): I’ll take rye.
Curly (Curly Howard): I’ll take gin smothered in bourbon!

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Moe (Moe Howard): A marvelous accomplishment!
Larry (Larry Fine): A prodigious achievement!
Curly (Curly Howard): I’ll say! It’s putrid!
Mr. Rumsford: Gentlemen, would you look over my wife now?
Moe (Moe Howard): A pleasure!

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Trivia for Three Sappy People

• The title Three Sappy People is a parody of the song title “Two Sleepy People.”
• During the pastry fight, 22-year-old Lorna Gray had to be treated on the set after a cream puff became lodged in her throat.

Cast of characters

• Curly Howard … Curly
• Larry Fine … Larry
• Moe Howard … Moe
• Lorna Gray (You Nazty Spy!) … Sherry Rumsford
• Don Beddoe (Blondie on a Budget) … J. Rumsford Rumsford
• Bud Jamison (Movie Maniacs) … Williams – Butler

Additional Cast

• Beatrice Blinn (Violent is the Word for Curly) … Party Guest
• Gloria Blondell … Switchboard Operator
• Beatrice Curtis … Party Guest
• Ann Doran (You Can’t Take It With You) … Countess
• Richard Fiske (Dizzy Pilots) … Party Guest
• Eddie Laughton (Beer Barrel Polecats) … Painter / Party Guest
• Forbes Murray … Dr. York
• Robin Raymond … Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
• Victor Travis (If a Body Meets a Body) … Party Guest (uncredited)
• Evelyn Young (No Census, No Feeling) … Receptionist (uncredited)