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Fright Night

  • 1947
  • Approved
  • 18m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
552
YOUR RATING
Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Claire Carleton, and Shemp Howard in Fright Night (1947)
SlapstickComedyShort

The stooges are trainers of Chopper, the boxer, and they bet their bank roll on his next fight. But his manager is a gangster who orders them to have Chopper lose or else. When Chopper's gir... Read allThe stooges are trainers of Chopper, the boxer, and they bet their bank roll on his next fight. But his manager is a gangster who orders them to have Chopper lose or else. When Chopper's girl goes for his opponent, Stooge things happen.The stooges are trainers of Chopper, the boxer, and they bet their bank roll on his next fight. But his manager is a gangster who orders them to have Chopper lose or else. When Chopper's girl goes for his opponent, Stooge things happen.

  • Director
    • Edward Bernds
  • Writer
    • Clyde Bruckman
  • Stars
    • Moe Howard
    • Larry Fine
    • Shemp Howard
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    552
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Edward Bernds
    • Writer
      • Clyde Bruckman
    • Stars
      • Moe Howard
      • Larry Fine
      • Shemp Howard
    • 12User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos12

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    Top cast13

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    Moe Howard
    Moe Howard
    • Moe
    • (as Moe)
    Larry Fine
    Larry Fine
    • Larry
    • (as Larry)
    Shemp Howard
    Shemp Howard
    • Shemp
    • (as Shemp)
    Dick Wessel
    Dick Wessel
    • Chopper Kane
    Claire Carleton
    Claire Carleton
    • Kitty Davis
    Stanley Blystone
    Stanley Blystone
    • First Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Tiny Brauer
    • Big Mike
    • (uncredited)
    Heinie Conklin
    Heinie Conklin
    • Watson's Handler
    • (uncredited)
    Dave Harper
    • Second Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Kingston
    • Chuck
    • (uncredited)
    Cy Schindell
    Cy Schindell
    • Moose
    • (uncredited)
    Sammy Stein
    Sammy Stein
    • 'Gorilla' Watson
    • (uncredited)
    Evelyn Venable
    Evelyn Venable
    • Julia Seds
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edward Bernds
    • Writer
      • Clyde Bruckman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    7.5552
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    Featured reviews

    10Movie Nuttball

    Great Three Stooges short!

    The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

    This is one of My favorite Three Stooges shorts! This one is with Shemp! Dick Wessel performs good here as a gentleman and as rugged boxer. Tiny Brauer was great as the villain. Cy Schindell also was good. Also in this short is Claire Carleton, Stanley Blystone, Heinie Conklin, Dave Harper, Sammy Stein, and Tom Kingston. There is another Three Stooges short with Shemp very similar like this one called Fling in the Ring. I strongly recommend both!
    10tcchelsey

    SHEMP JOINS THE STOOGES.

    Thanks METV for "Shemptember!" We are hooked on the Stooges.

    Yes, Shemp officially joined his brother, Moe Howard, and Larry Fine in this short, the teams 98th episode. The fun fact is Shemp never left the team because he had worked with Moe, Curly and Larry in vaudeville. Moe said it was to be temporary, following Curly's stroke, however his health never improved and Shemp spent nearly a decade with the Stooges. What insane fun.

    Shemp claimed this was his favorite film because he loved boxing. Here, the Stooges are backing Chopper (played to the top by Dick Wessel), betting all their money on him to win which will make them rich -- until gangsters get into the act and force them to make him LOSE. Or else! The dirty rats.

    This short rocks and rolls, and owes a lot to Shemp who picked up where Curly left off. In fact, if you watch closely, he's a stunt-master, able to jump, bounce and flip all over the place. Just plain goofy and filled with a ton of energy. Some real stunt doubles were used in the series, however for the most part, Shemp did many of his own pratfalls.

    Applause to tough guy Dick Wessel, who previously co-starred in DICK TRACY VS. CUEBALL, one of his best roles. Wisecracking blonde Claire Carleton plays Kitty, perfect Stooge leading lady.

    ***Look for super star pro wrestler and football star Sammy Stein as "Gorilla." He looks the part. Top direction by Edward Bernds who let Shemp take the stage. Another wild one written by Clyde Bruckman. Remade as FLING IN THE RING.

    Always on remastered dvd via Columbia, the films boxed by decades, 30s, 40s and 50s episodes.
    8ccthemovieman-1

    Shemp, Chopper, Big Mike, Gorilla Watson, Kitty, etc.

    The boys are fight managers and their lone boxer is "Chopper" (who looks about 40, and as much a boxer as I am). After some early shenanigans they have Chopper do some sparring with Shemp (who isn't thrilled about doing this). To make matters worse, the pretty "Kitty" comes into the gym, Chopper is smitten and really wants to impress her...and Moe and Larry accidentally tie Shemp's right glove to the ropes.

    What comes next is a massacre, but it's pretty funny. Afterward The Chopper leaves with the bimbo dame and hoods come into the gym. They represent "Big Mike" and tell the guys that their man is not going to win the upcoming fight against Gorilla Watson. "Why," they ask. "Because Big Mike said so." Then they leave and the boys don't know what to do. "We have every last cent we own bet on the Chopper," says Larry.

    They decide to literally sweeten up their fighter, feeding him pies and cream puffs all day and letting him hang out with Kitty.

    A few crazy things happen, the fight is called off and Big Mike and his hoods wind up chasing the Stooges all around a warehouse. In all, a decent episode.....entertaining but no big laughs. Maybe because I've seen these episodes many times for 50 years.

    Shemp's appearance was his first in a long time, taking Curly's spot after the latter suffered a stroke, ending his career. I always liked Shemp, but Curly's shoes were impossible to fill.
    7SnoopyStyle

    Shemp gets pummeled

    Larry, Shemp, and Moe are training boxer Chopper Kane for his big upcoming match. He is sparring against Shemp when Kitty Davis walks into the gym. Chopper decides to show off by beating up on Shemp. Later, gangsters demand that the guys get their fighter to throw the match. It's fun to have Shemp getting pummeled. That's all I need from this Three Stooges short. Everything else is gravy.
    8springfieldrental

    Shemp Howard Replaces His Younger Brother Curly in His Return to The Three Stooges

    Shemp Howard was a successful comedic actor when he was contacted by his brother Moe to temporarily take his younger brother Curly's place in The Three Stooges' March 1947's "Fright Night." Curly had just suffered his second major stroke, and there was a question as to how long he would return.

    Shemp was a logical choice to fill in for the ailing Jerome Howard (Curly). He and Moe began as a comedy duo back in 1922 along with boyhood friend Ted Healy, calling themselves "Ted Healy and His Stooges." With Larry Fine on board in 1928, Moe and Shemp became known as The Three Stooges. Shemp, born Samuel Horowitz (Howard), was the third of five boys in the Horowitz family, followed by Moe two years later and then Jerome eight years after that. Shemp's mom, speaking with a thick Lithuanian accent, pronounced Sam as Shem before reverting to Shemp. Ted Healy and The Three Stooges appeared in their only feature film in 1930's "Soup to Nuts." The Stooges broke from Healy because of his abusive behavior, only to join up with him two years later. The reunion lasted only a couple of months before Shemp had enough of the domineering Healy, quitting the act in 1932 to go on his own. Curly joined the Stooges as a replacement while Shemp embarked on a very successful film career on his own.

    Independent of The Three Stooges, Shemp earned the moniker "the ugliest man in Hollywood." Artist Drew Friedman wrote, "Shemp had a range as an actor, which explains why he was such an in-demand character actor for years. Watch his smart, low-key, and essential performance as Joe Guelpe, bartender/proprietor of the Black Pussy Cafe, in W. C. Field's "The Bank Dick." Beside Field's 1939 comedy classic, Shemp made notable appearances in several high profile feature films, including 1939 "Another Thin Man," 1940 "The Invisible Woman," 1941 "Buck Privates" with Abbott and Costello, and 1941 "Hellzapoppin'" Shemp was 52 when asked by Moe to take the place of Curly when filming "Fright Night" began in June 1946, one month after Curly's stroke. Director Edward Bernds quickly rejiggered Curly's parts and dialogue for Shemp, who had a habit of ad-libbing. Shemp avoided imitating Curly's mannerisms and trademark phrases. Instead he introduced his soon-to-be-famous high-pitched "bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee!" while inhaling, and quickly adopted other humorous quirks. "Fright Night" opens with the Stooges as managers of boxer Chopper Kane (Dick Wessel). Shemp is volunteered to be his sparing partner, and soon finds himself twisted up between the ropes like a pretzel. As a big boxing fan, Shemp listed "Fright Night" as his favorite of all the 76 Stooges films he appeared.

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    Related interests

    Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
    Slapstick
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    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Shemp Howard's favorite 3 Stooges short.
    • Goofs
      When Moe slaps Larry while saying "What's good for a fractured skull?" Larry's response is "I don't know, either." This was ad-libbed by Moe and Larry's reaction is real.
    • Quotes

      Moe: Is he hurt?

      Larry: He's gone.

      Moe: The poor kid, and I owe him 5 bucks.

      Shemp: [Shemp suddenly revives] Wait a minute, I heard that. Gimme the 5.

    • Connections
      Edited into Fling in the Ring (1955)

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    FAQ1

    • List: Wacky boxing

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 1947 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • YouTube - Video
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Over Our Dead Bodies
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 18m
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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