Men in Black (1934)

Director:

Ray McCarey

Writer:

Felix Adler (story)

Release Date:

28 September 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Tagline:

A TONIC for the "BLUES"!

Plot:

The stooges become doctors at a large hospital where they disrupt patients and staff alike.

Plot Keywords:

Medical | Tic Tac Toe | Beautiful Woman | Slapstick | The Three Stooges

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Moe Howard	...	Dr. Moe Howard (as Moe)
Larry Fine	...	Dr. Larry Fine (as Larry)
Curly Howard	...	Dr. Curley Howard (as Curley)

Runtime:

19 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:R | USA:Approved

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The bizarre medical terminology used by the Stooges was ad-libbed.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where the Stooges dash into the storeroom and come out riding a horse, the shadow of the microphone boom can be seen moving on the wall to the left of the storeroom door when the camera pulls back as they ride out.

Quotes:

Dr. Moe Howard: How is she, doctor?
Doctor with 'Tiny Patient': A slight hope.
Dr. Curly Howard: That's too bad. What's the matter?
Doctor with 'Tiny Patient': She's in a coma.
Tiny Patient: [sitting up] I am not! I'm in a bed!
[sees the Stooges]
Tiny Patient: Geeze, the joint's haunted
Dr. Moe Howard: How old are you?
Tiny Patient: I'm 35.
Dr. Curly Howard: Na, you couldn't get that fresh in 35 years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Nurses: Catch a Fallen Star (#1.19)" (1992)

Clark Gable film becomes inspiration for a Three Stooges short

As mentioned in Moe Howard's book MOE HOWARD & THE 3 STOOGES (Citadel Press, 1977), MEN IN BLACK (1934) an early Three Stooges short made at Columbia Pictures was a take off on MEN IN WHITE. "For duty and humanity" is a phrase used numerous times throughout this twenty minute comedy and is a central theme in the Clark Gable/Myrna Loy film which was released earlier that same year. MEN IN BLACK, which contains another reoccurring phrase (which many Three Stooges fans will remember immediately) "Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard", was nominated for the Academy Award in 1934 for best short. An abbreviated version of this short was reenactment in the ABC-TV movie THE THREE STOOGES (1999) which was produced by Mel Gibson, a well known Stooges enthusiast.