Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Featuring Moe, Larry and Curly Joe
124 min. (Feature Film)
A stagecoach delivering money to Galveston is ambushed by a gang led by a hired killer named Matson (Charles Bronson), but they're fought off by Zack Thomas (Frank Sinatra) and Joe Jarrett (Dean Martin). The stage wrecks and Joe makes off with money, leaving Zack in the dust. Zack was to use the funds to purchase an old riverboat and turn it into Galveston's gambling jewel of the Gulf Coast, a business arrangement with town banker Harvey Burden (Victor Buono). Jarrett arrives in town with the same plan, and meets widow Max Richter (Ursula Andress), owner of the coveted, broken-down boat. Jarrett & Max, and Zack & Elya Carlson (Anita Ekberg), Galveston's high society madam, begin a game of one-upmanship to gain final control of the vessel. Unknown to our heroes, Burden wants it all for himself, and he's the man behind Matson. Opening night arrives, and Joe and Zack engage in a winner-take-all brawl, but Matson is laying in wait to assassinate both.
The Three Stooges guest star as inept delivery men, who run afoul of two elderly ladies (Ellen Corby, Jesslyn Fax) protesting the delivery of a nude painting to the riverboat lounge. Moe, Larry & Curly Joe perform the "point to the right" and "he's from Texas" routines.
Filmed in CinemaScope and TechniColor.
Yes, that's Ellen Corby (THE WALTONS) as one of the little old ladies who pummel the Stooges. Ms. Corby began her career behind-the-camera in the 1930s as a script supervisor at the Hal Roach Studios. At that time she was married to Roach cinematographer Francis Corby, and she worked on the films of Laurel & Hardy, Our Gang, Charley Chase, Todd & Kelly, more.
The Stooges filmed their scene on July 22, 1963.
Dean Martin
Joe Jarrett
Frank Sinatra
Zach Thomas
Ursula Andress
Max Richter
Anita Ekberg
Elya Carlson
Charles Bronson
Matson
Victor Buono
Harvey Burden
Nick Dennis
Angel
Mike Mazurki
Chad
Edric Connor
Prince George
Percy Helton
Jonas Ansel
Joe Yrigoyen
Stagecoach driver
Jack Elam
Dobie
Chuck Roberson
Matson gunman
Joe Gray
Matson gunman
Marjorie Bennett
Miss Emmaline
Mark Miranda
Boy with pea shooter
Steve Condit
Boy
Byron Berry
Boy
Myron Berry
Boy
Jesslyn Fax
Widow
Ellen Corby
Widow
Wesley Addy
Winthrop Trowbridge, bank board member
Keith McConnell
Sweeney, bank board member
Abraham Sofaer
Pulaski, bank board member
Paul Langton
Beauregard, bank board member
Michael St. Angel
Williams, bank board member
Mario Siletti
Bedoni, bank board member
Bob Steele
Bank board member
Grady Sutton
Bank clerk
Virginia Christine
Brunhilde, Elya's maid
Eileen O'Neill
Marie
Caryl Lee Hill
Suzie
Allyson Ames
Fifi
Richard Jaeckel
Pete Mancini
John Hudkins
Zach's henchman
Clyde Howdy
Zach's henchman
Gil Perkins
Zach's henchman
Harvey Parry
Zach's henchman
Lesley-Marie Colburn
Townswoman
Barbara Payton
Townswoman
Eddie Smith
Townsman
Cap Somers
Townsman
Robert Robinson
Townsman
Joe Ploski
Townsman
Hans Moebus
Townsman
Mike Lally
Fight onlooker
Dale Van Sickel
Townsman in brawl
Jeffrey Sayre
Minister
Dave Willock
Alfred
Maidie Norman
Burden's maid
Chester Jones
Orlando's doorman
Ray Pourchot
Orlando's employee
Fritz Feld
Fritz, Orlando's head waiter
Ralph Volkie
Orlando's bartender
Sol Gorss
Orlando's 2nd bartender
Wesley Gale
Orlando's waiter
Napoleon Whiting
Orlando's waiter
Daniel Elam
Orlando's waiter
Calvin Brown
Orlando's waiter
Victor Romito
Orlando's customer
Eddie Ness
Orlando's customer
Brandon Beach
Orlando's customer
Matty Jordan
Orlando's customer
Ernesto Molinari
Orlando's customer
George Holmes
Orlando's customer
Bobby Gilbert
Orlando's customer
Rodd Redwing
Indian
William Washington
William, Maison Elya doorman
Carol Andreson
Mrs. Trowbridge
Michele Montau
Helaine, Maison Elya hostess
Bill Walker
Maison Elya waiter
Gigi Michel
Model
Sandy Edmundson
Model
Sandy Steffens
Model
Jack Lambert
Monk, Spindthrift survivor
Joe DeRita
Curly Joe
Moe Howard
Moe
Larry Fine
Larry
Teddy Buckner and His All Stars
Themselves
Jonathan Hole
Riverboat headwaiter
Max Wagner
Blackjack dealer
Marcel De la Brosse
Croupier
Michael Jeffers
Riverboat waiter
Arthur Godfrey
Himself
Eva Six
Mrs. Burden
Idell James
Mrs. Pulaski
Herbert Winters
Riverboat guest
Monty O'Grady
Riverboat guest
Norman Stevans
Riverboat guest
William H. O'Brien
Riverboat guest
Sam Harris
Riverboat guest
Bill Dyer
Riverboat guest
Paul Cristo
Riverboat guest
George Ford
Riverboat guest
Hal Taggart
Riverboat guest
Greg Rhinelander
Riverboat guest
Charlie Picerni
Red coat fighter
Ray Spiker
Red coat fighter
Harry Wilson
Red coat fighter
Al Bain
Red coat fighter
Paul Stader
Red coat fighter
Danny Borzage
Red coat fighter
Joe Brooks
Red coat fighter
Jack Gordon
Red coat fighter
Gene LeBell
Yellow coat fighter
Hal Needham
Yellow coat fighter
Eddie Hice
Yellow coat fighter
Charles Sullivan
Yellow coat fighter
John Roy
Yellow coat fighter
Chuck Hicks
Yellow coat fighter
Dick Cherney
Yellow coat fighter
Leroy Johnson
Yellow coat fighter
George DeNormand
Yellow coat fighter
Sammy Shack
Yellow coat fighter
Noble 'Kid' Chissel
Yellow coat fighter
Mike Ragan
Matson henchman
Mushy Callahan
Matson henchman
Bill Catching
Brawler
Teddy Quinn
Toddler
Victor Paul
stunts
Larry Duran
stunts
Stephen Burnett
stunts
John Indrisano
stunts
Jack Perkins
stunts
George Orrison
stunts
Fred Carson
stunts
Roy Jenson
stunts
Marvin Willens
stunts
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 1
Matson gunmen
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 2
Orphans
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 3
Burden's stage driver
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 4
Elya's maid
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 5
Elya's stage driver
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 6
Zach's henchmen
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 7
Townspeople
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 8
Orlando's
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 9
Trowbridge stage driver
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 11
Dock workers
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 12
Riverboat staff
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 13
Riverboat guests
Unidentified 4 FOR TEXAS 14
Red and Yellow coat fighters
Robert Aldrich
Director
Howard W. Koch
Producer
Robert Aldrich
Producer
Walter Blake
Associate Producer
W. R. Burnett
Story
Robert Aldrich
Screenplay
Teddi Sherman
Screenplay
Ernest Laszlo
Director of Photography
Michael Luciano
Film Editor
Jack Solomon
Sound Mixer
William Glasgow
Art Director
Raphael Bretton
Set Decoration
Nelson Riddle
Original Music
Gil Grau
Orchestrator
Oscar Rudolph
2nd Unit Director
Tom Connors, Jr.
Assistant Director
David Salven
Assistant Director
Carl E. Guthrie
2nd Unit Photography
Burnett Guffey
2nd Unit Photography
Joseph F. Biroc
2nd Unit Photography
Robert J. Schiffer
Makeup
Charles James
Costume Design
Joyce Rogers
Costume Design
Norma Koch
Costume Design
Robert Sherman
Dialogue Supervisor
Jack R. Berne
Production Supervisor
John Orlando
Property Master
Sass Bedig
Special Effects
Robert Gary
Script Supervisor
Adell Aldrich
Script Assistant
John Indrisano
Stunt Supervisor
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