Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
This website is made possible, in part, by displaying a few online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Released May 30, 1941
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Universal
85 min. (Feature Film)
85 min. (Feature Film)
Radio singing star Russ Raymond (Dick Powell) tires of the spotlight, changes his name to Tommy Halstead, and enlists in the Navy. His sudden disappearance causes an uproar with his fans, and reporters scour the country to find him. Among them is magazine photographer Dot Roberts (Claire Dodd), who stows away on the USS Alabama when 'Halstead' ships out for Pearl Harbor.
As Smokey Adams and Pomeroy Watson, A&C are inept seamen constantly aggravating CPO 'Dynamite' Dugan (Dick Foran). The duo befriend Russ and attempt to keep his real identity a secret. Watson (Costello) winds up helping stowaway Dot, when he finds her hiding in the ship's food locker. Pomeroy is also courting Patty Andrews of The Andrews Sisters (as themselves), and builds a 'sea' of lies when he tells her that he is a Captain... a tale that backfires when the Andrews come to Pearl Harbor on a USO tour, and Patty expects a Captain's tour of the ship.
Shemp Howard costars as galley cook Seaman 'Dizzy,' and joins A&C in performing several of their routines, "7 x 13 = 28," "Buzzing the Bee" and "The Lemon Bit."
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello star in their second service comedy, filmed after HOLD THAT GHOST, but released prior to capitalize on the box-office success of BUCK PRIVATES.
Avg. Rating: 
[8.60/10]
[8.60/10]
Bud Abbott
Smokey Adams
Lou Costello
Pomeroy Watson
Dick Powell
Russ Raymond / Tommy Halstead
Claire Dodd
Dot Roberts
LaVerne Andrews
LaVerne
Patty Andrews
Patty
Maxene Andrews
Maxene
Shemp Howard
Dizzy
Dick Foran
CPO 'Dynamite' Dugan
Billy Lenhart
Butch
Kenneth Brown
Buddy
William B. Davidson
Capt. Richards
Jack Mulhall
Lt. Scott
Douglas Wood
Admiral
Nick Condos
Tap-dancing sailor
Steve Condos
Tap-dancing sailor
Blanche Payson
Battleaxe wife at radio station
Lorin Raker
Husband of battleaxe
Flower Parry
Radio audience member
Sandra Morgan
Well-dressed woman
Estelle Etterre
Well-dressed woman
Edna Hall
Fat woman
Doris Herbert
Mother
Claire Whitney
Mother
Gary Breckner
Radio announcer
Gayle Mellott
Girl throwing kiss
Brick Sullivan
Cop at stage door
Ralph Dunn
Pete, traffic cop
Chuck Morrison
Dump truck driver
Carole Costello
Baby in stroller
Robert Emmett Keane
Mr. Travers
Regis Parton
Sentry
Pat Gleason
Sentry
Barry Hays
Sentry
Edward Fielding
Commander
Lee Kass
Dancehall bandleader
Don Terry
Reef, dancehall manager
Sunnie O'Dea
Dancer
Richard Alexander
Dancehall bully
Eddie Dunn
Dancehall ticket taker
Mickey Simpson
Dancehall brawler
Ken Terrell
Dancehall brawler
Harry Strang
Chief commisary steward
Harold Daniels
Chief commisary secretary
Frank Penny
Bos'n mate
Eddie Hall
Shirtless sailor
Bobby Barber
Sailor
Frankie Van
Sailor
Jack Roper
Sailor
Phil Warren
Sailor
Charles Sullivan
Sailor
Joe Bautista
Captain's mess boy
Thurston Hall
Senator
Hooper Atchley
Senate committee member
J. Anthony Hughes
Lt. Martin
Ralph T. Brooks
Dancing officer
Jim Farley
Policeman
Charles Sherlock
Marine
Lyle Latell
Marine sentry
Patsy O'Byrne
Old maid
Lois Austin
Secretary
Virginia Engels
Office secretary
Richard Crane
Office boy
Arthur Lubin
Director
Alex Gottlieb
Producer
Arthur T. Horman
Story and Screenplay
John Grant
Screenplay
Joseph Valentine
Director of Photography
Philip Cahn
Film Editor
Jack Otterson
Art Director
Harold MacArthur
Associate Art Director
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
Bernard B. Brown
Recording Director
Charles Carroll
Sound Technician
Charles Previn
Musical Director
Ted Cain
Music Supervisor
Vic Schoen
Music Arranger
Frank Skinner
Original Music
Sonny Burke
Original Music
Gene de Paul
Lyrics
Don Raye
Lyrics
Hugh Prince
Lyrics
Nick Castle
Choreographer
Phil Karlson
Assistant Director
John P. Fulton
Visual Effects
Vera West
Gowns
Joan Hathaway
Dialogue Director
H. E. Harris
Military Advisor
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of the issues involved. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information please visit: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission directly from the copyright owner.
