Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Released December 26, 1941
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Universal
84 min. (Feature Film)
84 min. (Feature Film)
Universal purchased the film rights to Ole Olsen's and Chic Johnson's Broadway hit HELLZAPOPPIN' (1938 - 1941), an 'anything-goes' revue of non-stop jokes and sight gags... with some minor conditions that included the introduction of musical numbers, a linear storyline, and a romantic subplot. Olsen and Johnson complied, and with the help of screenwriter Nat Perrin, lampooned everything that Universal wanted.
The filmed insanity of HELLZAPOPPIN' is unacceptable to the director (Richard Lane), so Ole and Chic break the fourth wall of reality with the help of projectionist Louie (Shemp Howard), and screen an imaginery film with the requisite studio demands. Louie and his film projector control the goings-on around Ole & Chic, with reality-altering complications provided by his fat, short-tempered girlfriend in the projection booth.
Rich Kitty Rand loves struggling stage producer Jeff Hunter, and Jeff's new high-class production of orchestral music and ballet will premiere at a society affair on her parent's vast estate. Kitty's parents disapprove of Jeff and want her to marry dim-witted playboy Woody Taylor. Jeff's partners Olsen & Johnson bring their inspired insanity to the Rand estate, along with Chic's man-hungry sister Betty (Martha Raye), and Jeff's ballet star Pepi (Mischa Auer), a phony, exiled Russian Prince. Betty's late night pursuit of Pepi launches a series of misunderstandings, leading O&J to conclude that Kitty has fallen for Pepi. The comics decide that Jeff's honor is worth more than the success of the show, so Chic and Ole set out to sabotage the premiere, resulting in... HELLZAPOPPIN'! Throughout it all, zany master-of-disguise PI Quimby (Hugh Herbert) plays the Greek chorus, wandering through scenes with a series of trademark 'hoo hoo's' and nonsensical observations.
Don't worry, none of this is supposed to make sense... it's HELLZAPOPPIN!
Avg. Rating: 
[6.50/10]
[6.50/10]
Ole Olsen
Himself
Chic Johnson
Himself
Martha Raye
Betty Johnson
Robert Paige
Jeff Hunter
Jane Frazee
Kitty Rand
Hugh Herbert
Quimby
Mischa Auer
Pepi
Shemp Howard
Louie
Jody Gilbert
Louie's girlfriend
Richard Lane
Director
Billy Gilbert
Junior
Lewis Howard
Woody Taylor
Elisha Cook Jr.
Harry Selby
Clarence Kolb
Andrew Rand
Andrew Tombes
Max Kane
Nella Walker
Mrs. Rand
Bert Roach
Robert T. MacChesney
Six Hits and a Miss
Themselves
Slim Gaillard
Dancer, Slim & Slam
Slam Stewart
Dancer, Slim & Slam
The Harlem Congeroo Dancers
Themselves
Ann Johnson
The Harlem Congeroos
Frankie Manning
The Harlem Congeroos
Rex Stewart
Trumpet player
Norma Miller
Cook dancer
Al Minns
Butler dancer
Olive Hatch Water Ballet
Themselves
Dean Collins
Jitterbug dancer
Milton Charleston
Dancer
Dorothy Raye
Dancer
Jean Porter
Chorine
Bob Rose
Shorty the butler
Freddie Sanborn
Man playing tic-tac-toe
Frank Darien
Man calling for Mrs. Jones
Catherine Johnson
Lady looking for Oscar
Susan Miller
Mother calling for Junior
Samuel S. Hinds
Showboat captain
Billy Curtis
Bodyguard
Gil Perkins
Butler in pool
Dale Van Sickel
Man in pool
Hal K. Dawson
Photographer at pool
Don Brodie
Theater manager
Gus Schilling
Orchestra conductor
Ellinor Vanderveer
Woman in audience
Bess Flowers
Woman in audience
George Chandler
Cameraman
George Humbert
Chef at bread table
Eddie Acuff
Draftee devil
Angelo Rossito
Midget devil
Ben Hall
Man in Betty's way
Charlie Hall
Taxi driver
Jimmie Lucas
Taxi driver
Harry Monty
Midget taxi driver
Billy Wayne
Photographer
Kathryn Adams
Girl with jewelry
Lyle Moraine
Young man
Sig Arno
Cello player
George Davis
Russian butler
Joseph North
Butler
Alice Dahl
Maid
Dave Willock
Trombone player
Ethelreda Leopold
Woman at skeet shoot
Frank Austin
Chauffeur
Julia Griffith
Party guest
H. C. Potter
Director
Jules Levey
Producer
Glenn Tryon
Associate Producer
Alex Gottlieb
Associate Producer
Ole Olsen
Original Play
Chic Johnson
Original Play
Warren Wilson
Screenplay
Nat Perrin
Story and Screenplay
Elwood Bredell
Director of Photography
Milton Carruth
Film Editor
Jack Otterson
Art Director
Martin Obzina
Associate Art Director
Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration
Bernard B. Brown
Sound Director
Willam R. Fox
Sound Technician
Charles Previn
Musical Director
Ted Cain
Music Supervisor
Sammy Fain
Original Music
Frank Skinner
Music
Lewis F. Muir
Music
Gene de Paul
Music
L. Wolfe Gilbert
Lyrics
Don Raye
Lyrics
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Charles Tobias
Lyrics
Eddie Prinz
Choreographer
Nick Castle
Choreographer
Joseph A. McDonough
Assistant Director
John P. Fulton
Special Photographic Effects
Vera West
Gowns
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