Make 'Em Laugh (The Funny Business of America)
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Released February 18, 1941
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Hal Roach Studios
86 min. (Feature Film)
86 min. (Feature Film)
Millionaire Drogo Gaines jilts his golddigging bride at the altar by pretending to be insane, and when she sees through his scam, gets revenge by having him committed to a sanitarium. Gaines meets up with fellow patient Col. Carroway, a harmless eccentric committed by his family. Gaines and Carroway escape and hook up with a travelling carnival owned by Penguin Moore (Carole Landis). Drogo and Penguin are infatuated, and with Carroway's "help," Drogo is passed off to Penguin as a the world's greatest lion tamer. The carnival's financial condition leaves a lot to be desired, and finds itself evicted by the Sheriffs of several towns. But the Colonel's conspiring lands them on millionaire Harry Whitman's estate, with a plan to bring Drogo and Penguin together, and save the carnival.
Shemp Howard appears in a small role as Moe Parker, a wild animal exhibitor who sells his lions to the carnival.
Comedy relief is handled by Patsy Kelly, Penguin's best friend and the reluctant object of the carnival's mute Indian barker's (George Stone) affections. Willie Best also comes on board about halfway thru the film as a carnival handyman, who runs afoul of some loose lions. Musical interludes are provided by the gospel/folk group The Charioteers, with lyrics by Hoagy Carmichael.
Originally planned as one of Hal Roach's "streamliner" features (~ 45 minutes), ROAD SHOW wound up with a running time of 86 minutes, and Roach went so far as to cast his daughter Margaret in a supporting role as the carnival's vocalist, who sings with The Charioteers.
Avg. Rating: 
[7.50/10]
[7.50/10]
Adolphe Menjou
Col. Carleton Carroway
Carole Landis
Penguin Moore
John Hubbard
Drogo Gaines
Patsy Kelly
Jinx
George E. Stone
Indian
Charles Butterworth
Harry Whitman
The Charioteers
Themselves
Margaret Roach
Priscilla
Shemp Howard
Moe Parker
Lee 'Lasses' White
Constable
Clarence H. Wilson
Sheriff
James C. Morton
Sheriff
Lane Chandler
State trooper
Florence Bates
Mrs. Newton
Edward Norris
Ed Newton
Edward Keane
Newton
Polly Ann Young
Helen Newton
Paul Stanton
Dr. Thorndyke
Tommy Mack
Clem Prouty
Marjorie Woodworth
Alice
Eddie Dunn
Joe
Willie Best
Willie
Ted Stanhope
Stanhope the butler
James Dime
Orville
Frank Orth
Joe
Jack Norton
Drunk
Eddie Fetherston
Sidesow barker
Richard Cramer
Roustabout
Mike Lally
Roustabout
Ralph T. Brooks
Roustabout
Ben Hall
Rube
Victor Potel
Rube
Jack Raymond
Townsman in brawl
Harry Wilson
Townsman in brawl
Sam Lufkin
Townsman in brawl
Ray Cooke
Townsman in brawl
Stanley Blystone
Townsman in brawl
Maurice Cass
Sanitarium inmate
Edmund Mortimer
Sanitarium inmate
Johnny Arthur
Sanitarium inmate
Helen Dickson
Woman at carnival
Bess Flowers
Woman at carnival
Aubrey Mather
Minister
Florence Wix
Agnes' mother, wedding guest
Larry Steers
Wedding usher
Broderick O'Farrell
Wedding guest
Yolande Donlan
Drogo's nurse
Inna Gest
Desk nurse
Hal Roach
Producer
Hal Roach
Director
Eric Hatch
Novel
Eric Hatch
Story
Arnold Belgard
Screenplay
Mickell Novack
Screenplay
Harry Langdon
Screenplay
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Bert Jordan
Film Editor
Norbert Brodine
Director of Photography
Charles D. Hall
Art Director
W. L. Stevens
Set Decoration
William Randall
Sound Recording
Hoagy Carmichael
Original Music
George Stoll
Original Music
Stanley Adams
Lyrics
Harris Robison
Lyrics
Arthur Schutt
Associate Music Composer
Kay Nelson
Wardrobe
Roy Seawright
Effects Photographer
Bernard Carr
Assistant Director
Gordon Douglas
Associate Director
Hal Roach Jr.
Associate Director
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