| 3 Dumb Clucks | |
| Director: | Del Lord |
| Starring: | Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Lucille Lund Frank Mills Eddie Laughton Cy Schindell Al Thompson Harry Tenbrook Lew Davis |
| Cinematography: | André Barlatier |
| Editing: | Charles Nelson |
| Producer: | Jules White |
| Distributor: | Columbia Pictures |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
3 Dumb Clucks is a 1937 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 22nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.
Amidst their incarceration, the Stooges receive correspondence from their maternal figure, detailing the sudden windfall of their paternal counterpart (portrayed by Curly Howard in a dual role encompassing both father and son). The missive unveils the elder Curly's ascent to affluence courtesy of an oil strike, his subsequent abandonment of their mother, and his impromptu nuptials to a covetous, youthful blonde named Daisy. Prompted by filial duty and a desire to thwart the ill-fated union, the Stooges abscond from confinement, embarking on a mission to disrupt the impending matrimonial proceedings.
However, complications ensue as the physical resemblance between Curly and his father confounds the matrimonial landscape, resulting in Daisy inadvertently betrothing herself to the wrong individual. Subsequently, the trio finds themselves ensnared in a perilous web as nefarious individuals, coveting the newfound wealth associated with their father's oil discovery, pursue them with malicious intent. Undeterred by adversity, the Stooges navigate through adversity, successfully extricating their paternal figure from jeopardy and restoring familial equilibrium.
Their odyssey culminates in the retrieval of their unconscious father, whom they conscientiously escort back to the maternal abode, thus concluding their escapade with a reunion marked by filial devotion and paternal reconciliation.
Filming for 3 Dumb Clucks commenced between February 1 and 5, 1937.[1] It is a send-up of the feature film Three Smart Girls.[2]
This is the third of sixteen Stooge shorts using the word "three" in the title, however, 3 Dumb Clucks is the only one to use the numeral "3".[2] It was reworked in 1953 as Up in Daisy's Penthouse, using minimal stock footage from the original.[2]
During the scene where Curly's father arrives for his wedding, two of the gold digger's henchmen dispose of him by throwing him down an elevator shaft. The prop men had padded the bottom of the shaft to cushion Curly's fall, but neglected to cover a protruding 2inchesx4inchesin (xin) panel. Curly was thrown down the shaft quickly, and landed head-first on the panel, tearing his scalp open. As the Stooges were workhorses at Columbia Pictures, Curly was not taken to the hospital. Instead, the studio physician was rushed to the set to apply several stitches to Curly's scalp. Some fresh hair was glued over the wound, and with a healthy dose of painkillers, the slightly wobbly Stooge was back in action within a few hours.[3]