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Hot Stuff (1956 film)

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Hot Stuff
Directed byJules White
Edward Bernds (stock footage)
Screenplay byFelix Adler
Story byElwood Ullman
Produced byJules White
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Shemp Howard
Joe Palma
Emil Sitka
Gene Roth
Connie Cezon
Evelyn Lovequist
Christine McIntyre
Vernon Dent
Philip Van Zandt
Jacques O'Mahoney
Andri Pola
Harold Brauer
Blackie Whiteford
CinematographyRay Cory
Edited byHarold White
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • September 6, 1956 (1956-09-06) (U.S.)
Running time
15:55
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hot Stuff is a 1956 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 172nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

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The Stooges are secret agents, their mission is to protect Professor Sneed from kidnapping by foreign agents after his rocket fuel formula. They disguise as carpet layers and go to Sneed's house, but Larry is mistaken for Professor Sneed and kidnapped along with Moe and Shemp. They pretend that Larry is Prof. Sneed, and accidentally succeed in making a rocket fuel. But just as they're about to be freed, the real professor shows up and the Stooges are confined to a room, the Professor and his daughter locked in a dungeon, and all sentenced to death.[1]

Cast

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Credited

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Uncredited

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Production notes

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The short is a remake of 1949's Fuelin' Around, using ample stock footage.[2] Hot Stuff was one of four shorts filmed in the wake of Shemp Howard's death using earlier footage and a stand-in.

"Fake Shemp"

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As Shemp Howard had already died, for his last four films (Rumpus in the Harem, Hot Stuff, Scheming Schemers and Commotion on the Ocean), Columbia utilized supporting actor Joe Palma to be Shemp's double. Even though the last four shorts were remakes of earlier Shemp efforts, Palma's services were needed to link what few new scenes were filmed to the older stock footage.[2]

For Hot Stuff, Palma is seen twice. The first time occurs when the Stooges, disguised in beards, are trolling through office hallways. Moe instructs Shemp to pursue a suspicious looking girl, to which Palma grunts "Right!" He then walks off-camera, allowing Moe and Larry to finish the scene by themselves. This is the only time Palma allowed his face to be seen on-camera. As he was purposely wearing a beard, his face is successfully concealed. Later, Palma is seen from the back while the boys are locked in the laboratory. Palma attempts to imitate Shemp's famed cry of "Heep, heep, heep!". Again, Moe directs Shemp, this time to guard the door. Palma obliges, mutters a few additional "Heep, heep, heeps!," and conveniently hides behind the door. This was one of the few times during his tenure as Shemp's double that Palma was required to speak without the aid of dubbing.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.threestooges.net/filmography/view/171/
  2. ^ a b Solomon, Jon (2002). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Comedy III Productions, Inc. p. 483. ISBN 0-9711868-0-4.
  3. ^ Lenburg, Jeff; Howard Maurer, Joan; Lenburg, Greg; (1982). The Three Stooges Scrapbook, p. 263, Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-0946-5
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