Three Sappy People (1939) User Reviews

Riotous Short; the Stooges Destroy High Society

[mrb1980 · 9/10 · 22 August 2009]

This Three Stooges short uses the old plot device of placing the blue-collar Stooges in high society surroundings, setting the scene for all sorts of lowbrow mischief at the expense of the upper crust and bringing the haughty rich down to the working-class level of the Stooges.

In order to make fast money, the phone-repairmen Stooges pose as pricey psychiatrists Drs. Ziller, Zeller, and Zoller and crash a society birthday party at a swank mansion. After falling off their tandem bike, the Stooges consult wealthy Mr. Rumsford (Don Beddoe), who asks them to examine his young wife (the lovely birthday girl Lorna Gray). All manner of chaos ensues, especially when the Stooges sit down with the rich folks for a formal dinner party. Things naturally get quickly out of hand, and everything culminates in a wild upper crust cream puff fight, then the boys are paid $1,500, after which they scram.

The action never slows down, the gags are hilarious, and the supporting cast is fine. A young Ann Doran appears as an unbearably stiff and haughty socialite, who is of course on the receiving end of her share of cream puff missiles. Lorna Gray is absolutely radiant and has a great talent for the Stooges' style of comedy. The dependable Don Beddoe is great as the exasperated Mr. Rumsford, who is unable to control his wild young wife. For some reason I can't identify, I've always thought that the Stooges crashing their tandem bicycle is one of their funniest gags ever. Even if you don't particularly like the Three Stooges, you might enjoy this bright and funny short subject.

Lorna Gray steals this one.

[BlackJack_B · 8/10 · 8 January 2022]

Three Sappy People is a favorite of mine due to Lorna Gray's performance. She reminded me of a woman I knew a few years back who was a spitting image of her in this short.

The Three Stooges play three inept phone repairmen. During their attempt to fix the switchboard, they are then mistaken for the psychiatrists in the office they are doing work in. Due to Curly's friend/wife/dog Gertie "expecting any minute", they decide to portray the 3 psychiatrists named Ziller, Zeller and Zoller to make money to help Gertie. Fortunately for The Stooges, these three psychiatrists are known for their unorthodox methods.

The patient in question is Sherry Rumsford (Gray) who is the young, restless and vivacious wife of J. Rumsford Rumsford (Don Beddoe) who wants her wanderlust sated. The boys run amok at the party and at the dinner table hoping they can cure Sherry and collect.

The star of this episode aren't any of the Stooges but Gray. The then 22-year old actress is absolutely infectious whether she's talking, laughing or parking her car INSIDE the mansion. She has a devil-may-care attitude that is very appealing. Ann Doran, playing a countess who Curly annoys, is also a standout. I found her very attractive. Other Three Stooges' regulars such as Bud Jamison (playing a butler) and Richard Fiske (playing a guest) are also in the cast.

While not one of their elite shorts, Three Sappy People is still quite good. I never get tired of watching Lorna Gray and Ann Doran in this one.

Dangerous Incident During The Cream Puff Throwing

[hogwrassler · 9/10 · 7 November 2020]

The Stooges are telephone repairmen mistaken for psychiatrists Ziller, Zeller, and Zoller. They are to treat Sherry (Lorna Gray), the wild and impetuous wife of a staid millionaire (Don Beddoe).

Watch the slapstick cream puff throwing climax carefully. Sherry (Lorna Gray) gets hits right in the mouth with a cream puff that actually lodges in her throat. She closes her eyes tightly, turns her head down and to the right, and appears to choke, which she did. Director Jules White immediately stopped the shot but the incident is still in the finished product. Moe Howard talks about it in his book about The Stooges and says that Lorna nearly died. Jules White was really frightened by it. But in an interview later in life, Lorna Gray said that she never felt like she was in any real danger and was upset about Jules White nearly spoiling the scene by cutting too soon. Still, watch the cream puff throwing closely and it's obvious that Lorna is definitely in actual distress before the scene cuts away.

I just watched this on MeTV on the regular Saturday afternoon-evening Stooge Fest.

Pure Insanity Start-To-Finish!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 13 January 2011]

This is one of my favorite Three Stooges episodes because it's wild from start-to-finish.

It begins in the first 30 seconds with a young wife driving her car through the house into the living room, where people are waiting to celebrate her birthday. Apparently, she's done stuff like this before.

The husband has had it, so he calls for psychiatrists: Dr. Ziller, Dr. Zeller and Dr. Zoller and "their methods are known to be peculiar." Well, the Stooges are phone repairmen who just happened to be fixing the switchboard at the doctors' office when the call comes in for help. Desperate, they take the job and pretend to be psychiatrists. Notice how often the Stooges wind up in situations like this, impersonating others?

Anyway, that gives you an idea about the insanity and this pure frenetic Three Stooges short which has a crazy woman and the farcial Stooges having a lot of fun together at the birthday party....at the funny expense of everyone else at the party. The dinner food-fight is a classic!

I have seen this one numerous times and laugh again and again!

[haskala · 10/10 · 6 April 2011]

Tested over time this classic is timeless! I have seen this one numerous times and laugh again and again! I think the vast majority of folks that watch the Three Stooges and especially their shorts like this one, appreciate laughing at the snobby, and pretentious wealthy. And nowadays during our global economic troubles the folks that have little like laughing at the folks that have way too much. One thing though:

Of all of the times I have watched this short, I could never identify the thing served on each plate that looked like a corn on the cob wrapped.

However it was endlessly wrapped and had some inky liquid at its center. What in heaven's name was it!!!! Of course the biscuits were obvious and funny when confused with a lady's makeup powder puff.

But maybe some one out there knows what that thing was that when squeezed squirted out black liquid??????

I could watch this one over and over and over!!!!!!

[dls-3 · 28 June 2000]

I was very excited when I was able to add this gem to my movie collection.

I remember seeing this about 3-4 years ago and I remembered most of it but not all of it. Curly stole the show!!!!! Classic Stooges to the hilt!!!!!!!

If you thought that upper class were prim and proper, then you MUST see this Stooges short.

Of course there is the classic pie fight at the end and this is where the fun really is. Curly is having pies thrown at him by Moe and he (Curly) has to protect himself. So he stands behind the countess. Moe throws the first pie and Curly ducks behind the countess and she gets the pie in the face. Curly comes from behind the countess for a couple of seconds as Moe is preparing to throw the next pie and Curly gives his famous "Nyuk Nyuk". He ducks behind the countess again as Moe hits the countess with the second pie. Curly then comes out from behind her and says to Moe "Ya missed me, Nyah" (He sticks out his tongue like a 6 or 7 year old).

All Curly's facial expressions and noises that emanate from him throughout the movie are hilarious!!!

Now these men are supposed to be professional "psychiatrists". What a way to help a patient out her her dilemma!!!! They themselves need the help.

This film is so nutty it is really funny!!

For a fun filled evening, I suggest you rent this one, for sure!!!

One of the best Three Stooges shorts of all time!

[Movie Nuttball · 10/10 · 3 August 2004]

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

This one is arguably the funniest of all the shorts. Plus this is one of My all time favorites! I love Ann Doran's Countess character just not because she is beautiful but also because she is very classy and she is always serious. Also the beautiful Lorna Gray performs quite well here. Three Sappy People is filled with great acting by not only the Stooges but also the other cast members which include Don Beddo, Bud Jamison, Beatrice Blinn, Richard Fiske, Eddie Laughton, and Victor Travers! I think that this is one of the greatest Three Stooges shorts of all time with great acting by everyone, it has beautiful women, and some of the most hilarious scenes ever seen on film! This is a very special Three Stooges short! Its a great one for Stooge for fans to watch and I strongly recommend it!

Lorna Gray Steals the Show As Bored Daughter who Wants to Be Entertained

[springfieldrental · 8/10 · 20 April 2024]

In, December 1939's "Three Sappy People," their 43rd short. Lorna Gray stars as Sherry, the spirited rich wife of millionaire J. Rumsford Rumford (Don Beddoe). She's bored to tears during her birthday party and wants to venture out to more exciting adventures. Meanwhile, her husband calls psychiatrist Drs. Z. Ziller, X. Zeller and Y. Zoller, only to get telephone repairmen Moe, Larry and Curly working on the doctors' switchboard. Hearing about the amount of money the doctors would make by curing Sherry's ennui, the three pose as the psychiatrists and arrive at the wife's party. They soon turn the formal dinner party into a riotous affair, breaking out into an outrageous pastry altercation, much to the delight of Sherry.

During the filming Gray, 22, was injured by a thrown pastry which happened to lodge in her throat. Seen in the final edit, Lorna was taken by complete surprise when the cream puff entered her gullet. Director Jules White immediately stopped filming and sought the studio medical team. The actress in subsequent interviews brushed off the incident, claiming the story was exaggerated by White, saying she was never in any medical danger. Gray was one of the longest living actresses who played alongside Curly when he was with the Stooges, dying just a couple of months from turning 100. Born Virginia Pound, Gray took a second stage name, Adrian Booth, in 1945 after leaving Columbia Pictures. Lorna was strictly a B-film actress, starring in a number of Westerns for Monogram and Republic Pictures. She was the only actress at Republic beside Dale Evans to receive top-star billing for her movies at the studio. After retiring from Hollywood in 1951, Lorna attended a number of film festivals and Stooges' conventions well into her nineties. She received the prestigious 'Golden Boot Award' in 1998 for her many appearances in Westerns.

Notable for a particular car seen in the short

[boatista24 · 7/10 · 2 February 2009]

In this great Stooges short we see a rare treasure indeed - worth many thousands of dollars today - a Springfield, Massachusetts-built 1928-1931 Rolls Royce Phantom I with left-hand drive. The car is an unusual one, in that the coach-builder apparently built the body into somewhat of a cabriolet - the top is longer than that of a roadster, but shorter than a full phaeton. The car appears to have only two doors, the normal Phantom I wire wheels have custom complete color-coded wheel covers, and the car is painted an unusual color (not black). Having built many detailed models of this chassis with several body styles, the example in this Stooges short makes it a treasure beyond the great humor that made seeing it possible.

more

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 7 August 2020]

Mrs. Sherry Rumsford crashes her car into her own mansion while everybody is attending her party. Her husband has had enough and calls for three renown psychiatrists. Phone repairmen Larry, Curly, and Moe are working on the psychiatrists' office. They need fast money and Moe decides to impersonate the three doctors.

I wonder if they could do more with the Stooges as psychiatrists. It ends up with another food fight. I don't hate on food fights but it would be nice to be more imaginative. It needs more. This is fun but it could be more.

"Their Methods Are Very Unusual - But, They Do Get Results!"

[StrictlyConfidential · 7/10 · 9 May 2020]

For starters - Can you imagine a reliable phone company actually hiring repairmen like Curly, Larry, and Moe to take care of technical matters? 'Cause if that ain't asking for some serious trouble, then, I really don't what it would be. (Nyuck! Nyuck! Nyuck!)

Well - As the story goes - Totally abandoning their service call as switchboard repairmen - The "eager-to-make-a-buck" Stooges pose as psychiatrists, Doctors Ziller, Zeller, and Zoller and, then, promptly head on over to the posh dinner party being held at the Rumsford mansion where the impetuous flake, Sherry Rumsford is celebrating her birthday.

Anyway - As you can well imagine - It doesn't take but a minute for Curly, Larry, and Moe to really stir up all sorts of comically priceless shenanigans that shifts into high-gear once the elegant dinner is served up, resulting in some truly hilarious entertainment for one, and all. (Nyuck! Nyuck! Nyuck!)

Typical Stooges stuff, not too funny

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 9 May 2017]

"Three Sappy People" is an American 18-minute short film from 1939, so two more years and this one is already 80 years old. If you hear the names White and Bruckman, the ones who made this you maybe already know that here we have another Three Stooges short film, actually one of their more known. It is in black-and-white in the original version and despite this being from the year when World War II started, it is a really unpolitical film that is more about the usually mayhem and slapstick humor than about political references like some of their 1940 works for example. Once again, the Stooges are mistaken for competent people (doctors) and are in the position to cure a young woman. And actually they do, even if no man of medicine would agree with their approach to the illness depicted in here. I found this a very standard Stooges short film, so if you like them, then you will probably end up liking these slightly under 20 minutes too. I personally find the plot and comedy in these short movies frequently almost exactly the same and honestly all the actors except the lead trio perhaps, well maybe 1 or 2 of them even as well, are interchangeable to some degree. That's why I give this one another thumbs-down. Not recommended.

"Why don't you get a toupee with some brains in it!"

[slymusic · 3 October 2009]

Directed by Jules White, "Three Sappy People" is one of the best Three Stooges shorts I've ever seen! The boys are switchboard repairmen mistaken for psychiatrists. Don't ask how!

My favorite scenes: Curly tries to eat a biscuit, only to discover that it's a powder puff. Following the wild pastry fight, Mr. Rumsford (Don Beddoe) ends the short by smashing his hyperactive wife Sherry (Lorna Gray) in the face with her giant birthday cake. When Moe answers a call at the switchboard, the caller (the Rumsfords' butler, played by Bud Jamison) asks, "Is this Susquehana 2222?", and Moe responds, "Toot toot toot toot? What do you think you're doing, playing trains?" When the Stooges make their very first entrance, Curly proves he can't handle a ladder.

During the climactic dinner sequence in "Three Sappy People", the Stooges display the crudest of table manners. That's a recurring theme in the Stooge films: lower-class individuals taking their stand against aristocracy.

Classic Stooges Short

[Michael_Elliott · 24 May 2010]

Three Sappy People (1939)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Hilarious short has the Three Stooges playing phone repairmen who are working at the office of some famous psychiatrists when they learn they're in desperate need of money. They receive a phone call from some rich folks needing some help with a crazy wife so they pretend to be doctors and all hell breaks loose. This is perhaps one of the most famous shorts that the Stooges ever did and it's easy to see why as it's action-packed from start to finish with some terrific dialogue and great jokes. I'm normally not a fan of food fights and they can be from any film be it the Stooges or those early Keystone pictures but the one here is actually pretty funny and wild. One of the biggest highlights come from the boys trying to check reflexes but of course they can't do this right and it ends with Curly checking one man's who just happens to have a wooden leg. Other great jokes include a sequence at the dinner table when the boys make pigs out of themselves. The greatest scene in the film has to be when Curly accidentally eats a powder puff.