''He Cooked His Goose'' is a 1952

short subject A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

directed by

Jules White Jules White (born Julius Weiss; hu, Weisz Gyula; 17 September 190030 April 1985) was a Hungarian-American film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring The Three Stooges Early years White began working in mo ...

starring American

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...

comedy team

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

(

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television ...

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...

and

Shemp Howard Samuel Horwitz (March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955), known professionally as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Lithuanian Yiddish, Litvak accent. He is ...

). It is the 140th entry in the series released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

Larry is a womanizer who is having an affair with Moe's wife, Belle (

Mary Ainslee Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

) while making eyes at Shemp's fiancée, Millie (

Angela Stevens Angela Stevens (born Ann Evelyn Allen, May 8, 1925 – March 17, 2016) was an American film actress and singer. Biography Stevens was born in Eagle Rock, California. She appeared in several Three Stooges films, such as '' He Cooked His Goose'', ...

), as well. Moe, however, tracks down the conniving Larry at his pet shop, and gives him the works. Larry is able to think fast and convinces Moe he is innocent, which calms him down. Realizing he needs to cover his tracks, Larry looks for a "fall guy" in the form of Shemp. Larry then gets Shemp a job as an underwear salesman and the first place he goes is Moe's home. While Shemp is modeling his ware for Belle, Larry calls both Millie and Moe and lies to them about Shemp's advances on Moe's wife. Both of them go storming over to Moe's, with Moe carrying a loaded gun. Looking to avoid being killed, Shemp flees up the chimney. After he fools Moe with a

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

disguise, Shemp makes a quick getaway. Shemp then spies Larry coming. Now aware that Larry set him up, Shemp knocks Larry out and dresses him in the Santa outfit and sends him to Moe, Millie, and Moe's wife. Moe unmasks Larry to the surprise of them all that he tricked Moe and chases him out of the apartment. Moe shoots Larry in the buttocks times before accidentally shooting himself in the foot while celebrating.

Cast

Credited

as Moe *

as Larry *

as Joe *

as Belle *

as Millie * Theila Darin as Miss Lapdale

Uncredited

Johnny Kascier Johnny Kascier (born John Kacerosky; July 1, 1889May 10, 1974) was an American actor who appeared in over 90 films between 1932 and 1957. Modern viewers will recognize Kascier as the Emir of Schmow in the Three Stooges film '' Malice in the Pala ...

as Waiter/Moe's stand-in * Charles Cross as Larry's stand-in * Harold Breen as Shemp's stand-in''He Cooked His Goose'' at threestooges.net
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Production notes

''He Cooked His Goose'' was reworked in 1959 as ''

Triple Crossed ''Triple Crossed'' is a 1959 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 189th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...

'', using ample

stock footage Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures, and file footage is film or video footage that can be used again in other films. Stock footage is beneficial to filmmakers as it saves shooting new material. A single piece of stock ...

from the original. It is one of only three films in which

is the main character. The other two where he takes the lead role are ''

Woman Haters ''Woman Haters'' is a 1934 musical short subject directed by Archie Gottler starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Jerry Howard). It is the inaugural entry in the series released by Columbia ...

'' and '' Three Loan Wolves''. ''He Cooked His Goose'' was filmed on January 7–9, 1952 when Christmas trees were available, but not released until July. When Belle answers the door for Shemp, the Christmas tree she was hanging earlier with Moe is missing. Former stooge

Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (; October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), known professionally as Curly Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder ...

died on January 18, 1952, a whole week following filming. This was the final film featuring new footage of long-time Stooge character actress Mary Ainslee, following of her retired acting career. Over the course of their 24 years at Columbia Pictures, the Stooges would occasionally be cast as separate characters. This course of action always worked against the team; author Jon Solomon concluded "when the writing divides them, they lose their comic dynamic". In addition to this split occurring in ''He Cooked His Goose'' (and its

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

''), the trio also played separate characters in ''

Rockin' in the Rockies ''Rockin' in the Rockies'' is a 1945 American musical western feature film starring the Three Stooges (not to be confused with their 1940 short subject '' Rockin' thru the Rockies''). The picture was one of the Stooges' few feature-length film ...

'', ''

Cuckoo on a Choo Choo ''Cuckoo on a Choo Choo'' is a 1952 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 143rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

'', ''

Gypped in the Penthouse ''Gypped in the Penthouse'' is a 1955 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 161st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures star ...

'', ''

Flying Saucer Daffy ''Flying Saucer Daffy'' is a 1958 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 187th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starrin ...

'' and '' Sweet and Hot''.

References

External links

* *
''He Cooked His Goose'' at threestooges.net
{{The Three Stooges 1952 films 1952 comedy films The Three Stooges films 1950s Christmas films 1950s Christmas comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Jules White Columbia Pictures short films American comedy short films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films