Production Information
Title: A Merry Mix-Up
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 177
Release Date: March 23, 1957
Running Time: 15:9
“Poor guys must’ve been lost in action.” “[crying] What a break. Gosh, what a break! Worst break I ever had… they all owed me money!”
(Moe & Larry)
A Merry Mix-Up Short Take
Larry, Moe and Joe are one of three sets of identical triplets born one year apart. Chance brings the nine brothers together after many years apart. With three of ’em married, and three of ’em engaged, plus wives and fiancees who can’t tell them apart, misunderstandings reign. Add to that a very confused waiter with a meat cleaver, and the chase is on!
Cast & Crew
| Directed by | Jules White |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by | Felix Adler |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Joe Besser Nanette Bordeaux Jeanne Carmen Ruth Godfrey White Suzanne Ridgeway Harriette Tarler Diana Darrin Frank Sully |
| Cinematography | Irving Lippman |
| Edited by | Harold White |
A Merry Mix-Up Trivia
- A reworking of Laurel & Hardy’s feature OUR RELATIONS (1936). Felix Adler provided the screenplay for both films.
Production Notes
The closing matte shot featuring all nine brothers standing side by side took careful planning to expose perfectly, giving the effect of three Moes, Larrys and Joes. To achieve this, each Stooge had to stand behind a specific marker before each shot was taken. For the final exposure, director Jules White suspected that Larry Fine was standing behind the wrong marker when compared to the previous two exposures. Larry knew White was wrong, and went to great lengths to prove it. Luckily, Larry prevailed, and saved the studio from having to refilm thousands of dollars worth of exposures.
