SAVED BY THE BELLE

Production Information
Title: Saved by the Belle
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 40
Release Date: June 30, 1939
Running Time: 17:22

“You know I’m temperamental.” “Yeah, 95% temper, 5% mental.”

Short Take

In Saved By The Belle, The Three Stooges are traveling salesmen stranded in Valeska, a fictional South American country prone to earthquakes. Unfortunately, they are having no luck selling fur coats to the natives. They are then arrested when they receive a telegram instructing them to “get rid of present wardrobe” and an official thinks they are planning to assassinate president Ward Robey. The Boys escape the prison with the help of Rita, a beautiful revolutionary, and are sent on a mission to deliver important plans to the revolutionary leader. When they deliver a rolled up calendar by mistake, they are once again heading for a firing squad but are spared when Rita arrives with the real plans.

However, The Stooges are tricked, when they are to be commissioned by the revolutionary army, only to face a firing squad. Once again, however, a strong earthquake allows The Stooges to escape in a truck, filled with explosives. When Curly lights a cigarette, Moe tells him to throw it away. Without thinking, Curly throws it into the back of the truck, filled with explosives, causing the truck to blow up, landing the Stooges on a horse. Finally, the horse throws them off, and the film ends.

Saved by the Belle Cast & Crew

Directed byCharley Chase
Produced byCharley Chase
Hugh McCollum
Written bySearle Kramer
Elwood Ullman
StarringMoe Howard
Larry Fine
Curly Howard
LeRoy Mason
Carmen LaRoux
Gino Corrado
Vernon Dent
Manuel París
Al Thompson
CinematographyAllen G. Siegler
Edited byArt Seid

Saved by the Belle Trivia

  • This was the last Stooge short directed by Charley Chase
  • The flag of Valeska (the fictional country where the short takes place) features an arm holding a mallet with the shirt sleeve rolled up
  • When The Boys are about to face the firing squad, Curly says he will send a photo home to Elaine, the name of his real second wife Elaine Ackerman (1937-41)
  • Al Thompson acted in more than 40 shorts with The Three Stooges including 35 with Curly in the cast
  • Carmen Laroux is best known for her appearance as Señorita Rita in Saved by the Belle. She also appeared in the John Wayne film The Desert Trail. Her final film appearance was as a maid in Orson Welles’ masterpiece Citizen Kane. Laroux died suddenly on August 24, 1942. She was just 32.

Production Notes

  • Saved by the Belle was filmed on December 12–15, 1938
  • The short was shot on the Columbia Ranch’s Wester set. The Boys try to sell their wares on the porch of the Hotel, and also appear in the front of the Bank in two different scenes. The Hotel and the Bank were located across from each other on Western Street