Production Information
Title: Cash and Carry
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 25
Release Date: September 3, 1937
Running Time: 18:21
“Five hundred dollars!? Hmmm… that’s almost a million!”
Short Take
The Stooges return home to their shack in the city dump after six months of unsuccessful prospecting. They arrive home to find it inhabited by a young orphaned woman and her younger brother, Jimmy. At first, they want Jimmy and his sister to leave until they see Jimmy is crippled.
Taking pity on the pair, The Boys decide to help raise some money needed for Jimmy’s operation. They first try the bank to see if by just depositing the canned coins into an account, the interest would raise the necessary funds. Unfortunately the banker explains that it would take years of waiting before it would grow to $500. It is then that two confidence men (Nick Copeland, Lew Davis) cheat The Stooges out of the $62 and their car for a map they claim will lead to a treasure.
The Stooges take the map and tools and go to the house on the map. Inside, they look for the “X” spot marked on the map called Walla Walla. After trying a couple walls, Curly finds an “X” marked on a wall in the basement. Mistaking a coin he dropped for the hidden treasure, he thinks he’s found the correct spot. Following the map, they dig down several feet and find another wall. This is the wall they think will lead to the treasure, but they accidentally drill into the United States Treasury.
At first, they think they have hit the jackpot. They are removing stacks of money when they are arrested. The Stooges end up meeting President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who has learned of Jimmy’s plight. The President then pardons The Stooges and pays for Jimmy’s operation.
| Directed by | Del Lord |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by | Clyde Bruckman Elwood Ullman |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Sonny Bupp Nick Copeland Lew Davis Lester Dorr John Ince Eddie Laughton Al Richardson Cy Schindell Harlene Wood |
| Cinematography | Lucien Ballard |
| Edited by | Charles Nelson |
Cash and Carry Trivia
- When Screen Gems re-released the film in the 1950s, the title was modified to CA$H AND CARRY
- The plot was later adapted for comedian Andy Clyde in his short films A Miner Affair (1945) and Two April Fools (1954)
Production Notes
- Filming took place from May 4-8, 1937
- The working title was Golddigging in the Treasury
