Production Information
Title: Scheming Schemers
Studio: Columbia
Short Number: 173
Release Date: October 4, 1956
Running Time: 15:54
“I tell ya Moe, I couldn’t find that water shut-off.” “Shut-off… shut up!”
Short Take
The Stooges are novice plumbers, whose first job is finding a valuable ring that went down a drainpipe at the home of the wealthy Norfleets (Emil Sitka and Symona Boniface). They happily retrieve the ring, but Larry knocks it out of Moe’s hand, and back it goes down the drain. The Stooges then work their way to the basement to shut the water off. Larry looks for the water cutoff but proceeds to dig up most of the lawn. Shemp later surmises that the pipes fail to work properly because they are “clogged up with wires.” He and Moe proceed to remove the electrical system from the pipes and connect a water pipe to the newly available pipe. The cook (Dudley Dickerson), who is in the kitchen trying to prepare an extravagant meal for the Norfleets, watches in bewilderment as the stove and chandelier gush water.
As the Norfleet’s house transforms into Niagara Falls, two party guests named Mr. and Mrs. Allen (Kenneth MacDonald and Christine McIntyre) manage to swipe the prized Van Brocklin painting. Shemp heads for the upstairs bath to continue fixing the pipes, and Moe and Larry discover that the ring was stuck in Larry’s hair the whole time. Mr. Norfleet is happy about his ring, but frantic that his painting was stolen. Moe and Larry see Allen hiding the painting in a pipe, and a pie fight ensues, extending to the other party guests. The Stooges manage to recover the painting, and Mr. Norfleet decides to reward them. Moe and Larry wonder where Shemp has been all this time, and they find him stuck in the bathroom pipes.
Scheming Schemers Cast & Crew
| Directed by | Jules White |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Jules White |
| Written by | Felix Adler |
| Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Joe Palma Emil Sitka Kenneth MacDonald Christine McIntyre Symona Boniface Dudley Dickerson |
| Cinematography | Ray Cory |
| Edited by | Harold White |
Scheming Schemers Trivia
- Columbia used Joe Palma as a double in order to connect stock footage in the shorts after Shemp passed away
- Scheming Schemers is a remake of Vagabond Loafers, which in itself was a remake of A Plumbing We Will Go
Production Notes
- The working title was Pixilated Plumbers
- New footage was filmed on January 16, 1956
