From Nurse to Worse

In the Three Stooges movie, August 1940 "From Nurse to Worse," their 49th in the series, the three are approached by a friend Jerry, an insurance salesman who concocts a scheme where they can claim $500 a month if one of them pretends to be crazy. Curly's elected to act like he's a dog, except their plan backfires when the examining doctor demands he perform brain surgery on him.

In one scene where they're trapped in a dog kennel, Moe calls Curly "Seabiscuit," the championship race horse who beat Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a 1937 race and was voted American Horse of the Year in 1938. The three are seen racing inside a smoke-filled fumigated dog kennel when Moe and Larry realize they're running in circles. The two stop and see Curly continue to run around the dog catcher's truck before they stop him, labeling him "Seabiscuit."

"From Nurse to Worse" was actor Joe Palma's first Stooges' appearance. The former mortician-turned-actor was in a typical role as a background figure when he was playing a male nurse in the hospital where Curly was about to be operated. The non-distinct actor usually was seen in dozens of movies as an extra. His claim to fame was as a substitute for the late Shemp Howard in 1955 after the Stooge died from a heart attack. Through the magic of film editing, he stood in for Shemp in four Stooges' episodes, earning the moniker the "Fake Shemp."

From Nurse to Worse (1940)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Hilarious short features the Three Stooges hanging paper when their old friend tells them the best way to make money is by filing for insurance and then going to a doctor to prove you're insane. This here will pay $500 a month so the boys get Curly to pretend he's a dog but the plan backfires when Dr. D. Lerious decides to try and operate on Curly's brain. FROM NURSE TO WORSE is classic Stooges because it features one big laugh after another and the film just keeps getting better and funnier as it moves along. The film starts off terrifically once the boys get to the doctors office and Curly must pretend to be a rabid dog. Curly was a genius at playing this type of stuff and he really goes all out here as he's barking, snapping and of course running around on all fours. From here it just keeps getting funnier after the boys end up in the back of a dog truck and soon find themselves about to be gassed. The sound effects were always a very important part to the Stooges' shorts and this is especially true here. We get one terrific effect when the doctor is examining Curly and shakes his head only to hear a few things rattling around in there. Another terrific bit is when the boys are in the back of the truck and everyone is scratching the others back including the dogs who get in on the action. Fans of the Stooges will probably already know this short but if you're introducing someone to the group then this here is a good place to start.

The Three Stooges has always been some of the many actors that I have loved. I love just about every one of the shorts that they have made. I love all six of the Stooges (Curly, Shemp, Moe, Larry, Joe, and Curly Joe)! All of the shorts are hilarious and also star many other great actors and actresses which a lot of them was in many of the shorts! In My opinion The Three Stooges is some of the greatest actors ever and is the all time funniest comedy team!

This is one of My favorite Three Stooges shorts with Curly! All Appearing in this short are Vernon Dent, Dorothy Appleby, Lynton Brent, Dudley Dickerson, Joe Palma , Cy Schindell, Al Thompson, and John Tyrrell! This one is so hilarious! Curly has a great performance here and in My opinion its one of his best. I strongly recommend this Three Stooges short!

Way, WAY over the top Stooge comedy, thanks to Clyde Bruckman, dedicated to insane stories. One of the BEST.

Moe, Larry and Curly's old pal Jerry (Lynton Brent) is now selling health insurance, convincing the guys they could collect LOTS of dough if they take out a policy.

Objective; Make Curly look like he's crazy. Bring him to a doctor, he'll sign the papers and they'll get the mazuma?

Best part is Curly acting like he's a dog. This you have to see. Laugh out loud stuff, and in real life, Curly loved dogs. Fact definitely stranger than fiction?

Vernon Dent plays Dr. D. Lerious(?), who INSTEAD wants to operate on Curly's brain?

Stay tuned Stooge-a-holics.

Top direction by producer Jules White, who lets Curly do his schtick, a mini classic. Many familiar actors appear; comedian Ned Glass (in an early role) playing a dog catcher -- after Curly? Dorothy Applebye, queen of short films, plays the doc's receptionist. Blanche Payson, who appeared in the Little Rascals/Our Gang comedies plays a nurse.

Remastered on Columbia dvd box sets, generally by decades, 30s, 40s and 50s episodes. Thanks to METV for running these oldies Saturdays.

For those who have seen all the Three Stooges films, this is the one where Curly wears six vests and then has a purse underneath them. Inside the locked purse is a mousetrap and other gadgets. All of this was protect his savings: one moth-eaten dollar bill!

For those who haven't seen it, this is a funny Three Stooges, where the jokes hit more than they miss. The boys think they are to something good when their friend "Jerry" (Lynton Brent) has them go along with some insurance scam.

The boys have to prove their nuts to get the money! Dr. D. Lerious is the insurance examiner. Boy, classic comedies loved these puns and corny names. (I do, too). Anyway, highlights include Curly pretending he's a dog while flirting with a hot babe, and along several other classic routines I won't mention for fear of spoiling it.

A key element in Stooges humor is the sound, and the sound-effects are really funny in this one: such was when they examine Curley's brain; or the noise of people falling, getting punched, skidding to a half, Curley's teeth chattering, on and on and on. Just a ton of laughs in here.