# Half Shot Shooters > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Half_Shot_Shooters > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Half_Shot_Shooters.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Shot_Shooters > Source revision: 1339452213 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1936 American short film by Preston Black Half Shot Shooters Directed by Preston Black Written by Clyde Bruckman Produced by Jules White Starring Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Stanley Blystone Vernon Dent Edward LeSaint Harry Semels Heinie Conklin Lew Davis Cinematography Benjamin H. Kline Edited by Charles Hochberg Distributed by Columbia Pictures Release date April 30, 1936 (1936-04-30) (U.S.) Running time 18:28 Country United States Language English ***Half Shot Shooters*** is a 1936 [short subject](/source/Short_film) directed by [Preston Black](/source/Jack_White_(film_producer)) starring American [slapstick](/source/Slapstick) comedy team [The Three Stooges](/source/The_Three_Stooges) ([Moe Howard](/source/Moe_Howard), [Larry Fine](/source/Larry_Fine) and [Curly Howard](/source/Curly_Howard)). It is the 14th entry in the series released by [Columbia Pictures](/source/Columbia_Pictures) starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959. ## Plot Employing a bifurcated temporal structure, the film opens with the Stooges asleep in a [foxhole](/source/Defensive_fighting_position#Terminology) on the final day of [World War I](/source/World_War_I) in 1918. Upon receiving news of the [armistice](/source/Armistice_of_11_November_1918), their superior, Sgt. MacGillicuddy, discovers the trio asleep and gives the shirkers a severe beating. As a result, when the trio reports to headquarters for their discharge papers they receive medals ostensibly for "wounds in action". Afterwards, the Stooges encounter Sgt. MacGillicuddy on the street and, now liberated from military discipline, physically assault him with gusto. The plot then transitions to the year 1935, where the Stooges find themselves destitute and hungry on the streets. In search of a job, they accidentally enlist in the army and are alarmed to find themselves under the purview of none other than Sgt. MacGillicuddy. Their arrival at an army base coincides with a mishap involving tomatoes that culminates in MacGillicuddy's reassignment to menial duties. Subsequently assigned to coastal artillery duty, the Stooges demonstrate their ineptitude, wreaking havoc by targeting unintended objects, including a smokestack, a house, a bridge, and the flagship of a navy admiral. Confronted by MacGillicuddy and a contingent of officers, the Stooges find themselves blamed for the mishap, prompting a comically futile attempt to assign blame amongst themselves. Feigning approval of the Stooges' performance, MacGillicuddy directs them to stand together as if posing for a photograph. He then fires a deck gun, leaving behind three pairs of smoking boots. ## Production notes *Half Shot Shooters* was filmed on March 18–21, 1936.[1] The film's title is a pun on *[Half Shot at Sunrise](/source/Half_Shot_at_Sunrise)* (1930), an [RKO Radio Pictures](/source/RKO_Radio_Pictures) movie with [Wheeler & Woolsey](/source/Wheeler_%26_Woolsey).[2] This film marked the inaugural appearance of [Vernon Dent](/source/Vernon_Dent), who appeared in more Stooge shorts than any other supporting actor. It also marked the final appearance of the old Columbia Pictures logo of a woman bearing a torch during the credits.[2] Unusually for one of their films, the Three Stooges are killed at the end of *Half Shot Shooters*. This plot device was used sporadically through their films, also being implemented in 1939's *[Three Little Sew and Sews](/source/Three_Little_Sew_and_Sews)*, *[You Nazty Spy!](/source/You_Nazty_Spy!)* and *[I'll Never Heil Again](/source/I'll_Never_Heil_Again)* among others. [Dick Wessel](/source/Dick_Wessel) had a minor role as a gunnery soldier but made his first appearance as a character in 1947's *[Fright Night](/source/Fright_Night_(1947_film))* ([Shemp Howard](/source/Shemp_Howard)'s return). *Half-Shot Shooters* has been criticized for its sadistic violence executed against the Stooges, with MacGillicuddy breaking Moe's arm, deafening all three, and then killing them at the conclusion.[2] ## Quotes - **Officer:** "Where were you born?!" - **Curly:** (*unable to hear him*) "He says your pants are torn!" - **Moe:** "I ain't got any horn!" - **Larry:** "No, not warn! Corn!" - **Curly:** "What?" - **Larry:** "CORN!" - **Curly:** "Oh, corn! I got two on both dogs!" (*to the officer*) "Can you tell where I can get a corn plaster, shorty?" - **Officer:** "Were you born in this country?" - **Larry:** "What?" - **Officer:** "Were you born in this country?!" - **Larry:** "No, [Milwaukee](/source/Milwaukee)." - **Officer:** "Would you fight for this great republic and-" - **Moe:** "Republican? Naw, I'm a Democrat!" - **Curly:** "Not me! I'm a pedestrian." ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-pauley_1-0)** Pauley, Jim (2012). [*The Three Stooges Hollywood Filming Locations*](http://www.santamonicapress.com/index.php?page_name=threestooges&page_type=book&show=desc&hide0=excerpt&hide1=author&hide2=reviews&hide5=number5). [Solana Beach, California](/source/Solana_Beach%2C_California): Santa Monica Press, LLC. p. 132. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781595800701](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781595800701). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230105122529/https://www.santamonicapress.com/index.php?page_name=threestooges&page_type=book&show=desc&hide0=excerpt&hide1=author&hide2=reviews&hide5=number5) from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2014. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-solo_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-solo_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-solo_2-2) Solomon, Jon (2002). *The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion*. [Glendale, California](/source/Glendale%2C_California): Comedy III Productions, Inc. p. 82. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9711868-0-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9711868-0-4). ## External links - [*Half Shot Shooters*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027714/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [*Half Shot Shooters* at threestooges.net](http://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/14) v t e The Three Stooges Moe Howard Larry Fine Curly Howard Shemp Howard Joe Besser Curly Joe DeRita Works The Three Stooges filmography The Three Stooges Collection Jerks of All Trades The New 3 Stooges The Three Stooges Scrapbook Kook's Tour Moe Howard and the Three Stooges Related topics List of supporting actors in Three Stooges films Yogi Bear and the Three Stooges Meet the Mad, Mad, Mad Dr. No-No The Robonic Stooges Stoogemania "Swingin' the Alphabet" "The Curly Shuffle" 1984 arcade game 1987 video game 2000 TV biopic 2012 feature film C3 Entertainment Stooge sort Associated people Felix Adler Edward Bernds Tiny Brauer Clyde Bruckman Charley Chase Paul Garner Ted Healy Rich Koz Del Lord Norman Maurer Hugh McCollum Christine McIntyre Frank Mitchell Joe Palma/Fake Shemp Fred Sanborn Emil Sitka Greta Thyssen Elwood Ullman Jack White Jules White Category v t e The Three Stooges filmography (1934–1947): Moe, Larry, Curly 1934 Woman Haters Punch Drunks Men in Black Three Little Pigskins 1935 Horses' Collars Restless Knights Pop Goes the Easel Uncivil Warriors Pardon My Scotch Hoi Polloi Three Little Beers 1936 Ants in the Pantry Movie Maniacs Half Shot Shooters Disorder in the Court A Pain in the Pullman False Alarms Whoops, I'm an Indian! Slippery Silks 1937 Grips, Grunts and Groans Dizzy Doctors 3 Dumb Clucks Back to the Woods Goofs and Saddles Cash and Carry Playing the Ponies The Sitter Downers 1938 Termites of 1938 Wee Wee Monsieur Tassels in the Air Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb Violent Is the Word for Curly Three Missing Links Mutts to You Flat Foot Stooges 1939 Three Little Sew and Sews We Want Our Mummy A Ducking They Did Go Yes, We Have No Bonanza Saved by the Belle Calling All Curs Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise Three Sappy People 1940 You Nazty Spy! Rockin' thru the Rockies A Plumbing We Will Go Nutty but Nice How High Is Up? From Nurse to Worse No Census, No Feeling Cookoo Cavaliers Boobs in Arms 1941 So Long Mr. Chumps Dutiful But Dumb All the World's a Stooge I'll Never Heil Again An Ache in Every Stake In the Sweet Pie and Pie Some More of Samoa 1942 Loco Boy Makes Good Cactus Makes Perfect What's the Matador? Matri-Phony Three Smart Saps Even as IOU Sock-a-Bye Baby 1943 They Stooge to Conga Dizzy Detectives Spook Louder Back from the Front Three Little Twirps Higher Than a Kite I Can Hardly Wait Dizzy Pilots Phony Express A Gem of a Jam 1944 Crash Goes the Hash Busy Buddies The Yoke's on Me Idle Roomers Gents Without Cents No Dough Boys 1945 Three Pests in a Mess Booby Dupes Idiots Deluxe If a Body Meets a Body Micro-Phonies 1946 Beer Barrel Polecats A Bird in the Head Uncivil War Birds The Three Troubledoers Monkey Businessmen Three Loan Wolves G.I. Wanna Home Rhythm and Weep Three Little Pirates 1947 Half-Wits Holiday Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Half Shot Shooters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Shot_Shooters) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Shot_Shooters?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.