A young man in a small town wins $5000 in a radio contest. He goes to New York City to propose to his girlfriend, but gets mixed up with a crooked attorney and two con men...
Acting
Shemp Howard's solo Stooge showcase steals every frame.
Practical Effects
Ernie Stanton's clunky robot costume is genuine nightmare fuel.
Writing
Radio-contest premise feels oddly modern—viral fame before virality.
Director
Edward F. Cline
Stuart Erwin
Lawrence Trent
Una Merkel
Sharon Knight
Mischa Auer
Boris Kabikoff
William Frawley
James Mitchell
Ernie Stanton
Ivan the Robot
Shemp Howard
Eddie / Ivan
Astrid Allwyn
Ethel Mitchell
Will Wright
Sylvanus Boogle
Mantan Moreland
Burgess
Francis Pierlot
Mayor Wilfred Smun
Emmett Vogan
Mr. McAneny
Pat O'Malley
Officer #1
Bobby Barber
Waiter
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Radio contests were genuine cultural phenomena in 1941—this film satirizes America's obsession with instant celebrity decades before reality TV.
Shemp Howard made this between his first and second Stooge tenures—it's rare solo work showing his underappreciated leading-man chops.
US
