The Three Stooges - Who Done It (Comedy, 1949)

The Three Stooges - Who Done It? (1949) is a 16-minute Columbia Pictures short subject comedy, directed by Edward Bernds, starring Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard. This 114th entry in the Stooges’ series blends slapstick humor with a film noir-inspired plot, set in a spooky mansion, making it one of the standout shorts of the Shemp era.Plot Summary: The Stooges play inept private detectives at the Alert Detective Agency, hired by wealthy Mr. Goodrich (Emil Sitka) to protect him from the Phantom Gang, a group of criminals targeting socialites, which includes his own niece (Christine McIntyre). When the Stooges arrive, Goodrich is already knocked out and locked away. The butler (Charles Knight), a gang member, greets them, and the niece attempts to seduce and poison Shemp. A memorable scene follows where Shemp, after drinking the poison, erupts into a 40-second comedic seizure, complete with flips and flopping, before inexplicably recovering. The Stooges bumble through the mansion, pursued by a towering goon named Nikko (Duke York). After Shemp knocks Nikko out, they stumble upon Goodrich, who reveals the gang’s plot. A chaotic fight in the dark ensues, with Shemp using his “trusty shovel” to subdue the villains, accidentally knocking out Moe, Larry, and himself in the process.