The Tooth Will Out
Encyclopedia
The Tooth Will Out is the 134th short subject starring American slapstick
comedy team the Three Stooges
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
between 1934 and 1959.
) gives them their first recommendation to go out west (read: far away), and open a practice.
The boys open up shop in quiet western town, when their first customer (Slim Gaut
) comes in with a mild toothache. Wearing glasses with lenses as thick as Coke
bottles, Dr. Shemp proceeds to drill the patient's teeth until smoke rises from his mouth.
The appointment is abruptly cut short when an irate customer (Dick Curtis
) enters the office with a serious toothache. Feeling nervous, Shemp accidentally picks up the wrong book, entitled The Amateur Carpenter. They first rub sandpaper to his chest, and paste the inside of his hat which they thought it was to "varnish the lid". After discovering it is the wrong book, the boys go back to business seriously. They take the painful tooth, and yank it out as the patient is pulled off the chair, causing him to wake up. Unfortunately, Shemp extracted the wrong tooth, with the angry patient chasing after the frantic Stooges.
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
comedy team the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
between 1934 and 1959.
Plot
After being fired from two jobs, the Stooges end up being chased into a dental office. Eventually, the boys study, and graduate from dental school. The dean of the school (Vernon DentVernon Dent
Vernon Bruce Dent was a comic actor who appeared in over 400 films in his career. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges.-Early career:...
) gives them their first recommendation to go out west (read: far away), and open a practice.
The boys open up shop in quiet western town, when their first customer (Slim Gaut
Slim Gaut
Slim Gaut was an American film actor. He appeared, unusually uncredited, in over 15 films between 1940 and 1956.Modern viewers may recognize Gaut as Shemp Howard's first dental patient in the film The Tooth Will Out....
) comes in with a mild toothache. Wearing glasses with lenses as thick as Coke
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
bottles, Dr. Shemp proceeds to drill the patient's teeth until smoke rises from his mouth.
The appointment is abruptly cut short when an irate customer (Dick Curtis
Dick Curtis
Dick Curtis was an American actor who made over 230 film and television appearances during his career.-Career:Curtis was born Richard Dye in Newport, Kentucky. A tall, hulking actor, standing at 6' 3", Curtis appeared in films stretching from Charles Starrett to The Three Stooges. In most of his...
) enters the office with a serious toothache. Feeling nervous, Shemp accidentally picks up the wrong book, entitled The Amateur Carpenter. They first rub sandpaper to his chest, and paste the inside of his hat which they thought it was to "varnish the lid". After discovering it is the wrong book, the boys go back to business seriously. They take the painful tooth, and yank it out as the patient is pulled off the chair, causing him to wake up. Unfortunately, Shemp extracted the wrong tooth, with the angry patient chasing after the frantic Stooges.