All the World's a Stooge

Posing as different characters in "Time Out for Rhythm" helped the Stooges in their previous short, May 1941's "All the World's A Stooge," their 55th two-reeler film where they are hired to pose as refugee children. As a play on words for the William Shakespeare comedy, 'All the World's a Stage,' the movie opens with the Stooges as window cleaners who are mistaken for dentists. After trying several avenues to extract an aching tooth to wealthy Ajax Bullion, they resort to lighting a stick of dynamite in his mouth, solving his tooth ache. Fired from their job, the Stooges are hired by Mr. Bullion Ajax to pretend they're children form war-torn Europe whom his eccentric wife wants to adopt since it was the popular thing to do during the time. Things turn chaotic as the Bullions host a party to introduce the three little darlings. Larry, the little girl of the three, calls himself Mabel, the name of Mr. Fine's real life wife.

Research failed to explain what happened to Curly's right knee when he's seen as one of the adopted kids. He sports a bruise on his knee clearly in view just below where his breeches end on his lower thigh. Towards the picture's conclusion, Curly remarkably has a bandage on the same spot. Character actor Emory Parnell as Mr. Bullion appears in his only Stooges' film. Part of the Preston Sturges stock company of actors, Parnell was a main staple in television, appearing in such programs as 'The Real McCoy' and notably in 'Petticoat Junction' and 'Green Acres.'