Tricky Dicks is the 147th short subject starring American slapstick

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 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

1934 in film

-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...

 and 1959

1959 in film

The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....

.

Plot

The Stooges are detectives who have nearly mastered the game of Gin Rummy

Gin rummy

Gin rummy, or simply gin, is a two-player card game created in 1909 by Elwood T. Baker and his son C. Graham Baker. According to John Scarne, Gin evolved from 18th-century Whiskey Poker and was created with the intention of being faster than standard rummy, but less spontaneous than knock...

. Their police chief B. A. Copper (Ferris Taylor

Ferris Taylor

Ferris Taylor was an American film actor. He appeared in over 120 films between 1933 and 1958.He was born in Texas, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack.-Selected filmography:...

) has just about had it with their goofing off, and demands that they find the murderer of Slug McGurk within 24 hours. Right from the start, the trio have Chopper (Phil Arnold

Phil Arnold

Phil Arnold was an American screen, stage, television, and vaudeville actor. He appeared in approximately 150 films and television shows between 1939 and 1968....

), a prisoner who attempts to confess to the crime. Unfortunately, the eloquent wording of his confession ("I am the culprit who perpetrated this heinous incident!") confuses the simple-minded Stooges, who insist he is avoiding the question. Frustrated, the Stooges throw Chopper back in a jail cell.

The next man they bring up is a witness, an organ grinder with a monkey

Monkey

A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...

 named Antonio Zucchini

Zucchini

The zucchini is a summer squash which often grows to nearly a meter in length, but which is usually harvested at half that size or less. It is a hybrid of the cucumber. Along with certain other squashes, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. Zucchini can be dark or light green...

 Salami

Salami

Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one of a variety of animals. Historically, salami has been popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 10 years, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent...

 Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a comune in the province of Milan, part of Lombardy, northern Italy. Once a rural community, and famous for the cheese which bears its name, today it forms part of the Milanese conurbation and has three stops on the Milan Metro.- History :...

 dePizza

Pizza

Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...

 (Benny Rubin

Benny Rubin

Benny Rubin was an American comedian and film actor. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Rubin made more than 200 radio, film and television appearances over a span of 50 years.-Radio and television:...

). The witness begins to download his information to the Stooges, but his Italian looks do not match the English cockney

Cockney

The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...

 accent that comes out of his mouth.

Next, Shemp takes a call regarding a dismissed bootlegging charge, stating "The D.A.

District attorney

In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...

 says we can't make a case out of 11 bottles" (!). Just when all seems lost Larry returns with Chopper who says he wants to confess to the murder. However, while taking down his confession, the real killer finally shows up (Murray Alper

Murray Alper

Murray Alper was an American actor.Alper's earliest screen credit was 1930's The Royal Family of Broadway, and for the following thirty-five years, he appeared in a number of films, usually playing cab drivers, bookies, cops and GIs.Frequently seen in comedies, Alper was featured in the Three...

). Upset that Chopper is going to take the credit of the murder away from him, he pulls out a gun and starts shooting everything in site. The Stooges take cover, and are trapped in their office until dePizza's monkey drops several bowling

Bowling

Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...

balls on the killer's head, knocking him cold. Unfortunately, Shemp was shot several times by the killer. While Moe gives Shemp a drink to help with the pain, he tells Larry to call an ambulance for Shemp, who replies "No, call a plumber." and suddenly starts leaking water from the bullet holes. Moe and Larry then shrug and decide to take a shower instead.