Never a Dull Moment
Cast & Crew
Edward Lilley
Harry Ritz
Jimmy Ritz
Al Ritz
Frances Langford
Mary Beth Hughes
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
One night, Dick Manning brings his wealthy socialite mother to the Club Algiers nightclub to meet his fiancée, singer Julie Russell. Unknown to Julie, Tony Rocco, the gangster owner of the nightclub, plans to rob Mrs. Manning of her famed Manning necklace, which is studded with $500,000 worth of blue-white diamonds. Upon Julie's suggestion, Mrs. Manning agrees to hold Dick and Julie's engagement party at the nightclub, which Rocco sees as his opportunity to steal the necklace. Rather than using his own men, however, Rocco decides to employ pickpocket Flo Parker and import some Chicago gangsters through the phony theatrical agency of Barney Wilson. Wilson's empty office, however, has been invaded by Harry, Jimmy and Al Ritz, a brother act known as The Funny Bunnies, at the time of Rocco's call, and the brothers take the job, mistakenly thinking that they have been hired as entertainment for the nightclub. The brothers arrive at the nightclub on the night of the engagement party, and Rocco and his men continue to think that they are fellow gangsters merely using their musical comedy act as a cover. While dancing with Harry, Flo steals Mrs. Manning's necklace and hides it in Harry's pocket. Afraid of what might happen if they are caught with the necklace, the three brothers manage to return the jewelry to the socialite's neck. Flo steals the necklace once more, however, and the three brothers become fugitives when it is discovered missing. It is not until they read the newspaper the next day, though, that the brothers realize that they have the stolen jewelry. Looking for a place to hide, the brothers unwittingly sneak into a police station, where they run into Dick and Julie, who is under suspicion for the robbery. After turning over the necklace to Captain Michael Fogarty, the brothers agree to help the police capture Rocco and his gang. The brothers go back to the nightclub and get Rocco to admit that he planned the robbery. After a brief delay, the police arrive and arrest the real gangsters. The Funny Bunnies then announce their intention to return to Chicago, but when someone calls the Club Algiers looking for two gangsters, Harry answers the phone as before, explaining to his brothers that he is repeating the gag for those people who missed the first part of the film.
Director
Edward Lilley
Cast
Harry Ritz
Jimmy Ritz
Al Ritz
Frances Langford
Mary Beth Hughes
Franklin Pangborn
Stuart Boyd Crawford
George Zucco
Elisabeth Risdon
Jack Larue
Sammy Stein
Grace Poggi
Igor
Douglas Wood
Barbara Brown
Lorin Raker
John Sheehan
Eddie Dunn
Ruby Dandridge
George Chandler
James Eagles
Milton Kibbee
Charles Jordan
Gene O'donnell
Jan Wiley
Spec O'donnell
Crew
Joseph Reed Alden
Howard Benedict
Bernard B. Brown
Ted Cain
Eddie Cherkose
Walter Donaldson
Raymond B. Egan
R. A. Gausman
John B. Goodman
Paul Landres
Ange Lorenzo
Jess Moulin
Martin Obzina
T. Offenbecker
Jacques Press
Stanley Roberts
Stanley Roberts
Mel Ronson
David Rose
H. J. Salter
Melville Shyer
Charles Van Enger
Seward Webb
Vera West
George Whiting
Richard A. Whiting
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This was the fourth and final Universal film to star the Ritz Brothers, and the last film in which all three brothers appeared together. Al Ritz retired completely from films after this picture. Harry and Jim Ritz later made film appearances together in cameos in the 1975 film Blazing Stewardesses and in the 1976 Paramount film Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood. Harry Ritz made his last screen appearence in Silent Movie, a 1976 comedy.