Rockin' in the Rockies
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Vernon Keays
Jerome Howard
Mary Beth Hughes
The Hoosier Hotshots
Jay Kirby
The Cappy Barra Boys
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
At the Wagon Wheel Café in Reno, Nevada, the Hoosier Hotshots, an amateur musical group composed of ranch hands, aspire to become professional performers. When a drunk passes out at one of the gaming tables and money spills out of his pockets, tenderfeet Curly and Larry place one of the coins on the roulette table and hit the jackpot. Shorty Williams, a ranch foreman and would-be prospector, then convinces the two to invest their winnings in a prospecting trip. Soon after, Shorty learns that June McGuire and Betty, entertainers at the café, need a place to stay and offers them a room at the ranch and a stake in his prospecting venture. Desperate, the two women accept Shorty's offer, and when they arrive at the ranch, they meet the Hoosier Hotshots, who ask the women's help in obtaining an audition on Broadway. As the women begin to bring order to the disorderly ranch house, Rusty, the owner of the ranch, unexpectedly returns from agricultural college and finds his property overrun by strangers. After Shorty reassures his annoyed boss that his group will be leaving on a prospecting expedition the next morning, Rusty apologizes to June for his rude behavior, and the two become friends. The following day, Shorty leads June, Betty, Curly and Larry on a search for gold, while Rusty and the Hoosier Hotshots begin a cattle roundup. Upon discovering that the herd has been rustled, the Hotshots begin a search for the thieves. While riding the trail, they see Sam Clemens, an Easterner who has come to Nevada to invest in Rusty's ranch, and mistake him for one of the rustlers. The Hotshots arrest Clemens and take him to town, and when he is unable to prove his identity because he has misplaced his wallet, the sheriff jails him. Soon after, the Hotshots learn that Broadway producer Tom Trove is in town and rush to his hotel. When Trove, who has come to Reno for a rest, refuses to audition them, the musical cowhands serenade him from the street, and the producer turns a fire hose on them. When Rusty learns that his cowhands have arrested Clemens, he gallops into town and arranges for Clemens' release from jail. Furious, Clemens proclaims that he is no longer interested in the ranch and plans to return East. Meanwhile, Shorty devises a scheme to get Trove's attention. Dressed as termite exterminators, Shorty, Larry and Curly invade the producer's room to blast out the bugs. As the threesome agitate the producer with their antics, Betty and June burst into the room and offer Trove peace and solitude at the ranch. Trove gratefully accepts, but when he realizes that their invitation was a ruse to assure his presence at the Hotshots' audition, he protests. Soon after, Rusty and Clemens arrive at the ranch, and when Rusty orders the audition canceled, Shorty knocks him out and locks Rusty and Clemens in a shed. As the audition commences, Trove discovers that he is actually enjoying himself and enthusiastically offers to produce the Hotshots and Betty and June as a comedy act. Rusty and Clemens then escape from the shed, and when Larry, excited by Trove's acclaim, accidentally sets his chaps on fire, causing several rocks to fall out of his pocket, Clemens recognizes the stones as valuable minerals. After Larry tells Clemens that he found the rocks on Rusty's ranch, Clemens offers to go into partnership with Rusty, and all ends happily.
Director
Vernon Keays
Cast
Jerome Howard
Mary Beth Hughes
The Hoosier Hotshots
Jay Kirby
The Cappy Barra Boys
Gladys Blake
Tim Ryan
Spade Cooley
Jack Clifford
Forrest Taylor
Vernon Dent
James T. "bud" Nelson
Snub Pollard
Hal Price
Edward M. Howard
Steve Clark
Louis Manley
Eddie Bruce
John Tyrrell
Crew
Fay Babcock
Count Basie
Paul Borofsky
Sammy Cahn
Joe Cavalieri
Saul Chaplin
J. Benton Cheney
Charles Clague
Colbert Clark
Mann Curtis
Gail Davenport
Howard Fogetti
Cliff Friend
Glen Gano
John Grey
George Kelley
Wilbur Mcgaugh
Fred Meinken
Vera Mikol
Vic Mizzy
Algy Moore
Mac Neuborn
William Randall
Louise Rousseau
Harry Tobias
Kenneth Trietsch
Cindy Walker
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
In onscreen credits, Larry Fine, Moe Howard and Jerry Howard are identified only as "The Three Stooges." Although a Hollywood Reporter production chart lists Wilbur McGaugh as assistant director, Screen Achievements Bulletin credits Joseph Cavalieri in that capacity.
