The Hot Scots


The Hot Scots is a 1948 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges. It is the 108th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.

Plot

The Stooges try to get jobs with Scotland Yard after graduating from a correspondence detective school. They end up as "Yard Men" picking up trash and pruning the hedges. They inadvertently get their chance to crack a case. Dressed in kilts and talking in phony Scottish accents, the Stooges are given the task of guarding the prized possessions of The Earl of Glenheather Castle. The castle staff are actually ransacking the castle while the boys sleep there, though they eventually arrest the crooks.

Production notes

The Hot Scots was the 11th Stooge film released but only the fourth one filmed after Shemp rejoined the comedy team. Filming took place on December 16-19, 1946, but was withheld from release until July 1948, 19 months later. It was remade in 1954 as Scotched in Scotland, using ample stock footage. In addition, the Scotland Yard scenes were reused in 1955's Hot Ice.
Like Squareheads of the Round Table and Fiddlers Three, The Hot Scots was filmed on the existing set of the feature film The Bandit of Sherwood Forest.
Christine McIntyre's character's name of Lorna Doone is taken from the title character of a romance/historical novel set in 17th century England. There is also a reference to the Nabisco shortbread cookies of the same name.

In popular culture

The Hot Scots was one of five Stooge shorts included in a 1995 airing of the TBS Halloween special The Three Stooges Fright Night along with Spooks, If a Body Meets a Body, We Want Our Mummy, and Malice in the Palace.