Cookoo Cavaliers

Cookoo Cavaliers is a 1940 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 51st 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 encounter persistent challenges in their role as fishmongers in San Diego. Subsequently, they opt for a strategic shift, aiming to enter the hospitality sector by acquiring ownership of a saloon establishment. However, due to a misunderstanding, they mistakenly purchase a beauty salon in the tranquil village of Cucaracha, Mexico.

Undeterred by this unexpected development, the trio endeavors to provide services to their first customer, Rosita, offering her a mud pack purportedly composed of natural mud but in actuality containing cement.

Following an arduous process of removing the cement from Rosita's face, the Stooges proceed to unintentionally scalp three additional Mexican patrons, albeit with Larry mistakenly utilizing hair remover on these individuals.

Their misadventures escalate when Señor Manuel, the employer of the afflicted patrons, confronts the Stooges, incensed by their actions toward Rosita and her counterparts. In a tense confrontation, Señor Manuel, accompanied by the disgruntled women, expresses his wrath toward the Stooges. Fearing for their safety, the Stooges hastily flee the scene, narrowly evading a violent retaliation as Rosita and her sisters resort to firearm discharge aimed at their fleeing figures.

Production notes
Filmed on June 6–10, 1940, the working title of Cookoo Cavaliers was Beauty á la Mud.

In one scene where Moe throws a bottle of hair remover, the bottle breaks on a wall and spills on a dog. Curly cleans off the dog, yet we do not see the dog losing its hair. This was due to a continuity error and the scene was never resolved.

The "cookoo" in the title is often misspelled as "cuckoo."