Decent Hugh Herbert short has him in a dual role in a theme reused over and over: the common man who has a lookalike who is actually a ruthless gangster. Columbia itself had at least two films like this, one with Edward G. Robinson and another with Joe E. Brown. I'm sure that there were several shorts with this theme featuring Columbia's comic character players. Here it's veteran wacky comic Hugh Herbert, usually annoying in leads in hour long B comedies and musicals, but in 16 minute comic shorts easier to take.
In addition to the role of the gangster, he plays "Aunt Fanny", a "sob sister" advice columnist fired from the paper by the temperamental editor after an incident with some glue. Wanting to give advice to the last letter writer in person, he goes to the hotel where she's staying and is presumed to be the gangster who happens to be the woman's boyfriend. Of course the gangster shows up and all sorts of hilarious hijinks occur. The plot as usual isn't ever resolved and yet that's fine because there's a laugh a minute. Christine McIntyre is the slap happy moll Dudley Dickerson is Herbert's hysterically funny black sidekick. Not a wasted second in the short which makes this a memorably farce that may have you in pain from laughing.
In addition to the role of the gangster, he plays "Aunt Fanny", a "sob sister" advice columnist fired from the paper by the temperamental editor after an incident with some glue. Wanting to give advice to the last letter writer in person, he goes to the hotel where she's staying and is presumed to be the gangster who happens to be the woman's boyfriend. Of course the gangster shows up and all sorts of hilarious hijinks occur. The plot as usual isn't ever resolved and yet that's fine because there's a laugh a minute. Christine McIntyre is the slap happy moll Dudley Dickerson is Herbert's hysterically funny black sidekick. Not a wasted second in the short which makes this a memorably farce that may have you in pain from laughing.