User Reviews

This is one of the best episodes of the second season. Abbott and Costello get to be judges of a Miss Mud-Turtle lodge contest. Mr. Fields wants his man-hungry niece to win and bribes Abbott by foregoing rent money. At the same time a gangster pays $100 for his girl friend to be picked. Unfortunately, Costello knows nothing about this and chooses sexy contestant #5. This brings the wrath of both Mr. Fields and the gangster.

There is a line in this episode which somehow made it past the censors that is hilarious. Contestant #5 gives Lou her phone number and says, "If a man answers, don't hang up. He's very broad-minded." The meaning is obvious -- she is a professional prostitute living with her pimp. How did the censors miss that?

Bud is writing letters to their friends asking for rent money. Mr. Fields demands rent by 5:00. Bud and Lou go to the Friendly Finance Company to get Lou "a loan" in the office. Lou understands this to be "alone" in a brief skit. Despite difficult questions and a thug named Larry (Dick Wessel) carrying out physical payment assurance, Lou borrows $100. He meets fellow pool hall buddy Joe Kelly (James Flavin) who has come into money owning the Nevada Gold Mining Company, Inc. Lou uses the $100 to buy stock in the gold mine. Mr. Fields is familiar with the company and says it was a scam, but allows them extra time to come up with the rent. Mr. Fields is on the committee of the Fraternal Order of Mud Turtles. They're holding a convention in town and asks Bud and Lou to impartially judge their bathing beauty contest. Larry's girl Mabel Murphy (Sandra Spence) is entering the contest and when he sees his borrowers are judges, he feels he can secure their votes. When the letters are answered without money, Bud notifies Mr. Fields, who informs that his niece, homely Columbine (Jan Kayne) will be in the contest and arranges for their vote. Arriving at the contest, Larry notifies Bud that he's giving them $100 to pick Mabel. Mr. Fields also instructs them to pick his niece or else. Complicating matters is that Lou has fallen for Contestant #5. Pressure mounts for Bud and Lou, who receive unexpected news.