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Emil Sitka's List of Movies - No. 27

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          TWO NUTS IN A RUT was Emil's third film with the comedy team of "Schilling and Lane," composed of Gus Schilling and Richard Lane. It was also his twenty-fourth acting job at Columbia Pictures since beginning his film acting career two years earlier. Besides Emil, it also features many of the other supporting cast "regulars" that routinely appeared with the Three Stooges, including Christine McIntyre, Dick Wessel, Symona Boniface, Vernon Dent, and Johnny Kascier.
          This role in TWO NUTS IN A RUT as a chiropodist, or foot doctor, was another small bit part for Emil, and once again he was playing an "old man." By comparing the script to the actual film, there's evidence of Emil's penchant for expanding a small role as well as his tendency to ad-lib. For instance, in his first scene, Emil is playing a "dignified bearded" foot doctor carrying three plaster foot models up to a young lady sitting at a table, and the script has him say, "Miss Warren, I have to make a phone call. Would you please watch my feet for a minute?" She agrees and he thanks her.
          Not in the script is what Emil does next. He turns and walks away, but he mutters loudly to himself, "My shoes are killing me." Funny thing for a foot doctor to say! Although it's possible Emil planned it in advance, it is an example of what ad-libbing can add to a scene.
          A few scenes later, Emil (the old man foot doctor) takes a big direct hit from Gus Schilling and the script describes the action like this: "Gus turns and bumps into the doctor, knocking him for a loop." And that's the end of Emil's role in the script. Emil however could never be satisfied with such a simple conclusion to his part. So, when he gets knocked "for a loop" he flies onto his back and scatters a sheaf of papers into the air. Staggering back to his feet, he shouts, "Ran right through a red light!"
          Still not done, he gathers himself together and says, "I'm all right," takes a step and collapses in a heap onto the floor. It's a lot of funny action and additional screen time for simply being knocked for a loop and demonstrates Emil's determination to make the most of every role he enacted.