The Stooges are stage hands who also have small parts in the production of "The Bride Wore Spurs." They quickly get on the bad side of their producer, B. K. Doaks, who has had his last several plays panned by famous critic Nick Barker and wants to put on a good show with what he has. In order to prevent Barker from getting in to see the play, he commissions the boys to stop him from sneaking in, which they fail to do as a result of their confusing disguises. B.K. reprimands the Stooges and demands they get the props ready for the final act, but Moe is reminded that he forgot to go shopping for them. It is also late at night and the stores are closed, so the Stooges have to whip up a cake and salad for the act to appease B.K. and save the show. However, as the cake is being prepared, Shemp accidentally tosses a pot holder onto a cake pan, resulting in Moe unintentionally adding it into the cake. As the final scene commences, the Stooges and a number of other bit actors, as Southern Gentlemen, all propose to "Janie Belle" at once, and she proposes a contest; whoever eats the most of her cake gets her hand in marriage. However, the cake is difficult to eat as a result of the pot holder, and after ingesting their pieces, all the actors begin coughing up feathers, causing all in attendance to start laughing uproariously. B.K. is mortified and cues the curtain down, and as the Stooges drink copious amounts of punch to quell the feathers in their mouths, B.K. tears into them. However, in a reversal of fortunes, Barker thinks the play is a hilarious satire and commends the Stooges' performance before asking to see B.K.'s next work. B.K. then claims that the next work will star the Stooges as the main roles, and the boys finally get a break.
The plot device of the coughing up feathers due to a misplaced potholder was borrowed from 1935's Uncivil Warriors. Three Hams on Rye is the fourteenth of sixteen Stooge shorts with the word "three" in the title. Three Hams On Rye was filmed on December 14–16, 1948 but withheld from release until September 7, 1950. The 630 days between filming and releasing the short are the longest for any Shemp film released as a member of the team, Love at First Bite coming in second at 620 days. Danny Lewis. was appeared in The Three Stooges one short. and also Danny was father of actor Jerry Lewis. according to Director Jules White. he was swallow the feather in filming Three Hams On Ryemarks the final appearance of longtime Brian O Hara. the uncredited actor was his final appearance in short film.
