OUR GANG
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SHIVERING SPOOKS
(Hal Roach, August 8, 1926) Our Gang: Allen “Farina” Hoskins, Joe Cobb, Mary Kornman, Johnny Downs, Scooter Lowry, Bobby Young, J.R. Smith, Jackie Condon. Stanley “Tiny” Sandford as Detective, George K. French as Professor Fleece, Ham Kinsey and Harry Bowen as Assistants to Professor Fleece, Clara Guiol and Dorothy Walbert as Suckers.
Professor Fleece is a con-artist who cons “suckers” into paying for fake séances so they can contact their deceased relatives. The Gang is a thorn in his side, disrupting his operation by making noise and with baseballs crashing into the middle of his séances, so he and his crew decide to frighten the gang away by making them think the house is haunted.
This fast paced film is both very funny, genuinely spooky and uncomfortably controversial. There are some great laughs with Joe Cobb and Harry Spear, and some of the ghost scenes have an eerie shimmering quality due to a simple but effective special effect.
This is a 1950s TV print from the “Skallawags” series, and is apparently the only way this film survives. Image quality is very good. The intertitles and the closing Pathe Rooster are from the original release. The music track is an excellent theatre organ accompaniment possibly added in the 1930s. (3M film stock, variable area sound track)
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SATURDAY’S LESSON
(Hal Roach, November 9, 1929) Our Gang: Allen “Farina” Hoskins, Joe Cobb, Mary Ann Jackson, Jean Darling, Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins, Harry Spear and Pete the Pup. Charley Young as Dr. A.M Austin, Ham Kinsey as First Pedestrian, Allen Cavan as Second Pedestrian, Jack O’Brien as The Devil, Emma Reed as Farina’s Mom, Orpha Alba as Joe’s Mom, Adele Watson as Mary Ann’s Mom. Directed by Robert F. McGowan.
The final silent Our Gang film has some good gags for Allen “Farina” Hoskins and Joe Cobb.
An actor who has been hired by a company to dress as the devil in a promotional stunt overhears the gang complaining about having to mind their parents. He schemes to teach them a lesson and, in his devil costume, frightens the kids into performing their chores. This print has the original music and sound effects track that was issued with this film in 1929. (1978 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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MOAN & GROAN, INC.
(Hal Roach, December 7, 1929) Our Gang: Allen “Farina” Hoskins, Mary Ann Jackson, Jackie Cooper, Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins, Norman “Chubby” Chaney, Betty Jane Beard, Jay R. Smith, Bobby Mallon, Pete the Pup. Edgar Kennedy as Officer Kennedy, Max Davidson as The Lunatic.
This early Our Gang talkie features excellent comic performances by nine year old “Farina,” and film veteran Max Davidson as The Lunatic. The “Gang” decides to dig for buried treasure in a seemingly abandoned house. Davidson is a harmless nut who has apparently taken up residence there and delights in frightening the Gang. He pulls hairs from his beard to produce a howl heard through out the house, he reaches through secret panels to grab at the kids and he also serves a dinner of imaginary turkey to Farina and Pete the Pup. He answers every question with “I know … but I won’t tell ya!” a line that became a catch phrase. The sixth Our Gang talkie. (1950 Kodak film stock, density sound track)
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TEACHER’S PET
(Hal Roach, October 11, 1930, filmed May 21-29, 1930) Our Gang: Jackie Cooper, Allen “Farina” Hoskins, Norman “Chubby” Chaney, Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Dorothy Deborba, Mary Ann Jackson, Buddy McDonald, Donald Haines, Artye Folz, Barbara Roach, Billy Seay, Mildred Kornman, Bobby Mallon. Adults: June Marlowe as Miss Crabtree. Directed by Robert F. McGowan.
The Gang has elaborate plans to drive away the new teacher on the first day of school. After all, her name is Miss Crabtree so she must be horrible! On the way to school Jackie Cooper accepts a ride from a pretty young lady and tells her of their plans to drive out this awful new teacher not realizing that the pretty young lady is Miss Crabtree!
The first of the wonderful Miss Crabtree films in the Our Gang series. It was also the first appearance of Matthew Beard who is called Hercules in this film but who was later called Stymie. This is also the film that introduced the wonderful Our Gang theme melody, “Good Old Days.” Funny, warm and touching, this great film is considered by many to be the best of the entire series. Opening credits spoken by twins Betty Mae and Beverly Crane. (1950 Kodak film stock, density track.)
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FLY MY KITE
(Hal Roach, May 30, 1931) Our Gang: Allen “Farina” Hoskins, Norma “Chubby” Chaney, Mary Ann Jackson, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins, Dorothy DeBorba, Shirley Jean Rickert, Georgie Ernest, Dickie Jackson, Jackie Williams, Charles “Chic” Sales Jr., Pete the Pup. Adults: Mrs. Margaret Mann as “Grandma,” James Mason as Dan, her son-in-law, Mae Bush as Dan’s New Wife, David Sharpe as Stunt Double for Grandma.
The Gang loves the neighborhood Grandma. She reads to them from pulp serial mysteries, and she even boxes with them. When her step-son tries to steal her money and kick her out of her house the Gang and Pete the Pup come to the rescue!
Among the most fondly remembered of the early Our Gang talkies, this was Alan “Farina” Hoskins’ final regular Our Gang appearance before he was brought back later for a couple of cameo appearances. Also the final appearances of Norman “Chubby” Chaney and Shirley Jean Rickert. After leaving Our Gang Shirley Jean Rickert signed with Larry Darmour Productions to appear as Tomboy Taylor in the Mickey McGuire series which starred Mickey Rooney. She told me she didn’t remember why she left Roach. She speculated that maybe Roach terminated her contract or maybe her mother got a better deal from Darmour. Filmed March 2-14, 1931. (Official Films edition for television, 1950 Kodak Film stock, density sound track.)
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MUSH AND MILK
(Hal Roach, May 27, 1933) Our Gang: Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Dickie Moore, George “Spanky” McFarland, Tommy Bond, Edith Fellows, Marcia Mae Jones, John “Uh-huh” Collum, Dorothy DeBorba, Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins, Dickie Jackson, Bill Farnum, Olga Therkow, Pete the Pup. Adults: Gus Leonard as Cap, Louise Emmons as Cap’s Wife, James Finlayson as Mr. Brown the Banker, Rolf Sedan as Waiter. Directed by Robert F. McGowan.
The Gang lives at the Bleak Hill Boarding School which is run by kindly old Cap (Gus Leonard) and his extremely nasty wife played to the hilt by Louise Emmons.
Some classic Our Gang bits here – not the least of which is little Tommy Bond’s heartfelt and hilarious rendition of “Just Friends,” a torch song that he was singing for fun off camera when Roach heard him and put it in the film.
But the topper is Louise Emmons whose performance here defines what an old crone is. She is memorably horrible. “Don’t drink the milk. Its SPOILED!” (1955 Kodak film stock, density sound track)
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HI’-NEIGHBOR
(Hal Roach, March 3, 1934) Our Gang: Wally Albright, George “Spanky” McFarland, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Scotty Becket, Jerry Tucker (Schatz), Jacqueline “Jane” Taylor, Marvin “Bubbles” Trin, Donald Proffitt, Tommy Bup, Tony Kales, Jean Aulbach, Bobby “Cotton” Beard, Tommy Bond, Pete the Pup. Adults: Stanley “Tiny” Sandford and Jack “Tiny” Ward as Moving Men, Charlie Hall as Window Washer, Harry Bernard as Man Watering Lawn, Ernie Alexander as Pedestrian. Directed by Gus Meins.
Wally and Spanky see a moving van roll into their neighborhood with a glorious kiddie-car strapped to the side. They follow the van and when they meet Jerry, their new neighbor and owner of the kiddie-car, they introduce themselves hoping for a ride. But snooty Jerry rudely brushes them off. To retaliate the Gang builds their own kiddie-car with disastrous but hilarious results. (Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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FOR PETE’S SAKE
(Hal Roach, April 14, 1934) Our Gang: Wally Albright, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, George “Spanky” McFarland, Scotty Beckett, Leonard Kibrick, Marianne Edwards, Tommy Bond, Billie Thomas, Jacqueline Taylor, Philbrook Lyons, Marvin “Bubbles” Trin, Pete the Put. Adults: William Wagner as Leonard’s dad, Fred Holmes as Man With Day Off, Lyle Tayo as Wife of Man With Day Off. Directed by Gus Meins.
Bully Leonard lassos little Marianne’s doll and flings it into the street where it is crushed by a passing truck.
Promising Marianne that they’ll replace it for her they head to the toy store which just happens to be owned by Leonard’s dad. Unable to come up with the needed $1.25 for a new doll they set out to raise the money by doing yard work but with disastrous results.
Leonard and his dad talk the Gang into trading Pete the Pup for the doll. But Pete has other plans! Blackhawk Films edition includes the shot of Spanky with his pants down which was usually cut for television. (Composite print: Credits on 1974 Eastman with v/a track, short portion of replacement footage on 3M with density track, rest of print on 1974 Eastman with variable area sound track)
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MAMA’S LITTLE PIRATE
(Hal Roach, November 3, 1934) Our Gang: George “Spanky” McFarland, Scotty Beckett, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Jerry Tucker (Schatz), Marylin Bourne, Gilbert Hullett, Paul Rodriguez, Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas. Adults: Claudia Dell as Spanky’s Mother, Joe Young (Older brother of Robert Young) as Spanky’s Father, Tex Madsen as The Giant, Billie Bletcher as Voice Over for The Giant. Directed by Gus Meins.
Our Gang hunts fur treasure in a cave and gets caught by the resident giant. The film that supposedly inspired the 1985 Steven Spielberg feature “The Goonies” although Spielberg has never acknowledged that as fact. (1974 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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RUSHIN’ BALLET
(Hal Roach, April 24, 1937) Our Gang: George “Spanky” McFarland, Tommy “Butch” Bond, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas, Eugene “Porky” Lee, Sidney “Woim” Kibrick. Dancers: Darla Hood (unconfirmed), Darwood “Waldo” Kaye, Harold Switzer. Adults: Harried Dance Recital Teacher: Kathryn Sheldon.
Bullies Butch and Woim interrupt Buckwheat and Porky by smushing tomatoes in their faces and stealing their marbles. Spanky and Alfalfa try to stand up to the bullies who chase them into a dance recital. (1954 Kodak film stock, density sound track)
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OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938
(Hal Roach, December 18, 1937) Our Gang: George “Spanky” McFarland, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, Eugene “Porky” Lee, Darla Hood, Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas, Dickie Jones, Tommy McFarland, Harold Switzer, Darwood Kaye, Billy Mindy, John Collum, Tommy Bobs Watson, Phillip Hurlic. Adults: Henry Brandon as Opera Impresario/Barnaby, Wilma Cox as Miss Jones the Stenographyer, Gino Corrado as the Singer, Winstead “Doodles” Weaver as the piano player.
Alfalfa leaves the Gang’s musical variety show because they won’t let him sing opera. Later he dreams that he was a failure and returns only to find the rest of the Gang is earning “hundreds and thousands of dollars” working at Club Spanky. The final Our Gang two-reeler has top shelf production values. And the kids are lots of fun as they imitate the musical stars and sounds of the late 1930s. (2005 Kod.ak film stock, variable area sound track)
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CAME THE BRAWN
(Hal Roach, April 16, 1938) Our Gang: George “Spanky” McFarland, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, Darla Hood, Tommy “Butch” Bond, Sidney “Woim” Kibrick, Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas, Eugene “Porky” Lee, Darwood “Waldo” Kaye, Harold Switzer and Tommy McFarland.
Spanky promotes “Wildcat” Alfalfa to wrestle The Masked Marvel, (Waldo in disguise), but at the last minute Butch bullies Waldo out of the way, dons Waldo’s disguise and takes on the terrified Alfalfa until Buckwheat and Porky intervene. “Goodnight folks!” (1974 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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LAUREL & HARDY
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TWO TARS
(Hal Roach, November 3, 1928)
Laurel and Hardy are two sailors on shore leave. They pick up a couple of women, get stuck in a traffic jam, accidentally bump another car and everything goes down hill from there. One of the best known silent Laurel & Hardy films, and wildly funny. With a music track. (1975 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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WRONG AGAIN
(Hal Roach, February 23, 1929)
For decades this great Laurel & Hardy film was unavailable to the public in it’s original form. Although a silent film, it was released with a music and sound effects track on disc, but those sound discs were missing and were not recovered until long after the Laurel & Hardy television revival of the 50s and 60s.
Because of this, few people today have seen this film to advantage. It is now a favorite among some fans. People ask me to see “the one with the horse on the piano” again. Silver Showcase is proud to present this great comedy with that rediscovered 1929 music and sound effects track.
To understand the goings-on all you really need to know is that there is a famous painting by Gainsborough titled “Blue Boy.” In this film Laurel (1890-1965) & Hardy (1892-1957) are stable hands taking care of a race horse by the name of Blue Boy. You can guess how the child-like minds of Laurel & Hardy respond when they learn that Blue Boy has been stolen.
The opening stable scene was filmed at the Uplifters Club of Santa Monica, the same location used for “National Velvet” in 1944. (2004 Kodak film stock, variable area sound track)
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BRATS
(Hal Roach, March 22, 1930)
Stan and Ollie are minding the kids – also played by Stan and Ollie. Big laughs in one of the best known Laurel and Hardy films … and that’s Jean Harlow’s picture on the mantel. (1968 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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BELOW ZERO
(Hal Roach, April 26, 1930)
Stan and Ollie are street musicians in the middle of winter. NOBODY wants to hear their music!
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ANOTHER FINE MESS
(Hal Roach, November 29, 1930)
Laurel and Hardy, Thelma Todd, James Finlayson. Stan and Ollie, on the run from the law, hide out in the mansion of Colonel Wilburforce Buckshot, (James Finlayson), who is supposed to be in Africa. Also starring the wonderful Thelma Todd (at right in photo above).
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HOG WILD
(Hal Roach, May 31, 1930)
The Boys attempt to put a radio aerial on Hardy’s roof so Mrs. Hardy can hear Japan.
The Boys were on a roll with another excellent and hilarious film. (Opening credits are original Roach credits with MGM lion logo printed on undated stock. Body of film on 1969 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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THE LAUREL-HARDY
MURDER CASE
(Hal Roach, September 6, 1930)
Laurel and Hardy go to the mansion of Stan’s late uncle Ebenezer Laurel for the reading of the will. It is a dark and stormy night and, it turns out, the old man was murdered!
Fun and spooky on television, this one really comes alive with an audience! (1968 Eastman film stock, density sound track)
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COME CLEAN
(Hal Roach, September 19, 1931)
The Boys save Mae Bush from a suicide attempt and their reward is that she threatens to blackmail them if they don’t pay her off. Another entry in the “keep a secret from our wives” adventure. Some excellent Laurel & Hardy routines here, and a memorable encounter with Charlie Hall when they try to buy ice cream from him. (1976 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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TOWED IN A HOLE
(Hal Roach, December 31, 1932)
The Boys are in the business of selling fish. Stan decides they could make more money if they catch their own fish so The Boys buy a boat and set about getting it sea worthy. Of course nothing goes as planned. (Ferannia film stock, density sound track)
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HELPMATES
(Hal Roach, January 23, 1932)
Following a wild party, Stan helps Ollie clean the house before his wife returns home from visiting her mother in Chicago.
Laurel and Hardy at their best and most memorable. “Stan: “You can’t talk to me like that. If I had any sense I’d walk out on you.” Ollie: “Well it’s a good thing you haven’t any sense!” Stan: “It certainly is!” (3M film stock, variable area sound track)
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MUSIC BOX, THE
(Hal Roach, April 16, 1932) With Billy Gilbert
The Boys have to deliver a piano to a home that is at the top of a very long staircase. Many consider this to be THEE definitive Laurel & Hardy film. It won the 1932 Academy Award for best short subject and was added to the National Film Registry in 1997. (1961 Kodak film stock, density sound track)
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COUNTY HOSPITAL
(Hal Roach, June 25, 1932)
Opening title in the film: Mr. Hardy fell on his leg and was laid up for two months. Mr. Laurel fell on his head and hadn’t felt better in years. (1968 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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SCRAM
(Hal Roach, September 10, 1932)
Vagrants Stan and Ollie are ordered out of town by the judge. Outside the court house they encounter drunk Arthur Houseman who invites them to come home with him. But he takes them to what turns out to be the home of the judge who ordered them out of town. Thinking its their friend’s home they make themselves comfortable and then encounter the judge’s tipsy wife who wants to dance with them. This film features one of the great Laurel & Hardy laughing scenes – Stan, Ollie and Vivien Oakland (as the judge’s wife) get the giggles which quickly escalate to laughs and disaster!
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THEIR FIRST MISTAKE
(Hal Roach, November 5, 1932)
Stan suggests to Ollie that he adopt a baby to save his marriage, but by the time Stan returns with a baby Mrs Hardy has walked out leaving The Boys to take care of the baby by themselves. It doesn’t go particularly well.
Stan’s hilarious attempt to feed the baby is as surprisingly risqué as it is hilarious. (3M film stock, variable area sound track)
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THEM THAR HILLS
(Hal Roach, July 21, 1934)
Laurel and Hardy, Billy Gilbert, Mae Bush, Charlie Hall. The boys head to the mountains to cure Hardy’s gout. One of the very best Laurel and Hardy comedies. “Pom-pom.” (1997 Eastman film stock, variable area sound track)
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THE LIVE GHOST
(December 8, 1934)
A gruff Sea Captain (Walter Long) tricks Laurel and Hardy into Shanghaiing men to work on his ship and then Shanghaies Laurel and Hardy. The problem is that everyone thinks the ship is haunted and the Captain HATES the word “ghost.” Also featuring Arthur Houseman, Charlie Hall and Mae Busch. (Kodak 1964 film stock, density sound track)
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CALL OF THE CUCKOOS
(Hal Roach, October 15, 1927) with Max Davidson, Lillian Elliot, Spec O’Donnell, Charley Chase, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson, Charlie Hall.
Mostly forgotten today by all but dedicated fans of classic film comedy, Max Davidson (1875-1950, see photo above) was a very popular comic from the late silent era. He appeared in some feature films and had his own series of short subjects at the Roach studio in the 20s. He can also be seen scattered through films of the 30s and 40s in smaller and incidental parts. But today some consider his short-lived series made at Roach to be among the best of his generation.
Max buys a pre-fab house sight unseen where anything that can go wrong does. One gag is a real shocker today – Max is seen naked in the bathtub! (And he ain’t pretty!) Next door live Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charley Chase and James Finlayson (see photo above) all residents of a nut house.
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