The Little Rascals (1994 film)
Encyclopedia
The Little Rascals is a 1994 American comedy film
produced by Amblin Entertainment
, and released by Universal Pictures
on August 5, 1994. The film is an adaptation of Hal Roach
's Our Gang
, a series of short films of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s (later broadcast on television as The Little Rascals) which centered around the adventures of a group of neighborhood children. The film, with a screenplay by Paul Guay, Stephen Mazur, and Penelope Spheeris
— who also directed — presents several of the Our Gang characters in an updated setting, and features re-interpretations of several of the original shorts. It was the first collaboration by Guay & Mazur, whose subsequent comedies were Liar Liar
and Heartbreakers.
Soon after, the other He-Man Woman Haters secretly spy on the couple during their picnic, and make several attempts to ruin it like putting kitty litter in their sandwichs and pouring their juice out of a dirty sneaker, until Alfalfa notices and quickly brings his date with Darla to an early end, and he makes Darla hide in the clubhouse until he can convince the other boys that he and Darla were not doing anything in there. But Darla thinks that Alfalfa is ashamed of her, so she tries to escape the clubhouse by driving away in the Blur and crashing through the clubhouse walls. Alfalfa left a candle burning trying to end he and Darla's date and in forgetting he has done so, causes the clubhouse to burst aflame. The boys quickly try to put the fire out (Buckwheat and Porky, the youngest club members, were sent to call the fire department, but neither one of them knew the number for 9-1-1, so the club did not get any professional help from fire-fighters). Alfalfa faints after the clubhouse catches on fire, and while he is passed out the other boys finish putting out the fire. As Darla tosses the ring Alfalfa gave her earlier back to him before leaving with a wealthy new boy named Waldo, who previously tried to win her over with near success, she says " I never wanna speak to you as long as I live, tell him when he comes to guys." After Alfalfa regains consciousness, the other club members punish him by forcing him to guard the Blur every night and day until the day of the race. On the first night. Alfalfa has
a nightmare where he is with Darla (who likes him) and Spanky blows him off a cliff and he wakes
at that moment where the He-man Woman haterz club convinces him that girls are no good while Darla's friends do the same on the same night and they all scream (also in dream) when there's thunder However Alfalfa doesn't take their rules and still loves Darla.
In order to win her back, Alfalfa pretends to write Darla a hate note but really writes her a love note for Porky and Buckwheat to deliver to her. Well they lose the note on the way to Darla's house but Buckwheat remembers what Alfalfa told them the note "said" and recites to Darla, who hates Alfalfa even more. Alfalfa tries to win Darla back by going to her ballet recital and writing a love letter, but a mix-up happens and he only makes Darla more upset.
Alfalfa is taken off duty of guarding the go-cart, so Porky and Buckwheat are assigned to do so instead. However, the neighborhood bullies who are also entering the go-cart race, Butch and Woim, lure the two young boys away from the Blur by tying a dollar bill to a duck's tail and sending the duck right past the go-cart. Even after setting off a booby trap involving a pickle jar being dropped on them both.
The He-Man Woman Haters try to raise money to afford both a new clubhouse at a local fair, and they try to come up with at least $450. However, Porky and Buckwheat manage to raise $500 by putting up an "Admisshun $3" sign at the free talent show, but the boys' schoolteacher Miss Crabtree finds out soon and scolds them for tricking people. However, Spanky suggests using the money Porky and Buckwheat raised as prize money for the go-cart race, which their teacher agrees to.
During the talent show, Waldo and Darla sing a duet which was first supposed to be sung by Alfalfa but when Darla got mad at him she decided to sing it with Waldo. Alfalfa drives the Blur to the talent show and sees them on stage together and he gets really upset and decides to enter the talent show and sing to her. Spanky ruins his talent by moving things around on the stage and Waldo also puts soap in the water that he is drinking before he sings, causing him to burp bubbles during his song. Darla is ashamed of the performance and gets up and leaves.
Woim and Butch manage to steal the Blur so they can use it for their own benefits in the go-cart race. Once the He-Man Woman Haters discover that the Blur has been stolen, Spanky gets into a fight with Alfalfa, and the two end their friendship. Later, after some prodding from the other club members, the two reconcile.
The boys manage to build a new go-cart in time for the race, and Alfalfa is the driver, as originally planned, with Spanky riding along. Woim and Butch have repainted the Blur and pass it off as their own go-cart, and try to cheat their way to winning during the race. Darla, who is racing with Waldo, eventually gets tired of Waldo's attitude and starts to yearn for Alfalfa, who still wants her back, more, so Waldo appears to abandon Darla in the middle of the race and takes off. Eventually, the He-Man Woman Haters win the race, much to the chagrin
of Waldo, Butch, and Woim. Alfalfa stands up to Butch by punching
him into a pile of pig slop and Woim jumps in to avoid being hit. Darla reunites with Alfalfa, and their romantic relationship starts all over again. When being awarded their trophy and prize money, Spanky gets to meet his favorite racer, A.J. Ferguson, who turns out to be a woman. She kisses Spanky's cheek (Spanky then asks for another kiss one other cheek), though Spanky himself does not mind it, his opinion about females stubbornly has not officially changed, though the rest of the club members besides Spanky also gain girlfriends after the race. And finally, Spanky gives in to his now girl-loving friends, and "Welcome Women" is added to the new clubhouse sign (thus repealing the No Women rule), for the club members have managed to purchase a new clubhouse with their prize money.
Adult characters
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
produced by Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its...
, and released by Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
on August 5, 1994. The film is an adaptation of Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
's Our Gang
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
, a series of short films of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s (later broadcast on television as The Little Rascals) which centered around the adventures of a group of neighborhood children. The film, with a screenplay by Paul Guay, Stephen Mazur, and Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
— who also directed — presents several of the Our Gang characters in an updated setting, and features re-interpretations of several of the original shorts. It was the first collaboration by Guay & Mazur, whose subsequent comedies were Liar Liar
Liar Liar
Liar Liar is a 1997 American comedy film written by Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur, directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Jim Carrey. Carrey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical...
and Heartbreakers.
Plot
"The He-Man Woman Haters Club" is a club of local school-aged boys, all of whom refuse to play with girls. The boys are entering their go-cart, the "Blur," in the annual go-cart race. Alfalfa, club member and best friend of president Spanky, is selected to drive the Blur in the race. However since Alfalfa had apparently skipped the meeting, the boys search for him and find Alfalfa in the middle of a romantic boat ride with his sweetheart, Darla. Since Alfalfa's relationship with Darla interferes with the club's rule of forbidding a club member to play with or have a romantic relationship with girls, the other club members try to spoil Alfalfa and Darla's romantic boat ride in hopes of breaking them up. However, their plans fail, and Darla and Alfalfa schedule a romantic picnic in the clubhouse.Soon after, the other He-Man Woman Haters secretly spy on the couple during their picnic, and make several attempts to ruin it like putting kitty litter in their sandwichs and pouring their juice out of a dirty sneaker, until Alfalfa notices and quickly brings his date with Darla to an early end, and he makes Darla hide in the clubhouse until he can convince the other boys that he and Darla were not doing anything in there. But Darla thinks that Alfalfa is ashamed of her, so she tries to escape the clubhouse by driving away in the Blur and crashing through the clubhouse walls. Alfalfa left a candle burning trying to end he and Darla's date and in forgetting he has done so, causes the clubhouse to burst aflame. The boys quickly try to put the fire out (Buckwheat and Porky, the youngest club members, were sent to call the fire department, but neither one of them knew the number for 9-1-1, so the club did not get any professional help from fire-fighters). Alfalfa faints after the clubhouse catches on fire, and while he is passed out the other boys finish putting out the fire. As Darla tosses the ring Alfalfa gave her earlier back to him before leaving with a wealthy new boy named Waldo, who previously tried to win her over with near success, she says " I never wanna speak to you as long as I live, tell him when he comes to guys." After Alfalfa regains consciousness, the other club members punish him by forcing him to guard the Blur every night and day until the day of the race. On the first night. Alfalfa has
a nightmare where he is with Darla (who likes him) and Spanky blows him off a cliff and he wakes
at that moment where the He-man Woman haterz club convinces him that girls are no good while Darla's friends do the same on the same night and they all scream (also in dream) when there's thunder However Alfalfa doesn't take their rules and still loves Darla.
In order to win her back, Alfalfa pretends to write Darla a hate note but really writes her a love note for Porky and Buckwheat to deliver to her. Well they lose the note on the way to Darla's house but Buckwheat remembers what Alfalfa told them the note "said" and recites to Darla, who hates Alfalfa even more. Alfalfa tries to win Darla back by going to her ballet recital and writing a love letter, but a mix-up happens and he only makes Darla more upset.
Alfalfa is taken off duty of guarding the go-cart, so Porky and Buckwheat are assigned to do so instead. However, the neighborhood bullies who are also entering the go-cart race, Butch and Woim, lure the two young boys away from the Blur by tying a dollar bill to a duck's tail and sending the duck right past the go-cart. Even after setting off a booby trap involving a pickle jar being dropped on them both.
The He-Man Woman Haters try to raise money to afford both a new clubhouse at a local fair, and they try to come up with at least $450. However, Porky and Buckwheat manage to raise $500 by putting up an "Admisshun $3" sign at the free talent show, but the boys' schoolteacher Miss Crabtree finds out soon and scolds them for tricking people. However, Spanky suggests using the money Porky and Buckwheat raised as prize money for the go-cart race, which their teacher agrees to.
During the talent show, Waldo and Darla sing a duet which was first supposed to be sung by Alfalfa but when Darla got mad at him she decided to sing it with Waldo. Alfalfa drives the Blur to the talent show and sees them on stage together and he gets really upset and decides to enter the talent show and sing to her. Spanky ruins his talent by moving things around on the stage and Waldo also puts soap in the water that he is drinking before he sings, causing him to burp bubbles during his song. Darla is ashamed of the performance and gets up and leaves.
Woim and Butch manage to steal the Blur so they can use it for their own benefits in the go-cart race. Once the He-Man Woman Haters discover that the Blur has been stolen, Spanky gets into a fight with Alfalfa, and the two end their friendship. Later, after some prodding from the other club members, the two reconcile.
The boys manage to build a new go-cart in time for the race, and Alfalfa is the driver, as originally planned, with Spanky riding along. Woim and Butch have repainted the Blur and pass it off as their own go-cart, and try to cheat their way to winning during the race. Darla, who is racing with Waldo, eventually gets tired of Waldo's attitude and starts to yearn for Alfalfa, who still wants her back, more, so Waldo appears to abandon Darla in the middle of the race and takes off. Eventually, the He-Man Woman Haters win the race, much to the chagrin
Sorrow (emotion)
Sorrow is an emotion, feeling, or sentiment. Sorrow 'is more "intense" than sadness...it implies a long term state'. At the same time 'sorrow - but not unhappiness - suggests a degree of resignation...which lends sorrow its peculiar air of dignity'....
of Waldo, Butch, and Woim. Alfalfa stands up to Butch by punching
Punching
Punching is a metal forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a punch, through the workpiece to create a hole via shearing. The punch often passes through the work into a die. A scrap slug from the hole is deposited into the die in the process. Depending on the material being...
him into a pile of pig slop and Woim jumps in to avoid being hit. Darla reunites with Alfalfa, and their romantic relationship starts all over again. When being awarded their trophy and prize money, Spanky gets to meet his favorite racer, A.J. Ferguson, who turns out to be a woman. She kisses Spanky's cheek (Spanky then asks for another kiss one other cheek), though Spanky himself does not mind it, his opinion about females stubbornly has not officially changed, though the rest of the club members besides Spanky also gain girlfriends after the race. And finally, Spanky gives in to his now girl-loving friends, and "Welcome Women" is added to the new clubhouse sign (thus repealing the No Women rule), for the club members have managed to purchase a new clubhouse with their prize money.
Cast
The Little Rascals- Bug HallBug HallBrandon "Bug" Hall is an American actor, acting teacher and musician.-Biography:Brandon Hall, nicknamed "Bug" by his family, was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 4, 1985. He is the second oldest in his family...
as AlfalfaCarl SwitzerCarl Dean "Alfalfa" Switzer was an American child actor, professional dog breeder and hunting guide, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series as Alfalfa, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters.-Early life and family:Switzer was born in Paris,...
- Spanky's best friend and Darla's boyfriend - Travis TedfordTravis TedfordTravis William Tedford is an American actor. A child actor during the 1990s, he is best known for portraying Our Gang kid Spanky McFarland in the 1994 feature film The Little Rascals and for being the first Welch's "advertising-spokeskid" beginning in 1994 at age 5.-Biography:Tedford was born in...
- SpankyGeorge McFarlandGeorge Robert Phillips "Spanky" McFarland was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s...
- "He-Man Women Hater's Club" president - Brittany Ashton HolmesBrittany Ashton HolmesBrittany Ashton Holmes is an American actress. She is best known for playing Darla in The Little Rascals...
as DarlaDarla HoodDarla Jean Hood was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of James Claude Hood and Elizabeth Davner...
- the love interest of Alfalfa - Kevin Jamal WoodsKevin Jamal WoodsKevin Jamal Woods is an American former child actor. The eldest of two children born to Helen and Gary Woods, Kevin Jamal Woods is best known for co-starring in the 1994 feature adaptation of The Little Rascals as Stymie....
as Stymie - the club's vice-president. - Jordan Warkol as FroggyBilly LaughlinWilliam Robert "Billy" Laughlin was an American child actor. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films in its final stretch, from 1940 to 1944.-Career:...
(voice dubbed by E.G. DailyElizabeth DailyElizabeth Ann Guttman , better known by her stage names of Elizabeth Daily and E.G. Daily, is an American voice actress, actress, singer-songwriter, and musician...
) - club member with a croaking voice and a love for amphibians. - Zachary Mabry as Porky - club member, a toddler.
- Ross BagleyRoss BagleyRoss Elliot Bagley is an American actor. Most popular as a child actor during the mid-1990s, he is best known for his role as Nicholas "Nicky" Banks the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1994-1996.-Career:...
as Buckwheat - club member, Porky's best friend. - Sam Saletta as ButchTommy BondThomas Ross "Tommy" Bond was an American actor. A native of Dallas, Texas, Bond was best known for his work as a child actor for two different nonconsecutive periods on Our Gang comedies, and also for being the first actor to portray the role of "Superman's pal" Jimmy Olsen on screen.-Early years...
, the neighborhood bully - Blake Jeremy Collins as The WoimSidney KibrickSidney Kibrick is an American former child actor, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1935 to 1939. From 1937 to 1939, he portrayed "The Woim", the sidekick of the neighborhood bully "Butch", played by Tommy Bond.He is the brother of the late Leonard Kibrick,...
, Butch's friend - Blake McIver EwingBlake McIver EwingBlake McIver Ewing is an American actor. He was known for playing Derek, Michelle's friend on Full House. Ewing also portrayed the role of Waldo in the 1994 feature film version of The Little Rascals. He was also the voice of Eugene on Hey Arnold!...
as Waldo, a rich kid who just moved into town - Courtland MeadCourtland MeadCourtland Robert Mead is an American actor.Mead was born in Mission Viejo, California, the son of Denise and Robert Mead and brother of twin sisters Lauren and Candice Mead. In the 1994 film Dragonworld he played the part of young Johnny McGowan, a young boy who finds a dragon egg on his...
as Uh-huhJohn CollumJohn K. Collum was an American child actor of the 1930s.-Career:Born in Illinois, Collum was the son of Hal Roach's casting director, Joseph Collum, and appeared in twenty-six of Roach's Our Gang comedies from 1932 to 1938...
- club "typographer", always answers "uh-huh". - PeteyPete the PupPete the Pup was a Pit Bull character in Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies during the 1920s and 1930s...
- a neighborhood pit bullPit bullA Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
, possibly owned by Spanky. - Elmer - the pet White-throated Capuchin MonkeyWhite-headed CapuchinThe white-headed capuchin , also known as the white-faced capuchin or white-throated capuchin, is a medium-sized New World monkey of the family Cebidae, subfamily Cebinae...
of a nameless club member. - Raven-SymoneRaven-SymonéRaven-Symoné Christina Pearman , known professionally as Raven-Symoné , or simply Raven, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, comedian, dancer, television producer and model. Symoné launched her successful career in 1989 after appearing in The Cosby Show as Olivia...
- girl talking to Stymie - Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen - Twins.
- Juliette Brewer - Mary Ann
- Heather Karasek - Jane
- Fifi - a Doberman Pinscher who is a pet of Waldo.
Adult characters
- Mel BrooksMel BrooksMel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
as Mr Welling - the pompous and rude bank teller. - Lea ThompsonLea ThompsonLea Katherine Thompson is an American actress and director. She is best known for her 1990s NBC situation comedy Caroline in the City and her portrayal of Lorraine Baines McFly, Marty McFly's mother, in the Back to the Future trilogy...
as Miss Roberts - Darla's ballet instructor. - Daryl HannahDaryl HannahDaryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
as Miss Crabtree - the gang's school teacher. - Reba McEntireReba McEntireReba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
as A.J. Ferguson - "the best driver there is". - Eric Edwards as Spanky's father.
- Dan Carton as Alfalfa's father.
- Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
as Buckwheat's mother. - Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDonald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
as Waldo's father. - George WendtGeorge WendtGeorge Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
as Lumber Store Guy.
Production
- Several of the surviving Our Gang cast membersOur Gang personnelThis page is a listing of the significant cast and crew for Hal Roach's Our Gang short subjects series, which ran in movie theatres from 1922 to 1944.-Our Gang kids :...
were less than pleased about not being asked to be consultants and make cameos for the feature film. George McFarlandGeorge McFarlandGeorge Robert Phillips "Spanky" McFarland was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s...
, the original "Spanky", died in June 1993, during the early stages of filming.
Reception
The film was not well received with critics upon its original release. It currently holds a 27% "rotten" rating at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Box office
The Little Rascals earned $10 million dollars at the North American box office during its opening weekend. The film grossed a worldwide total of $67,308,282.Repurposed scenes and situations
Many of the gags and subplots in the film were borrowed from the original Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts. These include:- The scene in which Buckwheat (Ross Begley) and Porky (Zachary Mabry) are fishing and get their fishing poles caught onto each other originates from a scene in the 1943 Our Gang short Three Smart GuysThree Smart GuysThree Smart Guys is a 1943 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 217th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
with Buckwheat, FroggyBilly LaughlinWilliam Robert "Billy" Laughlin was an American child actor. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films in its final stretch, from 1940 to 1944.-Career:...
and MickeyRobert Blake (actor)Robert Blake is an American actor who starred in the film In Cold Blood and the U.S. television series Baretta. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted for the 2001 murder of his wife, but on November 18, 2005, Blake was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death.-Early...
.
- The He-Man Woman Haters Club originally appeared in the 1937 Our Gang short Hearts are ThumpsHearts Are ThumpsHearts Are Thumps is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 152nd Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
; the club would return in the short Mail and FemaleMail and FemaleMail and Female is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. It was the 160th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
the same year. The plots for both shorts were reused for this movie. In addition, the scene where the gang ruins Alfalfa and Darla's lunch date, as well as the scene where bubbles come out of Alfalfa's mouth while he sings, were borrowed gags from Hearts are Thumps. Alfalfa sending Buckwheat and Porky to deliver a love note to Darla was borrowed from Mail and Female.
- The "hi-sign" originally appeared in the 1935 Our Gang short Anniversary TroubleAnniversary TroubleAnniversary Trouble is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 134th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
.
- The kids dressing up as fire fighters and attempting to put out a fire appeared in the Our Gang shorts Fire Fighters (1922), The Fourth AlarmThe Fourth AlarmThe Fourth Alarm is a 1926 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 53rd Our Gang short subject released. It was later reworked in Hook and Ladder in 1932.-Notes:...
(1926), and Hook and LadderHook and Ladder (1932 film)Hook and Ladder is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 116th Our Gang short that was released.-Synopsis:...
(1932). The gag in which Spanky (Travis Tedford) winds up on a flying water hose was originally used with Farina in The Fourth Alarm.
- The gag involving Spanky (Travis Tedford) and Stymie (Kevin Woods) disguising as adults appeared in a handful of Our Gang shorts. Mickey DanielsMickey DanielsRichard "Mickey" Daniels, Jr. was a juvenile actor. Signed by Hal Roach in 1923, he was, along with fat Joe Cobb, scruffy Jackie Condon, pretty Mary Kornman, and smiling "Sunshine Sammy" , a regular in the popular Our Gang comedies.-Biography:The red-haired, gap-toothed, freckled whipper snapper...
and Johnny DownsJohnny DownsJohnny Downs was an American actor. Son of a Naval aviator, he was taken to Hollywood in 1921 when his father was transferred to the San Diego naval base. He began his career as a child actor, most notably playing Johnny in the Our Gang short series from 1923 to 1926...
attempted to dress up as Santa Claus with this gag in the 1926 short Good CheerGood CheerGood Cheer is a 1926 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 46th Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Mickey Daniels - Mickey* Johnny Downs - Johnny* Joe Cobb - Joe* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Jackie Condon - Jackie...
. Farina and Pleurisy tried this routine in the 1929 short Election DayElection Day (film)Election Day is a 1929 Our Gang short silent comedy film directed by Robert A. McGowan. It was the 81st Our Gang short that was released.-Cast:* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Unknown - Pleurisy* Joe Cobb - Joe Cobb* Jay R...
. Stymie and Dickie Moore tried it in the 1933 short Fish HookyFish HookyFish Hooky is a 1933 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 120th Our Gang short that was released.- Plot :...
, while SpankyGeorge McFarlandGeorge Robert Phillips "Spanky" McFarland was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s...
and AlfalfaCarl SwitzerCarl Dean "Alfalfa" Switzer was an American child actor, professional dog breeder and hunting guide, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series as Alfalfa, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters.-Early life and family:Switzer was born in Paris,...
tried pulling it off in both the 1935 short Teacher's BeauTeacher's BeauTeacher's Beau is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 136th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
and the 1936 short Two Too YoungTwo Too YoungTwo Too Young is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 147th Our Gang short to be released.-Plot:...
.
- The scene in which Spanky (Travis Tedford) and Alfalfa (Bug Hall) accidentally find themselves performing in a ballet recital was inspired by the plot of the 1937 short Rushin' BalletRushin' BalletRushin' Ballet is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 154th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
. The costumes that the duo wear are exact replicas of the costumes that the original SpankyGeorge McFarlandGeorge Robert Phillips "Spanky" McFarland was an American actor most famous for his appearances as a child in the Our Gang series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s...
and AlfalfaCarl SwitzerCarl Dean "Alfalfa" Switzer was an American child actor, professional dog breeder and hunting guide, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series as Alfalfa, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters.-Early life and family:Switzer was born in Paris,...
wore in Rushin' Ballet. The gag in which Alfalfa gets a frog stuck in his tutu was originally used in the 1937 short Framing YouthFraming YouthFraming Youth is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 158th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
.
- Bug Hall singing "The Barber of Seville" is an obvious nod to Our Gang Follies of 1938Our Gang Follies of 1938Our Gang Follies of 1938 is a 1937 American musical short subject, the 161st short subject entry in Hal Roach's Our Gang series...
.
- The idea of the kids building their own vehicle out of junk and scrap metal had been used in several Our Gang shorts, most notably the 1934 short Hi'-Neighbor!Hi'-Neighbor!Hi'-Neighbor! is a 1934 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 126th Our Gang short to be released and Meins' first series entry as director.-Plot:...
. The gag in which the kids' car causes several adults to leap into the air was also borrowed from Hi'-Neighbor!, and also appears in One Wild RideOne Wild RideOne Wild Ride is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 45th Our Gang short subject released.-Synopsis:...
(1925), Free WheelingFree WheelingFree Wheeling is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 117th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
(1932), and Divot DiggersDivot DiggersDivot Diggers is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan; It was the 142nd Our Gang short to be released.-Plot:...
(1936).
- Much of the derby race climax (including the gag in which the car belonging to Butch and Woim accidentally goes into reverse) was borrowed from the 1939 short Auto AnticsAuto AnticsAuto Antics is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 182nd Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
. Material from Hi'-Neighbor and Three Men in a TubThree Men in a TubThree Men in a Tub is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Nate Watt. It was the 164th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
(1938) is also present.
See also
- 1994 in film1994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
- Our GangOur GangOur Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
- The Little RascalsThe Little Rascals (animated TV series)The Little Rascals was a 1982-1984 Saturday morning cartoon series produced jointly by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King World, and broadcast on ABC...
(animated TV series)