RHI Entertainment and Genius Products released an eight-disc DVD set, The Little Rascals the Complete Collection, on October 28, 2008. The short film series, also sometimes referred to as The Little Rascals, was created by Hal Roach (the producer and studio executive behind Laurel & Hardy) in 1922 and spurred 220 shorts. Another director, Herbert Glazer, remained a second-unit director outside of his work on the series. In January 1958, it was reported that while he was getting into his car in Studio City, someone fired a bullet at him, which crashed through the window and hit him in the right arm. The Rascal revival was on, and it continues this day. Im always a teenager and there havent been many jobs until recently. After years of gradual cast changes, the troupe standardized in 1936 with the move to one-reel shorts. And as I said, that doesnt sound too outlandish.. In 1971, because of controversy over some dated racial humor in the shorts and other content deemed to be in bad taste, King World made significant edits to Little Rascals TV prints. He was only 16, the youngest to die of any of the Our Gang actors. In 1954, the Our Gang shorts, repackaged as The Little Rascals, appeared on television for the first time, introducing a new generation of fans to the antics of America's favorite kiddie comedians. This includes the 80 shorts replacing the Blackhawk transfers on the previous set with their respective 1994 restorations but excludes the disc featuring the extras. Actor | The Little Minister. As Darla was reported as saying in aDYRprofile of her, I was born in a small town in Oklahoma and I guess my mother wanted to get out of there, because she took me to Oklahoma City and signed me up with a dancing teacher. Mickey was the first to go in Thundering Fleas, followed shortly behind by Mary in The Fourth Alarm and Johnny Downs in Chicken Feed after a long absence. When did little rascals 2 come out? List ranges from Waldo's Dad to Twin #1 and more. [56] In 2008, a Darla Hood impostor, Mollie Barron, died claiming to have appeared as Darla in Our Gang. Coupled with a brief suspension in McFarland's work permit,[28] Our Gang went into a four-month hiatus, during which the series was revised to a format similar to its original style and German-born Gus Meins was hired as the new series director.[25]. The only remittances were their weekly salaries during their time in the gang, ranging from $40 a week for newcomers to $200 or more weekly for stars like Farina, Spanky, and Alfalfa.[21]. His final television performance was in 1993, playing himself in the opening of the Cheers episode Woody Gets An Election. He died shortly thereafter, in June of that year, of a heart attack. Get ready to dive into TV history and take a then-and-now look at the original Little Rascals. He was able to turn his life around, though, and after rehabilitating, he appeared as a guest star on Sanford and Son and The Jeffersons, and had a recurring role on Good Times as Monty. In 1978, he appeared in The Buddy Holly Story as a member of the backstage crew at the Apollo Theatre, wearing his trademark bowler hat. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Watch The Our Gang Collection: Game Winner, Watch The Our Gang Collection: Saving Alfalfa, Watch The Our Gang Collection: Football Romeo, This television package includes every sound Hal Roach-produced Our Gang comedy, except for. The video contained three previously released shorts and the previously unreleased silent short Dog Heaven; the VHS tape was also available in a gift set with a Pete plush doll.[60]. [3][4][5], Even when there was no talent search, the studio was bombarded by requests from parents who were sure their children were perfect for the series. [13], In their adult years, actors Morrison, Beard, and Thomas defended the series, arguing that the white characters in the series were similarly stereotyped: the "freckle-faced kid", the "fat kid", the "neighborhood bully", the "pretty blond girl", and the "mischievous toddler". Most early shorts were filmed outdoors and on location and featured a menagerie of animal characters, such as Dinah the Mule. Doug Mosher Published: September 25, 2020. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, the celebrity cameos led by the Olsen Twins,Whoopi Goldberg,Mel Brooks,Reba McEntire,Daryl Hannah,Raven-Symon, and Donald Trump really stole the show. [46] The two separate packages of Our Gang films competed with each other in syndication for three decades. Blake got his break at 9 years old when he began playing Mickey in Our Gang, after replacing Porky. After Ernie, Mickey and Mary left the series in the mid-1920s, the Our Gang series entered a transitional period. watched it. Nearly all of the 52 MGM-produced Our Gangs were written by former Roach director Hal Law and former junior director Robert A. McGowan (also known as Anthony Mack, nephew of former senior Our Gang director Robert F. McGowan). Jackie Cooper left Our Gang in early 1931 just before another wave of cast changes: Farina Hoskins, Chubby Chaney, and Mary Ann Jackson all departed a few months afterward. [17], According to Roach, the idea for Our Gang came to him in 1921, when he was auditioning a child actress to appear in a film. Coming out in early 1968, it was the group's first track released after shortening their name from the Young Rascals. Permalink. Their legend continued on the big screen in the 1994 Universal release, The Little Rascals, which was a feature film loosely based on interpretations of those classic Our Gang shorts. Most casual fans of Our Gang are particularly familiar with the 19361939 incarnation of the cast: Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Buckwheat, and Porky, with recurring characters such as neighborhood bullies Butch and Woim and the bookworm Waldo. One notable exception was Jackie Cooper, who was later nominated for an Academy Award and had a career as an adult actor. On June 14, 2011, Vivendi Entertainment re-released seven of the eight DVD's from RHI/Genius Products' The Little Rascals The Complete Collection as individual releases. This was a second film loosely based on the series and featuring interpretations of classic Our Gang shorts, including Helping Grandma, Mike Fright, and Birthday Blues. Fallen Angel (1945) Who doesnt remember the shock of freckles on Alfalfas nose and the lock of hair that stood up on his head? The Little Ranger was the first Our Gang short to be produced in-house at MGM. Yet, the story of Our Gang is no Hollywood fairy tale. He was honorably discharged from active duty, receiving a National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal. Tommy Bond, an off-and-on member of the gang since 1932, returned to the series as Butch beginning with the 1937 short Glove Taps. When did the Little Rascals first come out? The Little Rascals. 8.8K views, 33 likes, 2 loves, 6 comments, 59 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Little Rascals History: Who Said "Otay"? Laughlin did the voice himself. He always said that was the spark that inspired the idea of having a series starring kids. Mickey Daniels. A number of groups, companies, and entities have been inspired by or named after Our Gang. [36] The MGM entries are considered by many film historians, and the Our Gang children themselves, to be lesser films than the Roach entries. Since 1937, Our Gang had been featured as a licensed comic strip in the UK comic The Dandy, drawn by Dudley D. Watkins. He was very proud of that series, says Maltin in that exclusive interview. Michael James Gubitosi, aka Robert Blake, was born on Sept. 18, 1933, in Nutley,New Jersey. At the time, Norman was 311 and weighed 113 pounds. Ironically, this would end up being a preview of what would ultimately be in store for him. The film is based on the "Our Gang" series of short films from the '20s, '30s, and '40s. Even as an adult, I told none of my friends. In 1963, Hal Roach Studios, by then run by Roach's son Hal Jr, filed for bankruptcy. Unfortunately, afterwords he couldnt get out from under the Spanky stereotype and worked odd jobs at a soft drink plant, a hamburger stand, and a popsicle factory. March 25, 2014 The Little Rascals Save The Day/Initial release Does Netflix have the Little Rascals? In 1993, Republic Pictures Home Video sold the home video rights for the 80 sound Roach shorts and some available silent shorts to Cabin Fever Entertainment. The film is based on the "Our Gang" series of short films from the '20s, '30s, and '40s. The single was one of the earliest released in stereo, as 7-inch singles generally were in mono. It has been covered by many artists, including the Young Rascals themselves in other languages. Starting in 1928, Our Gang comedies were distributed with phonographic discs that contained synchronized music-and-sound-effect tracks for the shorts. For much more on Norman, please check out our profile of him. She was also the voice of the mermaid in the "Chicken Of The Sea" TV commercials. 1 - ClassicFlix", "Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations Volume 1, The (Blu-ray Review)", "The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 4 (1933-1935)", "In the Heat of the Night hits 4K on 4/19, plus The Untouchables, The Sleeper Must Awaken, Peter Robbins RIP & more", "ClassicFlix: First Look at New Restoration of The Little Rascals Volume 6", "Qintex Entertainment to Sell Virtually All of Its Assets", "The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (Centennial Edition) Blu-ray - ClassicFlix", "Warner Bros. to Run Most of Turner's Entertainment Units", "Our Gang. As part of the arrangement with MGM to continue Our Gang, Roach received the clearance to produce an Our Gang feature film, General Spanky, hoping that he might move the series to features as was done with Laurel & Hardy. The first twelve volumes of Cabin Fever's The Little Rascals VHS set were released on July 6, 1994, followed by nine more on July 11, 1995, coinciding with the theatrical and home video releases of Universal's 1994 feature. She had a bobbed haircut and acted quite tomboyish. [36] The series was given a permanent setting in the fictitious town of Greenpoint, and the mayhem caused by the Our Gang kids was toned down significantly. The attendees were very receptive, and the press clamored for "lots more of those 'Our Gang' comedies." While Harold would eventually be relegated to the role of a background player, Carl, nicknamed "Alfalfa," eventually replaced Scotty Beckett as Spanky's sidekick. "[14] In a separate interview, Ernie Morrison stated, "When it came to race, Hal Roach was color-blind. To learn much more about George Spanky McFarland as told by a close friend, please click here. Five-year-old Lee had a growth spurt in early 1939, outgrowing 10-year-old McFarland. For other uses, see, For a detailed listing of the Our Gang child actors, recurring adult actors, directors, and writers, see, 19261929: New faces and new distributors, 19932011: Cabin Fever/Hallmark VHS and DVD releases, 20212022: ClassicFlix restorations and releases, Maltin & Bann, p. 119. Dorothy DeBorba joined the cast of Our Gang in 1930 in Pups is Pups. She is best remembered for her elaborate hairstyles and bows on the series. The Roach-produced The Little Rascals shorts (1922-1938) are currently owned by Halcyon Studios who manages the copyrights as well as theatrical and home video releases, while CBS Media Ventures (via King World Entertainment) owns the television distribution rights to the Roach era shorts. Meanwhile MGM's Our Gang series (1938-1944), is currently owned by Turner Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros.. New productions based on the shorts have been made over the years, including a 1994 feature film, The Little Rascals, released by Universal Pictures. He lived in East Los Angeles with his parents and 13 siblings, which his paycheck provided support for. After a stint in the Army, Blake returned to acting, making a name for himself in the television seriesBarettaas an undercover police officer. The film, directed by Penelope Spheeris, starred Travis Tedford as Spanky, Bug Hall as Alfalfa, and Ross Bagley as Buckwheat; with cameos by the Olsen twins, Whoopi Goldberg, Mel Brooks, Reba McEntire, Daryl Hannah, Donald Trump and Raven-Symon. The scooter was given to Laughlin by his parents only two weeks prior to the accident. The company's licensing only lasted for a short period. [56], Among notable Our Gang imposters is Jack Bothwell, who claimed to have portrayed a character named "Freckles",[56] going so far as to appear on the game show To Tell the Truth in the fall of 1957, perpetuating this fraud. The Our Gang Collection: Saving Alfalfa. Even though it's been off the air for years, Our Gang or The Little Rascals holds a special place in many American's hearts. "The Little Rascals" redirects here. Adult situations often drove the action, with each film often incorporating a moral, a civics lesson, or a patriotic theme. While she was busy organizing the 1980 Little Rascals reunion for the Los Angeles chapter of the Sons of the Desert, she underwent an appendectomy. At first appearing as the tag-along toddler of the group, and later finding an accomplice in Scotty Beckett in 1934, Spanky quickly became Our Gang's biggest child star. The skits were filmed to be shorts so the kids would remember their lines easier. As MGM retained the rights to the Our Gang trademark after buying the series, the Roach-produced sound Our Gang films were re-released to theaters and syndicated for television under the title The Little Rascals. Created by Hal Roach in 1922, almost 200 short comedy films were made until MGM ended the series in 1944.Although there were some efforts to revive the series in the 1970s, Our Gang remained a quintessential product of the first half of the 20th century. There he attended public school and attempted a life of normalcy. Sidney Kibrick, the younger brother of Leonard Kibrick, played Butch's crony, Woim. He appeared in bit parts and B movies as an adult, including the classic Its a Wonderful Life(1946). [61][62] This set includes all 80 Hal Roach-produced Our Gang sound short films. Semi-regular actors, such as Jackie Lynn Taylor, Marianne Edwards, and Leonard Kibrick as the neighborhood bully, joined the series at this time. Before surgery, he weighed 300 pounds while standing only 4 feet, 7 inches tall. While out delivering newspapers on the back of his friends scooter near his home in La Puente, California Laughlin was fatally struck by a speeding truck. We didn't care that it was black and white. Roach tested it at several theaters around Hollywood. [73] In 2022, ClassicFlix acquired the rights to the entire Hal Roach-era Our Gang catalogue (silent and sound) for home video release, and completed an extensive 4K restoration of all "sound-era" short subjects, by re-scanning from original 35mm master prints, and completing further restoration, image stabilization, and overall digital picture cleanup. The colloquial usage of the term Our Gang led to its becoming the series' second (yet more popular) official title, with the title cards reading "Our Gang Comedies: Hal Roach presents His Rascals in"[20] The series was officially called both Our Gang and Hal Roach's Rascals until 1932, when Our Gang became the sole title of the series. Watch on. Neither he nor any other Our Gang children received any residuals or royalties from reruns of the shorts or licensed products with their likenesses. Little Rascals shorts were also shown. By all accounts available, none of the former child stars were ever paid a cent in residuals from this, despite the substantial profits netted. Halcyon Studios/Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Cabin Fever Entertainment and Hallmark Entertainment)[72] owns the copyrights of and held the theatrical and home video rights to the Roach-produced Our Gang shorts. Many of these shorts include early appearances of Jerry Tucker and Wally Albright, who later became series regulars. One of the many child stars of the se. I was a curious kid, and I got a charge out of Stan Lauren, and he knew it. second assistant director (as Ronnie Chong) Art Department . My dancing teacher talked my mother into letting me go to New York City, where I wound up leading the band at the Edison Hotel and caught the eye of theOur Gangcasting director. Stymie enjoyed making the films and, more importantly, the sense of equality that Roach insisted on when it came to his productions. Like the television prints, Blackhawk's Little Rascals reissues featured custom title cards in place of the original Our Gang logos, per MGM's 1949 arrangement with Hal Roach not to distribute the series under its original title. " Groovin' " is a single released in 1967 by American rock band the Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs. Gordon Douglas served as Meins's assistant director, and Fred Newmeyer alternated directorial duties with Meins for a handful of shorts. TheLittle Rascals, which debuted on television in 1955, introduced a band of ragtag children to the world. (2003) Itinerant Filmmakers and Amateur Casts: A Homemade, Academy Award for Best Short Subject (One Reel), The Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show, "Life & Times (Interview with Donald Bogle). [19] Theater owners then were wary of booking shorts focused on a black boy,[19] and the series ended after just one entry, The Pickaninny, was produced. [22] A reviewer wrote of the Farina character depicted as female though played by a male child[23] in Photoplay: "The honors go to a very young lady of color, billed as 'Little Farina.' Ive never played a part over 19. In later shorts, both Butch and Waldo were portrayed as Alfalfa's rivals in his pursuit of Darla's affections. [8], The African-American characters have often been criticized as racial stereotypes. I would have stayed in Hollywood if I could have gotten picture jobs.. These were released as "Famous Kid Comedies," as Official could not use "Our Gang". In 2023, ClassicFlix will restore the "silent-era" Our Gang catalogue, with any available elements (some from this era are considered lost films)[74]. The MGM Our Gangs today appear periodically on the Turner Classic Movies cable network. Cooper soon won the lead role in Paramount's feature film Skippy, and Roach sold his contract to MGM in 1931. Im a guy who likes to eat and I found I couldnt do it without working. The television rights to the silent Path Our Gang comedies were sold to National Telepix and other distributors, who distributed the films under titles such as The Mischief Makers and Those Lovable Scallawags with Their Gangs. The hat was gifted to him by comedian Stan Laurel, who had also worked under Our Gang creator Hal Roach in shorts and films in which he teamed up with Oliver Hardy (hence Laurel & Hardy). After getting thrown out of a ballet recital, Spanky (Travis Tedford) and Alfalfa (Bug Hall) are chased by a pair of bullies. Syndication. Even the big stars had to chase around and audition; it seemed like a rat race to me, with no security. Of being part of The Little Rascals, he added, I enjoyed it. Wikimedia Commons. Laughlins character Froggy was known for his strange, guttural voice, which sounded like a frogs croak thus a nickname was born. [19] Morrison's "Sunshine Sammy" instead became one of the foci of the new Our Gang series. He was 16 as old as Billy Froggy Laughlin when he died. Less notable imitations series include The McDougall Alley Gang (Bray Productions, 19271928), The Us Bunch and Our Kids. "The Little Rascals" was released in August 1994. If youve ever wondered what happened personally and professionally to the actors fromThe Little Rascals,the wait is over. The Our Gang Collection. Scarcely two years old, she goes through each set like a wee, sombre shadow. Producer/creator Hal Roach re-bundled 79 of the shorts to make The Little RascalsTV series, which is still broadcast today. Blackhawk Films was acquired in 1983 by National Telefilm Associates, later renamed Republic Pictures. One of the most popular female characters inOur Gangduring the 1930s, Jackson often played the older sister of Wheezer. More Details Watch offline dga trainee Ronald Chong . In 1934, the Switzers traveled to California to visit family and, as fate would have it, went on a sightseeing tour to Hal Roach Studios, where the Our Gang shorts were filmed. However, by 1934, many movie theater owners were increasingly dropping two-reel (20-minute) comedies like Our Gang and the Laurel & Hardy series from their bills and running double feature programs instead. [25] The first two entries of the season in fall 1933, Bedtime Worries and Wild Poses (which featured a cameo by Laurel and Hardy), focused on Spanky and his hapless parents, portrayed by Gay Seabrook and Emerson Treacy, in a family-oriented situation comedy format similar to the style later popular on television.
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