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Post by ymymeatemup on Jul 16, 2007 16:57:58 GMT -5
Interesting interview - thanks for linking that. I do, however, suspect that the interviewee (is that a word?) is mistaken. The first instance in which I heard that Delia Bogart played Tomboy Taylor was over on the Our Gang Follies board when Jean Darling mentioned it. Since then, I've acquired a casting directory from the late '20s which shows a photo of Bogart and states that she played that part in the series.
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Post by rhapsody on Jul 18, 2007 21:40:36 GMT -5
I could comment all night on that experience, but I think I'll just quote the erudite Leonard Pinth-Garnell: "Stunningly bad!" "Monumentally ill-advised!" "Perfectly awful!" "Couldn't be worse!" "Exquisitely awful!" "Astonishingly ill-chosen!" "Really bit the big one!" "Unrelentingly bad!" "There... That wasn't so good now, was it?" And Hal Roach made it all look so easy....
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Post by mtw12055 on Oct 22, 2007 17:17:03 GMT -5
I recieved a Mickey McGuire DVD released by 8thman today. That company has released three other Mickey McGuire DVDs, and I'm going to see if I can get them all. This company did an excelent job. 8store.8thman.com/m_mick.html
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Post by mtw12055 on Oct 22, 2007 17:19:03 GMT -5
As said by 8thman on their website, most of the Mickey McGuire films they sold are complete, and some are not. I noticed that one of the silent films was actually a Those Lovable Scallawags episode, and another one was a Mischief Makers episode.
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Post by elvinmasih on Nov 25, 2007 23:38:04 GMT -5
Hello Everyone I am new to the forum... I watched little rascals reruns in the early to mid 1970's. Global television in Toronto used to air them after school. In the early 1990's Cabin Fever released there 21 volume vhs on a 4 volume laserdisc box. I bought al 4 volumes new they are complete uncut and unedited restored and have the correct orginal titles/credits. I also have the dvd boxset put out by Cabin Fever or Hallmark . My question is recently on ebay there is 14 dvd set our gang dealing only with silents era no talkies I think they are 72 if correct. Does anyone know the quality. I purchased it for $ 45.00 Thanks Elvin
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Post by mtw12055 on Dec 18, 2015 20:16:40 GMT -5
I've been doing quite a bit of research on the various rival OG series lately. I'll see if I can provide some commentary for those who have this set.
Disc 1
ONE WILD RIDE (1925) - w/ Our Gang THE BIG PIE-RAID (1927) w/ The McDougall Alley Kids (J.R. Bray Studios).
McDougall Alley was at the beginning of the second of its' two year run.
The cast at this point included Bobby Newman as "Tiny Tim" (the Joe Cobb of the group), Hannah Washington as "Oatmeal" (the Farina of the group), and Arthur Aoyama as "Free Gin" (the Asian kid). Aoyama was of Japanese descent, but he appears to be playing a Chinese character. No shock there. His father was actor Yukio Aoyama. He also popped up in a Mickey McGuire talkie ("Mickey's Warriors") and was a regular in another rival OG series, "Us Bunch" (get it? "Our Gang," "Us Bunch..."). I haven't been able to track down much on "Us Bunch." Maltin & Bann described the series as "outrageous."
Hannah Washington was quite a busy little actress, popping up in several of the rival series throughout the 1920s. Essentially, if the producers of these series wanted a Farina, they'd grab Hannah. After "McDougall" ended, Hannah was cast as Arthur Trimble's sidekick in the final season of the "Buster Brown" comedies. She later played opposite Shirley Temple in "The Littlest Rebel." She may still be around.
Bobby Newman popped up in at least one "Buster Brown" comedy, and at least one "Smith Family" comedy (w/ Mary Ann Jackson). He later crossed paths with Jackie Cooper in "When a Fellow Needs a Friend." He also had a bit part in "Show People" with Marion Davis, William Haines, Dell Henderson, and Sidney Bracey.
Others appearing in "The Big Pie-Raid" include Godfrey Craig, Artye Folz ("Sasie Susie"), Annabelle Magness ("Mary," the rich girl), 0Jack McHugh (one of the rival gang members), Gerald Pierce (the kid with the horn-rimmed glasses), and Edward Snyder.
Godfrey also played a rival gang member in the now lost Our Gang short "Yale Vs. Harvard." He also appeared in "Taxi 13" with Chester Conklin and Martha Sleeper, "The Divine Lady" with Corinne Griffith and Marie Dressler, and the Western "The Man from Nevada." He died in 1941, possibly in WWII action.
Artye Folz later appeared as one of Jackie Cooper's pea-shooter victims in "Teacher's Pet" and the smart aleck girl in "The Pooch." Her other known films include "That's My Daddy" with Reginald Denny and a young Andy Devine, "The Chorus Girl" with Bryant Washburn, "Wild West Romance" with Rex Bell, "The Godless Girl" with Lina Basquette and Noah Beery, "Sunnyside Up" with Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, and a pre-Our Gang Jackie Cooper, and "Show Boat" with Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, and Hattie McDaniel. She also appeared with Donald Haines in "Tomato Omelette," a short comedy for the Van Beuren Studios.
Annabelle Magnus also worked with some of the McDougall Alley Kids in "Wild Puppies," an Our Gang-ish pilot produced by the Fox Film Corporation. Other films include "Compromise" with Irene Rich, "Lovey Mary" with Bessie Love, "The Temptress" with Greta Garbo and Lionel Barrymore, "Alias the Deacon" with Jean Hersholt and a pre-Our Gang June Marlowe, "His Dog" with Joseph Schildkrauft, "The Shakedown" with James Murray and Barbara Kent, and the Western "Orphan of the Sage." She died in 1983.
Jack McHugh was a popular child actor during the 1920s, notably starring as "Spud" in Educational Pictures' "Juvenile" / "Big Boy" comedies. He was also one of the kids chosen for the failed Fox Our Gang rip-off. He would later appear as the tough kid in Our Gang's "Shivering Shakespeare." Much of his career in talkies was spent doing uncredited bit roles. He died in 1983.
Gerald Pierce appeared in several movies into the early 1950s, though mostly in uncredited roles. Notable films that he popped up in included the star-studded drama "The House of Rothschild" and Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane." He died in 2011.
Edward Snyder may have been the Jewish kid described in articles on "McDougall Alley."
FIREFLIES (a.k.a. 13TH ALARM) (1925) w/ "Hey Fellas!" (First National / Davis Division).
"Hey Fellas!" was a very short-lived series, running in theaters for one season. At least six shorts were produced. Despite what the DVD box cover claims, Cliff Daniels (Mickey's younger brother) isn't in this film, although he shows up in some of the other "Hey Fellas!" comedies (playing the leader of the group, no less).
The leader in this film is Leon Holmes, a popular child actor during the 1920s who also appeared in the "Alice" comedies for Disney and the "Juvenile" / "Big Boy" series for Educational. He and "Big Boy" costar Jack McHugh also appeared together in "Wild Puppies."
Nancy McKee is the series' leading lady. After "Hey Fellas!", she popped up in Our Gang's "Uncle Tom's Uncle" (she's the girl playing "Ophelia"). She also appeared in a couple of other Roach comedies ("Isn't Life Terrible?" w/ Charley Chase and "The Hug Bug" w/ Glenn Tryon).
Albert Schaeffer is the chubby kid. He also appeared in the "McDougall Alley Kids," "Mickey McGuire," "Buster Brown," and "Winnie Winkle" series. He later played a member of Leon Janney's gang in "Penrod and Sam."
Jeff Jenkins and Jingo Jones respectively play the Sunshine Sammy and Farina roles. I believe Nancy's love interest in Jimsy Boudwin.
BUSTERS NOSE DIVE (1925) w/ "Buster Brown" (Stern Bros.).
This was one of the earliest "Buster Brown" comedies. The stars at this point were Arthur Trimble ("Buster"), Doreen Turner ("Mary Jane"), and Pete the Pup ("Tige"). Trimble had previously starred in another rival Our Gang series, "The Century Comedy Kids." He died in 1948.
Prior to "Buster Brown," Doreen Turner appeared in a series of Campbell Comedy Corporation shorts with Coy Watson, Jr, and had bit parts in such films as "Rosita" with Mary Pickford. After outgrowing her role as "Mary Jane," she was replaced by Lois Hardwick (Alice in the Disney "Alice in Wonderland" shorts).
Pete the Pup would be replaced by a different dog after being picked up for Roach's gang.
Gus Meins directed this, and several other entries in the series.
NAVY BEANS (1928) w/ "Big Boy" (Educational Pictures / Jack White)
One of the earliest rival Our Gang series, "Big Boy" was originally produced as the "Juvenile Comedies." The earliest known entries were released in 1923. Early stars included Johnnie Fox, Jr., Ben Alexander, Jack McHugh, and ex-Our Ganger Peggy Cartwright. In 1925, two-year-old Malcolm Sebastian joined the series as "Big Boy." He quickly won the hearts of audiences, and soon had the series built around him. By this point, the 'gang' concept was dropped, and the shorts focused exclusively on the innocent Big Boy's misadventures. His costars were Lorraine Rivero as his leading lady and Jackie Lavine (the Jewish audience member in "Uncle Tom's Uncle") as his rival.
After "Big Boy" was cancelled (right around the time Hollywood transitioned to talkies), Malcolm had a bit part in Our Gang's "Shivering Shakespeare." His only other credit is in the 1947 musical-comedy "That's My Gal." He died in 2006.
Lorraine Rivero had a few other roles in Hollywood, appearing with Henry Victor and June Marlowe in "The Fourth Commandment" and with the late Will Rogers and the far-from-late Mickey Rooney in "The County Chairman." She also appeared in the Roach feature "One Million, B.C." She died in 1974.
Jackie Levine was a regular in short comedies during the 1920s, even appearing in at least one "Smith Family" comedy with Mary Ann Jackson.
Disc 2
MONKEY BUSINESS (1926) w/ Our Gang
MICKEY'S BIG GAME HUNT (1928) w/ Mickey McGuire (Larry Darmour)
Based on a character featured in the popular Fontaine Fox comic "Toonerville Folks," Mickey (himself) McGuire proved to be one of the more popular Our Gang rivals. This was also one of the few (if not only) rival series to transition from silent to sound.
A then-unknown Mickey Rooney played the lead kid. The rest of his 'gang' included token black member "Hambone Johnson" (Jimmy Robinson) , "Tomboy Taylor" (Delia Bogard), and "Katrink'" (Marvin Stephens). Billy Barty plays Mickey's brother in this film, but he wouldn't become a series regular until sound came in a year later. Buddy Brown was playing Mickey's rival "Stinky Davis" at this point, making him the second of five kids to play the role. Kendall "Breezy Brisbane" McComas also plays a member of Mickey's gang.
We all know what happened to Rooney, I'm sure. If not, info on him can be Googled easily. Ditto for Barty.
Delia Bogard outgrew her role as "Tomboy" in 1933, and was replaced by ex-Our Ganger Shirley Jean Rickert for the series' final season. Delia became a dancer. She died in 1992.
Jimmy Robinson had a few bit roles in Hollywood, appearing in such film as "Penrod and Sam" with Leon Janney and "Becky Sharp" with Miriam Hopkins. I also spotted him as an extra in "A Day at the Races" with the Marx Bros. He also showed up in the final Boy Friends comedy ("Wild Babies") for Roach. His last known role was a bit part in "The Black Klansman," a mid-60s Blacksploitation film. The IMDB claims he died in 1967, but I'm not at all sure about that.
Marvin Stephens also had bit roles in Hollywood, notably playing Tommy McGuire in the "Jones Family" series at Fox. Like Jimmy Robinson, he also briefly made his way to Roach's studio, playing opposite Charley Chase in "Midsummer Mush." He also filled in for Rooney as "McGuire" during the series' 1931-32 season. He died in 2008.
Trivia: Bob McGowan supervised the earliest McGuire comedies.
OPEN SPACES (1926) w/ "Big Boy" (Educational / Jack White).
One of Malcolm's earliest shorts, and made at a time when the 'gang' concept of the series still hadn't been completely fazed out. Jack McHugh plays Big Boy's older brother. The rest of his gang includes Bobby Gordon and future Our Ganger Harry Spear. Bonnie Barrett plays the leading lady. She died in 2000. Many of the "Big Boy" comedies were directed by Charles Lamont, later known for his work with Abbott and Costello. Producer Jack White (sometimes known as "Preston Black"), along with brother Jules, was later known for his work with the Three Stooges.
THE NEWLYWEDS' CHRISTMAS PARTY (1927) w/ the Newlyweds and their Baby Snookums (Century Film).
Featuring the McDougall Alley Kids, including Bobby Newman and Arthur Aoyama.
This series followed the misadventures of a happy young couple (Joe Dooley and Ethlyne Clair) and their baby (Sunny Jim McKeen). I couldn't find much info on Dooley. Clair, described in her IMDB bio as "a natural happy extrovert" was popular in Westerns. She died in 1996. Sunny Jim died in 1935, at the age of eight.
TOY REEL SHORTS (home movie fragments)
DONKEY DELIVERY COMPANY (Our Gang in "Our Gang")
WHAT PRICE, ORPHANS (mislabeled as "The Klynick"), featuring "Hey Fellas!"
The Gang in this film included Cliff Daniels (Mickey's brother), Nancy McKee, Jingo Jones, Jeff Jenkins, and Jimsy Boudwin.
OH, BOY!, featuring the McDougall Alley Kids.
This was one of the earliest entries in the series. This, along with five others, were helmed by Joe Rock. The gang was originally going to be picked up by Arrow Pictures as the "Arrow Kids."
Buddy Williams is the leader of the gang. He continued to have bit parts in films into the 1940s. He died in 1951.
Ananias "Sonny" Berry plays "Bubbles," the black kid. His younger brother Warren played "Tapioca," the series' answer to Farina. Another brother, James, appeared in the "Century Comedy Kids" series for Century Films. All three later formed a song-and-dance act.
"Peaches" Jackson, Mary Ann's older sister, was a popular child actress of the day. She died in 2002, just a year before his sister.
Ex-Our Ganger Elmo Billings plays the rich kid. The chubby kid is Albert Schaeffer, and the other kid is Breffni Beggs. Beggs was once presented with a scholarship by President Coolidge.
YANKEE DOODLE w/ the McDougall Alley Kids.
The main kid featured in this film is Tommy Hicks, another kid to pop up in several rival Our Gang shorts. He died in 1984.
MICKEY'S MOVIES w/ Mickey McGuire
Jimmy Robinson was evidently unavailable for this outing. In his place is Hannah Washington as "Little Chocolate."
MICKEY THE DETECTIVE w/ Mickey McGuire
Kendall McComas is the kid in the bear costume. That may be Hannah Washington playing "Hambone," but I'm not at all sure about that.
MICKEY'S NINE w/ Mickey McGuie
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Post by mtw12055 on Apr 28, 2016 22:59:50 GMT -5
Recently got a set of "Big Boy" comedies from Grapevine. There are six shorts included, two of which are "Those Lovable Scallawags" TV episodes.
The appeal of these films is definitely little Malcolm Sebastion, who is just naturally charming. His presence in these films is very much like the presence of toddler Farina, Spanky, or Porky - just leave the camera on him and let him be cute.
Jack White produced these films, and I believe his brother Jules had a hand in the creative process. Anyone familiar with Jules White's Columbia shorts ought to be familiar with his style comedy. As Ed Watz puts it, Jules never seemed to be able to discern what was funny and what was tasteless. "Make 'em move so fast, the people won't care if they're not funny" was White's philosophy. As with the later Columbia shorts, some gags in the "Big Boys" work better than others.
While most of the shorts I viewed on this disc don't outright steal from "Our Gang," the entry "Rasin' Cain" is essentially a rip-off of "Giants Vs Yanks."
A pre-Our Gang Harry Spear also pops up in a number of these entries.
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