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Our Gang/The Little Rascals thread

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Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

Well, I know the laws were fairly strict in the late '30's for kids like Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, fairly being a flexible term not necessarily excluding amphetamine dosing, but I don't know anything about the late 20's - early 30's.  Eighty-hour workweeks would seem self-defeating for a troupe of child actors, it being unimaginable to get a decent performance out of a kid that severely sleep-deprived.  Garland and Rooney were at least teen-aged, not that that forgives anything, but dosing 8-year-olds, besides being diabolical, seems from a business standpoint counterproductive.
Speaking of Mickey Rooney, does anybody else have a very strong disliking towards the Mickey McGuire shorts as well as the Baby Burlesks series? They are obviously rip-offs of Our Gang trying to capitalize on Our Gang's success. It doesn't seem very right. Also, does anybody else know if Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney ACTUALLY tried out for Our Gang?
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline BeAStooge

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Ref., Mickey Rooney

After the "McGuire" series ended, and before Mickey arrived at MGM renamed Mickey Rooney, he made personal appearances at theaters around the country as 'Mickey McGuire.'  One of those appearances was at Cleveland OH's RKO Palace Theater on August 28, 1932.  On the bill with Mickey were Ted Healy & His Stooges.

August 28, 1932... the day Jerome 'Curly' Howard premiered in the act.  This was the act's next gig after Shemp quit on August 19 in NYC.  It's interesting that up until just 1 year ago, an eyewitness to that milestone was still alive.
 


Offline Paul Pain

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Ref., Mickey Rooney

After the "McGuire" series ended, and before Mickey arrived at MGM renamed Mickey Rooney, he made personal appearances at theaters around the country as 'Mickey McGuire.'  One of those appearances was at Cleveland OH's RKO Palace Theater on August 28, 1932.  On the bill with Mickey were Ted Healy & His Stooges.

August 28, 1932... the day Jerome 'Curly' Howard premiered in the act.  This was the act's next gig after Shemp quit on August 19 in NYC.  It's interesting that up until just 1 year ago, an eyewitness to that milestone was still alive.
 


61 years, to the day, before I was born!
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Offline Signor Spumoni

PaulPayne, born under a lucky star (61 years later!).  :)


Offline Signor Spumoni

Speaking of Mickey Rooney, does anybody else have a very strong disliking towards the Mickey McGuire shorts as well as the Baby Burlesks series? They are obviously rip-offs of Our Gang trying to capitalize on Our Gang's success. It doesn't seem very right. Also, does anybody else know if Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney ACTUALLY tried out for Our Gang?

I've seen only a couple of the Mickey "Himself" McGuire shorts.  I didn't care for them, but I would like to see a couple more before I really say good or bad.  I've not seen the Baby Burlesks, only heard about them.  Let's not forget that child stars were in existence before Our Gang, so lots of people wanted to duplicate the success or do something similar but a little different.  The Toonerville series probably banked on having a ready-made following of Toonerville comics fans.  It must have seemed like a sure-fire idea.  The Baby Burlesks may have figured they could find children who were as cute as the existing stars, plus it was popular for children to do impressions of adults.  Baby Peggy brought down the Vaudeville house(s) with her impression of Ethel Barrymore, for example.  Hollywood - - and show business in general - - seldom hesitates to imitate success in the hopes of becoming successful.  When radio's "Green Hornet" became successful, lo and behold a new series appears, "The Blue Beetle."  And so on. 

I think Shirley Temple showed up at a cattle call for OG, but didn't get any further.  I really don't know about Mickey McGuire-turned-Rooney.   


Offline Signor Spumoni

Well, I know the laws were fairly strict in the late '30's for kids like Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, fairly being a flexible term not necessarily excluding amphetamine dosing, but I don't know anything about the late 20's - early 30's.  Eighty-hour workweeks would seem self-defeating for a troupe of child actors, it being unimaginable to get a decent performance out of a kid that severely sleep-deprived.  Garland and Rooney were at least teen-aged, not that that forgives anything, but dosing 8-year-olds, besides being diabolical, seems from a business standpoint counterproductive.

Offhand I don't know the hours the OG/LR children worked.  I agree it seems self-defeating,  but I am also aware of the grueling hours children put in when in Vaudeville and in very early Hollywood.  But as I said, I don't know. 

I agree that dosing eight year-olds is diabolic.  Judy Garland's biographer wrote that her Judy's mother was the one who started her on pills when she was very young.  Diabolic indeed.


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Oddly, Aug 28, 1932 is 21 years to the day when I was born.


Offline Signor Spumoni

Oddly, Aug 28, 1932 is 21 years to the day when I was born.

Another winner of this week's birthday contest!  :)

I read that in any group of eleven people, it is likely that two of them share a birthday. [That's not phrased well, but I hope it's clear.]  As many members of Moronika as there are, there ought to be more 28.August birthdays.


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Judy Garland's mother has taken a lot of heat, mainly from Judy, and maybe fairly enough, for being a stereotypical stage mother, but I don't really know that other than by tacit approval, that she was in the system of getting Judy speed.  From everything I've read, speed was available easily, but always from lower-echelon personnel like hairdressers, grips, make-up artists, etc.  I do not buy for a second the excuse that nobody thought it was dangerous.  If it was not dangerous, legitimate doctors would have been prescribing it in the wide open.  This was not how that system worked.  It was dangerous and shady and everybody knew it.  It's like the old-timers today who say about cigarettes  " nobody knew they were dangerous ".  Absolute, unmitigated horseshit, and all you have to do to prove it is watch a couple of stooge episodes wherein cigarettes are referred to as "coffin nails".  Coffin nails, for heaven's sake. This was a joke, yes, but a very small joke based on common everyday usage.  How much more evidence do you need?  Mark Twain referred to his chronic cough as "tobacco heart".  That was around 1901.  Anybody who buys into the picture of the olden days as innocent or scientifically uninformed is trying to fool himself.


Offline metaldams

8/28/32 is 46 years, 3 months, and 26 days before before I was born.  Incredible that I share the same commonality as Big Chief and Paul....Curly joined The Three Stooges before we were all born!  Incredible! I think I'll have another glass of wine.  ;D
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

Metal, you young punk, that's a great idea, and I'll join you, though at the moment I'm swigging Sailor Jerry straight from the jug.  It is a pleasure swapping stooge theories and esoterica with you learned ladies and gentlemen, and I hope I don't come off as the Old Guy at the concert.


Offline metaldams

Metal, you young punk, that's a great idea, and I'll join you, though at the moment I'm swigging Sailor Jerry straight from the jug.  It is a pleasure swapping stooge theories and esoterica with you learned ladies and gentlemen, and I hope I don't come off as the Old Guy at the concert.

Nah man, it's cool.  I've been on Stooge boards for 15 years, and there have always been all ages.  One of the cool things about this place.  Esoterica rocks, whether it's music or film.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Bum

It's like the old-timers today who say about cigarettes  " nobody knew they were dangerous ".  Absolute, unmitigated horseshit, and all you have to do to prove it is watch a couple of stooge episodes wherein cigarettes are referred to as "coffin nails".  Coffin nails, for heaven's sake. This was a joke, yes, but a very small joke based on common everyday usage.  How much more evidence do you need?  Mark Twain referred to his chronic cough as "tobacco heart".  That was around 1901.  Anybody who buys into the picture of the olden days as innocent or scientifically uninformed is trying to fool himself.

And on it continues; Over the last few decades, I've read countless testimonials from musicians/ actors/ athletes attempting to justify their cocaine use in the 1970's: "Well back then no one know that cocaine was addictive and dangerous".  As you so perfectly stated: Absolute unmitigated horseshit. I was a KID in the '70's and knew that cocaine was addictive and dangerous. And so did they.


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

 Alright. Now, back on topic: I have a bit of some trivia for all of you. ( You can not use Google.) What year did Norman Chubby Chaney join the group, and was he in any silent shorts?
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline Signor Spumoni

Alright. Now, back on topic: I have a bit of some trivia for all of you. ( You can not use Google.) What year did Norman Chubby Chaney join the group, and was he in any silent shorts?

My guess:  1929, and yes.


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

My guess:  1929, and yes.
You are correct in 1929, but you are not correct about yes. No, he was not in any silent shorts, because he joined during their second sound short and he was not in any of the silents, unless you count Boxing Gloves, which mixed sound footage with silent footage.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline Signor Spumoni

You are correct in 1929, but you are not correct about yes. No, he was not in any silent shorts, because he joined during their second sound short and he was not in any of the silents, unless you count Boxing Gloves, which mixed sound footage with silent footage.

Glass half empty:  I'm half wrong.
Glass half full:  I'm half right. 
:)


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

Glass half empty:  I'm half wrong.
Glass half full:  I'm half right. 
:)
Nice Stooge reference!! For some reason, that comment reminded me of Wheezer....... I have no idea why.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

 So, what does everybody think about the 90's Rascals movie and The Little Rascals Save the Day. In my personal opinion, I kind of liked the 90's one although it still didn't capture the essence of the original series.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline Signor Spumoni

So, what does everybody think about the 90's Rascals movie and The Little Rascals Save the Day. In my personal opinion, I kind of liked the 90's one although it still didn't capture the essence of the original series.

Sorry, but I've not seen either one, by choice.  For me, it's the originals only.


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

Sorry, but I've not seen either one, by choice.  For me, it's the originals only.
Yeah, I would at least recommend the 90's one. Although it's nothing compared to the originals, it's still a cute little flick. However, The Little Rascals Save the Day sucks crap.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline Signor Spumoni

Yeah, I would at least recommend the 90's one. Although it's nothing compared to the originals, it's still a cute little flick.

I'll try to catch up with the '90s one, on your recommendation.

BTW, I saw your comment about no Rascals on TV.  A friend lives around Chicago and watches them on WCIU channel 26.4 on Saturdays.  I don't know if that channel is digital only or cable/satellite or what.  If this helps you, let me know and I'll get details.


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

I'll try to catch up with the '90s one, on your recommendation.

BTW, I saw your comment about no Rascals on TV.  A friend lives around Chicago and watches them on WCIU channel 26.4 on Saturdays.  I don't know if that channel is digital only or cable/satellite or what.  If this helps you, let me know and I'll get details.
Oh, I don't get that channel. Occasionally, TCM plays the Rascals, however it's mostly MGM shorts or General Spanky.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!


Offline stoogerascalfan62

I wish a more popular channel would show the Roach-era talkies.


Offline Shemp_is_Awesome78

I wish a more popular channel would show the Roach-era talkies.
Yeah, especially a channel geared towards kids.
Abbottt: Stop smoking in here, Costello!
Costello: What makes you think I'm smoking?
Abbott: You have a cigar in your mouth!
Costello: I got my shoes on, but I'm not walking!