Mickey's Rescue

Mickey Rooney is sore because it's the birthday of Billy Barty, his little brother, and Mickey has bought him a new trombone to play "Ach Du Lieber, Augustine" on; their parents have just given Billy to a couple who plan to adopt him. Fortunately Mickey and his gang figure they can find Billy by hook, crook or dangling him off a roof edge.

There are good-sized roles for Hattie MacDaniell and Spencer Bell in this one, but it's most remarkable for the fact that Mickey Rooney is 12 years old and shooting up -- as much as he ever would -- as are other regulars in the cast, Mr. Barty excepted. The time was ending for him to play the pint-sized tough kid from a comic strip. There would be one more entry in the series, and then Mickey would have to find worlds other than Fontaine Fox's Toonerville to conquer.