Outstanding OUR GANG/LITTLE RASCALS short comedy film that hits all the high notes. The perfect storm.
This film may also have broadened Franklin Pangborn's career, who had been appearing in films since the 1920s. Pangborn was an original, the mold for frustrated, highly excited, wise-cracking gentlemen of gentlemen. He plays the role to perfection here as phtographer Otto Phocus, who has the luck of taking pictures of baby Spanky, brought in by his devout mom (Gay Seabrook) and dad (Emerson Treacy). Spanky socks Otto right in the nose, reminsicent of his battle with Dell Henderon in CHOO CHOO.
Spanky thinks Otto is going to shoot him ---so he does everything he can to AVOID having his picture taken, necessitating Otto to desperately do everything HE CAN to get the job done. A scene after scene battle of wits that's a must see, expertly directed by Robert MacGowan who, at the time, was winding down his career after having directed numerous short films for producer Hal Roach.
Treacy and Seabrook appeared together in one other short, BEDTIME WORRIES, also playing Spanky's dutiful parents. The twosome originally appeared as a radio comedy team in the 1930s, a takeoff on BURNS AND ALLEN, and you have to admit, Gay Seabrook's style was very similar to comedian Gracie Allen. They are fun to watch and it's a shame their shorts with Spanky did not continue as a series.
Look for a very quick cameo by Laurel and Hardy dressed as children. Unforgettable.
Get the OUR GANG short film box set just for this one. Remastered and thank you to METV for running this classic on their Comedy Classics segment.
This film may also have broadened Franklin Pangborn's career, who had been appearing in films since the 1920s. Pangborn was an original, the mold for frustrated, highly excited, wise-cracking gentlemen of gentlemen. He plays the role to perfection here as phtographer Otto Phocus, who has the luck of taking pictures of baby Spanky, brought in by his devout mom (Gay Seabrook) and dad (Emerson Treacy). Spanky socks Otto right in the nose, reminsicent of his battle with Dell Henderon in CHOO CHOO.
Spanky thinks Otto is going to shoot him ---so he does everything he can to AVOID having his picture taken, necessitating Otto to desperately do everything HE CAN to get the job done. A scene after scene battle of wits that's a must see, expertly directed by Robert MacGowan who, at the time, was winding down his career after having directed numerous short films for producer Hal Roach.
Treacy and Seabrook appeared together in one other short, BEDTIME WORRIES, also playing Spanky's dutiful parents. The twosome originally appeared as a radio comedy team in the 1930s, a takeoff on BURNS AND ALLEN, and you have to admit, Gay Seabrook's style was very similar to comedian Gracie Allen. They are fun to watch and it's a shame their shorts with Spanky did not continue as a series.
Look for a very quick cameo by Laurel and Hardy dressed as children. Unforgettable.
Get the OUR GANG short film box set just for this one. Remastered and thank you to METV for running this classic on their Comedy Classics segment.