During thelate 20s early 1930s, Mickey Rooney made 78 Mickey McGuire shorts. They were inspired by the success of Hal Roach's Our Gang as well as a comic strip called "Toonerville Trolley" by Fontaine Fox. Today, it's hard to find these films and the series is mostly forgotten. It's important, though, as it gave Mickey Rooney the skills he'd need to become America's favorite actor by the late 1930s.
"MIckey's Medicine Man" is the final Mickey McGuire film. The gang's friend, Uncle Nemo (who, oddly, isn't listed in the credits) is hurt and he cannot drive his cab. Mickey decides to help but only gets the cab confiscated after he has a wreck. Not wanting to disappoint Nemo, he and the gang are inspired to make the money needed to get the cab back by putting on a medicine show. However, their concoction is made with Mexican jumping beans and the results are supposed to be comical.
The biggest problem with this short is the writing. Mickey is quite good in the lead (particularly when he's hawking their snake oil). But the story just isn't very funny...especially when they drink the stuff and start hopping about like mad.
