Arbor Day (film)
| Arbor Day | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Fred C. Newmeyer |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Starring | George McFarland Carl Switzer George Branso Olive Branso George Guhl Maurice Cass Darla Hood Billie Thomas Rosina Lawrence Hattie McDaniel |
| Cinematography | Milton R. Krasner |
| Edited by | Bert Jordan |
| Music by | Marvin Hatley |
| Distributed by | MGM |
Release date | 2 May 1936 |
Running time | 17' 14" |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Language | English |
Arbor Day is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. It was the 145th Our Gang short that was released.
Plot
Spanky attempts to hide from the truant officer and avoid going to school, where he is being forced to participate in the Spring Street School's annual Arbor Day show. Alfalfa tries to talk him out of his fears, but truant officer Smithers happens along to personally usher both children to school himself.
Meanwhile, a husband and wife midget pair (George and Olive Brasno) walk out on their circus sideshow jobs. They disguise themselves as children to enjoy a day about town, but Smithers mistakes them for actual children and takes them to school. At school, the kids trudge through their Arbor Day recitals and songs (Alfalfa contributes a squeaky rendition of Joyce Kilmer's "Trees" set to song). When the principal calls upon the midgets-in-disguise to join in the show, they contribute a shimmy routine which shocks the entire audience of faculty and parents. The circus proprietor turns up to apprehend the two midgets, who, as they are carried away back to the circus, call out to the recital audience "Come by and see a good show sometime!"
Notes
- Arbor Day marks a return Our Gang appearance for George and Olive Brasno, a brother-sister midget team who appeared in Shrimps for a Day a year prior. George Guhl portrays their nemesis truant officer. The film also features future Academy Award winner Hattie McDaniel as the mother of Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas, and Rosina Lawrence in her first appearance as the Gang's schoolteacher Miss Lawrence. Arbor Day was the last regular two-reel Our Gang comedy. All further releases in the series—save for the special release Our Gang Follies of 1938—would be one reel (approximately ten minutes) in length.[1]
- While not edited substantially for inclusion in the Little Rascals television syndication package from the 1950s to the 1990s, Arbor Day was moderately edited for time constraints when broadcast as part of the American Movie Classics network's Little Rascals package from 2001 to 2003.
Cast
- Carl Switzer - Alfalfa
- Billie Thomas - Buckwheat
- George McFarland - Spanky
- Darla Hood - Darla
- Daniel Boone - Brown-haired boy in pageant
- George Brasno - Boy Midget
- Olive Brasno - Girl Midget
- Gloria Browne - Ballet dancer
- Maurice Cass - Principal Cass
- Bobby Dunn - Crowd Extra
- Betty Gay - Dancing girl
- George Guhl - Truant Officer Smithers
- Rosina Lawrence - Miss Lawrence
- Hattie McDaniel - Buckwheat's mother
- Dick Rush - Murphy, the side show barker
- Rolfe Sedan - Crowd Extra
- Kathryn Sheldon - Miss Argyle
- May Wallace - Autograph Seeker
- Mitchell Dugan - Crowd Extra
See also
References
- ^ Shattuck, Kathryn. "New York Times: Arbor Day". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-09-21.