Arbor Day (film)

Infobox Film
name = Arbor Day


image_size =
caption =
director = Fred C. Newmeyer
producer = Hal Roach
writer =
narrator =
starring =
music = Marvin Hatley
cinematography = Milton R. Krasner
editing = Bert Jordan
distributor = MGM
released = 2 May, 1936
runtime = 20 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by = "Second Childhood"
followed_by = "Bored of Education"
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0027305

"Arbor Day" is a 1936 "Our Gang" short comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. It was the 145th "Our Gang" short (57th talking episode) that was released.

Plot

Spanky tries to escape his "command performance" at the Spring Street School's annual Arbor Day show, but local truant officer Smithers (George Guhl) is a little too fast for him. Meanwhile, a pair of wisecracking midgets (George and Olive Brasno) take an unauthorized day off from their performance schedule at a local sideshow. Disguised as children, the midgets are spotted by the indefatigable Smithers, who assumes that they're also trying to duck out of the Arbor Day festivities. Forceably dragged into the School, the midgets are told to sit down and keep quiet while the show proceeds. After an endearingly clumsy kiddie ensemble piece and Alfalfa's ear-piercing rendition of "Trees, the midgets decide to get even with Smithers by putting on a show that no one will ever forget. In addition to the aforementioned adult cast members, the film is also graced by the presence of Maurice Cass as the pompous principal, future Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel as the mother of Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas, and Rosina Lawrence in her first appearance as the Gang's pretty schoolteacher Miss Lawrence. "Arbor Day" was the last two-reel "Our Gang" comedy; thereafter, with the special exception of "Our Gang Follies of 1938," all of the series' releases would be one reel (approximately ten minutes) in length. cite web |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/225685/Arbor-Day/overview |title=New York Times: Arbor Day |accessdate=2008-09-21|work=NY Times] Ironically, while not edited substantially on the post 1971 Little rascals syndicated prints, this episode was moderately edited for time constraints on the AMC showings from 2001 to 2003. Its believed that it was because the content was too redundant, but not known for sure. It was available unedited on VHS home video from the 1980's through the 1990's. It will be available in its original form on DVD as of October 28, 2008, like the rest of the talking Our Gang Hal Roach produced episodes. Today, "Arbor Day" is one of a handful of "Our Gang" films in the public domain, as its copyright was recently not renewed.

Cast

* Carl Switzer - Alfalfa
* Billie Thomas - Buckwheat
* George McFarland - Spanky
* Darla Hood - Darla
* John Collum
* Harold Switzer
* Tommy McFarland
* Donald Profitt
* Dickie Jones
* Sidney Kibrick
* Jerry Tucker
* 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

ee also

* Our Gang filmography

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0027305|title=Arbor Day