Our Gang (also known as The Little Rascals) is an American comedy series created by television producer, director, actor and studio executive, Hal Roach. The Hal Roach studios were well respected by industry critics and loyal audiences in the early 1900s until the studio sadly filed for bankruptcy and was eventually closed in 1959.
Nevertheless, in better times the Hal Roach studios launched the extremely successful films of Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Harold Lloyd, Will Rogers, Harry Langdon, ZaSu Pitts, Max Davidson, Thelma Todd, Lupe Velez, Patsy Kelly, and of course, Our Gang.
The Our Gang short films featured a revolving group of poor children and their adventures (and just as often their misadventures) filmed and distributed from 1922 to 1944. The Our Gang series was adored by audiences throughout the world, and featured young children behaving naturally and seemingly unfettered by their unique circumstances. This exceptional film series bravely ignored many of the prevailing and shameful attitudes of the era. Our Gang featured white and black children as integrated equals, a theme not particularly popular during the Jim Crow era of American racial segregation.
Choo-Choo! (1932) places the Gang (this time as Orphans) on a train headed for Chicago. The Gang's hilariously physical interactions aboard the speeding locomotive with Travelers Aid Attendant, Mr. Henderson (impeccably played by Dell Henderson), capture some of most memorable Our Gang/Little Rascals scenes in the series.
No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that this was 3-year old child actor George "Spanky" McFarland's 2nd appearance in the Our Gang series, and it is apparent even in the opening credits that producer Hal Roach has identified his little "rising child star" by giving him the most screen time and best lines of dialogue.
Nevertheless, in better times the Hal Roach studios launched the extremely successful films of Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Harold Lloyd, Will Rogers, Harry Langdon, ZaSu Pitts, Max Davidson, Thelma Todd, Lupe Velez, Patsy Kelly, and of course, Our Gang.
The Our Gang short films featured a revolving group of poor children and their adventures (and just as often their misadventures) filmed and distributed from 1922 to 1944. The Our Gang series was adored by audiences throughout the world, and featured young children behaving naturally and seemingly unfettered by their unique circumstances. This exceptional film series bravely ignored many of the prevailing and shameful attitudes of the era. Our Gang featured white and black children as integrated equals, a theme not particularly popular during the Jim Crow era of American racial segregation.
Choo-Choo! (1932) places the Gang (this time as Orphans) on a train headed for Chicago. The Gang's hilariously physical interactions aboard the speeding locomotive with Travelers Aid Attendant, Mr. Henderson (impeccably played by Dell Henderson), capture some of most memorable Our Gang/Little Rascals scenes in the series.
No spoilers here as usual, but I will reveal that this was 3-year old child actor George "Spanky" McFarland's 2nd appearance in the Our Gang series, and it is apparent even in the opening credits that producer Hal Roach has identified his little "rising child star" by giving him the most screen time and best lines of dialogue.