''A Tough Winter'' is a 1930 '' Our Gang''

short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Robert F. McGowan Robert Francis McGowan (July 11, 1882 – January 27, 1955) was an American film director and producer, best known as the senior director of the ''Our Gang'' short subjects film series from 1922 until 1933. Career Before moving to Los Angeles, ...

. It was the 99th (11th talking) ''Our Gang'' short that was released.

Plot

More a vehicle for black comedian

Stepin Fetchit Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (May 30, 1902 – November 19, 1985), better known by the stage name Stepin Fetchit, was an American vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican and Bahamian descent, considered to be the first black a ...

, the gang go to Wheezer's and Mary Ann's house to have a taffy pull. But they get the ingredients mixed up and make a huge mess. They attempt to clean up and ask Stepin to help, but he crosses wires, plumbing and gas lines. As a result, light bulbs pop, water sprays from gas heaters, a phone acts as a vacuum cleaner and music plays from the icebox. Fetchit was actually signed to a one year contract with Hal Roach Studios to appear with the gang in 9 episodes from the 1930-31 season. He was originally written into the scripts for several episodes, including

Pups Is Pups ''Pups Is Pups'' is a two-reel comedy short subject, part of the '' Our Gang'' (Little Rascals) series. It was produced and directed by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach, and originally released to theatres by M-G-M in 1930. It was the 100th (12th ...

, Helping Grandma, and Little Daddy. However, his contract was canceled for unknown reasons and the Our Gang Series continued without him.

Cast

The Gang

Norman Chaney Norman Myers Chaney (October 18, 1914 – May 29, 1936) was an American child actor, notable for appearing in 19 '' Our Gang'' comedies as "Chubby" from 1929 to 1931. Early life and career Chaney was born on October 18, 1914 (though Richard ...

as Chubby * Jackie Cooper as Jackie *

Allen Hoskins Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Unive ...

as Farina *

Bobby Hutchins Robert E. Hutchins (March 29, 1925 – May 17, 1945) was an American child actor who was a regular in the '' Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1927 to 1933. A native of Tacoma, Washington, he was given the nickname of Wheezer after running a ...

as Wheezer *

Mary Ann Jackson Mary Ann Jackson (January 14, 1923 – December 17, 2003) was an American child actress who appeared in the ''Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1928 to 1931. She was born and died in Los Angeles, California. Career Mary Ann Jackson's f ...

as Mary Ann * Beverly Parrish as Girl with Mary Ann * Warner Weidler as Our Gang member * Wolfgang Weidler as Our Gang member *

Pete the Pup Pete the Pup (original, 1924 – June 1930; second Pete, September 9, 1929 – January 28, 1946) was a character in Hal Roach's ''Our Gang'' comedies (later known as ''The Little Rascals'') during the 1930s, otherwise known as "Pete, the dog wi ...

as himself * Dinah the Mule as herself * Tommy Atkins as Toddler (unconfirmed)

Additional cast

as Stepin *

Lyle Tayo Lyle Tayo (born Lyle Minnie Shipman; January 19, 1889 – May 2, 1971), aka Lyle Barton, was an American film actress who appeared in more than 50 films between 1921 and 1948, appearing in many short comedies at the Hal Roach Studios, seve ...

as Miss Radio

Production notes

The first

was poisoned by an unknown assailant after this film. Because of perceived racism toward African Americans, ''A Tough Winter'' was eliminated from the syndicated ''Little Rascals'' television package in 1971. Also Beverly Parrish was signed for two years to be on Our Gang films to replace

Jean Darling Jean Darling (born Dorothy Jean LeVake; August 23, 1922 – September 4, 2015) was an American child actress who was a regular in the ''Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1927–29. Prior to her death, she was one of four surviving cast ...

who was dismissed 6 months before but she died suddenly a week and a half after this episode was filmed. Shirley Jean Rickett wound up replacing her several episodes later though she lasted only half a season as well. This was the last episode to feature an Orchestral Music Scoring and the last to feature the theme song That Old Gang Of Mine on the credits. The film also was the first to feature a couple of

Leroy Shield Leroy Bernard Shield (October 2, 1893 – January 9, 1962) was an American film score and radio composer. He is best known for the themes and incidental music he wrote for the classic Hal Roach comedy short films of the 1930s, including the ''Our ...

jazz type pieces which would become a big part of Our Gang episodes right after on their next film.

References

External links

* 1930 films 1930 comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach Studios short films Our Gang films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films {{short-comedy-film-stub