''A Tough Winter'' is a 1930 ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the ...

'' short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. 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 Vaudeville, vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican and Bahamian descent, considered to be the f ...

, 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 ''Helping Grandma'' is a 1931 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 103rd (15th talking episode) ''Our Gang'' short that was released. Plot An elderly woman named Mrs. Margaret Mack owns a small grocery stor ...

, and

Little Daddy ''Little Daddy'' is a 1931 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 105th (17th talking episode) ''Our Gang'' short that was released. Plot Farina and Stymie are orphans and staying in a small flat near a black ...

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

Cast

The Gang

* Norman Chaney as Chubby *

Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...

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 Univer ...

as Farina * Bobby Hutchins 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 w ...

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

Additional cast

as Stepin * Lyle Tayo 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 '' ...

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