''Arbor Day'' is a 1936 ''

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

Fred C. Newmeyer Fred C. Newmeyer (August 9, 1888 – April 24, 1967) was an American actor, film director and film producer. Biography A native of Central City, Colorado, Newmeyer is best known for directing a handful of films in the ''Our Gang'' series and fo ...

. 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 Green Street Grammar 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 music by Oscar Rasbach. When the midgets-in-disguise offer 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!" Principal Cass then informs Smithers he's fired, to Spanky and Alfala's delight.

Cast

The Gang

* Darla Hood as Darla *

George McFarland George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for starring as a child as Spanky in the ''Our Gang'' series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The ''Our Gang'' shorts were later syndicated ...

as Spanky *

Carl Switzer Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community * Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of te ...

as Alfalfa * Billie Thomas as Buckwheat

Additional cast

* Daniel Boone - Brown-haired boy in pageant * Gloria Brown as Ballet dancer * Betsy Gay as Ballet dancer * George Brasno as Man Midget * Olive Brasno as Woman Midget * Maurice Cass as Mr. Cass * George Guhl as Truant Officer Smithers * Rosina Lawrence as Miss Lawrence * Hattie McDaniel as Buckwheat's mother * Dick Rush as Murphy, the side show barker * Kathryn Sheldon as Miss Argyle * May Wallace as Autograph Seeker *

John Collum John K. Collum (June 29, 1926 — August 28, 1962) was an American child actor. He appeared in many ''Our Gang'' films of the 1930s as the character Uh-Huh. Career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Collum was the son of Hal Roach's casting director, ...

as Classroom extra * Jack Egger as Classroom extra * Bobby Dunn as Crowd Extra * Rolfe Sedan as Crowd Extra

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. *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.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Arbor Day (Film) 1936 films American black-and-white films 1936 comedy films Films directed by Fred C. Newmeyer Hal Roach Studios short films Our Gang films 1930s American films