''Moan and Groan, Inc.'' is a 1929 ''

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, who also pr ...

'' short

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

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, ...

. Produced by

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter, ...

and released to theaters by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

, it was the 94th ''Our Gang'' short to be released.

Synopsis

Friendly neighborhood policeman Kennedy the Cop warns the gang to stay away from an old abandoned house in the neighborhood. Instead, he suggests the kids go dig for buried treasure, which they proceed to do in the basement of an old abandoned house. The house is inhabited by a homeless lunatic, who takes giddy delight in scaring the children, particularly Farina. Kennedy eventually turns up at the house to save the kids and apprehend the lunatic, but can hardly take care of himself.

Notes

*''Moan and Groan, Inc.'' features a short appearance by former ''Our Gang'' kid

Jay R. Smith Jay R. Smith (August 29, 1915 – October 5, 2002) was an American child actor and comedian who had a brief career appearing the ''Our Gang'' film short series during the silent Pathé era, from 1925 to 1929. He racked up appearances in 36 shor ...

, his only appearance in a sound ''Our Gang'' short and his final appearance in the series. *Because of its reliance upon Irish American, Jewish American and African American stereotypes, ''Moan and Groan, Inc.'' was deleted from

King World King World Productions, Inc. (also known as King World Entertainment, King World Enterprises, or simply King World) was a production company and syndicator of television programming in the United States founded by Charles King (1912–72) that w ...

's ''Little Rascals'' television package in 1971.

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 John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor and director. He began his career performing in film as a child, and successfully transitioned to adult roles and directing in both film and television. At age nine, h ...

as Jackie *

Allen Hoskins Allen Clayton Hoskins (August 9, 1920 – July 26, 1980) was an American child actor, who portrayed the character of Farina in 105 ''Our Gang'' short films from 1922 to 1931. Acting career 1920–1936 ''Our Gang'' Stardom Born in Bosto ...

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 ar ...

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 *

Bobby Mallon Robert Howard Mallon (April 7, 1919—September 10, 2008) was an American child actor, known for appearing in Hal Roach Studios films, notably ''Our Gang'', as Bobby. Early life He was born in Greybull, Wyoming. His father was a fireman killed ...

as Bobby *

Pete the Pup Pete the Pup (September 9, 1929 – January 28, 1946), also called the Mississippi Man Mauler, was an American dog actor known to portray "Pete, the dog with the ring around his eye" in Hal Roach's ''Our Gang'' comedies series (later known as '' ...

as Himself

Additional cast

* Betty Jane Beard as Trellis, Farina's baby brother *

as Kid with Japanese handcuffs *

Max Davidson Max Davidson (May 23, 1875 – September 4, 1950) was a German-American film actor known for his comedic Jewish persona during the silent film era. With a career spanning over thirty years, Davidson appeared in over 180 films. Career Born i ...

as The Lunatic *

Edgar Kennedy Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic character actor who appeared in at least 500 films during the silent and sound eras. Professionally, he was known as "Slow Burn", owing to his ability to por ...

as Kennedy the Cop

Filming Locations

The actual "haunted house / old powder house" was the Minorini ranch house which was built in the 1870s by the Don Jose Arnaz, owner of Rancho Rincon de los Beyes which covered most of the present-day

Beverlywood Beverlywood is a neighborhood in the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. History Beverlywood was developed in 1940 by Walter H. Leimert, who also developed Leimert Park. The neighborhood consists of 1,354 single family homes, and ...

neighborhood in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and most of present-day

Culver City Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. It is mostly surrounded by Los Angeles, but also shares a border with the unincorporated area of Ladera Heights to the ea ...

, California.

References

External links

* * 1929 films American black-and-white films 1929 comedy films Films directed by Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach Studios short films Our Gang films 1929 short films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films {{short-comedy-film-stub