''Shivering Shakespeare'' is an ''

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 film directed by Anthony Mack. Produced by

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, 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, a ...

and released to theaters by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

, it was the 95th ''Our Gang'' short to be released.

Plot

The gang participates in a play entitled ''The Gladiator's Dilemma'' written, produced and directed by the wife of Kennedy the Cop. The badly written play goes comically wrong as the young actors forget their lines, miss their cues, and deal with unwieldy props and costumes. The audience members, unruly teenage boys, mercilessly heckle the actors and torment them by throwing food. The movie ends with everyone in the auditorium participating in a

pie fight Pieing or a pie attack is the act of throwing a pie at a person. In pieing, the goal is usually to humiliate the victim while avoiding actual injury. For this reason the pie is traditionally of the cream variety without a top crust, and is rarel ...

. Mrs. Kennedy sees the play being completely ruined and orders everyone to stop. The kids turn to Mr. Kennedy. He nods, giving them permission, and all the kids throw their pies at her.

Production notes

''Shivering Shakespeare'' was the final ''Our Gang'' comedy directed by

Robert A. McGowan Robert Anthony McGowan (May 22, 1901 – June 20, 1955) was an American screenwriter and film director. Biography Born in Denver, McGowan is best known as a junior director for the '' Our Gang'' short subjects film series from 1926 to 1930, ...

, who was billed as "Anthony Mack" to differentiate himself from his uncle, Robert Francis McGowan, who was the ''Our Gang'' series' producer and senior director. The younger McGowan would remain a part of the ''Our Gang'' unit as a writer for the rest of its existence, even after the series was sold to MGM in 1938.

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 / Nero *

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 / the Christian *

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 / Farinacus *

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 Annicus' youthful brother *

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 / Mary Annicus *

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

Additional cast

Edith Fellows Edith Marilyn Fellows (May 20, 1923 – June 26, 2011) was an American actress who became a child star in the 1930s. Best known for playing orphans and street urchins, Fellows was an expressive actress with a good singing voice. She made her ...

as Screaming kid *

Douglas Greer Charles Douglas "Turkey Egg" Greer (May 21, 1921 – January 6, 2016) was an American child actor. Career and war service Greer was a semi-regular actor in '' Our Gang'' between 1930 and 1932, but also appeared in some feature films besides the ...

as Curtain puller *

Donald Haines Donald Haines (May 9, 1919 – February 20, 1943) was an American child actor who had recurring appearances in the ''Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1930 to 1933. He appeared in ''Our Gang'' during the early sound days along with Nor ...

as giggling guard / Shepherd * Jack McHugh as Teenager * Gordon Thorpe as Effeminate boy *

Bobby Mallon Robert Howard Mallon (April 7, 1919 - September 10, 2008) was an American actor. Early life He was born in Greybull, Wyoming. Career Mallon was known for playing Bobby in 13 of the ''Our Gang''/'' Little Rascals'' series of movies produced by ...

as Shepherd / guard * Jerry McGowan as Dancing girl * Malcolm Sebastian as Wizard * Johnny Aber as Teenager * Georgie Billings as Shepherd / guard * Bradley "Buster" Slaven as Shepard/guard *

Allen Cavan Allan Cavan (March 25, 1880 – January 19, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in 145 films between 1917 and 1941. Cavan was the son of Mrs. Averila Cavan, and he had a brother, Carl. He began working on films with Sam Goldwyn S ...

as Audience member who "resents it" *

Dorothy Coburn Dorothy Montana Coburn (June 8, 1905 – May 15, 1978) was an American film actress who appeared in a number of early Laurel and Hardy silents. She was a niece of author Walt Coburn and granddaughter of Robert Coburn Sr., founder of the ''Circl ...

as Pie sale girl *

Carlton Griffin Carlton Griffin (May 23, 1893 - July 24, 1940) was an American film actor. He appeared in over 50 films between the mid-1910s until 1940. In his first films, he was credited as C. Elliott Griffin or C. E. Griffin. He was born in New York, New Yo ...

as Man inside bull costume * Harry Keaton as Audience member licking lips *

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 * Ham Kinsey as Audience member hit by pie * Charles McAvoy as Man whose son is splattered * Gertrude Sutton as Mrs. Kennedy *

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 Chubby's mother *

Helen Gilmore Helen Gilmore (born Antoinette A. Field, c. 1872 – April 1936) was an American actress of the stage and silent motion pictures from Louisville, Kentucky. She appeared in well over 100 films between 1913 and 1932. Early life and career In a ...

as Audience member * Buddy Moore as Undetermined role

References

External links

* {{Our Gang, state=collapsed 1930 films American black-and-white films Films directed by Robert A. McGowan 1930 comedy films Hal Roach Studios short films Our Gang films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films