''Ye Olde Minstrels'' is a 1941 ''

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 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 Edward Cahn. It was the 197th ''Our Gang'' short (198th episode, 109th talking short, 110th talking episode, and 29th MGM produced episode) that was released.

Premise

To raise money for the local chapter of the

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

, the gang stages an old-fashioned

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spe ...

with the help of Froggy's uncle, played by real-life minstrel man Walter Wills. The show is a success, netting the Red Cross $208.40.

Cast

The Gang

* Mickey Gubitosi as Mickey *

Darla Hood Darla Jean Hood (November 8, 1931 – June 13, 1979) was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the ''Our Gang'' series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of music teacher Elizabeth Dav ...

as Darla *

Billy Laughlin William Robert Laughlin (July 5, 1932 – August 31, 1948) was an American child actor. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the ''Our Gang'' short films in 1940–44, its final years of production. Early life Laughlin was b ...

as Froggy *

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 *

Billie Thomas Billie may refer to: People * Billie Allen (1925-2015), American actress * Billie Bird (1908-2002), American actress and comedian * Billie Burke (1884-1970), American actress * Billie Joe Armstrong (born 1972), American singer and guitarist for ...

as Buckwheat

Additional cast

* Minstrel Maestro Walter Wills as himself * Giovanna Gubitosi as Audience extra * Tommy McFarland as Audience extra

Additional performers

Bobby Browning, Raphael Dolciame, Ralph Hodges, Dickie Humphries, Joline Karol, Valerie Lee, Priscilla Montgomery, David Polonsky, Jackie Salling

References

External links

* 1941 films 1941 comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Edward L. Cahn Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer short films Our Gang films 1941 short films 1940s American films 1940s English-language films {{short-comedy-film-stub