Skippy (1931)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Percy Crosby (comic strip) and
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
(more)

Release Date:

25 April 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Drama | Comedy

Plot:

Skippy, the mischievous son of a wealthy doctor, meets Sooky in poverty-ridden Shantytown, and together they try to save Sooky's pet from a cruel dogcatcher.

Plot Keywords:

Lemonade Stand | Dog | Bully | Dogcatcher | Shantytown

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Jackie Cooper	...	Skippy
Robert Coogan	...	Sooky
Mitzi Green	...	Eloise
Jackie Searl	...	Sidney
Willard Robertson	...	Dr. Skinner
Enid Bennett	...	Mrs. Skinner
Donald Haines	...	Harley Nubbins
Helen Jerome Eddy	...	Mrs. Wayne
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carl R. Botefuhr	...	Skippy Skinner (age 3) (scenes deleted)
Beaudine Anderson	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jack Clifford	...	Dog-Catcher Nubbins (uncredited)
Dannie Mac Grant	...	Boy (uncredited)
Payne B. Johnson	...	Boy (uncredited)
Guy Oliver	...	Dad Burkey (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Taurog

Writing credits
Percy Crosby		(comic strip)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Don Marquis		additional dialogue
Norman Z. McLeod
Sam Mintz

Produced by
Louis D. Lighton	....	producer

Original Music by
John Leipold		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Karl Struss

Art Department
Russ Pierce	....	props

Sound Department
Gene Merritt	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera

Music Department
Jack King	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Charles E. McCarthy	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1931) (USA) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

San Bernardino, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

To induce crying, Jackie Cooper was fooled into it by director Norman Taurog - his uncle, having married the sister of Jackie's mother. Taurog yelled out, "Where's that dog? Just go shoot him!" (the dog was Jackie's own dog). Somebody who got a gun with a blank in it went behind the truck where the dog had been taken and fired the gun. It worked, though a little too well. It took Jackie a very long time to stop crying, even after the scene was over and the director tried to kindly tell him they were just fooling; they only did that to get Jackie to cry for the scene. In addition, Jackie said he lost a lot of respect for his uncle that day.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "MGM: When the Lion Roars" (1992)

Beyond Three (3) Handkerchiefs...

SKIPPY (1931) has nothing to do with the Childhood of a certain obnoxious and whining 'Sports Commentator' on ESPN, whose arm waving and mugging for the camera is reminiscent of Benito Mussolini. Nor is it directly related to a similarly named (but excellent) peanut butter. It is a heart warming film about Children and their simple but important life forming adventures.

The film centers around two (2) characters SKIPPY (Jackie Cooper) and his new found friend SOOKY (Robert Coogan). SKIPPY is from the right side of the tracks, SOOKY the wrong, Shanty Town, which SKIPPY finds far more interesting then his native haunts. Excellently directed by Norman Taurog, slighting neither the Child actors nor the Adult supporting cast, there is a fine morality lesson here showing the importance of friendship and loyalty, both in joyful times and in tragedy. It also shows the importance of parental understanding for Children's problems.

Norman Taurog won the Best Directing Oscar for his sensitive handling of what could have become maudlin. Sad to say this film is seldom seen today nor its sequel SOOKY (1931). The film is appropriate today for Parents to watch with their young Children ages four (4) to eight (8) for it still has lessons of value to teach. After those ages in the 21st Century they will be to bored or cynical to care and that's a shame.

Note for the Historical challenged, Mussolini (1883>1945) was a minor league Fascist dictator in the first half of the 20th Century. History has not been kind too his legacy. Nor will it be to his imitators, take note IL BAYLESS.

P.S. Rewatched today on TCM (02/22/2011) to see if our review holds up, IT DOES! So our only conclusion from the negative votes is that these must be from 'kiss-asses' to SKIPPY 'Peanut Butter For Brains' BAYLESS or sycophants of the ESPN (Eastern SeaBoard Propaganda Network)! Neither attributes flattering to those voters! As for the Peanut Butter SKIPPY. It is our favorite, low fat, extra crunchy.