The Pooch (1932)

Director:

Robert F. McGowan

Writer:

H.M. Walker (dialogue)
(more)

Release Date:

14 June 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Comedy | Drama | Family

Plot:

The gang tries to save Petey from the dogcatcher.

Plot Keywords:

Male Tears | Children | Two Reeler | Our Gang

Cast

George 'Spanky' McFarland	...	Spanky (as Spanky)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sherwood Bailey	...	Spud (uncredited)
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Stymie (uncredited)
Harry Bernard	...	Officer (uncredited)
Baldwin Cooke	...	Diner Attendant (uncredited)
Dorothy DeBorba	...	Dorothy (uncredited)
Estelle Etterre	...	First Housewife (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	Bud - Dog Catcher (uncredited)
Artye Folz	...	Girl Who Reads (uncredited)
Dick Gilbert	...	Co-Worker at Dog Pound (uncredited)
Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins	...	Wheezer (uncredited)
Dickie Jackson	...	Kid Who Throws Donut (uncredited)
Kendall McComas	...	Breezy (uncredited)
May Wallace	...	Second Housewife (uncredited)
Harold 'Bouncy' Wertz	...	Bouncy (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert F. McGowan		(as Robert McGowan)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hal Roach		story (uncredited)
H.M. Walker		dialogue

Produced by
Robert F. McGowan	....	producer (as Robert McGowan)
Hal Roach	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leroy Shield		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Art Lloyd

Film Editing by
Richard C. Currier		(as Richard Currier)

Art Department
C.E. Christensen	....	construction supervisor (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Greene	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Roy Seawright	....	optical effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Stax Graves	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Leroy Shield	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Hal Roach	....	presenter
Charles Levin	....	laboratory supervisor (uncredited)
Harry Lucenay	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Runtime:

USA:20 min (VHS version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Arnaz Ranch - Robertson Blvd between Beverlywood St. & David Avenue, Rincon de Los Bueyes, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Quotes:

Diner attendant:What do you want to eat?
Stymie:I wanna double order of ham and eggs, and I want a piece of pie, and I want a cup a... cup a coffee.
Diner attendant:You must be hungry.
Stymie:Boy, and how, I could eat a rubber boot!
Diner attendant:Got any money?
Stymie:Nope.
Diner attendant:Well, then how do you expect to eat?
Stymie:Well, we don't expect to, we just want to!

Movie Connections:

Remake of Love My Dog (1927)

A personal favorite

While it is usually pointless to choose favorite episodes of any continuing series, it is also irresistible. "The Pooch" happens to be my favorite movie from the OUR GANG/LITTLE RASCALS short subject series. Its blend of tear-jerking melodrama, comedy and social commentary epitomizes the strength of Hal Roach's RASCALS series.

While there is undeniable racial stereotyping in many of the OUR GANG shorts which makes for uncomfortable viewing today, the usual intent of the films (besides belly laughter and the occasional tear) was to break down barriers: both racial and socio-economic. Never was this more obvious than in "The Pooch" in which a black kid (Stymie) appears to be the older brother of a white kid (Spanky). And where both, quite poor and hungry (but never grim or humorless), explain to a counterman when he asks how they expect to get food with no money, "Well, we don't 'specks it, we just want it."

On a side note, this was also the last appearance of a descendent of the original Petie (the bull terrier with a circle around his eye). For whatever reason Petie's trainer and Hal Roach parted company after this short, and all future Peties were in fact impostors.