Washee Ironee

film no. 131

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 6 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume One (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever: Released July 6, 1994. Also released as part of 12 VHS boxed set. This is a nearly complete original print, but without the MGM lion, and is also missing most of the 'spitting' scene. I suspect that the end title has been cropped to omit the NRA designation. The picture quality is excellent. The total footage lasts 15:31. Reportedly, later copies of the VHS were corrected to include the missing 'spitting' footage, bringing the total to 15:56. This latter version has appeared on numerous bootlegs, and presumably the earlier version as well.
The Little Rascals Volume 6: Collector's Edition (VHS) from Hallmark Home Entertainment: Released Aug. 15, 2000. Also included as part of The Little Rascals Volumes 1-10: Collector's Edition (10 VHS set), released Aug. 15, 2000.
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 5 & Vol. 6 (DVD) from Cabin Fever: Same contents as the Cabin Fever VHS releases. Also released as part of The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited (6 DVD set). This copy includes the missing 'spitting' footage.
The Little Rascals Digitally Remastered - Collector's Edition III (DVD) from Hallmark Home Entertainment: Released Nov. 15, 2005. This derives from the Cabin Fever release.
The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products: Released late Oct. 2008. This is identical to the original Cabin Fever version, which is missing 25 seconds of footage. There are also four clips from this film shown on the main menu.
The Best Of Spanky (DVD) from Genius Entertainment: Released Mar. 27, 2007. Also included as part of The Little Rascals In Color! (3 DVD set). This is a Famous Kids Comedies print from Official Films, included both as a colorized print, and in the original black-and-white. The original footage totals 15:39, while the original soundtrack totals 16:00. The picture quality is very good.
Rascal Dazzle (VHS/LD) from Embassy Home Entertainment: Original film released 1981. Video released 1984. A clip lasting 1:25 is included, showing the mayhem at the social function and the pileup at the intersection, with music and narration added. Another clip lasting 0:04 is included, showing Jackie and Spanky flirting. A third clip lasting 0:07 is included, showing bubbles bursting and the butler sneezing, with music and sound effects added.
Jackie Remembers Our Gang - Memories From Little Rascals Family Theater (VHS/DVD) from Jackie Taylor: A clip lasting 0:02 is included, showing Jackie Taylor.
Jackie Remembers Our Gang - The Silent Era (VHS/DVD) from Jackie Taylor: A clip lasting 0:51 is included, showing portions of the football game. This is followed by a clip lasting 0:16, showing portions of the clothes-washing scene. Both clips have narration added.

technical details:

Production G-24.

Released September 29, 1934, making it the 131st film in the series to be released.

Copyrighted November 13, 1934, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP5126. Renewed August 1, 1962, with registration no. R299636. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2029.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Washee Ironee".'

King World Productions episode no. 45b, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach: Credited in the film as a presenter.
Directed by James Parrott: This credit appears in the film.
Photography: Francis Corby A. S. C.: This credit appears in the film. Listed as Francis Curby in the Official Films print.
Film Editor: Louis McManus: This credit appears in the film.
Recording Engineer: William Randall: Not listed by Maltin & Bann. This credit appears in the film.
Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro: He trained the current Pete.
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: Indicated in the opening title card.
Passed by the National Board of Review: As indicated in the film.
Western Electric System: As indicated in the film.
Approved by the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America: Certificate no. 345.
NRA: The emblem for the National Recovery Administration is missing from this print, but was presumably included on the title card with the MGM lion.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky": Featured role. He's the referee at the football game, but more importantly, the leader of the gang for the first time.
Wally Albright as "Waldo": Featured role. He's a rich kid that gets into the football game and needs his clothes laundered afterwards. This was his last appearance in the series.
the football players
Scotty Beckett: Supporting role. He has Pete on a leash throughout the football game, and scores a touchdown this way.
Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie": Supporting role. He's seen throughout most of the film, but has only a little bit of dialogue.
Leonard Kibrick: Supporting role. He's the center on the football team and is virtually a silent character, but is present throughout most of the scenes.
Tommy Bond: Supporting role. He's the quarterback, but is otherwise mostly an ensemble player.
Jerry Tucker: Supporting role. He's given very little dialogue, but is present during most of the film.
Alvin Buckelew: Supporting role. He's entirely an ensemble player, but is one of the main group that appears in most of the scenes.
Gene Reynolds: Small part. He's seen only during the football scenes, and is standing to the right of Wally after his touchdown.
Dickie Jones: Small part. He's seen only during the football scenes. and is standing to the left of Wally after his touchdown.
Billy Lee Wolfstone: Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's the fat boy seen during the football scenes.
Joe Levine: Small part. He's the boy with the frizzy hair seen during the football scenes.
John Collum: Small part. He's shown only in longshots during the football game.
other football players: Small parts. There are three additional football players, one of whom is identified by Maltin & Bann as Hal Law, Jr., the son of one of the Roach writers.
the spectators
Jacqueline Taylor: Small part. She's the nurse on the sidelines. Spanky flirts with her.
Jackie White: Small part. She's the little girl watching the game and later accompanying Jacqueline Taylor.
Billie Thomas: Small part. He's given a couple of closeups cheering on the sidelines.
Tommy McFarland: Small part. He's given the first closeup among the kids cheering and is holding a derby hat.
other kids: Supporting roles and small parts.
(1.) The Chinese boy that Spanky brings to the house to solve the gang's laundry problems. Maltin & Bann list him as Yen Wong, but I'm not sure if this is his actual name, or simply derived from the name on the window of the Chinese laundry, which in any event says "Yun Wong."
(2.) The girl listed by Maltin & Bann as Willie Mae "Buckwheat" Taylor. The nickname isn't used in this film, and the girl appears to be different. She's seen as one of the spectators.
(3.) The boy leading the cheers, who seems to be the one Maltin & Bann list as Tony Kales, though I'm not sure about this.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV as "Pete": Supporting role. He swallows Spanky's whistle.
Joe the Monk: Small part. He belongs to Waldo's mother. Maltin & Bann list Elmer the Monkey, but it seems more likely to be the earlier monkey.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film (but was cut from the Cabin Fever print).
other animals: Small part. The only remaining animal in the film is the goat pulling the first aid cart.

the adults:

Ellinor Van Der Veer as Waldo's mother: Supporting role. She's more concerned with her standing in society than her son's happiness.
Sam Adams as the butler: Supporting role. He's present through much of the indoor scenes, suffering indignities along with the women. Maltin's earlier book, The Great Movie Shorts, lists Sam Baker, possibly in place of Sam Adams.
Stanley "Tiny" Sandford as the traffic cop: Small part. He repeatedly halts traffic, only to realize that it's only Spanky pretending to be an emergency vehicle.
Ernie Alexander as a pedestrian: Bit part. I think he's probably the one that almost gets hit by the patrol wagon.
other adults: Bit parts and extras.
(1.) There are probably eleven Maids Of Olympia other than Van Der Veer. Among them are Gertrude Astor, who's seen getting ice cream thrown at her bare back, and Julia Griffith. Maltin & Bann also list Symona Boniface, and I think she might be the one whose back the monkey jumps on.
(2.) The gardener, whose name is "Sam" or "Sammy," and boosts Waldo so he can watch the game.
(3.) At least five additional cops, two of whom are listed by Maltin & Bann as James C. Morton and William Irving, the latter of whom seems to be behind the gang's wagon after the pileup.
(4.) Dozens of pedestrians, one of whom is listed by Maltin & Bann as Lester Dorr, but I'm not able to find him. They also list James Parrott as the man walking by the laundry, but I don't see any way of ascertaining this without publicity photos. There are also several drivers shown in the longshots.
(5.) The butler's sneeze was dubbed in by Billy Gilbert.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A14.) This is played during the opening credits and as we're introduced to Waldo and his mother. A small part is repeated during the end titles.
piece 131: This is the classical violin piece that Waldo plays on the phonograph. Presumably the few notes heard as he practices derive from the same source.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios: The street scenes appear to be shot on the New York street set at the Roach studio.
the football field: The location used for the football field is the same used for the amusement park in "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42).

miscellaneous:

Reel one ends as Wally ducks after the girls see him naked.

A clip from this film was used in the TV special "Sports On The Silver Screen," first shown on Mar. 16, 1997, on HBO.

©June 24, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 7/4, 7/9, 8/2, 8/27, 8/30, 12/19.
2006 updates: 1/8, 2/11, 4/3, 5/16, 10/25, 11/2.
2007 updates: 2/4, 2/27, 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 2/26, 4/25, 5/26, 7/12, 7/27, 9/22, 11/6, 12/12.
2009 updates: 6/12, 7/23.

Thanks to Mark Brumfield, Rob Stone, Joe Moore, Elliot Unkefer, Steven R. Wright and Paul Mular for assistance on this page.