Mama's Little Pirate

technical details:

Production G-25.

Release no. C-23.

Filmed probably in November 1934.

According to Maltin & Bann, this film was released on November 3, 1934, making it the 132nd film in the series to be released. However, new information regarding production dates for other Our Gang films from this period makes it clear that the film was released closer to its date of copyright. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted January 5, 1935, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP5260. Renewed August 1, 1962, with registration no. R299641. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2030.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Mama's Little Pirate".'

King World Productions episode no. 40b, 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 Gus Meins

This credit appears in the film.

Photography: Art Lloyd, A. S. C.

This credit appears in the film.

Film Editor: Bert Jordan

This credit appears in the film.

Recording Engineer: James Greene

This credit appears in the film.

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.

NRA

The National Recovery Administration emblem is shown in both the opening and end titles.

studio personnel

general manager - Henry Ginsberg

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien

film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin

process department - Roy Seawright

musical director - Marvin Hatley

still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves

transportation director - Bob Davis

school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

assistant direction - Probably Gordon Douglas.

writing - Hal Yates, Carl Harbaugh, James Parrott, Charlie Hall, Frank Butler, Robert McKenzie, Nick Grinde, Hal Law, Frank Terry, Frank Tashlin and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.

property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity.

titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky" aka "Spank"

Lead role. He disobeys his mother in order to explore the cave, but it turns out to be a dream.

Scotty Beckett as "Scott"

Supporting role. He chooses not to take part in collecting the booty. He later named this as his favorite film.

Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat"

Supporting role. Or more specifically, "Little Buckwheat." He's a "she" in this film. Spanky ties a string to him so they won't lose their way.

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Supporting role. He has a fair amount of dialogue, but is mostly along for the ride.

Jerry Tucker

Supporting role. He has a few lines of dialogue, but is mostly an ensemble player.

Marylin Bourne

Supporting role. She's presumably the blonde girl. She's present through most of the film, but has no dialogue. Maltin's earlier book, The Great Movie Shorts, lists her as Mary Ann Breckell.

Paul Rodriguez

Supporting role. He's the five-year-old midget in the baby bonnet. He went on to become The World's Smallest Man in one of the major circuses.

Gilbert Hullett

Supporting role. He's the small boy wearing the straw boater.

the animals:

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

the adults:

Tex Madsen as the giant

Supporting role. He was 7'6". He returns home to find that some kids have invaded his territory and stolen his treasure. Maltin & Bann thought, in the 1977 edition of their book, that he might be Jack Earle.

Claudia Dell as Spanky's mom

Small part. She sends Spanky to his room.

Joe Young as "Joe," Spanky's dad

Small part. He reads the newspaper and tells Spanky about some treasure discovered in a cave.

Billy Bletcher as the voice of the giant

Small part. Ironically, he was 5'2".

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A14.) The first part of this piece is played over the opening titles and as we first see the breakfast table.

"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." About half of this piece is played as Spanky comes to the breakfast table.

piece 132

This is played as Spanky's dad reads from the newspaper. A small part is repeated as Spanky contemplates which way Washington would go. It's repeated as the giant closes the door and walks away from the gang.

"Miser" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. A fragment of this piece is played as Spanky dumps his breakfast into his dad's bowl. Another fragment is played as Spanky takes a look at the newspaper. A fuller portion is played as Scotty hides in the mousehole.

"Oh, Doctor! Doctor!" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. A barely-audible fragment of this piece is played as we get a look at the newspaper story. It's played in full twice in a row as the gang explores the cave and Scotty falls down. It's played twice again as the gang discovers the giant chair and the giant footprint. It's repeated as the giant catches Stymie.

"Your Piktur" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. A fragment of this piece is played as Spanky decides to go off and find some treasure. A fuller edit is played as Buckwheat starts to follow behind and Scotty runs out of string. A small fragment is repeated as the gang starts to leave the giant's home.

"(We're Going To) Arrowhead" by Leroy Shield

A portion of this piece is played as Spanky leaves the breakfast table. It's played in full as the treasure chest is broken into. The second half is repeated as Spanky wakes from his dream and the end title appears.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

Half of this piece is played as the gang first arrives at the cave. A small portion is repeated as the gang explores the cave and Buckwheat digs.

"Hurry" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1931. Most of this piece is played as the kids look into the cave and decide that they need some light. A fragment is repeated as Stymie burns Jerry.

"Let's Go" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1930. Most of this piece is played as Spanky goes home for a flashlight and gets sent to his room.

"You Are The One I Love" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played and partially repeated as Spanky talks to his alter ego. A fragment is repeated as the gang discovers the treasure.

"Fliver Flops" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. The first half of this piece is played as the gang starts to explore the cave. This portion is repeated as the gang hides under the table. The same portion is played as the giant catches Scotty and Spanky gets stuck on the flypaper.

"Cascadia" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 4, 1931. The first segment of this piece is played as Spanky ties the string around Buckwheat. This portion is repeated as the kids hide in the fireplace and the giant discovers them.

"Wrong, All Wrong" by Leroy Shield

This is played as Buckwheat is pulled into the hole. It's repeated as the giant enters the room.

"If It Were Only True" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the gang collects their booty and tries to find a way out.

"Run" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. This is played as the giant is carrying the bucket containing Buckwheat.

"Confusion" by Leroy Shield

This is played as the giant chases Spanky.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios

The same cave sets used in the Laurel & Hardy feature "Babes In Toyland" were also used in this film.

miscellaneous:

Maltin & Bann give the release date of November 3, 1934, for this film. However, it is now clear that the film was released closer to its copyright date of January 5, 1935. Unfortunately, I don't have title sheet or cutting continuity dates for this short, but I do have these dates for the previous film in the series, "Washee Ironee" (no. 131). In fact, for a more complete picture of this issue, it would be a good idea to look at the webpage for that film. Basically, it looks like the production of the Laurel & Hardy feature "Babes In Toyland" created a serious delay for the entire Our Gang series. Director Gus Meins was recruited at the last minute to co-direct the feature, which then proceeded to get mired in production delays until late September. Ultimately, a film that should have been finished around the end of August didn't wrap until October 17th. "Washee Ironee" was finished around this time, but it had been directed by James Parrott. Meins himself directed "Mama's Little Pirate," which wouldn't have been able to start until the cave sets for "Babes In Toyland" were available. In fact, I suspect that these cave sets inspired the whole idea behind "Mama's Little Pirate."

The fictitious newspaper at the breakfast table is the Bradley Times, but the lettering is different in the longshot, in which only the word Times is visible.

According to a Variety item of May 3, 1950, this short was 'tradeshown' in New York on May 1st by Monogram in anticipation of the reissue to theaters of the Our Gang shorts as "The Little Rascals." Two others shorts were shown with it: "Dogs Is Dogs" (no. 110) and "Forgotten Babies" (no. 121).

The 1985 film "The Goonies" was most likely inspired by this film, since it includes a group of kids in a cave filled with treasure, as well as a monosyllabic giant.

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 12 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume Two (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever

Released July 6, 1994. Also released as part of 12 VHS boxed set. This is a complete original print, and even includes an opening certification title card from the Production Code Adminstration of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America (certificate no. 491). The total footage lasts 17:51. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs. There's also a clip lasting 0:02 included in the opening advertisement of all the Cabin Fever VHS releases, which shows the gang with their newly-found treasure.

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 11 & Vol. 12 (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).

The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products

Released late Oct. 2008. This is identical to the Cabin Fever version.

The Little Rascals Colorized Collection (VHS) from Hallmark Home Entertainment

Released Apr. 19, 1999. One of six same-named VHS releases, each with three colorized films, deriving from the Cabin Fever versions.

The Little Rascals Book XXI (VHS) from Blackhawk Video

This is a home movie print from Blackhawk. The opening title is remade, but the crew credits and end title are original. The end title has been cropped to omit the NRA designation. The picture quality is very good. The original footage totals 17:24, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:08.

The Little Rascals: Divot Diggers/Mama's Little Pirate (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video

Released May 1991. This is the Blackhawk print. The original footage in this version totals 16:46, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:08.

Rascal Dazzle (VHS/LD) from Embassy Home Entertainment

Original film released 1981. Video released 1984. A clip lasting 0:04 is shown in the opening montage of this documentary, showing a closeup of Spanky talking to his mother. Another clip lasting 0:59 is included, showing the treasure chest being broken open, with music and narration added.

© Robert Demoss.