Production Notes[]
Length: Two Reel
Producer: Robert F. McGowan
Director: Robert F. McGowan
Photography: Art Lloyd
Editor: Richard Currier
Titles: None
Writer: H. M. Walker
Released: November 21, 1931
Studio: M-G-M
Main Cast[]
Supporting Cast[]
- Baldwin Cooke - Chauffeur
- Billy Gilbert - Mr. Brown
- Blanche Payson - Sherwood's Mother
- Harry Bernard - Police Officer
- Lyle Tayo - Wheezer's Aunt
The Short[]
Plot: Wheezer and Dorothy are living a miserable existence with their stepmother who dotes on her real son, Spud Bailey and mistreats Wheezer for letting Pete sleep in bed with him. The only saving grace is his best friend, Stymie, who refers to Wheezer's stepmother as "Old Hatchet-Face." When Stymie comes round looking for breakfast and discovers that Wheezer and Dorothy have not eaten either, he gets Spud to fry up some ham and eggs, telling Spud that "ham and eggs can talk." After easily tricking Spud, the three kids have a nice breakfast. However, as Spud is checking out an uncovered well, his own dog, Nero, pushes him in; he has to rely on Stymie, Wheezer, and Dickie to save him. Spud promises not to tell on them if they pull him up, but when he as at the top of the well, he changes his mind and gets dropped in again. He once again promises not to tell on them if they get him out but he's so rotten, he promises to tell once he's clear out of the well. Meanwhile, Nero has killed one of neighbor Mr. Brown's chickens, and Spud decides to blame Pete to save his own dog. The angered Mr. Brown plans to shoot Pete. In attempt to save Pete, the kids throw eggs at Mr. Brown. Pete is taken away. Wheezer is heartbroken. As he cries outside the Greenpoint Dog Pound, a lady comes around to help get Pete out. The lady turns out to be Wheezer's and Dorothy's wealthy aunt. It seems Wheezer's dad has been sick and couldn't come for his kids, so she has come around to take them home. On the way out, she gives the stepmother a swift kick in the bottom for being nasty. Wheezer is now happy and excited, but he wishes Stymie could come along with him. Little does he know, Stymie is now dressed up in a suit of his own and stowed away on the spare tire to go along with him.
Quotes[]
- "You know, you's the mushiest people I ever did see." - Stymie
- Wheezer - "Stymie, where do you ever get such ideas?"
Stymie - "Boy, I'm full of ideas when I'm hungry." - "He fell in the well. Well, well, well!" - Stymie
- "Well, the dunking you got is worth the whipping I'll get!" - Wheezer
Notes/Trivia[]
- This short ranks as one of the top-remembered in the series.
- Beginning in 1971, King World censored several scenes from this film for television showings. The scenes with Wheezer being abused by his stepmother, as well as the scene with Mr. Brown trying to shoot Pete were toned down. The scene in which Stymie talks to Pete about food was removed entirely. Some of these scenes were inserted back into the film in 2001.
- Dorothy seems to be filling in for Wheezer's sister in this short as Mary Ann Jackson had already left the Our Gang series.
- Blanche Payson also appeared in the Laurel and Hardy short, "Helpmates."
- The gag in which Stymie throws an object (in this case, eggs) directly over his head, only to have them land on his own head, had previously been used in the short Fly My Kite.
- There is a fly on the table in the shot when Stymie, Wheezer and Dorothy are eating.
- The well must not be very deep if Spud can fall into it without hitting the sides. Actually falling into a well would have left Spud injured. It should be noted the water is suspiciously shallow, and yet, he's completely unharmed when he emerges. Logically, he should have broken some bones in the shallow water.
- Blooper - In the barn Stymie is tossing eggs up and they are falling and cracking on his head, turning it white. A shot from up in the loft shows his clean head. In the next shot, at ground level his head is again splattered with egg.
- Blooper - While the kids are frying the eggs and ham, one can see Dorothy flinching every time she gets splattered by grease, and when Stymie pulls the pan from the fire she wipes the grease off her arm.
- Blooper - Wheezer's bed frame is first shown almost hitting the door to the bedroom but later when Wheezer's Aunt is in the bedroom the bed frame is a few inches away from the door frame.
- Blooper - In the final scene by the front door when Spud's mom and Wheezer and Marryann's aunt are talking a large boom mic shadow is visible to the left of the front door on the bushes.
- When Spud leaves the kitchen, he left the frying pan on the stove without turning it off and he's not seen turning it off.
- When Stymie says “Spud, did you ever know that ham and eggs can talk?,“ he must have moved off his mark because he's not seen clearly in the shot.
- When Stymie enters the kitchen and walks around the table, there's a very brief moment when Wheezer looks towards the camera.
- The Low pitched foghorn being used in the short is later used in Birthday Blues.
- This is probably the most darkest episode in the entire series.
Sequence[]
- Previous Short: Shiver My Timbers
- Next Short: Readin' And Writin'