KIDS WILL BE KIDS (The Mischief Makers)
In the center are Junior, Daisy, Emil Sitka, Wong, unnamed dog, Soapy, and High Pockets
The Mischief Makers was a short film series proposed by Jules White in 1954. Produced for the Columbia shorts department, only one short resulted, Kids Will Be Kids. Today it is considered by film historians to be the worst short subject produced by the studio. The series had noticeable similarities to Our Gang, and was likely produced to cash in on the success of the series' being reissued to theaters.
The series' one short featured seven principal characters:
- Junior Wilson - the main protagonist
- High Pockets Wilson - Junior's mischief-making kid brother
- Soapy - Junior's African-American friend and sidekick
- Wong - Junior's Asian-American friend
- Janey - the series' leading lady
- Nathaniel - a snobbish rich kid, and the series' main antagonist
- Daisy - Junior's dog
Production Notes[]
Length: Two Reel
Producer: Jules White
Director: Jules White, Abner E. Singer (assistant director), Cary Odell (art director)
Photography: Ray Cory
Editor: James R. Sweeney
Titles:
Writer: Jack White (story and screenplay)
Released: December 9, 1954
Studio: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Known Cast[]
- Butch Bernard
- Sally Jane Bruce
- Daisy the Dog
- Emil Sitka - Judge
The Short[]
Plot: One day after school, Junior tries to walk Janey home. However, Janey rudely goes home with rich kid Nathaniel, who has his own bicycle. Junior reads a sign advertising a dog show, with the first prize being a new bicycle. Junior decides to enter his dog Daisy in the contest. At home, Junior has to put up with his mischievous little brother High Pockets, who manages to dirty himself up with jelly, paint Daisy's fur white, and lock himself in a crate. When the day of the dog show arrives, Daisy successfully performs a series of tricks, winning Junior the bicycle. Nathaniel's dog Champion, on the other hand, performs terribly. In the end, Junior ignores Janey's offer to walk home with her; High Pockets arrives with a cat, which all of the dogs chase after, trampling Junior in the process. The final shot shows Junior riding his new bicycle, pulling a caged High Pockets behind him.
Quotes:
- "Huh! Just like a woman" - Junior
- "Don't blame women, just because you're too poor to have a bicycle" - Nathaniel
- "Why you--" - Junior, preparing to hit Nathaniel
- "Uh, uh. Glasses" - Nathaniel, pointing to his glasses
- "Never mind, Junior, I'll walk you home. But don't try to kiss me goodnight" - Soapy
- "High Pockets, who gave you permission to eat that jelly?" - Junior
- "Dasiy" - High Pockets
- "Blinky Goldberg, take your dog Porsche to the judging ring. Stinky O'Rourke, take your dog Blarney Stone to the judging ring" - Judge
- "I don't have no dog, and I'm powerful anxious to get in this contest. So may I enter this beautiful kitty cat?" - Soapy, pulling out a skunk
- "Now, look, you'll have to get rid of the skunk" - Judge
- "Here, Wong, take him home and put him in my bed" - Soapy
Notes/Trivia:
- Reissued theatrically in October 1963.
- High Pockets' costume resembles that of Malcolm W. Sabiston's in the Big Boys comedies of the 1920's. This is not surprising as the short's writer Jack White produced the Big Boy comedies.