Alfalfa, Spanky (referee), and Butch in the ring
Production Notes[]
Length: One Reel
Producer: Hal Roach
Director: Gordon Douglas
Photography: Art Lloyd
Editor: William Ziegler
Titles: None
Writer:
Released: February 27, 1937
Studio: M-G-M
Main Cast[]
Supporting Cast[]
- Darla Jean Hood
- Darwood Kaye
- Donald Proffitt
- Harold Switzer
- Hugh Chapman
- Jerry Tucker (actor)
- Joe Levine
- John Collum
- Larry Harris
- Rex Downing
- Robert Winckler
The Short[]
Plot: One Friday, there's a new kid in the neighborhood named Butch accompanied by a sidekick called The Woim. He's taking over the neighborhood and instead of beating everyone up, to save time he'll take on the toughest kid on the street. Spanky names their champion as Alfalfa, much to Alfalfa's great surprise. Convinced his buddy will win confidence by fighting Butch, Spanky uses a book, How To Be A Fighter - 10 Easy Lessons to train Alfalfa for the fight, getting him in shape with roadwork, rub-downs and shadow-boxing. Unfortunately, Alfalfa loses to the shadow (actually Porky taking a swing from behind a curtain), and then is knocked out by Buckwheat with one punch in a sparring session in the Ajax Athaletic Club. On Saturday, the day of the big fight, Alfalfa the Oklahoma Wild-Cat (or The Thin Man as referred to by Butch) is set to battle the neighborhood bully. Butch is ready to lay out Alfalfa until the little kids Buckwheat and Porky come to the rescue by knocking Butch out cold from behind the ring, leaving a very stunned and surprised Alfalfa to take credit for winning the day.
Quotes: None
Notes/Trivia:
- This short is a loose reworking of The Champeen! and Boxing Gloves.
- This is Tommy Bond's return to the series after a two-year absence.
- Behind the scenes, George McFarland, Carl Switzer and Tommy Bond were actually close friends, nothing like the roles they played on screen.
Sequence[]
- Previous Short: Reunion In Rhythm
- Next Short: Hearts Are Thumps