Prop-Man, Mary Ann, Chubby, Farina and Jackie
Production Notes[]
Length: Two Reel
Producer: Robert F. McGowan
Director: Anthony Mack
Photography: Art Lloyd
Editor: Richard Currier
Titles: None
Writer: H. M. Walker (dialogue) and Robert F. McGowan
Released: January 25, 1930
Studio: M-G-M
Main Cast[]
- Allen Hoskins as Farina Hoskins
- Jackie Cooper as Jackie Cooper
- Mary Ann Jackson as Mary Ann
- Norman Chaney as Chubby Chaney
- Robert Hutchins as Wheezer Hutchins
Supporting Cast[]
- Allen Cavan as Audience Member
- Art Stephenson as Musician
- Buddy Moore
- Buster Slaven
- Carlton Griffin
- Charles Lloyd as Audience Member
- Charles McAvoy as Audience Member
- Clara Guiol as Pie seller
- Donald Haines
- Dorothy Coburn as Pie seller
- Douglas Greer
- Edgar Kennedy as Officer Kennedy
- Edith Fellows
- Fletcher Tolbert
- Georgie Billings
- Gertrude Sutton as Funston Evergreen Kennedy
- Gordon Thorpe
- Ham Kinsey as Audience Member
- Harry Keaton as Audience Member
- Helen Gilmore as Audience Member
- Jack McHugh
- Jerry McGowan
- Johnny Aber
- Lyle Tayo as Chubby's Mother
- Malcolm W. Sabiston
- Marvin Hatley as Musician
- Retta Palmer as Audience Member
- Robert Mallon
- Vern Trimble as Musician
The Short[]
Plot: Officer Kennedy's wife, Mrs. Funston Evergreen Kennedy, wants to bring culture to the community by forming the Golden Age Dramatic League out of the neighborhood kids and performing "Quo Vadis," or "The Gladiator's Dilemma." Kennedy takes care of the special effects and has several adult parts in the production. Mrs. Kennedy has to constantly coach the kids with their lines, the young actors warping them or completely improvising along the way. Playing Nero, Chubby has to lift his costume to read his lines from the inside of his costume, referring to the others as "Mary Annicus" and "Farinacus." The parents are enjoying the play with their kids involved, but some rowdy kids kicked out of the show take their revenge by hurling eggs at the kids on stage. This turns into a war of hurling pies between the kids on stage and the audience. As Mrs. Kennedy tries to end the whole debacle, she herself becomes the target for a nearly endless shower of pies.
Quotes:
- "If you chaps take that attitude toward the drama, you'll all grow up to be rowdies!" - Gordon Thorpe
- "Doggone, someone's always messin' me up!" - Farina
- "Norman, if that big boy struck you, you hit him! - Chubby's Mother
- "Boy, look at that man's face." - Farina
Notes/Trivia:
- This short is a remake of Stage Fright.
- Contrary to popular belief, the actor playing "Ursus" in the play, who also appears in the lion costume, is actually not former Rascal Mickey Daniels. The actor is actually Fletcher Tolbert.
- Jerry McGowan in the cast is the daughter of Robert F. McGowan.
- Harry Keaton in the cast is the brother of comic legend Buster Keaton.
- In the play, Chubby plays the role of "Nero," as well as the old man among the shepherds. Farina plays "Farinacus," Mary Ann plays "Mary Annicus," Wheezer plays Mary Annicus' youthful brother, and Jackie plays a Christian.
Sequence[]
- Previous Short: Moan & Groan, Inc.
- Next Short: The First Seven Years