The Champeen!

Production Notes[]

Length: Two Reel
Producer: Hal Roach
Director: Robert F. McGowan
Photography: Len Powers
Editor:
Titles: H. M.Walker
Writer: Hal Roach
Released: January 28, 1923
Studio: Pathe Exchange

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Charles Stevenson - Police Officer
Dorothy Morrison - Farina's boxing opponent and spectator
Richard Billings - Jack's trainer
Gabriel Saienz - Komp
Wallace Howe - Smoker
Walter Wilkinson - spectator on roof

The Short[]

Plot: A police officer catches Sammy stealing apples from the market. Giving Sammy a picture of life in prison, the officer gives him a day to come up with a dollar to pay for the stolen apples or else he'll have to go to jail. He gets an idea from a fight promoter with a large wad of bills, first to stage an unsuccessful bout between Farina and Dorothy Morrison, and then to take advantage of the feud between Mickey and Jackie over Mary to stage a championship bout in Sammy's barn between the two which the neighborhood kids will pay to watch. Farina is selected to watch over everyone giving their admission. "Knock-Out Mickey, The Irish Giant" and "Terribul Jackie, The Bone Crusher" (his spelling) put up a good fight with Sammy as referee coaxing them along, promising each of them that the other will take a dive in the second round until they get wise and knock Sammy down. Meanwhile, Mary gets distracted by a well-dressed new kid who takes her for a soda. Mickey and Jackie drop their fight to go after the new kid and beat him up, but he meets up with the same police officer who arrives upon the scene and breaks up the gathering, causing Sammy and the boys to head for the hills.
Quotes:

"The joy - and terror of seven aunts, four uncles and two grandmothers." - Narration about Jackie Condon
"The Feud - It started six months ago when Mickey said 'Tuffy's' father looked like a walrus." - Narration about Mickey and Jackie Davis
"One minnit, gen'lemen - The champeens is still trainin'." - Sammy
"Nothin' doin'! This is all I got." - Jackie Davis
"Jus' wait till I getcha in the ring!" - Jackie Davis
- "Yah - I'll knock your block off!" - Mickey Daniels
"I don't think I'll fight - I ain't been feelin' any too well." - Mickey Daniels
"Ring 'at bell!" - Sammy
"WHERE YA GOIN' WITH OUR GIRL?" - Mickey and Jack Davis

Notes/Trivia:

This short was remade as Boxing Gloves and reworked as Glove Taps.
Sammy's technique of stealing apples by throwing a dart attached to a string into them would be repeated by Slicker Walburn in Good Bad Boys.
Sammy imagining his fate as a prisoner in a black and white striped prison suit hammering rocks would actually happen to Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and Porky in Roamin' Holiday.
The idea of telling each boxer that his opponent will lie down in the second round would be used later by Farina telling that to Joe Cobb and Chubby Chaney in Boxing Gloves.
Leonard Maltin called this short "one of the best silent comedies in the Our Gang series."

Sequence[]

Previous Short: The Cobbler
Next Short: Boys To Board