Clown Princes

film no. 179

availability:

The Best Of Alfalfa (VHS) from MGM/UA Home Video

Released July 27, 1994. Also included as part of The Best Of Alfalfa 3 Pack (3 VHS set) released 2002. This is a complete original print with excellent picture quality. This version has also appeared in bootleg form.

The Original Our Gang Comedies Featuring "Don't Lie" (VHS/BETA) from MGM/UA Home Video

Released Aug. 1992. This is a complete original print with excellent picture quality.

Our Gang Comedies (3 LD set) from MGM/UA Home Video

Released 1994.

Laurel And Hardy Collection (2 DVD set) from Warner Home Video

Released Apr. 18, 2006. Includes a documentary entitled "Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story. This documentary contains four clips from this film. The first lasts 0:04, and shows the opening title. The next two are back-to-back. The first of these lasts 0:26, and shows Alfalfa singing, while the other lasts 0:19, and shows the disastrous ending. The final clip lasts 0:02, and shows Alfalfa bowing.

other releases

This film also appeared on at least one bootleg release.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Jack Chertok for M-G-M

The film credit reads: Produced by Loew's Incorporated.

Directed by George Sidney

This credit appears in the film.

Photographed by Jackson Rose, A. S. C.

This credit appears in the film.

Film Editor: Roy Brickner

This credit appears in the film.

Screen Play by Hal Law and Robert A. McGowan

This credit appears in the film, but without McGowan's middle initial.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated in the opening title card.

Western Electric Sound System

As indicated in the film.

Approved by the Production Code Adminstration of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

Teacher: Fern Carter

the kids:

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as "Alfalfa"

Featured role. Also known as "Daredevil Alfalfa," the Man on the Flying Trapeeze. He sells lemonade, introduces the acrobats, and sings the big finale.

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He introduces the sideshow acts and does an acrobat act with Leonard.

Darla Hood as "Darla Hood"

Supporting role. Or more specifically, "Mademoiselle Darla," the Greatest Rattlesnake-Charmer in the World. Her animal act is introduced as Miss Darla Hood and her Wild Lions.

Eugene "Porky" Lee as "Porky"

Supporting role. His mother can't make the rent, so the kids put on a circus. He appears in the sideshow as "The Head Without a Body."

Leonard Landy as "Leonard"

Supporting role. He does the acrobat act with Spanky.

Shirley Coates as "Muggsy"

Supporting role. She takes over the lemonade stand from Alfalfa.

Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas

Supporting role. He appears in the sideshow as "Oogie-Boogie," the Wild Man from Borneo.

Malcolm and George Crosby as "The Famous Sime and Neez Twins"

Small parts. Their grass skirt gets eaten by the goat. Malcolm is the older boy and George is his younger brother.

Gary "Slapsie" Jasgur

Small part. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Gary Jasgar. He appears in the sideshow as the world's smallest man, and then appears again as a clown.

Joe "Corky" Geil

Small part. He appears in the sideshow as the world's tallest man, and is later in the audience to the far left.

boy 131

Small part. He has some dialogue during the sideshow sequence, and is seen in the audience later.

boy 171c

Small part. He has a bit of dialogue as well, but is merely part of the crowd during the circus sequence.

Larry Harris

Small part. He plays the snare drum in the orchestra.

boy 179

Bit part. He instructs Buckwheat and Porky to 'take it up.'

girl 162

Extra. She's best seen standing between boy 171c and boy 131 as Spanky is asking the kids for more money.

Arthur Mackey

Extra. He's at the far left in the shot of the four boys looking at the 'smallest and tallest men.'

Harold Switzer

Extra. He's in the audience, and is best seen at the end of the film as the kids run out of the barn.

James Gubitosi

Extra. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. I'm pretty sure he's the boy that sits in the second row, two seats to the right of boy 171c.

boy 161

Extra. He appears in the circus audience.

boy 174

Extra. He can be seen standing in back as Spanky asks the kids for more money.

other kids

Bit parts and extras. Maltin & Bann list Payne Johnson, Hugh Chapman and Freddie Chapman, but I haven't spotted them.
(1.) The other clown besides Gary.
(2.) Six additional musicians.
(3.) At least twenty-five more kids in the audience.

the animals:

mule 111

Small part. This mule controls the flying trapeze.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

dog 179

Small part. This is the second dog from the right in Darla's lion act.

other animals

Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) The goat named "Violet," who drinks the lemonade.
(2.) The three remaining dogs passed off as lions in Darla's act.
(3.) The dog passed off as "Flippo," the trained seal.
(4.) The black cat passed off as the "wild spotted leopard."
(5.) Porky's dog.

the adults:

Clarence Wilson as the landlord

Small part. He appears at the beginning of the film briefly, and then again later on to drink the one-cent lemonade.

other adults

Bit part. The only remaining adult is the stunt double for Clarence Wilson, who interestingly enough, has strings attached to him as he falls to the ground.

the music:

"Our Gang" by David Snell

This is played over the opening titles. This is a medley of three songs:
(1.) "London Bridge" - The earliest reference to this nursery rhyme is in a play from 1659, and it was associated with children by 1720. It may derive from a part of the "Heimskringla" by Snorri Sturluson, which was composed around 1225.
(2.) "Mulberry Bush" - Also known as "So Early In The Morning" and "This Is The Way." It was probably originally called "Here We Go Round The Bramble Tree" in the mid 18th century, with the type of tree changed by inmates of Wakefield Prison, who exercised around a mulberry bush.
(3.) "The Farmer In The Dell" - This nursery rhyme is of uncertain origins.

"Hey, Babe, Hey" by Cole Porter

Published in 1936. From the MGM musical "Born To Dance." This is the tune being played as the truck advertising the circus drives down the street.

"The Man On The Flying Trapeze" by George Leybourne, Gaston Lyle, Alfred Lee and Walter O'Keefe

Lyrics written by Leybourne in 1867 with music by Lee and Lyle. Later re-written by O'Keefe and copyrighted in 1933. Performed by Rudy Vallee in "George White's Scandals," it was also a number six hit for O'Keefe in early 1934. In this film it's initially heard in an instrumental version as we first see the gang's circus. Later, it's sung by Alfalfa.

"Oriental Ballyhoo"

This is the title listed in the cutting continuity, which states that the composer is unknown. This melody has been around for centuries, and is better known as "Hootchy-Cootchy Polka." In this film, it starts as a drum beat to accompany Buckwheat's wild man act, and then the melody is added during Darla's snake-charming act.

"The Eddy" by David Snell

This is played during the remainder of the sideshows. It's played again as the goat drinks the lemonade.

"Fanfare"

This is the fanfare introducing Spanky and Leonard.

"Over The Waves" by Juventino Rosas

Published in 1888. Originally titled "Sobre los olas." Lyrics were added by an unknown person in the early 1890s. In this film, an instrumental version is played during Spanky and Leonard's acrobat act. The song was later rewritten as "The Loveliest Night Of The Year," becoming a hit for Mario Lanza.

"Fanfare"

This is the fanfare introducing Darla's lion act.

"The Hop Off" by Frey

Listed in the cutting continuity with only the last name of the composer, who was probably Hugo Frey. This is played during Darla's act.

"Fanfare And Drum Roll"

This is the fanfare with drum roll introducing Alfalfa.

"The Gang Goes Home" by David Snell

This is a shorter version of "Our Gang," including only "London Bridge."

miscellaneous:

©Nov. 1, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2006 updates: 1/7, 1/15, 2/20, 4/3, 10/25.
2008 updates: 4/25, 7/6, 8/3.

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