Waldo's Last Stand

technical details:

Production 2686.

Release no. C-292.

Filmed April 22 to 25, 1940.

Copyrighted October 2, 1940, by Loew's Incorporated. Registration no. LP10010. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.

Released October 5, 1940. It was the 193rd film in the series to be released.

All-talking one-reeler, lasting 10 minutes and 39 seconds.

Opening title: 'Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents Our Gang in "Waldo's Last Stand".'

the crew:

Produced by Jack Chertok and Richard Goldstone for M-G-M

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

Directed by Edward Cahn and Steven Granger

Only Cahn is credited in the film. The direction credit appears on its own title card, separate from the other crew credits.

Director of Photography: Jackson Rose, A. S. C.

This credit appears in the film.

Film Editor: Albert Akst

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.

Dances Staged by Steven Granger

This credit appears in the film. The dancing kids all came from the Rubens Musical Workshop, which was run by Gladys and Maurie Rubens. Granger was part of the workshop faculty.

Art Director: Richard Duce

This credit appears in the film.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated in the opening title card.

Western Electric Sound System

As indicated in the film.

Approved by the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

Teacher: Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

choreography - It seems likely that Gladys Rubens assisted Granger with the staging of the dances, since both names are credited in "Melodies Old And New" (no. 204), and both films feature kids from the Maurice Rubens dance school.

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He has the idea to do the floor show and is basically in charge, spending most of the film trying to get Froggy to buy some lemonade.

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as "Alfalfa"

Featured role. He's the bandleader and also is a featured singer in the floor show.

Billy "Froggy" Laughlin

Featured role. He repeatedly refuses the lemonade, and doesn't reveal his trick voice until the end of the film.

Darla Hood as "Darla"

Supporting role. She appears in the opening scene with the lemonade stand, and is then given a song to sing during the floor show.

Darwood Kaye as "Waldo"

Supporting role. He's not doing too well with his lemonade stand, so the gang puts on a floor show to promote it. This was his final appearance in the series.

Mickey Gubitosi as "Mickey"

Supporting role. He's given a fair amount of the dialogue and also takes part in the Singing Waiters act.

Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat"

Supporting role. He does mostly ensemble work, but is also one of the Singing Waiters.

Leonard Landy as "Leonard"

Supporting role. He's missing from the opening scene, but is one of the waiters during the floor show.

Marilyn Kay

Small part. She's replaces Darla on stage to do a tapdancing routine. Her real name was Kay Tapscott, which is how some sources list her.

Janet Burston as "Jeanette"

Small part. She and Clyde Willson linger on the stage for too long at the end of the big finale. Mickey calls her "Jeanette."

Clyde Willson as "Clyde"

Small part. He's arm-in-arm with Janet. Maltin & Bann list him as Clyde Wilson.

The Rubenettes

Small parts. At least two casting directories credit this troupe of tapdancing girls (from the Rubens school) with appearing in this film (they're featured during Darla's number). One of the directories lists seven girls, which are the same seven listed in Maltin & Bann's book, while the other directory lists ten. In the film itself, there are nine of them, so both directories are simply crediting the troupe with appearing in the film, and it shouldn't be assumed that each girl listed was part of the group in the film. However, most of them were. There's also an Apr. 27, 1940, newspaper article at IMDb that lists exactly nine girls, which makes me think this is likely to be the best source for the individual names. One of these is Marilyn Kay, who's given her own listing above. Here's the others (two of whom also performed in the Florodora finale):

Shirley Jean Doble - listed in both directories. She's third from the right, and is also second from the left among the Florodora girls.

Jackie Krenk - listed in both directories. She's to the far right, and is also third from the right among the Florodora girls.

Patsy Irish Hockensmith - listed in both directories simply as Patsy Irish. My best guess is that she's to the far left.

Lavonne Battle - listed in both directories. She's fourth from the left.

Midgie Kendig - listed only in the article. I have no photos of her, but by process of elimination, she should be second from the right.

Rae-Nell Laskey - listed only in the directory with the list of ten names. She's third from the left

Loree Lee Foxx - listed only in the directory with the list of ten names. She's fourth from the right.

Patricia Wheeler - listed in both directories. She's second from the left.

Both directories also list Helen Guthrie and Donna Jean Edmonsond, and these two are also on Maltin & Bann's list. The directory with the longer list also adds Maretta Light, but the article groups her with the Florodora dancers, which are listed as follows.

The Florodora Dancers

Small parts. The same Apr. 27th newspaper article lists all 24 of the Rubens kids that take part in the big finale of this film (with one minor exception), while a June 1st article from Hollywood Citizen-News lists almost all of the same kids for a live performance that had taken place on May 26th, that seems to have included versions of both of the Rubens performances from this film. This latter article divides the kids into two groups, one older and one younger, and each consisting of 6 boys and 6 girls. The first group is shown during the first half of the number, and includes Shirley Jean Doble and Jackie Krenk, listed above, as well as the following:

Betty Jean Streigler - She's to the far left among the girls.

Ernest "Stinky" Weckbaugh - He's the second boy from the left, though he's best seen as they make the arc towards the right side of the stage, at which point he's the second from the right.

Maretta Light - She's third from the left among the girls.

Douglas Madore - He's third from the right among the boys.

Patsy Anne Thompson - She's second from the right among the girls.

Jean Hunt - She's to the far right among the girls

Bobby Dillon - He's to the far right among the boys

John Kelly, David Kelly and Wayne Hardesty - These are the remaining boys in the first group of 12 kids. I don't yet know which is which.

Halfway through the number, a group of smaller kids, also numbering 6 boys and 6 girls, joins the first group. Among these are the aforementioned Janet Burston and Clyde Willson. The others are Arletta Ramey, Dickie Dillon, Baby Patsy May, Jerry Kettering, Lois Kennison, Jerry Baker (the blonde boy who is the third to emerge onto the stage among this second group), Hope Hutchinson, Bobby Sommers, Elena Savonarola (professional name: Elena Savona) and Lewellyn Kennison. The Apr. 27th article actually lists Lois Kennison twice, but the June 1st article includes Lewellyn among the names, and he's credited with this film in a July 2nd Hollywood Citizen-News article. I should also note that the little blonde girl who gets the closeup while singing looks an awful lot like Mary Ann Such, but her name doesn't appear in either article.

Ned Norman

Small part. It appears that he's the piano player in this short. Within months, he would be known as Norman Willner.

boy 184

Small part. He's the drummer in the band.

other kids

Small parts.

(1.) The boy operating the record player.

(2.) Five additional musicians in the band.

the animals:

mule 170

Small part. This mule drinks the lemonade and provides the final gag. This may be the same mule from "The Little Ranger" (no. 170).

Leo

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

the adults:

There are no adults in this film.

the music:

"Our Gang" by David Snell

This is played over the opening titles. This is the earlier recording, used prior to "The Big Premiere" (no. 189). 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.

"All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" by Bronislaw Kaper and Walter Jurmann

Published in 1937 with lyrics by Gus Kahn, and introduced in the film "A Day At The Races." In "Waldo's Last Stand," an instrumental version serves as the first piece of music played during the floor show. Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra had a number 14 hit with this song in 1937.

"My Wonderful One, Let's Dance" by Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed and Roger Edens

Published in 1940. Featured in the MGM feature "Two Girls On Broadway." In this Our Gang short, it's Darla's featured song.

"Linger Awhile" by Vincent Rose

Published in 1923 with lyrics by Harry Owens. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra had a number one hit with this song in 1924. In this film, an instrumental version is played during the tapdancing routine in a medley with the previous song.

"Chords"

This uncopyrighted piece is listed in the cutting continuity and comprises the three chords played just prior to Alfalfa's first number.

"How Dry I Am"

This is the first song sung by Alfalfa and the other boys.

"Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes" by Ben Johnson

Originally published in 1616 as part of Johnson's poem "To Celia." The melody was added no earlier than the late 18th century, but the composer is unknown. Emilio DeGogorza had a number six hit with this song in 1907, and John McCormack repeated this feat in 1911. In this film, Alfalfa sings it with help from the other boys.

"I've Been A Long Time Looking For A Girl Like You" by Albert Von Tilzer and Harry Porter

Published in 1911. This begins the finale of the floor show, and is sung by several boys and girls.

"On A Sunday Afternoon" by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed

Published in 1935, with music by Brown and lyrics by Freed. Introduced in the film "Broadway Melody Of 1936." In "Waldo's Last Stand," it's the second part of the finale and played in a medley with the previous song.

"The Gang Goes Home" by David Snell

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

miscellaneous:

Four shooting dates went into the making of this film, from April 22 to 25, 1940.

The singing and dancing children were provided by Professional Children's School. In the film, it's called Mlle. Murphy's Dancing School.

The Enid Morning News (OK) of July 28th reported the following: "Visiting the set of her latest film recently, I found her (Darla) queening it over the gang, as usual. While the grips adjusted lights for the next shot, the beautiful little brunette and her pals were holding an impromptu art exhibit with some of their own drawings. Which to me could easily have passed for the map of Europe or the latest in surrealism. The set was a barn converted into a night club by the gang for their comedy, "Waldo's Last Stand." Mrs. Hood explained that the gang was having a floor show to sell lemonade and that they were having trouble with their one customer, Alfalfa, who had neither money nor the inclination for the drink. In this film, Darla makes good use of her childish blues voice, doing the "Let's Dance" number from "Two Girls on Broadway." Off set, at this particular moment, Darla was finding it very hard to choose between the masterpieces of art confronting her. A beautiful paper badge was the prize and every gang member coveted it. To my own amazement, it went to me for a page of what looked like a drawing to her, but was actually a jittery bunch of old notes."

The original poster, which the gang writes over with their own names, promoted a floor show at Hamilton Gardens featuring Terry Downs & His Famous Band, and The Singing Waiters. The gang's venue is Waldo's Lemon Gardens.

See page 236 of Maltin & Bann's book for this film's expenses and profits.

© Robert Demoss.