Unexpected Riches

film no. 211

availability:

The Best Of Spanky (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.
Our Gang Comedies (3 LD set) from MGM/UA Home Video: Released 1994.

technical details:

Production 2794. The script is numbered 4906.

Release no. C-491.

Script approved November 6, 1941.

Filmed July 26 to 29, 1942, over four days of shooting.

Released November 28, 1942. It was the 211th film in the series to be released, and the first of the 1942/43 season.

All-talking one-reeler, lasting 10 minutes and 51 seconds.

Opening title: 'Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer presents Our Gang in "Unexpected Riches".' With this film, the end title design is similar to the opening title, in which a freeze-frame from the film is shown.

the crew:

Produced by M-G-M: The film credit reads: Produced by Loew's Incorporated.
Directed by Herbert Glazer: This credit appears in the film.
Director of Photography: Charles Schoenbaum, A. S. C.: This credit appears in the film.
Film Editor: Leon Bourgeau: 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.
Art Director: Richard Duce: Not listed by Maltin & Bann. 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 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:

Billy "Froggy" Laughlin as "Froggy": Featured role. He plans to buy Uncle Sam a battleship.
Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat" aka "Mr. Buckwheat" aka "Bucky": Featured role. He plans to treat the neighborhood kids with fried chicken and watermelon, and step out with his lady.
Bobby Blake as "Mickey": Featured role. He plans to buy a mansion for his parents.
George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky": Featured role. He doesn't have a dream sequence, but is the leader of the gang and has plenty of dialogue. This was his final appearance in the series.
Barry Downing as "Ken" aka "Kenneth": Supporting role. The gardener addresses him as "Master Kenneth." He fools the gang into digging a hole for him.
boy 200a as "Big Shot": Bit part. Buckwheat gives him a coin.
other kids: Bit parts and extras. The remaining kids are all black children in Buckwheat's dream sequence, most notably "Miss Lulu," his girlfriend. He also kisses a baby, whose name is "Franklin Jones." There appear to be eighteen more kids in this scene.

the animals:

Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
other animals: The only remaining animals in this film are a couple of moths that fly by in Ken's yard.

the adults:

Emmett Vogan as "Mr. Reed," Ken's dad: Small part. He makes Ken give back the gang's money.
Margaret Bert as Mickey's mom: Small part. Mickey buys her a washing machine.
Ernie Alexander as Mickey's dad: Small part. Mickey gives him a closet full of new clothes.
Willa Pearl Curtis as Big Shot's mom: Bit part. She's with Big Shot in Buckwheat's dream sequence.
Symona Boniface: Extra. She's a crowd extra in Froggy's dream sequence, and stands in the center.
other adults: Bit parts and extras.
(1.) "John," the gardener.
(2.) Buckwheat's servants, most notably the cook, "Livermore," who one of the kids addresses as "General." There's also three chauffeurs, a doorman, and five members of "Mr. Buckwheat's Dixie Tooters."
(3.) A handful of additional adults in Buckwheat's dream sequence, most notably Lulu's mother. One of these is Ernestine Wade, but I still need to familiarize myself with her.
(4.) Twelve adults in the close shots of Froggy's dream sequence, one of whom is Stanley Logan, but I still need to familiarize myself with him. In the long shots, taken from stock footage, there are perhaps two hundred adults.

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.
"Runnin' Wild" by A. Harrington Gibbs: Published in 1922 with lyrics by Joe Grey and Leo Woods. Ted Lewis and His Band had a number 9 hit with an instrumental version in 1923. An instrumental version is played during Buckwheat's dream sequence.
piece 211: This is played during Mickey's dream sequence.
"Anchors Aweigh" by Lieut. Charles A. Zimmerman: The theme song of the U. S. Navy, it was written for the Army-Navy football game of November 1906. The first two stanzas of lyrics were written by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles, with the final stanza being added about twenty years later by Midshipman Royal Lovell. This was a number thirteen hit for the U. S. Naval Academy Band in 1921, and a number eighteen hit for Paul Tremaine & His Orchestra in 1930. In this film, an instrumental version accompanies Froggy's dream sequence.
"The Gang Goes Home" by David Snell: This is a shorter version of "Our Gang," including only "London Bridge."
other music: Dreamy effect music opens and closes each dream sequence.

miscellaneous:

The gang lives in Greenpoint in this film. The local paper is the Greenpoint Herald.

The gang go digging for 'Captain Kidds Buried Treasure.'

A publicity photo from this film reveals that 'Founder's Oak,' the starting point of the gang's treasure hunt, has a plaque attached to it which reads: 'Founder's Oak - Here on April 17, 1884, Zebediah Peters and his party met, and decided on the site for the town of Greenpoint.'

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