Little Mother

film no. 86

availability:

Our Gang Volume #14 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This copy is a home movie print from Blackhawk, but with the company name blacked out. There is a textual introduction. The inter-titles are remade, but appear to retain the original wording. It appears that there may be a few missing. The picture quality is fairly good. The print totals 19:13, with about 16:30 of it original footage. It appears that almost all of the original footage is included. This version has appeared numerous on bootlegs.

special note

There's a European video release of this film lasting 19:45. The titles are all remade, with the object of making them appear original. However, the font is not quite the same as on the original prints, and there are one or two mistakes. Music is provided by the Beau Hunks with sound effects.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach

This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film.

Edited by Richard Currier

This credit appears in the film.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit appears in the film.

Story by Robert F. McGowan

This credit doesn't appear in the film.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

As indicated in the opening title card.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

studio personnel

• general manager - Warren Doane
• assistant general manager - L. A. French
• secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
• assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien
• construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen
• laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
• optical effects supervisor - Roy Seawright
• still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves
• transportation director - Bob Davis
• school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

• assistant direction - Possibly Charles Oelze.
• editing - Bert Jordan and William Terhune were among the cutters during this period.
• writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough and Charlie Hall may have been among the gag writers.
• property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom and Thomas Benton Roberts were probably involved in this capacity.
• animal training - Harry Lucenay and Tony Campanaro were probably among the animal trainers.
• animation - Probably the work of Roy Seawright.

the kids:

Mary Ann Jackson

Lead role. Introduced in the titles as "Little Mother." She takes care of her little brothers while their father works at night.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"

Featured role. He's paired up with a twin in this film, and the two of them have some trouble with swelled bellies and open fire hydrants.

Donnie Smith as "Beezer"

Featured role. He's alongside Wheezer in every scene, and often follows his dialogue with "me too."

Joe Cobb as "Joe"

Supporting role. He lives next door and advises Mary on how to remedy the twins' swollen bellies.

Harry Spear

Small part. He misleads the twins into thinking a black woman is their mother.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins

Small part. He's seen briefly at the end of the film.

Jean Darling

Small part. She's seen briefly at the end of the film.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1)

Supporting role. He lives in the house with Mary Ann and the twins, and figures into a lot of the gag material.

cat 080

Small part. This is the tabby that lives in the house.

Leo

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

other animals

Bit part. There is also a mouse that Pete chases into a vase.

the adults:

Warner Richmond as the kids' dad

Supporting role. He appears in the early part of the film and returns towards the end.

Lyle Tayo as the kids' aunt, and as the kids' mom in the painting

Small part. She's shown as the mother in the painting, and then appears at the end of the film as the mother's twin sister.

Gene Stone as one of the pedestrians

Bit part. He's the man in glasses who gets showered.

Charles Millsfield

Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's the bearded man who gets showered.

Charlie Hall as the cab driver

Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann. It's too difficult to tell with this print.

other adults

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The black woman that the twins think is their mother.
(2.) Joe's mom.
(3.) The dowager that gets sprayed, which might be Lillianne Leighton.
(4.) The cop that chases the kids away from the hydrant.
(5.) Several pedestrians getting showered. According to Maltin & Bann, one of these is Ed Brandenberg, but I can't tell which one.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios

The New York street set was used for the fire hydrant scene.

insurance company

The black woman is standing next to this.

back porch

This might be the same one seen in earlier films like "Ask Grandma" (no. 38).

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