A Lad An' A Lamp

film no. 119

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 21 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume Four (3 LD set) from Cabin Fever: Released 1995. This is an original print, but is missing the MGM lion. The picture quality is excellent. The total footage lasts 16:51. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs. There's also a clip lasting 0:01 included in the opening montage of all the Cabin Fever releases, which shows Spanky and Cotton bumping bellies.
The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products: Released late Oct. 2008. This is identical to the Cabin Fever version.
The Little Rascals Comedy Classics Vol. 1 (VHS) from NTA Home Entertainment: Released Apr. 1991. This is a home movie print from Blackhawk. The opening title is remade, but the crew credits and end title are original. The picture quality is very good. The original footage totals 16:33, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:19.
The Little Rascals Book I (VHS) from Blackhawk Video: This is the Blackhawk print.
The Best Of Our Gang (DVD) from Genius Entertainment: Released Mar. 27, 2007. Also included as part of The Little Rascals In Color! (3 DVD set). This is a Kids And Pets print from Erko Inc. of Hollywood, included both as a colorized print, and in the original black-and-white. The title is given as "A Lad And A Lamp." The original footage totals 16:21, but the original soundtrack lasts 16:53.

technical details:

Production G-12.

Filmed September 3 to 10, 1932. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted December 12, 1932, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3471. Renewed February 17, 1960, with registration no. R252335. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2027.

Released December 17, 1932. It was the 119th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "A Lad An' A Lamp".'

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.
Recording Engineer: James Greene: Not listed by Maltin & Bann. This credit appears in the film.
Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro: He trained the current Pete.
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: Indicated in the opening title card.
Passed by the National Board of Review: As indicated in the film.
Western Electric System: As indicated in the film.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie": Featured role. He spends most of the film leading the gang on a search for his brother Cotton, who seemingly has changed into a chimp.
George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky": Featured role. He's the one who seemingly changes Cotton into a chimp, and later has an extended sequence with the chimp at a lunch counter.
Dickie Moore as "Dick": Supporting role. He's basically the leader of the gang and has plenty of dialogue.
Bobbie "Cotton" Beard as "Cotton": Supporting role. He appears mostly in the early part of the film and at the end.
Donald Haines as "Toughie": Supporting role. He's the bully that steals the gang's watermelon, only to be scared off by the genie.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer": Supporting role. He breaks a lamp early in the film, but otherwise does mostly ensemble acting. He returned to the series after an absence of six months. According to an undated press item, "Wheezer is used from picture to picture now as he is really a bit too large for the Gang."
Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba: Supporting role. She does very little of anything specific, but is present during most of the group scenes.
Dickie Jackson: Supporting role. He's present during the group scenes, but only has one line of dialogue.
Georgie Billings: Supporting role. He's the one that brings the apparently potent lamp to Dickie, but otherwise is just part of the group.
Johnny Collum: Small part. He says 'mm-hmm' in the opening scene, which is a step towards his character in the next film. He doesn't appear after the opening sequence, but publicity photos reveal that he was present during the Toughie scene.
Bobby De War: Small part. He's only shown in the opening scene, wearing a sailor hat. He also appears in publicity photos from the Toughie scene, but isn't in that part of the film.
other kids: Small parts. Two additional boys are present in the opening sequence, but not during the rest of the film. One of them appears in publicity photos from the Toughie scene, however. Maltin & Bann list Henry Hanna, but I can't tell which kid he is.

the animals:

Jiggs the Chimpanzee: Featured role. He serves food to Spanky at a lunch counter and then goes on a drunken rampage.
Pete the Pup IV: Small part. He's seen early in the film, but isn't given much to do.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film (but was cut from the Cabin Fever print).

the adults:

Philip Sleeman as the magician: Small part. He pretends to be a genie and scares Donald away.
man 034 as the cook: Small part. This is the black man that gets spooked by the chimp.
Florence Hoskins as the cook's girlfriend: Small part. She flirts with the cook until the chimp scares her off. I'm not positive that this is Farina's mother, but she looks like her.
James C. Morton as a cop: Small part. He's the cop that's lost his gun. The chimp drops a glass lamp on his head.
Charley Young as the fruit vendor: Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. I'm guessing that he plays this part. He rolls the watermelon over to the gang.
Lillian Rich as the off-screen narrator: Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann. I agree that this sounds like her. Her voice is heard at the beginning of the episode.
Dick Gilbert as "Dick," the construction worker, and as a cop: Small part. He sets off the dynamite. Maltin & Bann list him as one of the cops as well, but I can't tell.
Harry Bernard as a cop: Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann, who also state that he played a store proprietor in a scene cut from the final print.
other adults: Small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) The strong man in the vaudeville act.
(2.) The magician's assistant.
(3.) The other construction worker.
(4.) The proprietor whose window is broken.
(5.) The remaining cops, numbering three. Maltin & Bann indicate that Jack Hill is one of them, but I can't tell.
(6.) About ten pedestrians, at least three of whom are women. Maltin & Bann list Efe Jackson among them, but I'm not familiar with this name.
(7.) About seventy audience members at the vaudeville theater, three of whom are listed by Maltin & Bann as Harry Bowen, James Mason and Jack Hill, but unless they're clearly seen in a publicity photo, then I don't see how they could ever be identified.
(8.) A person in a yard shown in the background during the genie scene.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A1.) This is played over the opening titles and as we're first introduced to the kids. The second verse is repeated as Spanky and Cotton emerge with swollen bellies and the end title appears.
"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as Spanky wishes for Cotton to become a monkey and continues until Wheezer arrives. It's played again as the chimp brings pie to Spanky.
"In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as the construction workers blow off the dynamite. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.
"Riding Along" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The fast version of this piece is partially played as Stymie wishes for a watermelon and gets it.
"Yasmini" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. About half of this piece is played during the magician's act. This version differs from the version reproduced by the Beau Hunks. Another version is partially played as the magician pretends to be a genie.
"Dash And Dot" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted 1930. This is played and partially repeated as Toughey steals the kids' watermelon. The beginning is repeated as the chimp drinks from the bottle and throws it through a window.
"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." This is played as the chimp takes Cotton's place. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.
"Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted 1931. Most of this piece is played as Stymie shows the chimp to the gang, and as the chimp runs off.
"Blue Blue" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the black couple are visited by the chimp.
"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield: This is played as Spanky arrives at the lunch counter where the chimp works. It's played again, without the introduction, as the chimp throws the hamburger on the grill and then the popcorn.
"Bells" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played during the popcorn scene.
"Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. Part of this piece is played as the chimp first goes on his rampage.
"Dog Song" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. A fast version of this piece is partially played as Stymie asks the cop about Cotton. Another short bit of this version is played as Stymie pleads for Cotton's life.
"Sliding" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Also known as "Swells." Most of this piece is played as the cops try to shoot the chimp.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios: Interior shots were filmed on Sep. 3rd for footage set at the 'Dick Moor house.' The New York street set was used from the 8th through the 10th, and the film shows the brownstone building also seen in Laurel & Hardy's "Pack Up Your Troubles." The streetlamp that the chimp climbs onto is right in front of this building.
Arnaz Ranch: Footage was shot here on Sep. 4th. This was presumably where the opening sequence was filmed.
Culver City Theater: Footage was shot here on Sep. 6th and 7th, presumably for the vaudeville scene.

miscellaneous:

7 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Four weeks had passed since shooting finished for "Birthday Blues" (no. 118). The studio was closed during three of those weeks. The 'start' date for "A Lad An' A Lamp" arrived on Sep. 3rd, with activity divided between that film and retakes for "Free Wheeling" (no. 117). Shooting for "A Lad An' A Lamp" continued until Sep. 10th. No shooting took place on Sep. 5th, which was Labor Day, but shooting did take place on Sep. 4th, which was a rare working Sunday. After this, five weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began shooting "Fish Hooky" (no. 120). The studio was closed during two of those weeks.

This film was removed from King World's TV package in the early 70s.

The beginning of the film shows a copy of Alladin Or The Wonderful Lamp.

A story version of this film, entitled "A Lad And A Lamp," appeared in the book Our Gang Annual in 1933.

©May 29, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 5/31, 6/17, 7/9, 8/30, 12/19.
2006 updates: 1/8, 1/9, 2/11, 5/16, 6/11, 10/25, 11/2.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22, 11/25.
2008 updates: 3/26, 4/25, 7/6, 7/12, 7/24, 11/6.
2009 updates: 5/9, 7/23.

Thanks to Rob Stone, Joe Moore and Paul Mular for assistance on this page.