Pay As You Exit

film no. 148

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 4 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume One (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever: Released July 6, 1994. Also released as part of 12 VHS boxed set. This is a complete original print with very good picture quality. The total footage lasts 10:27. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs. There are also two clips included in the opening advertisement of all the Cabin Fever VHS releases. The 1st lasts 0:04, and shows Spanky talking to the kids outside. The 2nd lasts 0:05, and shows Alfalfa and Buckwheat in their balcony scene.
The Little Rascals Volume 4: Collector's Edition (VHS) from Hallmark Home Entertainment: Released Aug. 15, 2000. Also included as part of The Little Rascals Volumes 1-5: Collector's Edition (5 VHS set) and The Little Rascals Volumes 1-10: Collector's Edition (10 VHS set), both released Aug. 15, 2000.
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 3 & Vol. 4 (DVD) from Cabin Fever: Same contents as the Cabin Fever VHS releases. Also released as part of The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited (6 DVD set).
The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products: Released late Oct. 2008. This is identical to the Cabin Fever version.
Little Rascals: Choo-Choo! & Pay As You Exit from Cabin Fever: Canadian release.
The Little Rascals Colorized Collection (VHS) from Hallmark Home Entertainment: Released Apr. 19, 1999. One of six same-named VHS releases, each with three colorized films, deriving from the Cabin Fever versions.
The Little Rascals Comedy Classics Vol. 2 (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video: Released Apr. 1991. This is a home movie print from Blackhawk. The opening title and crew credits are remade, but the end title is original. The picture quality is very good. The original footage totals 10:01, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:21.
The Little Rascals Book XI (VHS) from Blackhawk Video: This is the Blackhawk print.
The Little Rascals: Pay As You Exit/Kid From Borneo (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video: Released May 23, 1991. This is the Blackhawk print.
Rascal Dazzle (VHS/LD) from Embassy Home Entertainment: Original film released 1981. Video released 1984. A clip lasting 0:13 is included at the beginning of this documentary, showing Spanky talking to the kids outside before the show.
Laugh? I Thought I'd Die! (VHS) from Reader's Digest Video: A clip lasting 0:03 is included, showing Spanky bowing. Another clip lasting 1:14 is included, showing Spanky's weightlifting routine.

technical details:

Production K-3.

Released October 24, 1936, making it the 148th film in the series to be released.

Copyrighted November 17, 1936, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP6761. Renewed July 27, 1964, with registration no. R341917. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2031.

All-talking one-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Pay As You Exit".'

King World Productions episode no. 53a, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach: Credited in the film as a presenter.
Directed by Gordon Douglas: This credit appears in the film.
Photography: Walter Lundin, A. S. C.: This credit appears in the film.
Film Editor: William Ziegler: This credit appears in the film.
Sound: Earl Sitar: Not listed by Maltin & Bann. This credit appears in the film.
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.
Approved by the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America: Certificate no. 2790.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as "Alfalfa": Featured role. He plays Romeo in the play and lets the kids pay as they exit.
George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky": Featured role. He organizes the play and plays Juliet's father, in addition to doing his old act.
Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat" aka "Professor": Supporting role. He replaces Darla as Juliet.
Darla Hood as "Darla": Supporting role. She plays Juliet, but walks out because of Alfalfa's onion breath.
Eugene "Porky" Lee as "Porky": Supporting role. He's the less-than-perfect stage hand.
Joe Cobb: Small part. He's the leader among the kids in the audience, and the only one with his own dialogue.
Harold Switzer: Extra. He's next to Joe throughout the film.
Rex Downing: Extra. He's next to Joe throughout the film.
Paul Hilton: Extra. He sits at the left end of the front bench. Maltin & Bann list Bobs Watson, and I think they probably mean this kid.
boy 148: Extra. He sits at the right end of the front bench.
Sidney Kibrick: Extra. He sits towards the left in the audience.
Marvin Trin: Extra. According to Maltin & Bann. He's the other fat boy besides Joe. I'm not absolutely sure that it's Trin, but it's the same boy from "Our Gang Follies Of 1936" (no. 141).
girl 133: Extra. She sits behind Rex.
girl 147: Extra. She sits at the far right in the second row.
girl 146: Extra. She's on the right side behind girl 133.
Robert Winckler: Extra. Maltin & Bann list him as Robert Winkler. He's in the back part of the audience.
girl 148: Extra. She's one of the blonde girls in the audience.
John Collum: Extra. He's in back on the right side.
Baby Patsy May: She doesn't appear in the film, but her photograph is included in the opening titles.
other kids: Extras. It appears there are six more kids in the audience, which would mean that the production sheets listing 19 extras were correct and not the ones listing 18. The little blonde girl looks like she might be Joan Gray.

the animals:

Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
Pete the Pup IV: He's not actually in the film, but his photo is shown during the opening titles.
other animals: Bit part. The only other animal in this film is the chicken that Alfalfa has to remove from the stage.

the adults:

There are no adults in this film, but a man's voice can be heard after Spanky is stabbed. Perhaps it's Gordon Douglas.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A15.) Most of this piece is played over the opening titles.
"Yankee Doodle": This derives from a 15th century Dutch harvesting song. Richard Schuckburgh wrote the words as we know them today during the French and Indian War to ridicule the colonists. During the Revolutionary War, colonists used it as a rallying anthem. In this film, an instrumental version is played (twice) by Buckwheat and Darla. A Hatley arrangement of this tune was copyrighted on Mar. 19, 1937, along with other titles from "General Spanky" (no. 150).
"In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Romeo and Juliet meet with each other. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.
"Furioso" by J. S. Zamecnik: Maltin & Bann mention that this piece is in the film. I'm assuming it's the piece played during the sword fight.
"He Peddled His Bristles To Women" by T. Marvin Hatley: Written with lyrics by Walter Weems. Copyrighted Apr. 4, 1934. An instrumental version is played during Spanky's weightlifting routine.
"Walkin' The Deck" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted July 30, 1936. This is played as Alfalfa gets ready to go up the ladder.
"Bassooning" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Alfalfa gets rid of the chicken.
"It Is To Laugh" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted 1930. This is played as Buckwheat plays Juliet. This is a different version than either of the versions reproduced by the Beau Hunks.
"Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. A portion of this piece is played as Alfalfa crashes through the curtain and the end title appears.

miscellaneous:

This film was 958 feet in length.

©July 25, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 7/28, 8/27, 8/30, 11/7, 12/19.
2006 updates: 2/11, 4/3, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1.
2008 updates: 5/26, 7/12, 8/8, 8/11, 8/24, 9/7, 9/22, 11/6.

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