Three Smart Boys

film no. 154

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 17 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume Three (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever: Released 1995. This is a complete original print with very good picture quality. The total footage lasts 10:35. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
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 10:08, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:19.
The Little Rascals Book XI (VHS) from Blackhawk Video: This is the Blackhawk print.
The Little Rascals: Pups Is Pups/Three Smart Boys (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video: Released May 30, 1991. This is the Blackhawk print.
The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products: Released late Oct. 2008. This is the Blackhawk print. There is also a clip from this film included in the documentary The Story Of Hal Roach And Our Gang.

technical details:

Production K-8.

Copyrighted March 31, 1937, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP7034. Renewed July 27, 1964, with registration no. R341922. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2032.

Released May 13, 1937. This is the date given by Maltin & Bann. However, IMDb lists it as Mar. 13, 1937, which would be a Saturday, the usual day of release for MGM shorts. Early in the film season, Fred Quimby of MGM set a projected release date for this production of March 27, 1937.

All-talking one-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Three Smart Boys".'

King World Productions episode no. 49a, 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.; This credit appears in the film.
Film Editor: William Ziegler: This credit appears in the film.
Sound: William Randall: 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. 3127.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky": Featured role. Waldo refers to him as "Master Spanky." He contrives an epidemic to close the school.
Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as "Alfalfa": Featured role. He accompanies Spanky throughout the film and has virtually the same amount of dialogue.
Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat": Featured role. Spanky and Alfalfa thinks that he's been changed into a monkey.
Eugene "Porky" Lee as "Porky": Supporting role. He spends the film trying to remember where Waldo's note is.
Darwood Kaye as "Waldo": Small part. He sends Porky with a note to tell the boys that the epidemic is unnecessary.
Darla Hood: Bit part. She's shown on the school steps at the beginning of the film.
Shirley Coates: Bit part. She's shown on the school steps at the beginning of the film.
Baby Patsy May: She's not in the film itself, but her photo is shown during the opening titles.
other kids: About six additional kids can be seen in the background during the school scene, though the production sheets reveal that there were actually seven. It appears that perhaps Tommy McFarland and Robert Winckler are among them.

the animals:

George: Supporting role. This is the monkey that Spanky and Alfalfa think is Buckwheat. This identification is an assumption on my part, as the monkey looks like the same one from "Bear Facts" (no. 164)
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: Extras. There are other animals in the pens at the veterinarian's office, including at least one monkey.

the adults:

Sidney Bracey as "O. T. Hertz," the veterinarian: Supporting role. He examines Buckwheat. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Doctor."
Jack Egan as "Jack," the assistant: Small part. He prepares the serum for the monkey. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Assistant." The production sheets list him as Jack Eagan.
Rosina Lawrence as "Miss Lawrence": Small part. She wants to close the school to attend her sister's wedding.
Nora Cecil as "Miss Witherspoon," the superintendent: Small part. She refuses to close the school until she sees the exemplary grades the students have received.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield: Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A17.) This is played over the opening titles and as Miss Witherspoon arrives at the school. The last part is played as the boys realize that Buckwheat isn't a monkey, and the end title appears.

miscellaneous:

Inspired by the feature, "Three Smart Girls."

There was a flu epidemic that closed the studio for weeks around the Christmas holiday.

This film was 968 feet in length.

©July 31, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 8/30, 11/7, 12/19.
2006 updates: 2/11, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 2/27, 4/1, 10/22, 12/8.
2008 updates: 5/26, 7/12, 8/19, 8/24, 9/7, 9/22, 11/6.

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