Bear Facts
film no. 164
availability:
- The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 18
(VHS) from Cabin Fever and
- The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume
Four (3 LD set) from Cabin Fever
- Released 1995. This is a complete original print with excellent picture quality. The total footage lasts
10:40. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
- The Best Of The Little Rascals (VHS)
from NTA Home Entertainment
- Released Oct. 1992. 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 10:20, but the
original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:20.
- The Little Rascals Book IV (VHS) from
Blackhawk Video
- This is the Blackhawk print.
- The Little Rascals: Bear Facts/Hook And
Ladder (VHS) from
Republic Pictures Home Video
- Released May 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.
- Rascal Dazzle (VHS/LD) from
Embassy Home Entertainment
- Original film released 1981. Video released 1984. A clip lasting 0:49 is included, showing the game
of checkers. Another clip lasting 0:04 is included, showing a closeup of Spanky from the same scene, with music
added.
technical details:
Production K-17.
Released March 5, 1938. It was the 164th film in the series to be released. Early in the film season, Fred Quimby of
MGM set a projected release date for this production of January 1, 1938.
Copyrighted March 8, 1938, by Loew's Incorporated. Registration no. LP7877. Renewed June 16, 1965, with
registration no. R362815. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2033.
All-talking one-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Bear Facts".'
King World Productions episode no. 52a, 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: Art Lloyd, A. S. C.
- This credit appears in the film.
- Film Editor: William Ziegler
- This credit appears in the film.
- Sound: Oscar Lagerstrom
- 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. 4072.
- studio personnel
- vice president in charge of production - S. S. Van Keuren
- secretary-treasurer - Mat O'Brien
- Roach's assistant on production activities - Lawrence Tarver
- assistant secretary-treasurer, comptroller - Hugh Huber
- film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse
- story department - Jack Jevne
- property department - W. L. Stevens
- process department - Roy Seawright
- still photographer -
Bud "Stax" Graves
- musical director - Marvin Hatley
- men's wardrobe - Harry Black
- paymaster - Mrs. Grace Cash
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- school teacher - Fern Carter
- possible uncredited involvement
- writing - James Parrott, Hal Law, Felix
Adler and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.
- property department - Charles Oelze was probably
involved in this capacity.
the kids:
- Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as "Alfalfa"
- Lead role. He refers to himself as "The Great Alfalfa." He gets carried away bragging about
being an animal trainer, and finds himself having to train a bear.
- George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"
- Supporting role. He repeatedly beats Alfalfa at checkers, but otherwise does little more than accompany
him through the film.
- Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas as "Buckwheat"
- Supporting role. He and Porky discover the new people moving into the neighborhood.
- Eugene "Porky" Lee as "Porky"
- Supporting role. He accompanies Buckwheat throughout the film.
- Darla Hood as "Darla"
- Supporting role. Her father runs a circus, and the two of them put a scare into the
boys.
- Baby Patsy May
- She's not in the film itself, but her photo is shown during the opening titles.
the animals:
- George as "Elmer"
- Supporting role. He accompanies the boys throughout the film, and demonstrates a couple of
tricks.
- Jiggs
- Bit part. He's the dog who's made up to look like a tiger.
- 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.
the adults:
- Jack Pepper as "Mr. King," Darla's dad
- Supporting role. He runs the circus and disguises himself as a bear named
"Fifi."
- Ed Brandenberg as "Fifi"
- Supporting role. Or more specifically, he plays Darla's dad while in the bear costume. He also plays
one of the three bears in the jungle scene.
- Wilbur Pike and Cooper Smith as the other two bears
- Small parts. These are the other two bears in the jungle scene.
- other adults
- Small part and bit part. Maltin & Bann list Jack Baxley and Al Pilario as the
expressmen, but more specifically, one of them is a real estate agent, while the other is a mover. I don't know which
is which, though. The daily film reports also lists them.
the music:
- "Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A17.) This is played over the opening titles and as we first see the checker board. A small portion is repeated
as as the film closes.
- "Nightfall" by T. Marvin Hatley
- Copyrighted Mar. 20, 1937. This is played during Alfalfa and Fifi's dance.
miscellaneous:
The gang hangs out in the All Star Club House.
Darla and her dad move into the Jones house.
The circus run by Darla's dad is called King's Circus.
©Aug. 10, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 8/30, 11/7, 12/19.
2006 updates: 2/11, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 1/7, 5/26, 7/12, 8/24, 9/7, 9/12, 9/22, 11/6.
Thanks to Rob Stone, Joe Moore, Piet Schreuders and Paul Mular for assistance on this page.