Darla Hood Movies

Hal Roach's enduring Our Gang comedy shorts tickled audiences between 1922 and 1944. Originally an off-shoot from the extremely popular Sunshine Sammy series, the Our Gang shorts followed the lively adventures of a group of mischievous children as they played and learned the foibles of life. The series gave many juvenile actors their start, most notably Jackie Cooper, who grew up to be a successful leading man, Robert Blake, who had a television and film career, and Darla Hood, who later staffed a couple musicals and became a successful singer of commercial jingles. In early episodes, a slender Oliver Hardy appears. The Little Rascals is the name ascribed to the syndicated, televised episodes from the series. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Capriciously defying his loving but overprotective mother, wealthy young Wally Albright orders family chauffeur Barclay (Don Barclay) to drive through the town's "dirtier" alleyways. Here, Wally befriends the Our Gang kids, who have rigged up a merry-go-round powered by a contentious mule named Algebra. Inevitably, Wally invites the kids --- and Algebra --- to his palatial home, where the mercurial mule drives poor Barclay crazy. And remember: Don't sneeze! Listen for the voice of former "Our Gang" member Mickey Daniels when Algebra brays out a laugh at the end; also, watch for a leftover exterior set from the Laurel and Hardy feature comedy Sons of the Desert (1933). "Honkey Donkey" was originally released on June 2, 1934. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first of "Our Gang"'s musical revues, this one gets under way as master of ceremonies Spanky McFarland entices the local kiddies to attend the Gang's "big show," staged in Spanky's basement. "There's dancing music, and hotcha too," Spanky sings, "It's only a penny --- it won't break you." Highlights include, in order of presentation, an opening chorus number (&"Hello, Hello, Hello"); The Bryan Sisters' rendition of "How You Gonna Keep Him Down on the Farm" (with the not inconsiberable assistance of Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas); Darla Hood, making her "Our Gang" debut with a zingy performance of "I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again"; the spooky "Ghost Frolic" (a segment often cut to ribbons on TV); Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer's version of the Pinky Tomlin hit "The Object of My Affection"; and the grand finale, "The Florydory Girls", with Spanky and the male cast members pressed into service as "drag" performers. One of the best and most successful "Our Gang" entries of all, "Our Gang Follies of 1936" was originally released on November 30, 1935. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Hoping to win a 50-dollar prize, the Our Gang kids enter a radio talent contest. Despite the scene-stealing efforts of Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, leader George "Spanky" McFarland selects four-year-old vocalist Darla Hood to represent the gang with her stirring rendition of "I'm in the Mood for Love." But come the day of the broadcast, Darla is nowhere to be found. While Spanky searches for the missing singer, a nervous Alfalfa walks up to the microphone in her place, and it is his squeaky, interminable rendition of "I'm in the Mood for Love" that miraculously saves the day. A genial spoof of the radio series Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour, The Pinch Singer was originally released on January 4, 1936. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Spanky tries to escape his "command performance" at the Spring Street School's annual Arbor Day show, but local truant officer Smithers (George Guhl) is a little too fast for him. Meanwhile, a pair of wisecracking midgets (George and Olive Brasno) take an unauthorized day off from their performance schedule at a local sideshow. Disguised as children, the midgets are spotted by the indefatigable Smithers, who assumes that they're also trying to duck out of the Arbor Day festivities. Forceably dragged into the School, the midgets are told to sit down and keep quiet while the show proceeds. After an endearingly clumsy kiddie ensemble piece and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer's ear-piercing rendition of "Trees, the midgets decide to get even with Smithers by putting on a show that no one will ever forget. In addition to the aforementioned adult cast members, the film is also graced by the presence of Maurice Cass as the pompous principal, future Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel as the mother of Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas, and Rosina Lawrence in her first appearance as the Gang's pretty schoolteacher Miss Lawrence. Originally released on May 2, 1936, "Arbor Day" was the last two-reel "Our Gang" comedy; thereafter, with the special exception of "Our Gang Follies of 1938," all of the series' releases would be one reel (approximately ten minutes) in length. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The excellent box-office returns for the previous Laurel & Hardy comic operas The Devil's Brother and Babes in Toyland encouraged Hal Roach to cast the team in still another operatic adaptation, a self-styled "comedy version" of William Balfe's The Bohemian Girl. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy play members of a gypsy tribe wandering through middle Europe sometime in the early 19th century. As if he hasn't got enough trouble trying to train dimwitted Stan to be a "first-class pickpocket," Ollie is also saddled with a faithless wife (Mae Busch), who is in love with dashing gypsy robber captain Devil's Hoof (Antonio Moreno). While trying to break into the palace of gypsy-hating Count Arnheim (William P. Carleton), Devil's Hoof is captured and flogged. In retaliation, Ollie's wife kidnaps Arnheim's little daughter Arline (Darla Hood of "Our Gang" fame) and leaves the child in Ollie's care, explaining that the baby is his ("I didn't want to tell her who her father was until she was old enough to stand the shock!") Twelve years later, Arline (now played by Jacqueline Wells) has grown into a beautiful young woman who's forgotten all about her aristocratic childhood, except whenever she dreams "she dwelt in marbl'd halls" (from the song of the same name). By coincidence, Arline one day finds herself wandering around the grounds of her ancestral home. She is captured by the Captain of the Guards (James Finlayson) and sentenced to be flogged, whereupon her foster-daddy Ollie and her drink-besotted Uncle Stanley race to her rescue. There's a happy ending for Arline, but not for Stan and Ollie, who wind up the picture with one of their famous "physical distortion" gags. A troubled production, The Bohemian Girl had to be extensively reshot and re-edited after previews because of the sudden (and still unsolved) death of co-star Thelma Todd, who was originally cast as the Gypsy Queen. It was decided out of respect for Todd to retain only one of her musical numbers and to refilm the rest of her scenes with other actors; as a result, Bohemian Girl is one of the patchiest and most uneven of the Laurel & Hardy features. Fortunately, Stan and Ollie's scenes are well up to par, especially the classic bit wherein Stan inadvertently becomes progressively drunker as he tries to bottle a cask of bubbling wine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Producer Hal Roach had intended to terminate his "Our Gang" short-subject series at the end of the 1935-36 season, but was talked out of it by Louis B. Mayer, the head of Roach's distributor MGM. As a cost-cutting measure, Roach shortened the running time of each subsequent "Our Comedy" from two reels (approximately 20 minutes) to one (approximately ten minutes), beginning with the first release of the 1936-37 season, "Bored of Education." It's the first day of school, and Gang members Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer and Spanky McFarland look forward to meeting their new teacher Miss Lawrence (Rosina Lawrence) with fear and loathing. Hoping to skip out of class, Spanky fabricates a phony toothache for Alfalfa, using a balloon stuffed inside his pal's cheek. But when the boys discover that Miss Lawrence intends to serve ice cream to her new students, they change their minds about playing hookey. Unfortunately, Alfalfa swallows the balloon, causing him a great deal of discomfort and embarrassment when he is called upon to sing in front of his fellow students. Originally released on August 20, 1936, Bored of Education was the only "Our Gang" entry to win an Academy Award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A followup to the musical-revue short Our Gang Follies of 1936, the one-reel Reunion in Rhythm was apparently filmed under the title Our Gang Follies of 1937. Its release title reflected the fact that, in addition to such current Gang members as Spanky McFarland, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Darla Hood, Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas, and Eugene "Porky" Lee, the film also features return appearances by former "Our Gang" stalwarts Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, Joe Cobb and Mathew "Stymie" Beard. The occasion is a class reunion at Adams Street Grammar School, where the students stage a show for the entertainment of the alumni. Musical highlights include "Baby Face", performed by Darla and Porky; &"Broadway Rhythm", performed by Spanky and the ensemble; and a medley of &"Going Hollywood" and "I'm Through With Love", sung by Alfalfa and Georgia Jean LaRue. Originally released on January 9, 1937, "Reunion in Rhythm" is the least satisfying of the "Our Gang" musicals, perhaps because the kids seem a tad over-rehearsed this time out. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After appearing as a peripheral player in several earlier "Our Gang" shorts, Tommy Bond made a spectacular return to the series in Glove Taps. Here and in all future appearances, Bond is cast as neighborhood bully Butch, the bane of the existence of Spanky McFarland, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer and the rest of the Gang. Normally, Butch explains, he beats up every kid in school to prove that he's Big Man on Campus; but to save time, he'll lick the toughest kid in school. By a fluke, weak-kneed Alfalfa is chosen to face Butch in the barnyard boxing ring --- and he has only one day to train for the big bout! If the background music in this one-reel comedy sounds familiar, it should; much of it was lifted from Marvin Hatley's Oscar-nominated score for the Laurel and Hardy feature Way Out West (1937). A fast and funny exercise in adolescent wish-fulfillment, "Glove Taps" was originally released on February 20, 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Even allowing for the fact that it's only a one-reeler, the "Our Gang" comedy "The Pigskin Palooka" goes by so rapidly that the viewer will be gasping for breath! Having written of his football heroics in military school, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer returns home to a hero's welcome. No sooner has he stepped off the train than his old pal Spanky McFarland, manager of the gang's football team, informs Alfalfa that he's been slated to be star player in an upcoming gridiron battle --- which is to be staged within the next few hours. Only one problem: Alfalfa has been exagerrating his athletic prowess, and in fact has never played football in his life. Will Alfie survive this dilemma, or will he be blitzed into the next county? "The Pigskin Palooka" was released just in time for football season on October 23, 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Three Smart Boys in this one-reel "Our Gang" comedy are Spanky McFarland, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas and Eugene "Porky" Lee. Once again anxious to get out of school, Spanky once again decides to stage a phony epidemic. This time it's the measles, requiring the boys to paint black blotches on their faces (yes, this is the film in which Buckwheat, a black child, gets white measles!). The plan comes a-cropper when, while visiting the doctor (Sidney Bracey), the boys are led to believe that Buckwheat has been transformed into a monkey. Originally released on May 13, 1937, Three Smart Boys should not be confused with the much-later MGM-produced "Our Gang" short Three Smart Guys (1943). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Our Gang members Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer and Spanky McFarland form the Sekret Revengers Club, dedicated to protecting such smaller, more vulnerable children as Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas and Eugene "Porky" Lee. When Buckwheat and Porky report that their marbles have been stolen by bullies Butch (Tommy Bond) and Woim (Leonard Kibrick), Alfalfa and Spanky vow to retrieve the marbles. Alas, Butch and Woim prove to be more formidable than expected, forcing the two Sekret Revengers to run for their lives. Everything comes together during a ballet recital, in which Alfalfa, dressed in ballerina drag, finds himself at the mercy of "mystery dancer" Butch. The one-reel comedy Our Gang: Rushin' Ballet was originally released on April 24, 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While staging a "William Tell" exhibition in a vacant lot, junior marksman Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer accidentally incurs the wrath of neighborhood bully Butch (Tommy Bond) -- or, as he announces himself, "you're darn right it's Butch!" When Alfalfa faints, his pal Spanky McFarland tries to save face by insisting that, were Alfie still conscious, he'd knock Butch silly. The bully responds by threatening to bounce Alfalfa around "like a rubber ball" when he wakes up. To prevent this, Spanky cooks up a scheme to convince Butch that Alfalfa has suffered a broken leg while defending Butch's reputation. A large dead fish, previously caught by Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas, proves to be a suitable stand-in for Alfalfa's "damaged" leg -- until a couple of cats show up unannounced. The "Our Gang" one-reeler Fishy Tales made its theatrical debut on August 28, 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide