A Tough Winter

1930 film

June 21, 1930 (1930-06-21)

Running time

20' 22"CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

A Tough Winter is a 1930 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan.^[1] It was the 99th Our Gang short to be released.^[2]

Plot

More a vehicle for black comedian Stepin Fetchit. The gang goes to Wheezer and Mary Ann's house to have a taffy pull, but they get the ingredients mixed up and make a huge mess. They attempt to clean up and ask Stepin to help, but he crosses wires, plumbing and gas lines. As a result, light bulbs pop, water sprays from gas heaters, a phone acts as a vacuum cleaner and music plays from the icebox.

Cast

The Gang

Norman Chaney as Chubby
Jackie Cooper as Jackie
Allen Hoskins as Farina
Bobby Hutchins as Wheezer
Mary Ann Jackson as Mary Ann
Beverly Parrish as Girl with Mary Ann
Warner Weidler as Our Gang member
Wolfgang Weidler as Our Gang member
Pete the Pup as himself
Dinah the Mule as herself
Tommy Atkins as Toddler (unconfirmed)

Additional cast

Stepin Fetchit as Stepin
Lyle Tayo as Miss Radio

Production notes

The first Pete the Pup was poisoned by an unknown assailant after this film.

Stepin Fetchit was actually signed to a one year contract with Hal Roach Studios to appear with the gang in 9 episodes during the 1930-31 season. He was originally written into the scripts for several episodes, including Pups Is Pups, Helping Grandma and Little Daddy. However, his contract was canceled for unknown reasons and the Our Gang series continued without him.

Because of perceived racism toward African Americans, A Tough Winter was eliminated from the syndicated Little Rascals television package in 1971.

Beverly Parrish was signed for two years to replace Jean Darling, who was dismissed six months prior, but she died suddenly a week and a half after this episode was filmed. Shirley Jean Rickett wound up replacing her several episodes later, though she lasted only half a season as well.

This was the last episode to feature an orchestral music scoring, and the last to feature the theme song "That Old Gang Of Mine" in the credits. The film also was the first to feature Leroy Shield jazz-style pieces. His music would become a big part of Our Gang films.

References

^ McKinley, Jesse (2011). "New York Times: A Tough Winter". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
^ Maltin, Leonard; Bann, Richard W. (1977). Our Gang: The Life and Times of the Little Rascals. Crown Publishers. pp. 114–115. Retrieved March 3, 2024.