| The Pooch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Robert F. McGowan |
| Written by | Hal Roach H. M. Walker |
| Produced by | Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach |
| Cinematography | Art Lloyd |
| Edited by | Richard C. Currier |
| Music by | Leroy Shield Marvin Hatley |
| Distributed by | MGM |
Release date |
|
Running time | 20' 12" [1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Pooch is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. [2] It was the 115th Our Gang short to be released. [3]
The film follows cheerful vagrant Stymie and the younger Spanky as they trek through the neighborhood in search of food, with their dog, Pete the Pup, in tow. Their attempts at procuring food are mostly unsuccessful; the pair are turned away from a restaurant for not having any money. Their luck changes, however, when Stymie manages to scheme a woman out of some food under the pretense that it is for Petey, his dog.
Soon after, a mean dogcatcher (Budd Fine) is seen with the rest of the gang's dogs in the back of his truck. Stymie, who wants to get back in the good graces of the gang after having previously stolen their pies, intends to win back their affections by freeing their dogs from the dogcatcher's wagon. He is successful, and, after a brief misunderstanding, is allowed back into the gang.
Enraged, the dogcatcher tries to capture Petey. The gang fights back, with Stymie grappling onto the dog catcher's leg and biting him, as Spanky and the other kids pelt the dogcatcher with rocks, eggs, and lettuce. This is to no avail, as the dogcatcher eventually escapes their attack and vengefully bundles Petey off to the pound, intending to consign the dog to the gas chamber unless Stymie brings him five dollars.
Desperately, Stymie prays for the five dollars necessary to spring Pete, whereupon a five-dollar bill blows out of the hands of a lady shopper and lands at Stymie's feet. After outsmarting a cop whom thinks Stymie has stolen the money, he and the gang race to the dog pound.
An employee of the dog pound approaches the dog catcher, informing him that he cannot get Pete gassed, but is prevented from explaining why as the enraged dog catcher rejects his attempted words, preventing him from interfering in his business. As the dog catcher seals Petey inside the gas chamber the employee attempts to get the dog catcher's attention once more and is once again angrily dismissed.
Upon the gang's arrival, the dog catcher smugly declares that he has already gassed Petey and that the dog is now dead. Stymie begins to cry, and he and the gang mourn until the employee from earlier returns, kneels down to comfort Stymie, and assures him that Petey is not dead.
To the dismay of the dogcatcher, the employee informs him that the chamber cannot operate, as there is no gas in the cylinders. The dogcatcher opens the door to the gas chamber to find Petey sitting inside, alive. Petey rushes out and chases the dog catcher, with the gang following.
Spanky and Stymie are sitting on the curb of Woodbine Street next to 3402 Motor Avenue in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles when the $5 bill lands in front of them. [4]
Pete the Pup was an American dog actor. who participated in Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies during the 1930s, otherwise known as "Pete, the dog with the ring around his eye", or simply "Petey". The original Pete was a UKC registered American Staffordshire Terrier named "Pal, the Wonder Dog", and had a natural ring almost completely around his left eye; dye was used to finish it off. The second Pete was an American Pitbull Terrier named Lucenay’s Peter. He was well known for having a circled eye which was added by Hollywood make-up artist Max Factor and credited as an oddity in Ripley's Believe It or Not.
The Our Gang personnel page is a listing of the significant cast and crew from the Our Gang short subjects film series, originally created and produced by Hal Roach which ran in movie theaters from 1922 to 1944.
The following is a complete list of the 220 Our Gang short films produced by Hal Roach Studios and/or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer between 1922 and 1944, numbered by order of release along with production order.
Our Gang is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the producer of the Laurel and Hardy films, Our Gang shorts were produced from 1922 to 1944, spanning the silent film and early sound film periods of American cinema. Our Gang is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively natural way; Roach and original director Robert F. McGowan worked to film the unaffected, raw nuances apparent in regular children, rather than have them imitate adult acting styles. The series also broke new ground by portraying white and black children interacting as equals during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation in the United States.
The Kid from Borneo is a short subject film in the Our Gang comedy series. It was produced and directed by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach Studios, and was originally released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on April 15, 1933. It was the 122nd Our Gang short to be released.
Love My Dog is a 1927 American short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 59th Our Gang short subject to be released. It was remade in 1932 as The Pooch.
Noisy Noises is a 1929 Our Gang short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 82nd Our Gang short to be released.
Dogs Is Dogs is a 1931 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 110th Our Gang short to be released.
Spanky is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 113th Our Gang short to be released. The film focuses on Our Gang co-star George "Spanky" McFarland.
Choo-Choo! is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 114th Our Gang short to be released. It is a remake of the 1923 Our Gang film A Pleasant Journey.
Hook and Ladder is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 116th Our Gang short to be released.
Free Wheeling is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 117th Our Gang short to be released.
Birthday Blues is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 118th Our Gang short to be released.
A Lad an' a Lamp is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 119th Our Gang short to be released. The film has been criticized as containing racist humor.
Bedtime Worries is a 1933 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 124th Our Gang short to be released.
Hi'-Neighbor! is a 1934 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 126th Our Gang short to be released and Meins' first series entry as director.
For Pete's Sake! is a 1934 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 127th Our Gang short to be released.
The First Round-Up is a 1934 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 128th Our Gang short to be released.
Honky Donkey is a 1934 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 129th Our Gang short to be released. It was partially filmed at the Culver Hotel.
Auto Antics is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 182nd Our Gang short to be released.