''Kiddie Kure'' is a 1940

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

short

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 194th ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') 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 ...

'' short (195th episode, 106th talking short, 107th talking episode, and 26th MGM produced episode) that was released.

Plot

While playing baseball near the home of wealthy

hypochondriac Hypochondriasis or hypochondria is a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. An old concept, the meaning of hypochondria has repeatedly changed. It has been claimed that this debilitating cond ...

Mr. Morton, the gang inadvertently breaks one of Morton's windows. This mishap coincides with a plan hatched by Morton's wife to get her husband's mind off his imaginary illnesses by adopting some children. Hoping to prove that he would be an unsuitable parent, Morton pretends that he is crazy, the better to scare away the gang and to dissuade Mrs. Morton from her adoption scheme. Instead, the kids prove to Morton that he does not need all his pills and poultices, thereby giving the old man a new lease on life and a better appreciation of children.

Cast

The Gang

Darla Hood Darla Jean Hood (November 8, 1931 – June 13, 1979) was an American child actress, best known as the leading lady in the ''Our Gang'' series from 1935 to 1941. She was born in Leedey, Oklahoma, the only child of music teacher Elizabeth Da ...

as Darla * Mickey Gubitosi as Mickey *

Billy Laughlin William Robert Laughlin (July 5, 1932 – August 31, 1948) was an American child actor. He is best known for playing the character Froggy in the ''Our Gang'' short films in 1940–44, its final years of production. Early life Laughlin was ...

as Froggy *

George McFarland George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for starring as a child as Spanky in the ''Our Gang'' series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The ''Our Gang'' shorts were later syndicated ...

as Spanky *

Carl Switzer Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community *Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of tel ...

as Alfalfa *

Billie Thomas Billie may refer to: People * Billie Allen (1925-2015), American actress * Billie Bird (1908-2002), American actress and comedian * Billie Burke (1884-1970), American actress * Billie Joe Armstrong (born 1972), American singer and guitarist for ...

as Buckwheat

Additional cast

* Rollie and Bobby Jones as Tisket and Tasket *

Thurston Hall Ernest Thurston Hall (May 10, 1882 – February 20, 1958) was an American film, stage and television actor.Aylesworth, Thomas G. and Bowman, John S. (1987). ''The World Almanac Who's Who of Film''. World Almanac. . Pp. 186-187. Career Stag ...

as Mr. Bill Morton * Gerald Oliver Smith as Evans the butler *

Edwin Stanley Edwin Stanley (November 22, 1880 – December 25, 1944), was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1916 and 1946. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. On Broadway, Stanley appear ...

as Doctor Malcolm Scott * Josephine Whittel as Mrs. Julie Morton * Freddie Chapman as Rival team member (scenes deleted) * Hugh Chapman as Rival team member (scenes deleted)

Production notes

''Kiddie Kure'' is a partial

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the sam ...

of '' Second Childhood'', which starred much of the same cast. It also marked the final appearance of

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer Carl Dean Switzer (August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959) was an American singer, child actor, dog breeder, and guide. He was best known for his role as Alfalfa in the short subjects series ''Our Gang''. Switzer began his career as a child ac ...

. At 12 years of age, he was the oldest member of the cast.

References

External links

* 1940 films American black-and-white films Films directed by Edward L. Cahn Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer short films 1940 comedy films Our Gang films 1940 short films 1940s American films Films about hypochondriasis {{short-comedy-film-stub