''Shrimps for a Day'' is a 1934 '' Our Gang'' 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 ol ...

directed by

Gus Meins Gus Meins (March 6, 1893 – August 1, 1940), born Gustave Peter Ludwig Luley, was an American film director. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Career Meins started out in the 'teens as a cartoonist for the Los Angeles Evening Herald before ...

. It was the 133rd ''Our Gang'' short (45th talking episode) that was released.

Plot

The gang resides at the Happy Home Orphanage, an inaptly named organization run by the dishonest, child-hating Mr. Crutch ( Clarence Wilson) and Mrs. Crutch (Rosa Gore). Invited to a garden party at the home of wealthy Mr. Wade, the kids enjoy a good time and are showered with gifts, knowing full well that their new clothes and toys will be seized and sold by the Crutches once they return to the orphanage. Meanwhile, Mr. Wade's daughter Mary (Doris McMahan) and her boyfriend Dick (Joe Young) stumble upon a magic lamp which grants them their wish: to be children again. Dick and Mary are summarily rounded up by the Crutches and bundled off to the orphanage, where they manage to get the goods on the underhanded operation. Spanky has some funny scenes, including one wherein he refuses to take a dose of

castor oil Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans. It is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor. Its boiling point is and its density is 0.961 g/cm3. It includes a mixture of triglycerides in which about ...

and instead pushes it into Mr. Crutch's mouth. During a sleepless night, Spanky helps Dick escape out the window. Dick runs to Mary's house, where he finds the lamp and wishes he was an adult again. He then returns to being an adult and leads Mr. Wade back to the orphanage, exposing the Crutches and restoring Mary to adulthood. Spanky then has his revenge on Mr. Crutch by using the lamp to wish him down to ''his'' size, then beating him up.

Notes

* ''Shrimps for a Day'', like the previous short ''

Mama's Little Pirate ''Mama's Little Pirate'' is a 1934 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 132nd ''Our Gang'' short (44th talking episode) that was released. Plot Spanky's father reads a newspaper article about treasures found at a nea ...

,'' was an '' Our Gang'' foray into pure fantasy. * This is the last appearance of Jackie Lynn Taylor. She had been in the series since early 1934.

Cast

The Gang

* Matthew Beard as Stymie *

Scotty Beckett Scott Hastings Beckett (October 4, 1929 – May 10, 1968) was an American actor. He began his career as a child actor in the ''Our Gang'' shorts and later costarred on ''Rocky Jones, Space Ranger''. Early life and career Born in Oakland, Califo ...

as Scotty * George McFarland as Spanky *

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 * Jerry Tucker as Jerry * Alvin Buckelew as Alvin *

Marianne Edwards Marianne Edwards (December 9, 1930 – November 8, 2013) was an American child actress who appeared in the ''Our Gang'' film series from 1934 to 1936. She also appeared in several feature films in the 1930s, including ''Gold Diggers Of 1933'', ...

as Marianne *

Leonard Kibrick Leonard Kibrick (September 6, 1924 – January 4, 1993) was an American child actor. Career Kibrick was most notable for appearing in the '' Our Gang'' short subjects series from 1934 to 1936, usually portraying the villain. Kibrick first appe ...

as Leonard *

Jackie Lynn Taylor Jacqueline Devon Taylor Fries (June 29, 1925 – May 5, 2014), professionally known as Jackie Lynn Taylor, was an American child actress. Biography Jacqueline Devon Taylor was born in Compton, California, and appeared in five ''Our Gang'' shor ...

as Jane * Gordon Evans as Boy who finds lamp * Eileen Bernstein as Our Gang member * Barbara Goodrich as Our Gang member * Harry Harvey, Jr. as Our Gang member * Paul Hilton as Our Gang member * Philbrook Lyons as Our Gang member * Tommy McFarland as Our Gang member * Donald Profitt as Our Gang member * Jackie White as Our Gang member * Phyllis Yuse as Our Gang member

Additional cast

* Dick Brasno as Mr. Crutch as a child *

George Brasno George F. Brasno (December 23, 1911 – August 15, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in a few films through the 1930s and 1940s. He and his sister Olive Brasno were first recognized as a brother and sister little-people singing team i ...

as Dick as a child *

Olive Brasno Olive Brasno (October 17, 1917 – January 25, 1998) was a dwarf dancer and actress who was known for her song and dance act with her brother, George. She also appeared in a few films through the 1930s and 1940s. Born in the community of Old ...

as Mary as a child * Herbert Evans as The butler * Rosa Gore as Mrs. Crutch *

Wilfred Lucas Wilfred Van Norman Lucas (January 30, 1871 – December 13, 1940) was a Canadian American stage actor who found success in film as an actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Lucas was born in Norfolk County, Ontario on January 30, 1871,US ...

as Mr. Wade, the sponsor * Doris McMahan as Mary * Ray Turner as Frightened man * Clarence Wilson as Mr. Crutch * Robert George Young as Dick *

Laughing Gravy ''Laughing Gravy'' is a 1931 short film comedy starring Laurel and Hardy. It was directed by James W. Horne, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Synopsis On a snowy winter night, Laurel and Hardy try to keep their p ...

as Dog * Marialise Gumm as Undetermined role * Dorian Johnson as Undetermined role * Joyce Kay as Undetermined role * Fred Purner, Jr. as Undetermined role *

Delmar Watson David Delmar Watson (July 1, 1926 – October 26, 2008) was an American child actor and news photographer.Nelson, Valerie J"Delmar Watson, child actor turned news photographer, dies at 82" ''Los Angeles Times''. October 28, 2008.Andres, Holly J.F ...

as Undetermined role *Katherine Margaret Marshall as girl that shooed the duck

References

External links

* * * {{Gus Meins 1934 films 1934 comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Gus Meins American films about revenge Hal Roach Studios short films Our Gang films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films