Spanky (film)

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Spanky is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy directed by Robert F. McGowan. It is the 113th Our Gang film and centers on Spanky McFarland. The gang, led by Spanky’s brother Breezy Brisbane, stages a play of Uncle Tom's Cabin while Breezy babysits Spanky. Their father hides a lot of money behind a secret door but won’t spend to keep the house clean. Spanky disrupts the play, the show flops, and the audience pelts them with junk. Spanky finds his dad’s money and tosses it out the window; the other kids try to grab it. The father arrives, sends the kids away, and they return the money. The father then promises to bank the money and spend more on the family.

Spanky is a remake of the 1926 silent Uncle Tom's Uncle; Bobby Mallon appears in both. A 1971 syndicated TV print cut about 12 minutes of Uncle Tom's Cabin scenes due to racial insensitivity, including blackface and Stymie's whipping. The short has been released on VHS and DVD in its unedited form.

Production credits: directed by Robert F. McGowan; written by Hal Roach and H. M. Walker; produced by Robert F. McGowan and Hal Roach; cinematography by Art Lloyd; edited by Richard C. Currier; music by Leroy Shield and Marvin Hatley. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Release date March 26, 1932. Running time 19 minutes 37 seconds. Country United States; Language English.