Anniversary Trouble
Directed by	Gus Meins
Produced by	Hal Roach
Cinematography	Francis Corby
Editing by	Bert Jordan
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	19 January 1935
Running time	20 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	Shrimps for a Day
Followed by	Beginner's Luck

Anniversary Trouble is a 1935 (actually made in 1934 but released in 1935) Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 134th Our Gang short (46th talking episode) that was released.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Note 3 Cast 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Plot

Little Spanky McFarland's appointment as treasurer of the Ancient and Honery Order of Woodchucks occurs on the same day as his parents' wedding anniversary. Absent-minded as usual, Spanky's father (Johnny Arthur) inadvertently hands over the Woodchucks' treasury as an anniversary present for his wife (Claudia Dell). Meanwhile, Spanky accidentally gets hold of the real anniversary money, and, mistaking it for the treasury, hides it in the cookie jar—an act witnessed by his Mom, who jumps to the wrong conclusion. She takes that money and shows it to Spanky's father who also jumps to the wrong conclusion. Spanky is looking for the money and cannot find it. Minutes later, the other Woodchucks demand the return of their "dough," since the club has broken up, but Spanky can't accommodate them. Spanky's father calls the maid/nanny and tells her to send him to his dad's office for punishment immediately. Spanky is unable to leave because the gang is blocking the exits out of his house. Spanky then tries to sneak out by painting himself brown (known as blackface) and dressing up like Buckwheat, the maid/nanny's daughter. That plan is also foiled and then Spanky's parents return home. Spanky then finds the anniversary money and puts it in his back pocket. His father gets ready to spank Spanky and realizes he made a mistake. So his mother thinks the spanking is being carried out and can remain unaware of the mistake, Spanky's father has Spanky spank him instead and has Spanky make the groaning noises. Spanky's mother though catches them leading to a wild and wooly conclusion wherein Spanky's dad is duly punished for his faulty memory.^[1] The short ends with Spanky's dad, fallen against the stove, holding his sore head. His wife holds the money and says sharply to him, "You can fool some of the people some of the time--" and Spanky adds, "But ya can't fool Mom!"

[edit] Note

This episode included in the present "Little Rascals" TV package has been radically edited, removing the sequence in which Spanky dons blackface to disguise himself as Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas due to perceived racism against African Americans. It was only partially retsored on the 2001 to 2003 showings over AMC. This episode was available unedited on VHS Home video from the early 1980s until the late 1990s and will be available on DVD in its original form as of October 28, 2008.

[edit] Cast

• George McFarland - Spanky
• Billie Thomas - Buckwheat
• Matthew Beard - Stymie
• Scotty Beckett - Scotty
• Leonard Kibrick - Leonard
• Jerry Tucker - Jerry
• Sidney Kibrick - Our Gang member
• Alvin Buckelew - Our Gang member
• Harry Harvey Jr. - Our Gang member
• Cecelia Murray - Girl with doll
• Donald Proffitt - Our Gang member
• Merrill Strong - Our Gang member
• Pete The Pup - Petie
• Johnny Arthur - John, Spanky's father
• Claudia Dell - Spanky's mother
• Hattie McDaniel - Mandy, the maid

[edit] See also

• List of American films of 1935
• Our Gang filmography

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Anniversary Trouble at the Internet Movie Database