A Lad an' a Lamp

Not to be confused with A-Lad-In His Lamp.

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.^[2] The film has been criticized as containing racist humor.

A Lad an' a Lamp
Directed by	Robert F. McGowan
Produced by	Robert F. McGowan Hal Roach
Cinematography	Art Lloyd
Edited by	Richard C. Currier
Music by	Leroy Shield Marvin Hatley
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	December 17, 1932 (1932-12-17)
Running time	16' 51"[1]
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

Fascinated by the story of Aladdin and his magic lamp, the gang gather together with several gasoline and kerosene lamps and lanterns and a few electric lamps hoping that by rubbing them vigorously, a genie will appear. Thanks to a series of coincidences—not least of which involves a friendly stage magician—the kids become convinced that they have succeeded in invoking Aladdin. But their excitement turns to dismay when Stymie believes Spanky has transformed his kid brother Cotton into a monkey (chimpanzee).

Cast

The Gang

• Matthew Beard as Stymie
• Dorothy DeBorba as Dorothy
• Bobby Hutchins as Wheezer
• George McFarland as Spanky
• Dickie Moore as Dick
• Bobbie Beard as Cotton
• Georgie Billings as Georgie
• Dickie Jackson as Dickie
• John Collum as Uh-huh
• Bobby DeWar as Our Gang member
• Henry Hanna as Our Gang member
• Pete the Pup as himself

Additional cast

• Donald Haines as Toughie
• Harry Bernard as Officer / Store proprietor (scene deleted)
• Dick Gilbert as Officer / Dick, construction worker
• Jack Hill as Audience member / Officer
• Florence Hoskins as Cook's girlfriend
• James C. Morton as Officer
• Lillian Rich as Introductory narrator
• Philip Sleeman as The Magician
• Charley Young - Fruit vendor
• Jiggs the Chimpanzee as himself
• Harry Bowen as Audience member
• Efe Jackson as Pedestrian
• Jim Mason - Audience member

Cast notes

Bobby Hutchins returns to the fold after missing Hook and Ladder, Free Wheeling, and Birthday Blues.

Critique

Despite a sequence in which Spanky enjoys a free meal at a lunch counter, courtesy of a trained monkey, A Lad an' a Lamp has been criticized as containing racist humor that seems inappropriate when viewed in the 21st century. For this reason, A Lad an' a Lamp has been withdrawn from the "Little Rascals" television package.^[3] It is currently available in its entirety on VHS and DVD.

Filming Locations

The scene where the workers are exploding dynamite (why, we have no idea!) was filmed on the west side of the Hal Roach Studios ranch, approximately where 9117 David Avenue in Los Angeles now stands.^[4]

See also

• Our Gang filmography