Series: Our Gang

Director: Robert A. McGowan, Robert F. McGowan
Producer: Hal Roach, Robert F. McGowan
Titles: H.M. Walker
Photography: Art Lloyd
Editor: Richard C. Currier

Stars: Bobby Hutchins, Joe Cobb, Allen Hoskins, Donnie Smith, Mary Ann Jackson, Harry Spear, Jean Darling
Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Released: 14 September 1929
Length: 2 reels
Production No.: G-21
Filming dates: February 20 - March 2, 1929
Rating: -/10


Cat, Dog & Co.

Available on DVD:
 

Joe, Farina and Harry are having a box-car race along the street, with their respective vehicles being powered by dogs... until the dogs see a cat! An interfering woman reports the boys for the mistreatment of the animals and subsequently the boys are visited by an animal welfare officer (HEDDA HOPPER). She tells them to be kind to animals and really sells her point across to the children, who each vow to change their ways. As a reward, the woman bestows upon them the badge of official officer.
The boys take matters a little too far though, when they spot Jean and Mary Ann hurting a defenceless flea and place them under 'arrest'. The grateful flea vows to stick to Joe, after being saved by him. Next up is Wheezer, who is giving the chickens a hard time. Joe is quick to enforce his new powers in reprimanding him. Wheezer takes a nap and in his sleep he dreams of an all-animal jury who convict him of animal cruelty. It's an enormous amount of screen time to showcase some clever animal shots in states of dress, which really brings the film to a crashing halt.
The kids eventually decide to free all the animals - first from a dog catcher's truck and then from all the rabbit hutches on the sidewalk, bringing screaming pedestrians running everywhere as they try to evade rabbits, mice and fleas.  In the end Joe gets tired of his pet flea and tries to kill it but fails - instead the flea finds a new home... in Pete's (the dog) fur.

Trivia
Copyrighted September 3, 1929.
The 87th film in the series.
The film was released with a synchronised sound effects audio track, featuring the sounds of many of the animals, particularly the chickens.
The animated flea's name is Flora.

Joe Cobb
Joe
Allen Hoskins
Farina
Bobby Hutchins
Wheezer
Harry Spear
Harry
Mary Ann Jackson
Mary Ann
Jean Darling
Jean
Donnie Smith
Don
Hedda Hopper
Mrs. President of
'Be Kind To Animals Society'
Adele Watson
Snitcher
Silas D. Wilcox
Officer
Jack O'Brien
Fruit vendor
Ray Cooke
Pedestrian
Syd Saylor
Pedestrian
Chet Brandenburg
Chauffeur
Dorothy Vernon
Pedestrian
Harry Wilde
Dog catcher
Bob Saunders
Trucker
Clara Guiol
Pedestrian
Jack Hill
Pedestrian
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #1
UNIDENTIFIED
Fruit customer
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #2
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #3
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #4
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #5
UNIDENTIFIED
Pedestrian #6
UNIDENTIFIED
Ticket girl/Pedestrian #7

CREDITS (click image to enlarge) INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements:
The Little Rascals: The Life And Times Of Our Gang by Leonard Maltin & Richard W. Bann (book)
http://www.theluckycorner.com/rms/087.html (Robert Demoss/The Lucky Corner)
Jesse Brisson (identification of Harry Wilde)

This page was last updated on: 14 September 2023