Ye Olde Minstrels

Production Notes[]

Length: One Reel
Producer: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Director: Edward Cahn and Bud Murray
Photography: Jackson Rose
Editor: Albert Akst
Titles:
Writer: Samuel Baerwitz
Released: March 18, 1941
Studio: M-G-M

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

David Polonsky
Dick Humphries

Jackie Salling
James Gubitosi
Joan Blake
Joline Karol
Marlene Mains (unconfirmed)
Michael Miller (unconfirmed)
Priscilla Montgomery
Ralph Hodges
Raphael Dolciame
Robert Browning
Tommy McFarland
Walter Wills - Uncle Walt

The Short[]

Plot: Spanky and the gang are eager to help raise money for the Red Cross, but after their failed show for Waldo's lemonade stand, Spanky is reluctant to put up the effort for another big spectacle. Froggy calls upon his Uncle Walt, an impresario, to help them. Their show begins with "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny" (a song that might have been perfect for Alfalfa) followed by a tambourine act, a tap-dancing special and the thirty-five participants in a pyramid bleacher spectacle. Froggy sings "When De Profundis Sang Low C" followed by a closing round of "Auld Lang Syne" ending with Uncle Walt singing "Lazy Moon." In all, the show brings in $208.40.
Quotes:

None

Notes/Trivia:

Events form Waldo's Last Stand is mentioned by Spanky.
- This is the only time in the series where a character references the events from a previous episode.
Among all 52 "Our Gang" short comedies, Ye Olde Minstrels (1941) and Fightin' Fools(1941), their date of release was not a Saturday. Both were released on a Tuesday. Three weeks differ between them. Tuesday, February 25th, 1941 was the date of release of Fightin' Fools (1941). And Tuesday, March 18th, 1941, was the date of release of Ye Olde Minstrels (1941). All 50 other Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer "Our Gang" shorts and their date of release, were all on a Saturday.
During the lighting figures, there is the design of a valentine heart and Israel's flag, the Star of David, (the two triangles, one is turned exactly one third, (meaning 33 & 1/3%) clockwise or counter-clockwise, from the other.
Walter Wills's role as a minstrel singing Lazy Moon & in black-face, is a reminder of Al Jolson's role in movie history, of 1927's The Jazz Singer (1927), the first theatrical film that was not completely silent & musical. First movie with personal or human voices.
Just after Walter Wills starts singing Lazy Moon, he and the younger co-singers appear black-faced, plus Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas appears to be white-faced, for five seconds approximately.
This is the eighth musical episode in the series after Our Gang Follies Of 1936, The Pinch Singer, Arbor Day, Reunion In Rhythm, Our Gang Follies Of 1938 and Aladdin's Lantern and Waldo's Last Stand,

Sequence[]

Previous Short: Baby Blues
Next Short: Come Back, Miss Pipps