Hal Roach Starting with “R”

Railroadin’ (1929) — Our Gang

Overview

  • Series: Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals)
  • Entry: 88th short in the series
  • Director: Robert F. McGowan
  • Writers: Robert F. McGowan, H.M. Walker
  • Cinematography: F.E. Hershey, Art Lloyd
  • Editor: Richard C. Currier
  • Music: Ray Henderson (early synchronized score)
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Release Date: June 15, 1929
  • Runtime: ~18 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Format: Sound-on-disc (Vitaphone-style synchronization)

Cast

  • Allen “Farina” Hoskins as Farina — the dreamer
  • Norman “Chubby” Chaney as Chubby — debut appearance
  • Joe Cobb as Joe — Chubby’s cousin
  • Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins as Wheezer
  • Mary Ann Jackson as Mary Ann
  • Jean Darling as Jean
  • Harry Spear as Harry
  • Supporting cast includes Otto Fries, Ed Brandenburg, and Pete the Pup

Plot Summary

The gang gathers at a railroad yard, where Joe and Chubby’s father warns them about the dangers of playing near trains. After he leaves, a lunatic named Loco Joe hijacks a locomotive with most of the kids aboard. Farina, left behind, narrowly avoids being run over several times before finally climbing aboard.

The gang tries to stop the runaway train, but it crashes into a grocery truck. Just as disaster strikes, Farina wakes up—it was all a dream triggered by the safety lecture. The film ends with a comic twist as Farina realizes he’s still in trouble for ignoring the warning.

Style & Legacy

  • Second Our Gang short made with synchronized sound, following Small Talk
  • Norman Chaney’s debut as “Chubby,” replacing Joe Cobb as the series’ “fat kid” after winning a national contest
  • A partial remake of The Sun Down Limited (1924), updated for sound
  • Noted for its rail-yard realism, dream sequence twist, and early sound experimentation
  • Originally lost due to missing sound discs; restored in 1982 when MGM rediscovered the original audio elements

Streaming Availability

You can watch Railroadin’ (1929) in full on:

Rattling Romeo (1939) — Charley Chase – Columbia Pictures

Overview

  • Type: Two-reel comedy short (~20 minutes)
  • Studio: Columbia Pictures
  • Director: Del Lord
  • Writer: Churchill Ross
  • Release Date: July 14, 1939
  • Genre: Slapstick, romantic farce
  • Language: English

Cast

  • Charley Chase as Charley — the unlucky romantic
  • Ann Doran as Judy — his date
  • John Tyrrell as Mr. Burt — the shady car dealer
  • Ben Taggart as J. Banning Buttle — the stern creditor
  • Supporting cast includes Harry Bernard, Bud Jamison, Eva McKenzie, and Stanley Brown

Plot Summary

Charley Chase buys a used car to impress his date Judy, but the vehicle is a disaster—held together with glue, string, and optimism. After discovering the car is a lemon, Charley stops payment on the check. This triggers a series of comic chases as repo men, creditors, and angry commuters pursue him across town.

The car falls apart piece by piece: doors detach, the horn malfunctions, and the engine sputters. Charley’s date is unimpressed, and the situation worsens when the car causes a traffic jam and trolley mishaps. The film ends with Charley narrowly escaping arrest, his romantic hopes dashed but his comic timing intact.

Style & Legacy

  • One of Charley Chase’s final shorts before his death in 1940
  • Directed by Del Lord, known for his work with The Three Stooges and Keystone-style car gags
  • Features classic automobile slapstick, including process photography and collapsing props
  • A standout among Chase’s Columbia-era shorts, despite lacking the polish of his Hal Roach work
  • Noted for its Depression-era humor, poking fun at repossession, cheap cars, and dating woes

Streaming Availability

You can watch Rattling Romeo (1939) in full on: Internet Archive – Full Film

Readin’ and Writin’ (1932) — Our Gang

Overview

  • Series: Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals)
  • Entry: 111th short in the series
  • Director: Robert F. McGowan
  • Writer: H.M. Walker
  • Cinematography: Art Lloyd
  • Editor: Richard C. Currier
  • Music: Leroy Shield, Marvin Hatley
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Release Date: February 2, 1932
  • Runtime: ~20 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Genre: School comedy, slapstick

Cast

  • Kendall McComas as Breezy Brisbane — the wisecracking troublemaker
  • Matthew “Stymie” Beard as Stymie — Brisbane’s accomplice
  • Bobby “Wheezer” Hutchins as Wheezer — the skeptical pupil
  • Dorothy DeBorba as Dorothy — the note-passer
  • Sherwood Bailey as Spud — the poetic classmate
  • Supporting cast includes Pete the Pup and June Marlowe as Miss Crabtree (her final appearance)

Plot Summary

It’s the first day of school, and Breezy Brisbane returns with a plan: he wants to get expelled so he can become a streetcar conductor instead of president. He enlists Stymie, Wheezer, and Dorothy to help sabotage the classroom. Their antics include gluing books together, placing tacks on seats, blowing horns, and passing rude notes to Miss Crabtree.

Spud recites a poem honoring the teacher, but Brisbane mocks him and throws a spitball. Miss Crabtree sends Brisbane to the hallway, where he brings in Dinah the Mule to cause more chaos. Eventually, Miss Crabtree suspends him pending expulsion.

Alone and bored, Brisbane realizes school isn’t so bad. He memorizes Spud’s poem and tearfully recites it to Miss Crabtree, who forgives him. Just as peace returns, Marmalade the dog brings in a skunk, sending the class fleeing and Pete the Pup bug-eyed.

Style & Legacy

  • Debut of Kendall McComas as Breezy Brisbane, replacing Jackie Cooper
  • Final appearance of June Marlowe as Miss Crabtree, a beloved figure in the series
  • Noted for its Depression-era realism, ensemble timing, and schoolroom slapstick
  • Scenes involving racial stereotypes were censored in the 1970s but restored in AMC broadcasts from 2001–2003
  • A fan favorite for its blend of mischief, redemption, and heartfelt humor

Streaming Availability

The Real McCoy (1930) — Charley Chase

Overview

  • Type: Two-reel comedy short (~21 minutes)
  • Studio: Hal Roach Studios
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Director: Warren Doane
  • Writer: H.M. Walker
  • Release Date: 1930
  • Genre: Romantic farce, musical comedy
  • Language: English

Cast

  • Charley Chase as Charley — the city slicker turned hillbilly
  • Thelma Todd as Thelma — the charming country girl
  • Edgar Kennedy as Cicero — the motorcycle cop
  • Supporting cast includes Charlie Hall, Sammy Brooks, Nelson McDowell, and Helen Gilmore

Plot Summary

Charley Chase flees a traffic cop (Edgar Kennedy) into the backwoods, where he meets Thelma Todd and instantly falls for her. To win her affection, he pretends to be a local hillbilly named “The Real McCoy.” But the mountain folk are suspicious of outsiders—and especially of lawmen.

Charley’s attempts to blend in include singing a mountain tune, square dancing, and dodging moonshine references. The comedy escalates as he’s mistaken for a revenuer and nearly shot. Eventually, his ruse is exposed, but Thelma forgives him, charmed by his sincerity and musical flair.

Style & Legacy

  • A standout early talkie for Charley Chase’s musical talents, including a humorous “mountain song”
  • Features Thelma Todd’s comic timing and romantic chemistry with Chase
  • Directed by Warren Doane, blending slapstick with musical interludes
  • Noted for its fish-out-of-water premise, Ozark-style setting, and pre-Code boldness
  • Often praised for its square dance sequence and Chase’s vocal performance

Streaming Availability

You can watch The Real McCoy (1930) in full on:

Red Noses (1932) — Pitts & Todd

Overview

  • Type: Two-reel comedy short (~21 minutes)
  • Studio: Hal Roach Studios
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Director: James W. Horne
  • Writer: H.M. Walker
  • Cinematography: Art Lloyd
  • Editor: Richard C. Currier
  • Music: Leroy Shield
  • Release Date: 1932
  • Language: English
  • Genre: Slapstick, health spa farce

Cast

  • ZaSu Pitts as Miss Pitts — the timid, sickly friend
  • Thelma Todd as Miss Todd — her more assertive counterpart
  • Blanche Payson as Dr. Payson — the overbearing physical therapist
  • Wilfred Lucas as Mr. Lucas — the spa’s uptight manager
  • Billy Gilbert as a tailor’s customer — comic relief
  • Lyle Tayo as another physical therapist
  • Bobby Burns (uncredited) as Mr. Lucas’ secretary

Plot Summary

Miss Pitts and Miss Todd are sent to a health spa to recover from colds. Expecting rest and relaxation, they instead face a grueling regimen of bizarre treatments, including steam baths, electric massages, and strict diets. Dr. Payson, the no-nonsense physical therapist, subjects them to increasingly absurd routines.

Meanwhile, a series of misunderstandings involving a tailor’s customer (Billy Gilbert) and a mix-up with spa equipment leads to slapstick chaos. The women’s attempts to escape the spa’s torturous treatments only make things worse. The short ends with the duo more exhausted than when they arrived—cured of their colds, perhaps, but not their misadventures.

Style & Legacy

  • Part of the Pitts and Todd comedy series at Hal Roach Studios, often dubbed the female Laurel & Hardy
  • Features classic Roach slapstick, including physical therapy gags and mistaken identity
  • Noted for its chemistry between Pitts and Todd, blending nervous energy with deadpan wit
  • A showcase for Blanche Payson’s imposing comic presence and Billy Gilbert’s signature sneezes
  • A time capsule of 1930s health fads and spa culture, exaggerated for comic effect

Streaming Availability

You can watch Red Noses (1932) in full on:

Reunion in Rhythm (1937) — Our Gang

Overview

  • Series: Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals)
  • Entry: 150th short in the series
  • Director: Gordon Douglas
  • Writer: Jack Jevne
  • Cinematography: Art Lloyd
  • Editor: William H. Ziegler
  • Music: Marvin Hatley
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Release Date: January 9, 1937
  • Runtime: ~10 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Genre: Musical comedy, ensemble farce

Cast

  • Darla Hood as Darla
  • Eugene “Porky” Lee as Porky
  • George “Spanky” McFarland as Spanky
  • Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer as Alfalfa
  • Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas as Buckwheat
  • Matthew “Stymie” Beard as Stymie
  • Joe Cobb as Joe
  • Mickey Daniels as Mickey
  • Mary Kornman as Mary
  • Georgia Jean LaRue as Georgia
  • Rosina Lawrence as Miss Lawrence (teacher)
  • Cameos by other alumni and ensemble dancers

Plot Summary

Set at the Adams Street Grammar School, the film opens with a class reunion where former Our Gang members return to watch a musical revue staged by the current gang. Buckwheat repeatedly tries to recite “Little Jack Horner” but is hilariously interrupted by Spanky.

The show features:

  • Darla and Porky singing “Baby Face”
  • Spanky leading a tap number to “Broadway Rhythm”
  • Alfalfa crooning “I’m Through with Love” off-key, accompanied by Georgia Jean LaRue
  • A medley including “Going Hollywood” and “Auld Lang Syne”

The short ends with a heartfelt group performance and nostalgic nods to the gang’s legacy.

Style & Legacy

  • A follow-up to Our Gang Follies of 1936, continuing the musical revue format
  • Celebrates the transition between silent-era and sound-era gang members, bridging generations
  • Features Alfalfa’s signature off-key singing, Buckwheat’s comic timing, and Spanky’s leadership
  • Noted for its ensemble choreography, musical variety, and sentimental tone
  • A fan favorite for its nostalgic reunion of early stars like Joe Cobb, Mary Kornman, and Mickey Daniels

Streaming Availability

You can watch Reunion in Rhythm (1937) in full on:

 Roamin’ Holiday (1937) — Our Gang

Overview

  • Series: Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals)
  • Entry: 155th short in the series
  • Director: Gordon Douglas
  • Producer: Hal Roach
  • Cinematography: Art Lloyd
  • Editor: William H. Ziegler
  • Music: Marvin Hatley
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Release Date: June 12, 1937
  • Runtime: ~10 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Genre: Comedy, moral tale

Cast

  • George “Spanky” McFarland as Spanky
  • Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer as Alfalfa
  • Billie “Buckwheat” Thomas as Buckwheat
  • Eugene “Porky” Lee as Porky
  • Darla Hood as Darla
  • Otis Harlan as Constable Hiram Jenks
  • May Wallace as Ma Jenks
  • Pete the Pup as himself

Plot Summary

Fed up with chores and the threat of dancing lessons, Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, and Porky decide to run away from home. They end up in the rural town of Jenksville, where they beg for food from kindly Ma Jenks. She feeds them, but when she learns they’re runaways, she alerts her husband, Constable Hi Jenks.

To teach them a lesson, Constable Jenks pretends to arrest them. He dresses them in convict stripes and puts them to work breaking rocks. The boys quickly regret their decision and long to return home. Their escape attempt leads to a barn full of animals and a swarm of bees, which sends them running—right back toward home.

Style & Legacy

  • A classic morality tale wrapped in slapstick and ensemble comedy
  • Features early appearances by Darla Hood and strong chemistry among the core gang
  • Noted for its rural setting, comic reversal, and bee swarm climax
  • Directed by Gordon Douglas, known for balancing sentiment and chaos
  • Often cited as a fan favorite for its blend of humor and heart

Streaming Availability

You can watch Roamin’ Holiday (1937) in full on:

The Rummy (1933) — Hal Roach Studios / MGM

Overview

  • Type: Two-reel comedy short (~20 minutes)
  • Series: The Taxi Boys (loosely connected)
  • Director: Del Lord
  • Producer: Hal Roach
  • Cinematography: Walter Lundin
  • Editor: William H. Terhune
  • Sound: James Greene
  • Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
  • Release Date: June 10, 1933
  • Language: English
  • Genre: Slapstick, haunted house farce

Cast

  • Ben Blue as The Rummy — a twitchy, eccentric customer
  • Billy Gilbert as Schmaltz — a bumbling ex-cabbie turned night watchman
  • Gladys Blake as the bored secretary
  • Billy Bletcher as the garage mechanic (uncredited)
  • Supporting cast includes James C. Morton, Richard Cramer, and John Aasen

Plot Summary

After wrecking a taxi, Schmaltz (Billy Gilbert) is fired and mistakenly applies for a job at a taxidermy shop, thinking it’s a taxi company. He’s hired as a night watchman and tasked with guarding a valuable shipment. Meanwhile, Ben Blue enters the shop with a bizarre request: he wants his pet flea stuffed. He performs a two-minute routine showing off the flea’s “tricks,” then loses it—prompting a frantic search.

As night falls, the shop becomes a house of horrors. A skeleton in a closet, a parrot mocking the guard, and a fake mummy all contribute to the chaos. The sacked night watchman returns with an accomplice, and the situation devolves into a slapstick scarefest. Ben Blue wanders the shop with the skeleton, terrifying Schmaltz and escalating the madness.

Style & Legacy

  • A departure from the usual Taxi Boys formula, with Ben Blue and Billy Gilbert not paired until halfway through
  • Features Ben Blue’s exaggerated burlesque-style antics, including talking to mannequins and obsessing over a flea
  • Directed by Del Lord, known for his work with The Three Stooges
  • Noted for its haunted house atmosphere, taxidermy gags, and over-the-top physical comedy
  • Often cited as one of the more surreal and chaotic entries in the Hal Roach comedy lineup

Streaming Availability

You can watch The Rummy (1933) in full on:

  • Internet Archive – Full Film – Not Available