Our Gang Follies of 1936

Plot

The gang stages a big musical revue in Spanky's cellar ("6 Acts of Swell Actin," reads a sign above the cellar door). Spanky, as the master of ceremonies, persuades the neighborhood kids through song to come to the show, which includes performances by a miniature chorus line, a trio of farm girls, a group of kids dressed as skeletons, and featured spots for Alfalfa and a new girl named Cookie.

Backstage, there is pandemonium involving Buckwheat's dealings with a mischievous little monkey, as well as Spanky's worrying over his star act, the Flory-Dory Girls, whose tardiness forces the would-be impresario to keep shuffling his acts. When the show reaches its final act with still no sign of the Flory-Dories, Spanky has the other boys dress in the Flory-Dories' costumes. Since he knows the girls' dance, Spanky figures the gang can pull off the act in drag if everyone just does what he does. Unknown to Spanky, however, the monkey that was terrorizing Buckwheat has hidden in the bustle of Spanky's costume. The monkey pulls a needle from the costume during the dance and begins stabbing Spanky in the rear, and the other boys mimic his out-of-character jolts of pain and discomfort to the audience's amusement. Spanky manages to accidentally shake his dress to the floor, and the other boys follow suit, ruining the act as the audience roars with laughter.

Cookie tries to bring down the curtain, but only succeeds in trapping the boys in front of the curtain, causing them to scramble underneath as Spanky closes out the show (with the curtain hiding his corset, garters and lace leggings) and sends the audience of kids home.

Main Our Gang cast

Featured musical performers

Featured audience members

Dancers and audience extras

Jackie Banning, Therese Bonner, Daniel Boone, Frances Bowling, Patty Brown, Moyer "Sonny" Bupp, Janet Comerford, Barbara Goodrich, Joan Gray, Paul Hilton, Phyllis Holt, Joyce Kay, Patty Kelly, Mildred Kornman, Yvonee Lohn, Priscilla Lyon, Billy Minderhout, June Preston, Phillip Marley Rock, Jimmy Sommerville, Delmar Watson, Jackie White

Musical numbers

Songwriters are noted in italics.

1. "Step Up, Kids!/Tap Dance/She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain/Honolulu Baby" (Marvin Hatley, Gus Meins) - Spanky, Alfalfa, Jerry, Junior Cavanaugh, Garrett Joplin, Patsy Northrup, Georgia Bank, Peggy Speth
2. "Hello, Hello, Hello/Good Morning Children" (Hatley) - Chorus Girls
3. "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm (After They've Seen Paree)" (Walter Donaldson, Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young) - The Brian Sisters
4. "I'll Never Say 'Never Again' Again" (Harry McGregor Woods) - Cookie
5. "The Ghost Frolic" (Hatley) - Kids in skeleton costumes
6. "The Object Of My Affection" (Pinky Tomlin, Coy Poe, Jimmie Grier) - Alfalfa, Joy Wurgaft, Cookie
7. "Narcissus" (Ethelbert Nevin) - The "Flory-Dory Sixtette": Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Scotty, Dickie Jones, and Sidney