Bouncing Babies
Encyclopedia
Bouncing Babies is a 1929 Our Gang
short
comedy film
directed by Robert F. McGowan
. Produced by Hal Roach
and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
, it was the 92nd Our Gang short to be released.
, who gets all the attention from his family while Wheezer is ignored and expected to behave like a "big boy". After a failed attempt at making his own breakfast (and being spanked for doing so), Wheezer attempts to run away from home with Pete the Pup. After he happens upon Farina, they both find themselves on the receiving end of Halloween
pranks from the gang in their costumes.
Farina tells Wheezer a tall tale about trading in an unwanted baby sibling for a goat and inspires Wheezer to try the same. However, when Wheezer arrives at the hospital with the baby carriage (which unknown to him holds Mary Ann's doll), not the baby) in order to "change the baby for a goat," a nurse plays along, but also calls Wheezer's mother and informs her of what he's done. Wheezer's mother and his sister Mary Ann pretend to be distraught over the baby's disappearance.
After seeing his mother crying, a remorseful Wheezer rushes back to the hospital to retrieve his brother, but the nurse informs him that it's too late. Wheezer returns home alone, and his mother tells him to pray for the baby to return. Wheezer, gets on his knees and begins praying, only for the baby to come out of hiding and bop Wheezer on the head.
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
short
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Robert F. McGowan
Robert F. McGowan
Robert Francis McGowan was an American film director and producer, best known as the senior director of the Our Gang short subjects film series from 1922 until 1933.-Career:...
. Produced by Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
, it was the 92nd Our Gang short to be released.
Plot
Wheezer is jealous of his baby brotherSibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
, who gets all the attention from his family while Wheezer is ignored and expected to behave like a "big boy". After a failed attempt at making his own breakfast (and being spanked for doing so), Wheezer attempts to run away from home with Pete the Pup. After he happens upon Farina, they both find themselves on the receiving end of Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
pranks from the gang in their costumes.
Farina tells Wheezer a tall tale about trading in an unwanted baby sibling for a goat and inspires Wheezer to try the same. However, when Wheezer arrives at the hospital with the baby carriage (which unknown to him holds Mary Ann's doll), not the baby) in order to "change the baby for a goat," a nurse plays along, but also calls Wheezer's mother and informs her of what he's done. Wheezer's mother and his sister Mary Ann pretend to be distraught over the baby's disappearance.
After seeing his mother crying, a remorseful Wheezer rushes back to the hospital to retrieve his brother, but the nurse informs him that it's too late. Wheezer returns home alone, and his mother tells him to pray for the baby to return. Wheezer, gets on his knees and begins praying, only for the baby to come out of hiding and bop Wheezer on the head.
Cast
- Bobby Hutchins - Wheezer
- Mary Ann JacksonMary Ann JacksonMary Ann Jackson was an American former child actress who appeared in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1928 to 1931. She was a native of Los Angeles, California.-Career:...
- Mary Ann - Allen Hoskins - Farina
- Jean DarlingJean DarlingJean Darling is a former American child actress who was a regular in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1927 to 1929. She remains the last surviving cast member from the silent era.-Career:...
- Jean - Norman Chaney - Chubby
- Harry SpearHarry SpearHarry Spear was a former American child actor, notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1927 to 1929...
- Harry - Pete the PupPete the PupPete the Pup was a Pit Bull character in Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies during the 1920s and 1930s...
- Himself - Jackie CooperJackie CooperJackie Cooper was an American actor, television director, producer and executive. He was a child actor who managed to make the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first child actor to receive an Academy Award nomination...
- Kid listening to Farina's story - Bobby Mallon - Kid listening to Farina's story
- Eddie DunnEddie Dunn (actor)Eddie Dunn , was an American actor best known for his roles in comedy films,supporting many comedians such as Charley Chase , Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields and Laurel and Hardy.Dunn also appeared as "Detective Grimes" in several of The Falcon series of films in the 1940's which starred...
- The father - Lyle TayoLyle TayoLyle Tayo was an American film actress who appeared in 59 films between 1921 and 1948. Tayo was born in Elmdale, Kansas and died in Hollywood, California. She is buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery....
- Nurse - Thomas Atkins - Wheezer's little brother (as Tommy Atkins)
- Dora Dean - Mother