The Pooch is a 1932 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 115th (27th talking) Our Gang short that was released.
Plot
The film follows cheerful vagrant Stymie and the younger Spanky as they trek through the neighborhood in search of food, with their dog, Pete the Pup, in tow. Their attempts at procuring food are mostly unsuccessful; the pair are turned away from a restaurant for not having any money. Their luck changes, however, when Stymie manages to scheme a woman out of some food under the pretense that it is for Petey, his dog. Soon after, a mean dogcatcher (Budd Fine) is seen with the rest of the gang's dogs in the back of his truck. Stymie, who wants to get back in the good graces of the gang after having previously stolen their pies, intends to win back their affections by freeing their dogs from the dogcatcher's wagon. He is successful, and, after a brief misunderstanding, is allowed back into the gang. Enraged, the dogcatcher tries to capture Petey. The gang fights back, with Stymie grappling onto the dog catcher's leg and biting him, as Spanky and the other kids pelt the dogcatcher with rocks, eggs, and lettuce. This is to no avail, as the dogcatcher eventually escapes their attack and vengefully bundles Petey off to the pound, intending to consign the dog to the gas chamber unless Stymie brings him five dollars. Desperately, Stymie prays for the five dollars necessary to spring Pete, whereupon a five-dollar bill blows out of the hands of a lady shopper and lands at Stymie's feet. After outsmarting a cop whom thinks Stymie has stolen the money, he and the gang race to the dog pound. An employee walks up to the dog catcher and informs him that he can't get Pete gassed, saying that it would make those kids upset. The dog catcher dismisses him. As the dog catcher seals Petey inside the gas chamber, the employee attempts to get the dog catcher's attention once more and is once again angrily dismissed. Upon the gang's arrival, the dog catcher smugly declares that he has already gassed Petey and that the dog is now dead. Stymie begins to cry, and he and the gang sulk until the employee from earlier returns, kneels down to comfort Stymie, and assures him that Petey is not dead. To the dismay of the dogcatcher, the employee informs him that the chamber cannot operate, as there is no gas in the cylinders. The dogcatcher opens the door to the gas chamber to find Petey sitting inside, alive. Petey rushes out and chases the dog catcher, with the gang following.
Cast
The Gang
George McFarland as Spanky
Matthew Beard as Stymie
Sherwood Bailey as Spud
Dorothy DeBorba as Dorothy
Kendall McComas as Breezy Brisbane
Bobby Hutchins as Wheezer
Harold Wertz as Bouncy
Pete the Pup as himself
Laughing Gravy as himself
Additional cast
Artye Folz as Girl who Reads
Dickie Jackson as Boy with donuts
Harry Bernard as Officer
Baldwin Cooke as Diner attendant
Estelle Etterre as First housewife
Budd Fine as Budd, the dog catcher
Dick Gilbert as Co-worker at dog pound
May Wallace as Second housewife
Note
The Pooch is a semi-remake of the 1927 film Love My Dog. This is the last entry featuring the second Pete the Pup. His trainer was fired from Hal Roach studios. Other unrelated dogs aired as Pete the Pup until 1938. This episode was edited for perceived racial content toward African Americans and the mistreatment of children by about five minutes from the syndicated Little Rascals television in 1971. The film was reinstated in its entirety on its AMC airings from 2001-2003.