Beginner's Luck

One of the most popular characters in the later stages of the 'Our Gang' series was 'Alfalfa.' Carl Switzer, nicknamed 'Alfalfa,' first appeared in a Little Rascals film in February 1935's "Beginner's Luck." Carl, 7, and his brother Harold, 9, are one act in a kids' talent show slinging out the song "She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain."

Carl, the youngest of four siblings, was born in 1927 in Paris, Illinois. Growing up he and Harold became local favorites in their hometown singing and playing several different instruments. The Switzers took a vacation to visit family in California and toured the Hal Roach Studios for curiosity sake. While eating in the cafeteria that day, the brothers decided to spontaneously sing a couple of songs. Assistant director Gordon Douglas, eating his lunch nearby, was so impress by the cuteness and talent of the boys he got producer Hal Roach to see them. Impressed, Roach signed the pair to one 'Our Gang' short, which turned out to be "Beginner's Luck." The two eventually received their stage nicknames: Harold was called "Slim" and "Deadpan," while Carl got the moniker that lasted his entire life, 'Alfalfa.' The talent show is an excuse for an aggressive stage mother to press her reluctant child to perform in front of a live audience. Spanky's mother (Kitty Kelly) pushes the child to recite a passage from William Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar.' Dressed up as a Roman Centurion, the reluctant Spanky wants to get even with his mother and plans for his friends to pelt him with peas and noisemakers. But his designs goes awry when a little girl who needs money for a new dress gets stage fright and cries to her mother. Spanky vows to win the show and give her his prize money. Trouble is the gang in the front row didn't get the memo and begin disrupting his act. His mom ends up losing her dress over the incident.

"Beginner's Luck" proved to be one of 'Our Gang's' more popular shorts. At the conclusion of the film's showing at the Capitol Theatre in New York City, the audience went wild. The viewers applauded so long that singer Rudy Valley, standing in the wings of the stage behind the curtain to make a special appearance, had a long wait to perform before the audience settled down. Actress Kitty Kelly, as Spanky's mother, took the humor in stride, saying her performance was one of the highlights in her acting career despite numerous appearances in television, primarily in the TV series 'Bonanza.' Meanwhile, Carl Switzer's popularity rose as his years with the Rascals progressed while his brother Harold ended up playing minor parts with the kids. Alfalfa made a habit of singing his songs off-key, even though he was a perfect on-key crooner. By 1937, his popularity eclipsed Spanky's. Off screen, the rivalry between the child actors' parents heated up as each fought over the amount of screen time and salaries. Alfalfa, who liked to play cruel tricks with his 'pals' off the set, remained with the Little Rascals until 1940, when he became a lanky teenager.

There are many Our Gang shorts that I love dearly, and many that bring a smile or a warm feeling inside. Out of all of them, this is the one that can truly cause me to laugh out loud.

Of course, the laughter of the audience is infectious and tends to help things along, but Spanky's continued stumbling about as one disaster after another befalls him is priceless.

Something to note about the reviews: one reviewer, who has posted under several different names here, is clearly obsessed with this film. I have encountered him over the years on other forums besides this one, and his thoughts on "Beginner's Luck" remain the same. He can be identified (across his multiple identities) by his habit of not putting spaces after periods — and alternately, of putting a space BEFORE a comma and none after!

Leaving aside the content of his reviews, how anyone who reads the English language could get the idea that it can or should be written this way is beyond me.

This comedy classic is in my top 5 favorite episodes of the Our Gang Series.I'll start with my Granddaughter Sammy who recently had her first ballet recital. At the moment of truth froze up and ran off the stage into the comfort of her Mother's arms. When the show was over I said to my Daughter-In-Law, "Samimy Froze up like Daisy Dimple!" Of course my Daughter-In-Law replied, "Who Is Daisy Dimple?" Hence my review begins now! Spanky the new leader of the gang due to the departure Of Wally Albright and his limited contract, performs in front of his Mother's friends reciting Shakespeare. Spanky projects his prose perfectly to the delight of his wannabee stage Mother. For doing a stellar job of acting what is Spanky's reward? Mother Dear is entering him in a talent show. Show business is not to Spanky's liking as he practices to the company of his talking parrot. The gang member's show up at his window.The only way out is to have Spanky flop on stage with the help of his gang and an endless supply of Pellets and spit balls. On with the talent show as Spanky dressed in full Michigan State apparel (A ROMAN SOLDIER) will do everything in his power to bomb on stage. Ironically Spanky was picked to go first by the Master of Ceremonies Tom Herbert but his pushy Mom (Kitty Kelly) who bears a striking resemblance to actress Barbara Stanwyck protests that you Don't have a talented actor the likes of Spanky to go on first. Some of the Acts were entertaining to watch .Honorable mention to The Hawaiian Dancers and the Cabin Kids and most importantly the Arizona Nightingales featuring a young freckled Carl Switzer who makes his first of many appearances in the series as the the High pitched off key singer Alfalfa! Now it's time for our cu pie faced Dancer Daisy Dimple to perform and try to win the cash prize of $10.00 but she choked in front of a bewildered audience and all those eyes!! Spanky comforts the crestfallen girl and claims he'll win her the money for her ballet costume. Spanky wants to go out to the audience to tell his friends not to ruin his act and that he want's to win after all. Instead Spanky's Mom intervenes and goes over to the rowdy troupe and tells them that her son wants to win. Spanky from the Stage winks at them and the gang is confused so the gang sticks with the original plan of abuse and spitball to the disdain of out toupee pianist James Morton seated between the stage and the arsenal. Spanky goes on and the rest of the short is sheer pratfalls combined with howling comedy with a grand finale of Grandmother Mae Wallace pulling up the final curtain to a ripped dress. Great episode to show your grand kids if they failed on stage. Whether it be a dance recital or a school play . Tell your children not to freeze up and give it your best effort. Don't be a DAISY DIMPLE!

An OUR GANG Comedy Short.

To his embarrassment, Spanky's mom enters him in a talent contest. He immediately gets the Gang's help in a plan to lose. Once on stage, however, Spanky meets a sweet little girl & his plans change. Now he'll need real BEGINNER'S LUCK to have a chance of winning...

A very funny little film, with Spanky in rare form. Highlight: Spanky's performance on stage. This was the film debut for Alfalfa (he sings `She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain').

This Little Rascals short is the funniest one of all of them. It involves Spanky being entered in a talent show by his somewhat overbearing mom, while her own mom disapproves. The acting, story & outcome are classic, and anyone who has watched this on television growing up remembers it fondly. I think the whole gist of this was to highlight overbearing stage moms, and this film did it perfectly. You see good acts, not so good acts etc, but the film never loses its zest. Spanky's mom in the film, the pretty Kitty Kelly, gives a standout performance which, judging from the comments here, is unforgettable. No need to divulge the fate of Spanky's mom here. If you've seen this, you know. If you haven't, find it. You'll love it.