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Derby Day (1923 film)

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Derby Day
Directed byRobert F. McGowan
Written byHal Roach
H. M. Walker
Produced byHal Roach
StarringJoe Cobb
Jackie Condon
Mickey Daniels
Jack Davis
Allen Hoskins
Mary Kornman
Ernest Morrison
Sonny Loy
Dinah the Mule
Charles A. Bachman
Richard Daniels
William Gillespie
Wallace Howe
Music byBrian Benison
Distributed byPathé Exchange
Release date
  • November 18, 1923 (1923-11-18)
Running time
26:51
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

Derby Day is a 1923 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan.[1][2] It was the 19th Our Gang short subject to be released.

Plot

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As the gang are selling lemonade across the street from the racetrack, they meet up with Mary, whose rich father owns one of the horses. She gets them into the track, and they are sufficiently impressed to start up their own junior version.

Title card for Derby Day

Critical reception

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Upon its original 1923 release, Derby Day was well received by critics. Motion Picture News reviewer Roger Ferri commented, "Hal Roach's company of clever juvenile comedians makes Zev, Morich, and Man o' War look like 'also rans' in Derby Day, about the funniest thing this mob has done for cinematographic entertainment. With the air topped with turf gossip this travesty on horse racing comes at an opportune time. . . . For originality, Derby Day can't be beat—you can't touch it. It's in a class by itself. . . . [A] description of the theme does the comedy no justice—it's got to be seen, and once your audience see it they won't forget it."[3]

Production notes

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When the television rights for the original silent Pathé Our Gang comedies were sold to National Telepix and other distributors, several episodes were retitled. This film was released into television syndication as "Mischief Makers" in 1960 under the title Little Jockeys. Two-thirds of the original film was included. Derby Day was the last Our Gang comedy for Jack Davis.

The Film Detective streaming site has a different title card, which is indicating the title of the film as Derby Days.

Cast

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The Gang

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Additional cast

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References

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  1. ^ "Silent Era: Derby Day". silentera. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  2. ^ Goodman, Walter (2011). "New York Times: Derby Day". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Maltin, Leonard and Bann, Richard W. (1977, rev. 1992). The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang, pp. 27-28. New York: Crown Publishing/Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-58325-9
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