Shivering Shakespeare is an Our Gang short film directed by Anthony Mack. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 95th Our Gang short to be released.
Plot
The gang participates in a play entitled The Gladiator's Dilemma written, produced and directed by the wife of Kennedy the Cop. The badly written play goes comically wrong as the young actors forget their lines, miss their cues, and deal with unwieldy props and costumes. The audience members, unruly teenage boys, mercilessly heckle the actors and torment them by throwing food. The movie ends with everyone in the auditorium participating in a pie fight. Mrs. Kennedy sees the play being completely ruined and orders everyone to stop. The kids turn to Mr. Kennedy. He nods, giving them permission, and all the kids throw their pies at her.
Production notes
Shivering Shakespeare was the final Our Gang comedy directed by Robert A. McGowan, who was billed as "Anthony Mack" to differentiate himself from his uncle, Robert Francis McGowan, who was the Our Gang series' producer and senior director. The younger McGowan would remain a part of the Our Gang unit as a writer for the rest of its existence, even after the series was sold to MGM in 1938.
Cast
The Gang
Norman Chaney as Chubby / Nero
Jackie Cooper as Jackie / the Christian
Allen Hoskins as Farina / Farinacus
Bobby Hutchins as Wheezer / Mary Annicus' youthful brother
Mary Ann Jackson as Mary Ann / Mary Annicus
Pete the Pup as himself
Additional cast
Edith Fellows as Screaming kid
Douglas Greer as Curtain puller
Donald Haines as giggling guard / Shepherd
Jack McHugh as Teenager
Gordon Thorpe as Effeminate boy
Bobby Mallon as Shepherd / guard
Jerry McGowan as Dancing girl
Malcolm Sebastian as Wizard
Johnny Aber as Teenager
Georgie Billings as Shepherd / guard
Bradley "Buster" Slaven as Shepard/guard
Allen Cavan as Audience member who "resents it" Dorothy Coburn as Pie sale girl Carlton Griffin as man inside bull costume Harry Keaton as Audience member licking lips Edgar Kennedy as Kennedy The Cop Ham Kinsey as Audience member hit by pie Charles McAvoy as man whose son is splattered Gertrude Sutton as Mrs. Kennedy Lyle Tayo as Chubby's mother Helen Gilmore as Audience member Buddy Moore as Undetermined role