On to the show...

March 20, 2008 8:17 AM

Leroy Shield was a composer from the Hal Roach era of comedies who composed soundtracks for Laurel and Hardy and the Little Rascals, he has one cover, er, orchestra, the Beau Hunks and no less of a fan than Robert Crumb. Check the main website for more sounds and movies.
via WFMU, bonus YouTubery inside

Musical Laurel and Hardy:
Laurel and Hardy - Way Out West
Laurel and Hardy - The Music Box
Laurel and Hardy - You're Darn Tootin'

Musical Little Rascals/Our Gang:
Our Gang - The Champeen
Our Gang - Reunion in Rhythm
Our Gang - Spooky Hooky

Warning: early 20th century American stereotypes may offend some with delicate sensibilities and no sense of humor.

posted by 1f2frfbf (12 comments total)

Oh hell yes. Much appreciated.
posted by not_on_display at 8:25 AM on March 20, 2008

Nifty, thanks
posted by Smedleyman at 9:11 AM on March 20, 2008

Good post. I have the Beau Hunks' "Little Rascals" album and enjoy it a lot.
posted by briank at 9:30 AM on March 20, 2008

Like Crumb's daughter said in the documentary of him: "You only like old-fashioned stuff."
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:41 AM on March 20, 2008

"Warning: early 20th century American stereotypes may offend some with delicate sensibilities and no sense of humor."

Way to poison the post. Would have stood just fine without it.
posted by batmonkey at 11:53 AM on March 20, 2008

Have you no sense of humor?
posted by not_on_display at 12:41 PM on March 20, 2008

Great links. Thanks for taking the time! Little Rascals was huge for me even though I'm a few generations behind its first run.
posted by weathermachine at 12:42 PM on March 20, 2008

Wow, That's very cool. Thank you. I haven't listened to much in the way of soundtracks, pre Graeme Revell. I always going going back further to see where things have been.
posted by Inversehelix at 12:55 PM on March 20, 2008

The Beau Hunks have also recorded several discs of Raymond Scott's music that are outstanding.
posted by pmurray63 at 6:11 PM on March 20, 2008

For those who may be less familiar with the Laurel and Hardy oeuvre, Beau Hunks (1931) is one of The Boys' funniest films, a parody of the immortal (and oft remade) Beau Geste.
posted by rdone at 6:51 PM on March 20, 2008

Let me fulfill a standard Metafilter template by stating that I simply cannot watch Little Rascals shorts anymore; as I've reached adulthood they just seem like the cruelest confabulations of child labor and ersatz-child set direction. It just all feels like the kids are trapped and forced to deliver the kind of lines an adult who "bought" them expects kids to deliver, devoid of any spontaneous and joyful nature.

I realize this is probably just me.
posted by jscott at 1:36 AM on March 21, 2008

It's not just you; welcome to adulthood--that world-wise filter sucks some of the enjoyment out of a lot of things you thought were grand as a kid. I know that my movie-going experience changed the first time I recognized what terrible acting was. Add to that accumulated knowledge about how the entertainment industry works, and I start to feel a bit of puke in my mouth whenever I see, say, pieces of High School Musical on the Disney Channel.
posted by not_on_display at 9:56 AM on March 21, 2008