Series: Our Gang Director: Robert F. McGowan Producer: Hal Roach Titles: H.M. Walker Photography: Art Lloyd, Robert Doran Editor: Stars: Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, Allen Hoskins, Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon, Andy Samuel Company: Pathé Exchange Released: 29 June 1924 Length: 2 reels Production No.: A-29 Filming dates: February 25 - March 8, 1924 Rating: 5/10

Jubilo, Jr.

The story begins in the future when adult Jubilo (Will Rogers) is a hobo who meets up with three of his companions sitting by a railroad track. He tells them he always wears a 'hollyhock' to remember his mother on her birthday and produces a photo of him and her from when he was a young boy (played by Mickey Daniels). We then go back to when he was a boy and it is his mother's birthday. She is upset that her husband Emil (Noah Young) refuses to buy her a present, which leaves not only her, but her son in tears. Jubilo empties his money box and heads off out to buy her something. Along the way he rejects offers from his friends to play baseball and instead seeks work to earn some money digging a six-foot hole. Jubilo digs the hole as instructed only to learn that the guy who told him to do so is 'Bughouse Bailey' - a known lunatic. The foreman, who falls into the hole tells Jubilo to fill it back up again. Joe comes over and wants to help fill the hole and even offers a penny for the privilege. Bizarrely, all the other kids want to join in and each pay Jubilo a penny for their go. Jubilo heads off to a building site in order to try and earn more money to buy his mother a $3 hat for her birthday, whilst the other kids join him and all get their feet stuck in cement. Undeterred, Jubilo seeks work with a grocer (his real-life father Richard Daniels) to deliver some food to a neighbor but he accidentally trips over in the road and spills his load. So he then decides to work for a circus.

A trick photographer who shoots flour in the face of a girl, trapeze artists, Joe Cobb as a strong man, Jackie Condon as a juggler and two kids dressed in a horse costume. After the show Jubilo notes that he is still thirty cents shy of the three dollars he needs so he writes his mother a note telling her he is borrowing her money to buy something "very important". Jubilo buys the hat he wanted for her but as he comes out of the store he meets Mary who tries it on for size but she gets upset when Jubilo takes it from her and walks off. He arrives home to find his angry father waiting to give him a good hiding - which he does in such excessive fashion until his mother breaks it up. (I found this scene to be very upsetting). Jubilo explains why he took the money and presents his mother with the birthday hat. She is overwhelmed by her son's thoughtfulness which puts his father to shame. The adult Jubilo tells his friends that his father "whaled me that day til my pants were smoking!" His mother wears the hat proudly to church every time she goes, and years later when Jubilo tells the story to his hobo friends we discover that 'Jubilo' is actually Will Rogers on a movie set waiting to be called by his director (Charley Chase) to shoot a scene. His elderly mother arrives in a taxi to see Jubilo and shows her son that she still has the hat all these years later. Jubilo proudly introduces his mother to his friends and the film crew who all gather around to welcome her. His last thoughts are of the old gang who he envisions standing by the side of the road waving at him.

Favourite bit At the end of the film when Jubilo is reunited with his elderly mother, who stops by the movie set to see her son wearing the flower on his suit to remind him of her. Touching.

Trivia • Copyrighted June 5, 1924. The film is currently in the public domain. • Film no. 29 in the series. • Brian Anthony & Andy Edmonds' book "Smile When The Raindrops Fall" gives a release date of 29 July 1924. • Footage from this film was reused in Boys Will Be Joys. • At least one print of the film is missing the first 2 and a half minutes - with Will Rogers' scene at the beginning and the introduction of Noah Young's character. Also, there is a print which was made available from the Paul Killiam Film Classics where a narrator misidentifies not only Johnny Downs but also incorrectly mistakes Farina's character with Buckwheat's in that he states Farina started as an unidentifiable sex in the films. This was in fact Buckwheat's character. • Noah Young's character spanks Mickey Daniels a total of eighteen times before Lyle Tayo intervenes. 18 times - are you f*cking serious? Such the tough guy to use such excessive brutality on a child. • Most sources list the hat vendor as Allan Cavan. It is in fact Chris Lynton. My opinion • What begins as a pretty heartfelt and touching story somehow escalates into a showcase for poor and bland circus tricks performed by the kids. The connection between Will Rogers and Mickey Daniels as 'Jubilo' is somewhat unbelievable too.

	Mickey Daniels Jubilo, Jr.
	Mary Kornman Mary
	Joe Cobb Joe
	Allen Hoskins Farina
	Jackie Condon Jackie/Pah Jong the Japanese juggler
	Andy Samuel Andy
	Dick Henchen Dick
	Will Rogers Jubilo/Himself
	Billy Aber Tattooed man
	Lassie Lou Ahern Tiny man circus performer
	Ivadell Carter Girl with flour in her face
	Chris Lynton Hat vendor
	Charley Chase Director
	Richard Daniels Grocer
	Otto Himm Photographer
	Lyle Tayo Mother
	Leo Willis Tramp pal of Jubilo
	Noah Young Emil, Jubilo's father
	Joy Winthrop Extra outside church
	Jean Johnston Whiskers lady
	Geraldine Condon Snake charmer
	Bobby Heck Spectator [*listed by IMDb, but not by The Lucky Corner website]
	Stanton Heck Jr. Spectator [*listed by IMDb, but not by The Lucky Corner website]

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge)

GLASS SLIDE (click any image to enlarge)

SHOT ON LOCATION (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: The Little Rascals: The Life And Times Of Our Gang by Leonard Maltin & Richard W. Bann (book) http://theluckycorner.com/rps/029.html (Robert Demoss/The Lucky Corner) Drina Mohacsi (identification of Jean Johnston, Geraldine Condon) Jesse Brisson (identification of Chris Lynton) Jim Jarvis (information regarding Bobby Heck, Stanton Heck Jr) Matthew Lydick confirms that Ella McKenzie is not Emma, the fat woman and so I have removed her credit This page was last updated on: 23 March 2023