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Gas
House Kids Go West
As one might expect, the brochure breathlessly sings the praises of the film, with an enthusiasm that one also might expect was not evident on the part of many film fans of the day on their way out of the theatre after having actually seen the film. Scroll down to see images of the brochure as well as to read the text from the small articles contained in it. Theatre managers and publicists were provided with a variety of blurbs from which to choose, from simple to fairly detailed ones summarizing the key action of the film. Some of the information contained in the articles is repetitive, but are nonetheless produced here as originally printed.
Scroll down to see article text or select an article below: The
story The story When the "Gas House Kids" ("Alfalfa" Switzer, Benny Bartlett, Tommy Bond, Rudy Wissler and Ray Dolciame) win the basketball championship of their district, they are rewarded by Kitty Crowley (Lela Bliss) with a month's vacation at her California ranch. Kitty, widow of a New York policeman, arranges for Sergeant Casey (Emory Parnell), of the New York force, to act as their chaperone on their journey and during their stay on the ranch. For the trip out west, the boys arrange with an automobile dealer to drive out a new car and turn it over to another dealer on the Coast. The youngsters do not know that the car is a stolen one. When they arrive at the Crowley ranch, Kitty introduces them to her daughter, Nan (Chili Williams), and the ranch foreman, Jim Kingsley (William Wright), to whom Nan is engaged. The boys deliver the car to the dealer whose name is Steve (Vince Barnett). he drives the car back to the Crowley ranch where he hides it in the barn. Steve and Kingsley are partners in crooked operations but Kingsley objects to Steve's stealing cars as small-time stuff. The boys discover the car buried under hay in the stable and realize that it is a stolen car. Determined to catch Steve red-handed, the boys call on him, tell him they have found out about his racket and offer to sell him another car. Steve accepts their offer and the boys turn over a car belonging to the Sheriff. When Steve brings the car to the Crowley stable, Kinglsey is infuriated. But by prearrangement with Sgt. Casey and the Sheriff (Art Miles), Kingsley is overheard bawling Steve out and the crooks are captured and taken to jail. The kids, receiving the thanks of the Crowleys, return to New York. "Gas House Kids Go West" blends comedy, adventure Hilarious comedy, heart interest, and adventure are skillfully blended in the Pathe/PRC picture "Gas House Kids Go West", now showing at the .......... Theatre. Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Benny Bartlett, Tommy Bond and Rudy Wissler are cast as members of the "Gas House Kids", while Chili lends glamour to the film, in which she plays the feminine lead. The story concerns the antics of the gang during a trip out West, which they are awarded for winning a championship basketball game. The boys arrange with an automobile dealer to drive out a new car and turn it over to another dealer on the Coast. They don't know that the car is a stolen one. Their attempts to extricate themselves from complete involvement with the auto thieves bring on one laugh-packed scene after another. An exceptionally fine group of adult performers including Vince Barnett, Ray Dolciame, Lela Bliss, Emory Parnell, and William Wright, are cast with the young players. William Beaudine directed the breezy comedy. Sam Baerwitz produced the film and wrote the original screenplay. "Gas House Kids Go West" is side-splitting comedy Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, the off-key baritone of the Hal Roach "Our Gang" comedies, brought a bunch of youngsters, called the "Gas House Kids", to the .......... Theatre last night in a side-splitting comedy from Pathe/PRC called "Gas House Kids Go West". The older boys prove as delightful a crowd of mischief makers as have ever appeared on the screen, and the members of the gang in addition to "Alfalfa" are Benny Bartlett, Tommy Bond, and Rudy Wissler, all of whom have appeared as child actors in other films. The story which introduces this gang is ideally suited to the purpose. It is a fast-moving comedy that starts with one of the funniest basketball games ever filmed. According to the plot, winners of this game are to get a vacation at a ranch. The competition is keen. The team playing the "Gas House Kids" is "The Demons" and their star player is a rangy lad who is a master of ballet dancing as well as basketball. He romps carelessly through the game, scoring at will, until the kids devise a way to remind him of his dancing and thus stop him cold. It is a sequence that should be remembered a long time by all who see the picture. After they win the championship, the boys make the trip west and become involved with a mob of car thieves when the inadvertently purchase a stolen car to make the trip. As exceptionally fine group of adult performers has been chosen to surround the young players, and cast in the feminine lead is Chili Williams. In this, her first leading role, Chili establishes herself as a competent performer. Also excellent in difficult roles are Vince Barnett, Ray Dolciame, Lela Bliss, Emory Parnell and William Wright. "Gas House Kids Go West" The Pathe/PRC picture "Gas House Kids Go West", headed by "Alfalfa" Switzer, the off-key baritone is now showing at the.......... Theatre. Appearing with the gang in their latest adventure are Chili Williams, William Wright, Vince Barnett, Lela Bliss and Emory Parnell. Variety of dances in "Gas House" comedy A variety of dancing, ranging from a square dance to jitter-bugging and a burlesque of ballet, is shown in the Pathe/PRC picture, "Gas House Kids Go West", now showing at the .......... Theatre. Ray Dolciame, who has a prominent part in the film, does a fast jitterbug routine and Ronn Marvin, a student of classical dancing, does the ballet burlesque during a side-splitting basketball game sequence. "Alfalfa" Switzer, the off-key baritone and Benny Bartlett are members of the gang. Loads of laughter in "Gas House Kids latest If it's fun and a good time you're looking for, then we suggest that you take yourself to the .......... Theatre where the Pathe/PRC picture "The Gas House Kids Go West" opened last night. The fun-making gang consists of Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, famous for his off-key baritone voice, Benny Bartlett, Tommy Bond, and Rudy Wissler. An hilarious basketball game in which the gang is confronted by a ballet-dancing player, who dances carelessly across the court, scoring easily, starts the film with a laugh-provoking pace which doesn't slacken until the final fadeout. As a reward for winning the game (which they manage to do after "taking care" of the would-be ballet master) the "Gas House Kids" are given a vacation at a Western ranch. But instead of the vacation turning out to be a time of relaxation and ease, as might be expected, the boys inadvertently drive a stolen car to the ranch and follow it up by becoming involved with a gang of auto thieves. A splendid group of adult performers is cast with the youthful players. In the feminine lead is Chili Williams in her first leading role and the rest of the cast includes Ray Dolciame, Lela Bliss, Emory Parnell and William Wright. Sam Baerwitz, who wrote the original story, also produced the film. William Beaudine handled the directorial reins. "Gas House Kids" The popular "Gas House Kids" are back in another riotous comedy called "Gas House Kids Go West". This Pathe/PRC picture is now playing at the .......... Theatre. The film stars Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Benny Bartlett, Tommy Bond, and Rudy Wissler as the "Kids", with Chili Williams, Vince Bartlett, Ray Dolciame, and Emory Parnell. Back to "Gas House Kids Go West" main page Back to "Alfalfaddendum" main page |
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"Gas House Kids Go West" and images © American Standard Motion Picture Classics Commentary © 4alfalfa.com |
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