Another McDoakes short that really gets the ball rolling (literally -- this marks the first appearance of the series' 8-ball introduction). Whereas the previous shorts pretty much rose or fell on the quality of their spot gags, this one plays its situation all the way through, and it's a winner.
Despite having supposedly surefire formulas for winning horse races, Joe loses every time. He finally bets $100 on a long-shot named Heathcliff and parks himself at the radio for the outcome, despite his wife's objections to gambling.
Decades of cliched sitcoms haven't dimmed the comedy of George O'Hanlon's priceless reactions to Joe's potential winnings and ultimate losses. This is also the first time we hear Joe's voice all the way through the short (he did a one-liner in So You Think You're Allergic), and it makes a world of difference for his character. Jane Harker also does a lovely job as Mrs. McDoakes.
Look closely for a slew of veteran comedy character actors popping up in blink-and-you-miss-'em cameos: Mike Mazurki as a snack vendor, Charlie Chaplin's peer Leo White as a bookmaker, W.C. Fields' Bank Dick sidekick Bill Wolfe as a stable attendant, and perennial detective Fred Kelsey as, natch, an elder detective.
Our rating: (C) 2012, Steve Bailey.
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