Here is another late short from the dance-comedy team of Herman Timberg Jr. (and he IS billed as that here, not as Tim Herbert) and Pat Rooney Jr. This plot seems much like the shorts of Educational Pictures' other dance-comedy team from this time, Tom Patricola and Buster West, with the boys at a college, waiting for the big dance. Timberg's date is delayed, so Rooney cross-dresses and passes as his date. Like the Patricola and West shorts, this features scenes shot in very small sections of sets, often six or eight feed wide, with tight photography where if one of the actors stepped away a bit we'd see a blank studio wall. With loud and brash performances, though, one doesn't really notice this very often. Rooney handles the drag sections well (does EVERY comedy team have to do one of these cross-dressing bits?), and the slapstick is fast and furious. Timberg's girlfriend, when she does eventually appear, is played by the young June Allyson, who got her start in shorts. Another Educational short with Allyson from this period that is in circulation is DIME A DANCE with Imogene Coca. Even at this early period, Ms. Allyson had her distinctive voice and radiated charm. It's no surprise she eventually worked her way up to features and starring roles. I acquired some Timberg and Rooney shorts many years ago (see my reviews of LOVE AND ONIONS and THAT'S THE SPIRIT) and watched them once but my mind must have been elsewhere as I didn't find them particularly interesting. Watching them again, I'm really impressed with the team's skills. Not only are they fine dancers, but they do novelty songs well, they have great comic timing, and they have impressive physical comedy skills. It's a shame that their "big break," their own series of comedy shorts, came in the waning days of Educational Pictures and they were unable to follow up on this work. Herman Timberg Jr. (as Tim Herbert) continued to act and perform, but evidently Rooney left show business a few years after. I'd like to see all of their shorts (they made 10 between 1936-38). If you have a friend who collects old comedy shorts, ask him/her to show you something by Timberg and Rooney.
