Tony Campanaro

name: Antonio Campanaro
nickname: Tony
born November 17, 1888, San Polomatese, Campobasso, Molise, Italy
died March 12, 1965, in Los Angeles, CA

Being an animal trainer, Tony Campanaro was virtually never given onscreen credit, so I'm including in this filmography those films that, as best as I can tell, have animals in them that were trained by him. This filmography also includes a few instances of Campanaro doing extra work. I've got a pretty good idea about when Campanaro first worked for the Roach studio, though it's not exactly set in stone. According to Maltin & Bann, he was present during the entire Our Gang era at Roach, which is something corroborated by newspaper articles, but not so much by the payroll ledgers. His main job during most of his tenure was to train and care for the various animals kept at Hal E. Roach Ranch (formerly known as Arnaz Ranch, and later referred to affectionately as the Roachero Rancho), located off of Robertson Boulevard. Contemporary casting directories reveal that he specialized in monkeys, but he also had experience with dogs, mules, horses, cats, chickens and various other types of animals. Because of this, it can be assumed that he was involved in many Roach films which aren't listed below. He also provided animals to other studios on Roach's behalf.

1907

On December 19th of this year, Campanaro married Maria Iacobelis.

1909

On March 19th of this year, Campanaro emigrated to the U.S., passing through Ellis Island. This is according to FamilySearch.org. According to the Oakland Tribune of Dec. 26, 1926, Campanaro emigrated to the U.S. "with enough money in his pocket to get by the immigration officials. He started American life as a section hand for the Union Pacific at $1.50 a day." This was said to have happened twelve years earlier, placing the events in about 1914. So this creates a five-year discrepancy.
On August 22nd, Campanaro's daughter, Angela Rose Campanaro, was born.

1916

On August 1st of this year, The Los Angeles Record reported the following: "Is a man with an organ and a monkey, who plays for the entertainment of children, soliciting alms and is he a vagrant? Antonio Campanaro, 28, arrested Sunday (July 30th) by Officer D. McD. Jones, will appear before Police Judge White Thursday (the 3rd) at 4 p. m. and some court history will be made. Griffith Jones, well-known local attorney, will represent Campanaro and will cite a former case wherein the same officer arrested the same man for the same offense. He was haled before Judge Frederickson July 3, and was acquitted of the charge of begging and vagrancy." So this establishes that Campanaro had a monkey and an organ by this time. If Coy Watson, Jr., is correct in his book The Keystone Kid, then Campanaro's monkey during his organ grinder days was Josephine, or Joe as she was often called.
On August 4th, The Los Angeles Record reported the following: "If you see an Italian with a hand organ and a monkey and a big, broad, cheerful grin, playing on the corner with a bunch of kids dancing around - that's Antonio! Who's Antonio? His last name is Campanaro, and Judge Richardson decided in police court yesterday that Antonio is neither a vag nor an idler nor is he soliciting alms, as charged by efficient Officer D. McD. Jones. Atty. Griffith Jones made a direct appeal to the court for his client. 'No doubt your honor has often enjoyed, as a child, the antics of a monkey and the music of a hand organ,' suggested the lawyer. 'Monkeys?' queried the court, with a wrinkled brow. 'No, not monkeys, perhaps, but I've put up two bits often enough to see a bear dance,' and a reminiscent smile lighted his face. That bear he was thinking about must have been SOME bear! 'I can't see that this is begging,' he told the officer. 'The prisoner is dismissed'."

1917

On May 14th of this year, Josephine the monkey, commonly referred to as Joe, or Joe the Monk, was born. Either that, or the May 15, 1933, Los Angeles Times is wrong.
On June 5th, Campanaro registered for the draft.
On November 2nd, Campanaro enlisted in the Army. At the time, he was living at 242 North Main Street in Los Angeles.

1918

On May 26th, Campanaro was assigned to his company, which went into effect the following day. The personnel assignment slip is very faint, but it looks like he was assigned to Company B.
On August 1st, Campanaro was assigned to the 127th Infantry, Company C, 16th Battalion, U.S. Guards. He was a private at the time.
On September 30th, the roster of Company C listed Campanaro as a private, first class.
On October 3rd, La Voce Del Popolo of San Francisco published an article listing Italian-American military men who were killed, wounded, missing, etc. The article is in Italian, so I had Copilot translate it for me. In the category of "severely wounded" was Antonio Campanaro of Campobasso. On October 4th, the Oklahoma City Times also listed Antonio Campanaro, Sanpalo Metesi, Campobassa, Italy, among those who were severely wounded.
On November 30th, the Company C roster indicates that Campanaro was reverted to the rank of private. This might have to do with his injury, as this often happened with soldiers who were unable to perform full duties.

1919

On January 27th of this year, Campanaro was discharged from Company C., per a letter from the Adjutant General's Office dated November 15, 1918.
On June 30th, Campanaro was discharged from military service.
According to the Oakland Tribune of Dec. 26, 1926, Campanaro entered the Hollywood film industry with a trained monkey eight years earlier. This would place this occurrence in 1918, which would be impossible in light of Campanaro's military service. In all likelihood, his first brush with the movie business happened after he was discharged, but it isn't clear just how soon this happened, as his earliest known credits don't turn up until 1921. However, the May 15, 1933, Los Angeles Times reported that Joe the monkey entered into film fourteen years previously, which would be back dated to 1919.

1920

According to the May 12, 1937, Daily Times and Daily Journal-Post of St. Cloud, MN, Dinah the Mule was seventeen years old at that time, which would mean she was born around 1920.

1921

In his 2001 book The Keystone Kid, Coy Watson, Jr., wrote the following: "I worked in three pictures with a ring-tailed monkey named Josephine and a boxer dog named Pal. Their owner and trainer was Tony Companero(sic), the owner of several animals he kept in Culver City. In his great Italian accent, he would tell me, 'Coy you be ah careful wit ah Josephine today, she no feel-a berry good.' Tony got into films because Josephine had been Tony's organ grinder monkey on the street. In our Campbell Comedies the monkey and dog were great. The monkey rode on the dog's back as Tony shouted directions at them from off-camera. Remember, in those days of silent pictures, owners could direct their animals by voice: 'Lie down now, Pal. Josephine, tip your hat.' Tony would also wave his arm as he called to Josephine saying, 'Josephine, jump over Coy's shoulder, jump over!' Then he'd open his mouth wide and tell her to say 'Aah!' She'd open her mouth and say 'Aah' back to him to look like she was talking. Sometimes a subtitle would pop onto the screen to tell what the monkey was saying. I remember how Tony had such patience with the animals. Training animals to work in pictures didn't happen overnight. It wasn't learned from books. Animals were needed and some owners saw an opportunity for pets to get into the movie business early."

The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse (uncredited monkey trainer: Joe): prem. Mar. 6, 1921 - Metro - 11 reels - feature; ©Mar. 24, 1921. Starring Rudolph Valentino and Alice Terry.
The Stork's Mistake (uncredited animal trainer: Pal): Sep. 25, 1921 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series; Motion Picture News ran an ad for this short on Aug. 27. There's also a monkey in this short, but we haven't verified whether or not it's Joe.
A Nick-Of-Time Hero (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Oct. 30, 1921 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series; Josephine and Pal both received onscreen credit in this film.
Stolen Glory (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Nov. 27, 1921 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series

1922

According to the Jan. 23, 1937, Parade Of Youth, Campanaro had "lived with his animals at the Roachero Rancho" for the past 15 years, which would mean he began doing this around the beginning of 1922, or perhaps late 1921. This is just about corroborated by the Dec. 26, 1926, Oakland Tribune, which stated that he had been hired by Roach five and a half years earlier, which pushes the date further back into 1921. However, this latter source says that he was hired to work in the Dippy Doo Dads series, which didn't begin production until 1923. This dilemma is remedied by the June 3, 1938, Carroll Daily Herald (IA), which also states that Campanaro had been with Roach for fifteen years, but does so a year later, moving the starting date into 1923. If Campanero had this unbroken association with Hal Roach Ranch for this period of time, then there must have often been some method the studio used to pay him other than with a paycheck. His appearances in the payroll ledgers (which are strictly a list of paychecks) are sporadic over the years.
For the week ending October 7th, Campanaro worked for Hal Roach Studios, receiving a check for $20, which should indicate that he was being paid for two days of work at $10 a day. It isn't clear which film he was working in, but the choices are "Boys To Board" with Our Gang, "Fire The Fireman" with Paul Parrott, "It's A Gift" with Snub Pollard and "Safety Last!" with Harold Lloyd. In this filmography, Campanaro's involvement at Roach will begin at this point, with appearances by Dinah the Mule being tentatively credited to him. Earlier appearances of Dinah will be left off this list. Once the Dippy Doo Dads start production in 1923, then things will be more certain. For those periods in which Campanaro isn't listed in the ledgers, I'll still credit Campanero anytime one of the animals he was known to have trained appear in a film.

The Sawmill (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Jan. 1, 1922 - Semon/Vitagraph - 2 reels - Larry Semon series; Filmed Aug to Oct. 1921. © Dec. 12, 1921.
Schoolday Love (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Jan. 29, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
Monkey Shines (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Feb. 26, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
A Rag Doll Romance (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Apr. 2, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series; Working title: Honesty Is Best Policy.
A Penny Reward (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): May 14, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
A False Alarm (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): June 11, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
Circus Days (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): July 9, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
Cured (uncredited dog trainer: Pal and Rosie): Sep. 6, 1922 - Century/Universal - 2 reels - Century Comedies series with Queenie the Horse; ©Aug. 25, 1922. In June of 1922, there was a Queenie short called Horse Tricks being shown in theaters. This may be a working title for "Cured," as it also credits Pal with an appearance, but isn't listed in the Copyright Catalogue or IMDb.
A Ring Tail Romance (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Joe): Sep. 24, 1922 - Campbell/Educational - 2 reels - Campbell Comedies series
Just Dogs (uncredited animal trainer: Pal, Joe and Rosie): Nov. 8, 1922 - Century/Universal - 2 reels - Century Comedies series; ©Oct. 18, 1922. Working title: The Flapper.

1923

For the week ending February 24th of this year, Campanaro made a $40 check working as an extra at the Roach studio, suggesting that he made $10 a day for four days of work. Being on the list of extras, by the way, doesn't preclude him from making this money as a day working animal trainer. The most likely film this would have involved was "Why Worry?" with Harold Lloyd, but there's a remote chance he actually worked in the Our Gang short "Lodge Night."
For the week ending March 17th, Campanaro made a $60 check at the Roach studio, suggesting that he made $10 a day for six days of work. In all likelihood, the film he worked in was "Why Worry?"
For the week ending April 21st, Campanaro made a $20 check at the Roach studio, suggesting that he made $10 a day for two days of work. This is likely to once again be for working in "Why Worry?" However, there is a chance that he worked in the Our Gang short "July Days" and a very remote chance that he worked in the Stan Laurel comedy "Short Orders."
For the week ending May 19th, Campanaro again made a $20 check at the Roach studio, suggesting another two days at $10 a day. It isn't clear which production he was working in, but we can narrow it down to "The Uncovered Wagon" with Paul Parrott, "A Man About Town" with Stan Laurel, "Roughing It" with The Spat Family, or the serial "Her Dangerous Path."
For the week ending June 9th, Campanaro began to earn weekly checks at the Roach studio. He was now one of the monkey trainers working in the Dippy Doo Dads series. These checks kept coming until the week ending December 1st. Throughout this period, monkey trainer Sam Iezza also worked in the unit. Working more sporadically during the same stretch were additional monkey trainers: C. I. Norris, Charles Iezza, Alfred Fiorello, and Charles Santello. We're presuming that Campanaro trained animals for all of the episodes made during this stretch. His dog, Pal, appeared in at least two of these shorts, one of which featured the monkeys dressed as cops, but I don't yet know which episode this was. It's also pretty likely that he appeared in other episodes of this series.
On July 18th, the Los Angeles Times reported the following: "Rosie, a fuzzy-faced, ring-tailed Simian film star appearing in Dippy Doo Dad comedies, answered the call of the wild while on location at the Vermont avenue entrance to Griffith Park yesterday afternoon, and today is listed among the missing. Rosie, it is believed, is suffering from an excess of temperament. She had been a well-behaved though somewhat vixenish star up to yesterday, her owner and trainer Tony Campanero said, but had never shown signs of temperament. Yesterday afternoon, however, Rosie, letting loose a flow of gibberish at the dog appearing with her, took to the trees and disappeared. A reward for Rosie's return has been offered by Hal Roach Studios."
On August 10th, United Press reported the following out of Los Angeles: "Tony Campanero, disabled war veteran, who lives on $100 a week brought in by his pet monkey, 'Rosie,' began to believe that he would have no bananas when the monk disappeared. Tony went over to the movie studio where Rosie works and told the director 'the stuff was off.' The director refused to quit so easily, however. He got two bloodhounds and started out. They found Rosie swinging by her tail from a tree in Griffith Park, unaware that Tony was worrying about meal tickets. Rosie's vacation cost Tony $24 in salary, but he says he'll make her work two holidays to make up the deficit."
For the week ending December 1st, Campanaro received his final check of the year from the Roach studio, suggesting that he may have taken an extended leave over the holiday season.

12. Giants Vs. Yanks (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): May 13, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-12 - Our Gang series; Filmed Nov. 20 to Dec. 19, 1922, and Feb. 15, 1923. ©Apr. 27, 1923.
13. Back Stage (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): June 3, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-13 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 15, 1922, to Jan. 9, 1923. ©June 6, 1923.
The Watch Dog (uncredited dog trainer: Pal and others): June 10, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. C-88 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Filmed Feb. 10 to 24, 1923. ©June 6, 1923. Also listed as CA-88.
18. July Days (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): Aug. 26, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-18 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 12 to May 2, and May 31, 1923. ©Aug. 2, 1923.
20. No Noise (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): Sep. 23, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-20 - Our Gang series; Filmed June 1 to 20, 1923. ©Sep. 24, 1923.
Roughest Africa (uncredited monkey trainer): Sep. 30, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. L-1 - Stan Laurel series; Filmed May 31 to June 16, with retakes June 28 to July 6, 1923. Originally prod. C-111 (or LC-111). ©Nov. 9, 1923.
The Knockout (uncredited monkey trainer): Oct. 28, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-20 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; This was probably originally prod. C-113, which was filmed June 7 to 29, 1923, with retakes July 24, 1923. ©Sep. 24, 1923. Also listed as AC-113.
21. Derby Day (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): Nov. 18, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-21 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 11, July 18 to Aug. 13, 1923. ©Nov. 9, 1923.
Go West (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and others): Nov. 25, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-23 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Also listed for 1925. This was probably originally prod. C-116, which was filmed July 5 to 21, 1923. ©Nov. 23, 1923.
Lovey-Dovey (uncredited monkey trainer): Dec. 23, 1923 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-25 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; This may have originally been prod. C-117, which was filmed July 23 to 28, 1923. ©Dec. 14, 1923.

1924

For the week ending on January 5th of this year, Campanaro was back on the Roach payroll, and remained there every week for the remainder of the year, with the exception of the week ending September 20th.
The Dippy Doo Dads ended production in early January, which coincides with Campanaro's name being put onto a general list of animal trainers in the payroll ledgers, beginning with the week ending January 12th. Also included on the list is the watchman at the Roach Ranch, which may indicate that this is the point when Campanaro was put in charge of the ranch. This is also the point when Pal the dog joined the Our Gang series.
On August 11th, the Illustrated Daily News of Los Angeles reported the following: "'Chicago,' a small ringtail monkey movie actor, which disappeared after a hard day on a set at the Hal E. Roach studios at Culver City last Thursday (the 7th), has been found and persuaded to return, according to an announcement yesterday by L. A. French, assistant general manager, who hunted for nearly three days for the monkey. 'Chicago' was discovered by motorists in a tree more than a mile from the studio, but he refused to leave his perch on one of the tree's top branches. However, when 'Pal,' a dog movie actor with whom the monkey often played in pictures, appeared, 'Chicago' hastily deserted the tree for a place on the dog's back."
For the week ending September 20th, Campanaro is missing from the payroll ledger for some reason. He was back again the following week.

The Bar-Fly (uncredited monkey trainer): Jan. 20, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-30 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Premiered Dec. 31, 1923. This was probably originally prod. C-124, which was filmed Sep. 4 to 14, 1923. ©Jan. 9, 1924. Also listed as AC-124.
The Man Pays (uncredited monkey trainer): Feb. 17, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-34 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; This was probably originally prod. C-128, which was filmed Sep. 24 to Oct. 9, 1923. ©Jan. 9, 1924. Also listed as AC-128.
Love's Reward (uncredited monkey trainer): Mar. 9, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-38 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Also listed for Mar. 16, 1924. This was probably originally prod. C-132, which was filmed Oct. 13 to 22, 1923. ©Feb. 20, 1924.
Our Little Nell (uncredited monkey trainer): Apr. 13, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-41 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Filmed Oct. 25 to Nov. 3, 1923. ©Apr. 18, 1924. Originally prod. C-135.
26. Commencement Day (unconfirmed animal trainer: Dinah): May 4, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-26 - Our Gang series; Filmed Nov. 9 to Dec. 6, 1923, Jan. 7 to 11, and Jan. 26, 1924. ©May 12, 1924.
North Of 50-50 (uncredited monkey trainer): May 11, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-43 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Filmed Nov. 13 to Dec. 4, 1923, and Jan. 4, 1924. ©May 12, 1924. Originally prod. C-137.
Rupert Of Hee Haw (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 8, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. L-11 - Stan Laurel series; Also listed for June 24, 1924. Filmed Dec. 20 to 26, 1923, and Jan. 2 to 12, 1924. ©May 12, 1924.
Up And At 'Em (uncredited monkey trainer): June 8, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-46 - The Dippy Doo Dads series; Also listed for June 3, 1924. Filmed Dec. 6 to 18, 1923. Also known as Handle 'Em Rough, which is listed separately by Richard Lewis Ward as a Jan. 6, 1924, release. ©May 28, 1924.
28. Cradle Robbers (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 1, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-28 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 28 to Feb. 9, 1924. ©May 12, 1924.
29. Jubilo, Jr. (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 29, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-29 - Our Gang series; Also listed for July 29, 1924. Filmed Feb. 25 to Mar. 8, 1924. ©June 5, 1924.
27. It's A Bear (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Dinah): July 27, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-27 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 10 to 26, 1923, Jan. 2 to 7, Jan. 12, and Mar. 7 to 12, 1924. ©June 30, 1924.
30. High Society (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Aug. 24, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-30 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 24 to Apr. 5, 1924. ©May 29, 1924.
31. The Sun Down Limited (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Sep. 21, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-31 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 21 to May 1, 1924. ©Aug. 2, 1924.
32. Every Man For Himself (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Oct. 19, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-32 - Our Gang series; Filmed June 2 to 12, 1924. ©Oct. 2, 1924.
33. The Mysterious Mystery! (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Dec. 14, 1924 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-33 - Our Gang series; Filmed June 30 to July 19, 1924, with retakes Sep. 9 and 12, 1924, and added scenes Sep. 13 and 15, 1924. ©Dec. 11, 1924.

1925

For every week of this year, Campanaro appears in the Roach payroll ledger as an animal trainer.
On March 24th, The Newark Advocate (OH) reported the following: "Dogs wearing whiskers may not be a common every day sight, but that is one of the very amusing sights to be seen in Hal Roach's latest Pathecomedy, 'The Mysterious Mystery' . . . The 'Gang' set up a detective bureau, and when they are on the trail of some crook, they must be thoroughly disguised after the manner of Sherlock Holmes and other famous criminal investigators. Even Pal, the dog, is not forgotten, and he is supplied with a set of long whiskers. The only one who cannot see the humor of the situation is the dog and he is very much put out at this insult to his dignity."

35. Circus Fever (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Feb. 8, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-35 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 20 to 25, and Nov. 1 to 4, 1924. ©Jan. 19, 1925.
36. Dog Days (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Mar. 8, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-36 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 29 to Nov. 5, and Nov. 17 to 24, 1924. ©Mar. 5, 1925.
Seven Chances (uncredited wrangler): Mar. 11, 1925 - Keaton/MGM - 6 reels - partially Technicolor - Buster Keaton feature; ©Apr. 22, 1925.
39. Shootin' Injuns (uncredited animal trainer: Pal and Dinah): May 3, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-39 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 19 to Feb. 5, 1925. ©Apr. 2, 1925.
In The Grease (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 21, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 1 reel - prod. D-87 - Hal Roach series with James Finlayson; Filmed Apr. 30 to May 4, 1925. ©May 28 and 29, 1925.
40. Official Officers (uncredited dog trainer: Pal/use of name/extra: food vendor): June 28, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-40 - Our Gang series; Premiered June 10, 1925. Filmed Feb. 16 to 27, 1925. ©May 18, 1925. This film includes a fruit vendor character named Tony, whose sign identifies him as Antonio Campanaro. The part is played by Charley Lloyd. However, in the opening scene, Tony can be seen operating a lunch wagon.
42. Boys Will Be Joys (uncredited dog trainer: Pal and Buster): July 26, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-42 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 13 to 24, 1925. ©July 6, 1925.
41. Mary, Queen of Tots (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Aug. 23, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. A-41 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 16 to Apr. 1, 1925. ©June 11, 1925.
44. Your Own Back Yard (uncredited animal trainer: Pal, Buster and Dinah): Sep. 27, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-2 - Our Gang series; Filmed June 30 to July 16, and July 20 to 29, 1925. ©Aug. 28, 1925.
43. Better Movies (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Nov. 1, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-1 - Our Gang series; Filmed May 27 to June 16, 1925. Originally production A-43. ©Aug. 20, 1925.
45. One Wild Ride (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Dec. 6, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-3 - Our Gang series; Filmed July 30 to Aug. 4, 1925. ©Nov. 6, 1925.
His Wooden Wedding (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Dec. 20, 1925 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. B-3 - Charley Chase series; Filmed Sep. 1 to 12, 1925. ©Dec. 30, 1925. Pal appears with a wooden leg in the dream sequence.

1926

For the week ending February 6th of this year, Campanaro received his final weekly check of the year from Hal Roach Studios, which suggests that he left the studio for an extended period. This could be explained by the fact that the Charles Chaplin film, "The Circus," began shooting in January, continuing for roughly a year, and involved Campanaro as a monkey trainer. However, Pal continued to work in the Our Gang series into 1927. Perhaps somebody else at the studio trained him for these appearances.
On May 2nd, The Buffalo Sunday Express reported the following: "One way to get into Pathe's Our Gang, appearing in Hal Roach comedies, is to stick around and be such a pest that finally they have to give you a job to save the executioner's fee. Garfield is the newest member of Our Gang and he achieved his place in just this fashion. He lives in an exclusive residential neighborhood and is fond of the Gang's playmate, Pal, the dog actor. To be exact, if you wish to locate Garfield, get to the spot midway between Pal's ears, turn to the right and go two blocks south. There lives Garfield. He is camera-broke and has appeared in many comedies to the detriment of Pal's acting. He can be picked up, fed and fondled. He craves a life of luxury in the movies, at no matter what price to his immortal soul." This article was written in anticipation of the upcoming Our Gang release "Thundering Fleas," which featured an animated flea named Garfield.
On June 11th, La Voce del Popolo of San Francisco reported the following out of Los Angeles. It's in Italian, so I've had Copilot translate it for me: "A month ago, Mr. Antonio Campanaro - a very well-known trainer of dogs for the cinema - had the opportunity to sell for $150 a police dog to Mr. Harry Lucenay of our city. It seems, however, that the new residence did not please the intelligent animal very much, because taking advantage of a moment of distraction by the new owner, he quietly ran away. Annoyed by this setback, Lucenay wasted no time and, running to his bank, ordered that his $150 check not be paid. From this came the origin of the lawsuit that was held before Judge Stutsman, and which ended with the conviction of Lucenay himself. It was during this hearing that the little artists of the 'Our Gang Comedy' of the Hal Roach Studio appeared to testify in favor of the police dog, who - contrary to what Lucenay wanted to claim - was gentle, good, and affectionate toward anyone who knew how to handle him. In this case, Campanaro was ably represented by the distinguished attorney, Ernesto Torchia."
A July 1926 casting directory lists Campanaro among the animal trainers, and indicates that he specialized in monkeys.
On October 29th, The Van Nuys News reported the following: "'Chicago,' a prominent movie actor of Universal City, residing at the Hal Roach ranch, Culver City, is missing. When last seen, he was dressed in a black and white, checkered suit and disappeared during the filming of a scene on the Universal lot. He is small of stature with a little white face and brown hair. Those who know him claim that he is very affectionate and will make friends with anyone. 'Chicago' is a trained monkey, owned by Tony Campanaro of the same address. He is valued at $500. His presence at the studio is highly essential to the completion of the picture he has been working in. Campanaro offers a reward for his return or any information regarding his whereabouts." This article places both Campanaro's and Chicago' residence at the Hal Roach Ranch, but it also places them in a non-Roach production.
On December 26th, the Oakland Tribune reported the following: "Tony Companaro(sic) has gone back home. That means nothing - unless the story behind it is known. Antone Companaro, member of a good Italian family of San Polo Matese, Province of Compabasso, Italy, came to the United States twelve years ago with enough money in his pocket to get by the immigration officials. He started American life as a section hand for the Union Pacific at $1.50 per day. He entered motion picture work with a trained monkey eight years ago in Hollywood. Five and one-half years ago, he was engaged by Hal Roach during the making of the series of animal, bird and what-have-you comedies known as the 'Dippy-Do-Dads.' He had two or three monkeys and a dog. He stayed to train Rosie and Chicago Jimmy, film monkeys, for Roach comedies, and Buster and Pal, two dogs familiar to every child who sees 'Our Gang' comedies. Tony Companero sent 50,000 lira - averaging from $2500 to $3000 in American money at the low exchange rate of recent years - to his mother every Christmas for the last three years. She lives in San Polo Matese. Tony has just gone home, for the first time - and he is worth about $140,000. Of this, $80,000 is in cash and $24,000 in bank stock. He has been one of the most familiar figures around the Hal Roach studios for years, working the animals used in pictures. He invested half of his earnings wisely." Sidenote: It seems apparent that the reporter got tripped up on the amounts and should have said that Tony was worth about 140,000 lira.

46. Good Cheer (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah, Pal and Buster): Jan. 10, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-4 - Our Gang series; Filmed Sep. 3 to 18, 1925. ©Jan. 23, 1926.
47. Buried Treasure (uncredited dog trainer: Pal and Buster): Feb. 14, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-5 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 1 to 19, 1925. ©Jan. 23, 1926.
48. Monkey Business (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Mar. 21, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-6 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 30 to Nov. 18, 1925. ©Feb. 6, 1926.
Dog Shy (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Apr. 4, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. B-6 - Charley Chase series; Filmed Nov. 28 to Dec. 8, 1925. ©Mar. 15, 1926. Pal appears as the dog chasing Charley.
49. Baby Clothes (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Apr. 25, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-7 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 7 to 20, 1925, with retakes Jan. 11, 1926. ©Mar. 15, 1926.
50. Uncle Tom's Uncle (uncredited dog trainer: Buster and Pal): May 30, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-8 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 12 to Feb. 3, 1926. ©Apr. 28, 1926. Pal appears in this short.
51. Thundering Fleas (uncredited dog trainer: Buster and Pal): July 4, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-9 - Our Gang series; Also listed for July 28, 1926. Filmed Mar. 8 to 25, 1926. ©May 26, 1926.
52. Shivering Spooks (uncredited dog trainer: Buster): Aug. 8, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-10 - Our Gang series; Premiered July 4, 1926. Filmed Apr. 7 to 28, 1926. ©July 26, 1926.
53. The Fourth Alarm! (uncredited animal trainer: Pal, Buster and Dinah): Sep. 12, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-11 - Our Gang series; Filmed May 24 to June 14, 1926. ©Sep. 17, 1926.
54. War Feathers (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah): Nov. 21, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-12 - Our Gang series; Filmed Aug. 5 to Sep. 4, 1926. ©Dec. 13, 1926.
56. Telling Whoppers (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Dec. 19, 1926 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-14 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Dec. 29, 1926. Filmed Sep. 10 to 18, 1926. ©Nov. 11, 1926.

1927

In January of this year, production on "The Circus" came to a halt so that Chaplin could spend the next eight months dealing with a messy divorce. That was followed by one final month of filming, which presumably did not involve Campanaro, who was away in Europe during that period. A December 1927 casting directory indicates that Campanaro was 'back after 10 months in Europe,' which means that he probably left early in the year. This further suggests that another trainer was handling Pal, at least for the few months between Campanaro's departure, and the point when Pal was retired from the Our Gang series.
It's also worth noting that the 1927 payroll ledger is missing, so if Tony worked at the Roach studio at all during this year, then the details are lost to us.
On April 15th, the Our Gang short "Chicken Feed" finished shooting, and by the time of the next short, Pal was replaced with Harry Lucenay's dog, Pete. This reportedly caused some friction with Campanaro.
Between June 13th and 24th, the Our Gang short "Yale Vs. Harvard" was shot. By this time, Pete had replaced Pal in the series and Buster had seemingly been phased out as well. However, there is a publicity photo with the "Yale Vs. Harvard" production number etched into the negative that shows Buster with Farina and Jannie Hoskins. Farina is not wearing the uniform seen in other "Yale Vs. Harvard" photos, but it is the football uniform he wears in another photo in which he appears with both Buster and Pal. This other photo, however, makes no reference to the film, and would, on its own, seem to be nothing more than a photo taken to tie in with the current football season. At the moment, this matter remains unresolved.
On September 20th, Campanaro's daughter, Assunta Campanaro, was born.
The Standard casting directory of December shows an ad for Campanaro with a picture of Pal posing with a monkey. The ad includes the phrase "for any type of dog or well trained monkey." It also says "back after 10 months in Europe." The March 1928 directory repeats the "back after 10 months" line, which would have been misleading to anybody that hadn't seen it three months earlier.

57. Bring Home The Turkey (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah): Jan. 16, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-15 - Our Gang series; Filmed Sep. 29 to Oct. 15, 1926. ©Jan. 14, 1927.
The Kid Brother (uncredited wrangler): Jan. 22, 1927 - Lloyd/Paramount - 8 reels - Harold Lloyd feature; ©Jan. 18, 1927.
58. Ten Years Old (uncredited dog trainer: Pal and Buster): Mar. 13, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-16 - Our Gang series; Filmed Nov. 24 to Dec. 14, 1926. ©Feb. 14, 1927.
59. Love My Dog (uncredited animal trainer: Buster, Pal and Dinah): Apr. 10, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-17 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Apr. 17, 1927. Filmed Dec. 21, 1926, to Jan. 4, 1927. ©Apr. 11, 1927.
60. Tired Business Men (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): May 22, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-18 - Our Gang series; Also listed for May 15, 1927, and May 21, 1927. Filmed Jan. 18 to Feb. 3, 1927. ©Apr. 11, 1927.
61. Baby Brother (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 26, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-19 - Our Gang series; Filmed Feb. 17 to Mar. 14, 1927. ©May 18, 1927.
62. Chicken Feed (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Nov. 6, 1927 - Roach/Pathé - 2 reels - prod. K-20 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 28 to Apr. 15, 1927. ©June 9, 1927.

1928

So we know that Campanaro was back in Hollywood after ten months in Europe, but when did he return to the Roach studio? One fact that might support the idea that Tony was back with Roach was that Campanaro served as the monkey trainer for the Buster Keaton feature "The Cameraman," which Maltin & Bann indicate he did on Roach's behalf. Campanaro continued to be listed in casting directories through the end of the year.
For the week ending June 9th of this year, a portion of Jack W. Burns' pay in the Roach payroll ledger was charged to Campanaro, which is consistent with Campanaro operating independently of the studio.
On August 20th, Campanaro worked in the Our Gang short "Election Day," receiving a check for $7.50. This was the standard rate for extras working at the studio, though there's a good chance that the monkey seen in the film was one of his.
For the week ending November 11th, mechanic Jack W. Burns' salary was once again partially charged to Campanaro, who covered $5 of the amount.
In her book A Peek At The Past, Jean Darling wrote about a gibbon that Hal Roach brought back with him from traveling in the Far East. He was placed in a cage on the studio lot, and passersby would give him bits of fruit. "Being gentle by nature, he was friendly with everyone, until the day a small, noisy, black female hurled herself at the cage screaming insults. This small female was 'Josephine' and she belonged to Tony the organ-grinder, who often worked at the Hal Roach Studio. We all loved Josephine and begged pennies from our keepers for her to snatch away with one tiny hand while tipping a gold-braided cap with the other. Looking back, I think she made more money cadging pennies from us kids than Tony took home from a day's work on the set. Because she went bonkers each time the gibbon came in view, Tony did his best to keep the two apart. But, every now and again, Josephine slipped her leash and an ungodly uproar of hoots and screeches would erupt from the cage on the lawn. Fortunately for our fair-furred friend, the bars were set close together, otherwise the nasy little wretch might have done him an injury."

The Circus (uncredited monkey trainer): prem. Jan. 6, 1928 - Chaplin/UA - 7 reels - Charles Chaplin feature; Filmed Jan. 1926 to Jan. 1927, and Sep. to Oct. 1927. ©Jan. 6, 1928.
The Cameraman (uncredited wrangler/monkey trainer/dog trainer: Pal and others): Sep. 22, 1928 - MGM - 8 reels - Buster Keaton feature; ©Sep. 15, 1928. Added to the National Film Registry on Dec. 27, 2005. Pal has a bit part in this film.

1929

In early April of this year, Campanaro was at the Roach studio working as an extra in "Hurdy Gurdy."
The Standard casting directory from May features the same picture ad for Campanaro, but this time his dogs and well-trained monkeys were 'guaranteed to work in Talking Pictures.' There's also a reference to Campanaro's involvement in "The Cameraman" from the previous year.
For the week ending on June 29th, Campanaro worked as an extra watchman for Roach. It's interesting to note that the Our Gang short "Lazy Days" (filmed in June) briefly features a monkey. Heard on the soundtrack is the voice of the organ grinder with his thick Italian accent, which makes one wonder if perhaps it's Campanaro in a cameo role. (His thick accent is verified in Watson's book.)
For the weeks ending on Sep. 7th, 14th, and 21st, Campanaro worked for Roach, being credited respectively as "L28 watchman," "set watchman," and "relief watchman." L28 was the Laurel & Hardy short "The Hoose-Gow," but this was no longer shooting by the third week.
For the weeks ending on Nov. 23rd, Nov. 30th and Dec. 7th, Campanaro worked as a watchman for Roach, specifically listed as an extra watchman on Nov. 23rd.

81. Election Day (uncredited monkey trainer): Jan. 12, 1929 - Roach/MGM - silent - 2 reels - prod. G-15 - Our Gang series; Filmed July 19 to Aug. 4, 1928, with retakes Aug. 16, Aug. 20, Aug. 22 to 24, 1928. ©Dec. 10, 1928. Campanaro worked on Aug. 20th.
Hurdy Gurdy (uncredited animal trainer/small part: Italian neighbor): May 11, 1929 - Roach/MGM - talkie - 2 reels - prod. S-21 - All Star series; Filmed Apr. 2 to 6, 1929. ©June 5, 1929. Featuring Max Davidson, Edgar Kennedy and Thelma Todd. Tony's got a tabby cat on his lap, and also owns a monkey in this film.
Uncle's Visit (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): June 30, 1929 - Van Beuren/Pathé - 2 reels - Smitty and His Pals series; There's also a monkey in this film, probably also trained by Campanaro.
87. Cat, Dog & Co. (uncredited dog trainer: Pal): Sep. 14, 1929 - Roach/MGM - silent - 2 reels - prod. G-21 - Our Gang series; Filmed Feb. 20 to Mar. 2, 1929. ©Sep. 3, 1929. Released with a synchronized soundtrack. The dog serving as locomotion for Harry's car in this film looks like Pal.
The Hoose-Gow (watchman): Nov. 16, 1929 - Roach/MGM - talkie - 2 reels - prod. L-28 - Laurel & Hardy series; Filmed Aug. 30 to Sep. 10, 1929. ©Nov. 11, 1929.

1930

On February 26th of this year, Campanaro was paid $7.50 to work as an extra in "Below Zero."
For the week ending March 1st, Campanaro worked for Roach as a ranch helper.
Sometime during the spring, Pete the Pup, owned and trained by Harry Lucenay, was reportedly poisoned to death. People at the studio reportedly suspected Campanaro, but hadn't enough proof to confront him about it. Lucenay's son has since insisted that Pete was not poisoned, but he was only five years old at the time and there's fairly good evidence that the dog was actually poisoned. Also, the films clearly show that the original Pete was replaced by another dog during this year.
For the weeks ending Apr. 12th, 19th, and 26th, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
The Standard casting directory of June listed Campanaro among the animal trainers, with monkeys as his specialty. It wasn't long after this that The Standard stopped including animals in their directories.
For the week ending June 14th, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
On July 8th, 10th, and 11th, Campanaro worked as an extra at the Roach studio, earning four $5 checks (two on the 11th)
For the week ending July 26th, Campanaro worked for Roach as a watchman.
On July 31st, the Armstrong Herald (MO) reported the following: "The Golden West Comedians are coming to the Armstrong Theatre next Monday, August 4, with a repertoire of novelties that cannot be surpassed no matter where you have been. Featuring 'Buster,' the moving picture dog that has been with 'Our Gang' comedies for two years, and Nell O'Brien, the Harmonica Queen of the West Coast." It's not impossible that Buster of Our Gang was sold to somebody that put him into vaudeville, but it's at least as likely that this is false advertisement.
For the week ending August 16th, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
On August 27th, Campanaro worked as an extra at the Roach studio.
On September 3rd, Campanaro worked as an extra at the Roach studio.
On September 4th, Campanaro earned $7.50 as an extra at the Roach studio.
For the week ending September 13th, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
For the week ending September 27th, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
For the week ending October 11th, Campanaro worked for Roach as a ranch watchman.

All Teed Up (French version: bit role): Apr. 19, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. C-28 - Charley Chase series; Filmed Jan. 3 to Feb. 1, 1930. ©Apr. 7, 1930. Also filmed in Spanish as El Jugador de Golf and in French as Le Joueur de Golf. Both versions were in four reels. The Spanish version was released in Mexico on May 8, 1930, and in Barcelona, Spain, on May 19, 1930.
Below Zero (undetermined role): Apr. 26, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-32 - Laurel & Hardy series.; Filmed Feb. 17 to 28, 1930. ©Apr. 14, 1930. Also filmed in Spanish as Tiembla y titubea and possibly in German.
98. Bear Shooters (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah): May 17, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-32 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 19, 1929, to Jan. 4, 1930, and Jan. 21, 1930. Also filmed in Spanish as Los cazadores de osos, as well as in French.
99. A Tough Winter (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah): June 21, 1930 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-33 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 27 to Feb. 15, 1930. ©Apr. 14, 1930. Also filmed in German as Winter Wetter and in French as Semps d'hiver.

1931

For the weeks ending on August 1st and 8th, Campanaro worked for Roach as a watchman.
On September 12th, a portion of Marjory Adams' column, Movie Facts and Fancies from The Boston Globe, was devoted to Campanaro. It's one of at least three articles that collapse Campanaro's organ grinder origins and entry into movies as an animal trainer into a story about how he landed his most recent work, ignoring the long history he had already had within the industry. The relevant portion can be accessed by clicking here.

105. Little Daddy (uncredited dog trainer: Laughing Gravy): Mar. 28, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-39 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 30 to Nov. 13, 1930. ©Feb. 6, 1931.
Laughing Gravy (uncredited dog trainer: Laughing Gravy): Apr. 4, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-39-C - Laurel & Hardy series; Filmed Feb. 2 to 18, 1931, with added scenes Feb. 24, 1931. Previewed as a three reeler, but shortened to two reels for US release. An English-language copy of the missing reel still survives. ©Apr. 16, 1931. Also filmed in Spanish as Los Calaveras and French as Les Carrotiers, with expanded footage and combined with "Be Big." May have also been filmed in German.
Street Scene (uncredited dog trainer: Nondie): prem. Aug. 26, 1931 - Goldwyn/UA - 9 reels - feature; ©Sep. 5, 1931. Released Sep. 5, 1931. Starring Sylvia Sidney, Wm. Collier, Jr., and Estelle Taylor.

1932

For the week ending on January 16th of this year, Campanaro worked for Roach as an extra watchman.
For the week ending on March 5th, Campanaro worked for Roach as a watchman.
For the week ending on April 2nd, Campanaro worked for Roach. The entry in the ledger uses the word "ranch" to identify his job.
Around April, Harry Lucenay broke his ties with the Roach studio and took the current version of Pete on the road for personal appearances. It was now up to Campanaro to train a new version of Pete for the Our Gang series, and it was this dog that debuted in "Hook And Ladder." Studio publicity identifies Lucenay's dog as Pete the Pup III, and his replacement, Campanaro's dog, as Pete the Pup IV.
For the week ending on April 23rd, Campanaro worked for Roach as a dog trainer. This was when he began to work with Pete the Pup IV. He isn't listed for the next few weeks, even though "Hook And Ladder" was filmed during this stretch.
On May 5th, the Waterbury Evening Democrat (CT) reported the following: "Hal Roach is looking for new faces for 'Our Gang' comedies. Even Pete, the dog, is to be replaced."
For the week ending on June 11th, Campanaro began to receive weekly checks as an animal trainer.
According to Jimmie Fidler in his May 2, 1953, column, Professor Pepi had been acquired by Campanaro twenty-one years earlier, which would mean around 1932. According to the article, the monkey would have already been about 11 years old at this point.
From July 30th to August 14th, the 1932 Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles. As reported in the Nov. 17, 1984, Irish Independent of Dublin, many movie stars, which included "Spanky McFarland and the entire Our Gang cast, including Pete, the dog with the 'monocle' painted around one eye, all were seen at Olympic events."
For the week ending on September 17th, Campanaro started to be referred to as a dog trainer again in the ledger.
For the weeks ending on October 8th and 15th, Campanaro isn't listed in the payroll ledger, but he's back as a dog trainer the following week.
For the week ending November 26th, Campanaro isn't listed in the payroll ledger, but he's back as a dog trainer the following week.
On December 2nd, Campanaro's passport was issued.
For the week ending December 31st, Campanaro isn't listed in the payroll ledger, but he's back the following week.

113. Spanky (uncredited animal trainer: Laughing Gravy): Mar. 26, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-6 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 14 to 22, 1931. ©Mar. 29, 1932.
115. The Pooch (uncredited animal trainer: Laughing Gravy): June 11, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-8 - Our Gang series; Also listed for June 4, 1932. Filmed Mar. 9 to 17, 1932. ©June 13, 1932. Working title: Yes And No.
116. Hook And Ladder (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV and Laughing Gravy): Aug. 27, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-9 - Our Gang series; Filmed May 18 to 28, 1932. ©Sep. 14, 1932.
118. Birthday Blues (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Oct. 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-11 - Our Gang series; Listed for both Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, 1932. Filmed July 30 to Aug. 4, 1932. ©Oct. 24, 1932. Earilest verified screening took place on Oct. 14, 1932.
117. Free Wheeling (uncredited monkey trainer: Joe): Nov. 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-10 - Our Gang series; Listed for both Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, 1932. Filmed July 19 to 27, 1932, with retakes Sep. 3, 1932. ©Nov. 7, 1932. Earliest verified screening took place on Nov. 12, 1932. He's not in the film, but at least one publicity photo reveals Pete's presence during production.
119. A Lad An' A Lamp (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Dec. 17, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-12 - Our Gang series; Filmed Sep. 3 to 10, 1932. ©Dec. 12, 1932.

1933

For the week ending on January 7th of this year, Campanaro was back on the payroll after taking the previous week off.
On May 6th, the Kentucky Advocate of Danville reported the following about Our Gang's break from their film schedule: "Pete, the dog, is browsing among the cows and chickens at the Hal Roach ranch."
On May 15th, the Los Angeles Times reported the following: "Josephine celebrated her sixteenth birthday yesterday and with it went a record of film work longer than any known player of her age. Josephine is a trained monkey and in the last fourteen years, has appeared in more than 100 screen productions. She and her owner-trainer Tony Companero(sic) have played in every existing studio and for every present star, and their experience dates back to the days of Griffith, Lillian Gish, Earle Williams and Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle. Her latest picture is 'Strange Rhapsody,' at M.-G.-M. 'Motion pictures are nice, but they are terribly taxing on a girl,' Josephine commented. 'I hardly think I would advise any young monkey to follow in my footsteps'." "Strange Rhapsody" was a working title for "Storm At Daybreak."
On July 9th, The Evansville Press (IN) expanded on the May 15th article by including Clark Gable, Buster Keaton and Helen Hayes among the stars Josephine had worked with.
From August 18th to 23rd, the Our Gang short "Wild Poses" was filmed. Even though Pete wasn't in this one, a publicity photo reveals that he was present on at least one of the shooting dates.
On August 19th, The Los Angeles Times carried a photo of Patsy Kelly in the hospital after surviving a car accident that killed the driver, Gene Mallin. The photo shows Spanky visiting Patsy in the hospital. Another photo, published on the 22nd, shows Pete the Pup IV with them.
On October 8th, the Associated Press published a photo with the following caption: "George Napoleon, a ring-tailed monkey employed by various Hollywood studios, is an ardent Fascist, as is his owner, Tony Campanaro. With a little practice, Nap mastered the method of saluting in the Fascist manner."
On October 15th, the Los Angeles Times published an article written by Bob McGowan. He had this to say about Pete: "In the beginning, we used several animals with the children. Gradually, we thinned them out until only Pete the Pup remained. Pete is an unusual dog. He has a rare type of canine intelligence. He seems able to understand and figure out things for himself, and he loves to work in pictures. He is lost when the kids are on vacation. He never needs to be bribed to do what he does. Praise for work well done is enough for him. When the camera is grinding, he never looks toward either his trainer or the camera. He seems to understand that he should not do this. He reflects the mood that the children are in. If the kids are gay, he romps along with them. If they seem sad, he is too. He is the ideal movie dog and fan letters come to him from all over the world asking for photos and paw prints of him." Sidenote: McGowan's comments could probably apply to the previous Petes just as much as the current one, if not moreso.
On October 29th, the Waco Sunday Tribune-Herald published a photo of Pete with three puppies. The caption read: "A son and three grandchildren of a former Wacoan, Pal, who moved on up to movie stardom after leaving this city, are shown here. They are Pete, successor to his late father in film popularity, and Pete's offspring. Pal belonged to Harry de Lucenay, who married Miss Marion Dilworth, sister of Tom G. Dilworth of Waco, and who is living in Hollywood, Calif., now. Pal, who died four or five years ago, had the ring around his eye - a natural coloration - that Pete and the three pups have inherited, although in two cases it has moved to the opposite eye." Sidenote: There's a lot wrong with this caption, including the idea that Pal had a ring around his eye, that the current Pete was the same as the original Pete, and that the eye rings were natural. But the whole thing is rendered moot when realizing that the Pete in the photo is Pete the Pup IV, Tony Campanaro's dog, who was the dog currently appearing in the Our Gang series.
On December 18th, Captain Roscoe Fawcett, in his Screen Oddities comic panel, featured Pete and said this about him: "'Pete the Pup,' in 'Our Gang' Comedies, is the third of a succession of ring-eyed terriers to bear that name. The dogs had a striking resemblance to each other but were unrelated." The illustration resembles Pete the Pup IV.
On the week ending on December 30th, Campanaro is not listed in the Roach payroll ledger. This remained the case for nearly a year.

120. Fish Hooky (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Jan. 28, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-13 - Our Gang series; Filmed Oct. 17 to 22, 1932. ©Jan. 16, 1933.
121. Forgotten Babies (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Mar. 11, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-14 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 3 to 10, 1932. ©Mar. 13, 1933.
122. The Kid From Borneo (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Apr. 15, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-15 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 9 to 16, 1933. ©Mar. 13, 1933.
123. Mush and Milk (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): May 27, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-16 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, 1933. ©Apr. 17, 1933.
Storm At Daybreak (uncredited monkey trainer; Joe): July 14, 1933 - MGM - 8 reels - Kay Francis & Nils Asther feature; ©July 6, 1933. Working title: Strange Rhapsody.
124. Bedtime Worries (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): ©Sep. 26, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-17 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Sep. 9, 1933. Filmed July 20 to 31, and Aug. 12, 1933.
Sons Of The Desert (extra): Dec. 29, 1933 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - 68 min. - prod. F-4 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed Oct. 2 to 23, 1933. ©Dec. 27, 1933. UK title: Fraternally Yours. This film was reissued in the early '50s as a two-reeler entitled "Fun On The Run." Campanaro is seen during the steamship announcement.

1934

On November 13th of this year, Campanaro returned on the S. S. Conte di Savola from Naples, Italy. His traveling companion was Pompei Franceso Campanaro.
On December 1st, Campanaro was listed in the Roach payroll ledger again, but would not return to the ledgers again until the following month.

Babes In The Goods (extra: spectator): Feb. 10, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. A-20 - Thelma Todd & Patsy Kelly series; ©Jan. 30, 1934.
126. Hi'-Neighbor! (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Mar. 3, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-19 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 20 to 30, 1934. ©Feb. 24, 1934.
127. For Pete's Sake! (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Apr. 14, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-20 - Our Gang series; Filmed Feb. 23 to Mar. 3, 1934. ©Apr. 4, 1934.
128. The First Round-Up (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): May 5, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-21 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 19 to 24, 1934. ©May 1, 1934.
130. Mike Fright (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Aug. 25, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-23 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Feb. 25, 1934. Filmed May 29 to June 7, 1934. ©July 25, 1934.
131. Washee Ironee (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): ©Nov. 13, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-24 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Sep. 29, 1934. Filmed Oct. 1 to 9, 1934.
The Live Ghost (uncredited animal trainer/bit part: organ grinder): Dec. 8, 1934 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. L-20 - Laurel & Hardy series; Filmed around Nov. 8 to 20, 1934. ©Dec. 11, 1934. There's a monkey in the same scene with Tony in this film.

1935

For the week ending on January 5th of this year, Campanaro was listed in the payroll ledger, but this was followed by a long stretch in which he's not listed.
On May 21st, The Pittsburgh Press ran an ad for Our Gang Sun Suits which stated that each suit had a Pete button on it. In the ad, Pete the Pup IV is shown.
For the week ending on September 21st, Campanaro was listed as a ranch helper in the payroll ledger, but this too was followed by a long stretch in which he's not listed.
On November 20th, the Evening Vanguard of Venice, CA, published an article about a meeting of the Culver City grammar school Fathers' Council, to take place the following evening. The program would include entertainment and refreshments. As the article reports: "Tony Compenerro(sic), director of trained animals for the Hal Roach studios, will present his famous trick dog, Pete, of 'Our Gang' fame."
On December 8th, the Los Angeles Times published an article about movie dogs, finishing up by saying this: "Nor must one omit the two dogs, Pete the Pup and Laughing Gravy, which work in Our Gang Comedies and are owned by Hal Roach."
A press release for "The Pinch Singer" (no. 143), filmed Dec. 11th to 21st, reveals that Pete the Pup IV was still the dog used in the Our Gang series, but that his son, Pete the Pup V, visited the set to watch his father in action. The object was to ready number five to replace number four sometime in the future. It appears, however, that number four continued until the departure of Pete from the series in 1938. However, in an article about Spanky published on Aug. 24, 1988, by The Houston Chronicle, it's mentioned that there were two dogs that played Pete. Presumably this is something that Spanky told the reporter, but it could mean more than one thing. For instance, maybe it means that Pete V occasionally appeared in place of his father in the films. Or perhaps Spanky was just recognizing that Pete III (Lucenay's dog) had been there when Spanky first joined the Gang, but that another dog, Pete IV, was there later on. Or maybe he was just misremembering what others had said over the years about the multiple Petes.

133. Shrimps For A Day (uncredited dog trainer: Laughing Gravy): ©Feb. 20, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-26 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Dec. 8, 1934. Filmed Dec. 15 to 22, 1934.
134. Anniversary Trouble (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): ©Mar. 13, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-27 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Jan. 1, 1935, and Jan. 19, 1935. Filmed Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, 1935.
135. Beginner's Luck (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): ©Apr. 8, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-28 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Feb. 23, 1935. Filmed Feb. 20 to 28, 1935.
136. Teacher's Beau (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Apr. 27, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-29 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 13 to 20, 1935. ©May 1, 1935.
137. Sprucin' Up (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): June 1, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-30 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 2 to 9, and May 7, 1935. ©June 12, 1935.
140. Little Sinner (uncredited duck trainer: Bozo): Oct. 26, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-33 - Our Gang series; Filmed July 8 to 16, 1935. ©Sep. 4, 1935.
Hot Money (role: tenant): Nov. 16, 1935 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. A-35 - Thelma Todd & Patsy Kelly series; ©Oct. 28, 1935.

1936

On January 22nd of this year, the Rochester Times-Union (NY) reported the following: "Pete, the original bull's-eye bulldog of the Our Gang Comedies, is suing Pete his successor on a charge of unfair trade competition. It seems that when the contract of Pete the original for $250 a week expired after five years, the Roach studios substituted Pete the second, using the make-up of Pete the original. Harry Lucenay, owner of Pete the original, recently has been sending his dog on a personal appearance tour, and contends that he is injured to the extent of $100,000 by Roach's use of Pete, second, in Pete the original's characteristic facial make-up."
On March 1st, United Newspapers Magazine Corporation published an article about movie animals, and had this to say about Pete: "So far as animals are concerned, perpetual motion has been discovered by the 'Our Gang' comedies. They have been in existence for more than fifteen years. Pete the Pup would naturally grow old in that time. A descendant takes his place. As there was a circle around the eye of the great pioneer, each Pete the Pup must have the same circle. Thousands of movie fans have asked about the circle. Here's the answer: It is painted around the eye of each puppy."
During 1936, Pete's appearances in the Our Gang series became more sporadic, but starting with the debut of the one-reelers during the summer, his photo was shown at the start of each episode along with those of the regular kids.
On July 18th, the Associated Press reported on the Our Gang reunion that took place that day at Hal Roach Studios. It mentioned that Pete the Pup was the "great-grandson of the first dog actor with the gang," and was also there.
On July 30th, the Evening Vanguard of Venice, CA, reported the following: "About one mile from the Hal Roach Studios proper in Culver City is the Roachero Rancho, home and training grounds for many of Hollywood's famous barnyard actors. 'Tony' Campanaro, Italo war veteran, philosopher, bon vivant, as well as master animal trainer, has presided over the domain for the past fifteen years. To studio employees, he is affectionately known as 'Tony the Wop.' Despite a strict and staunch discipline maintained with the animals and fowl under his training and care, an observer can note that they hold him in high esteem. Ready and willing to testify to their master's great heart are such noted screen artists as 'Pete, the Pup' and members of the fifth generation of this world-renowned canine family; also 'Laughing Gravy,' heralded as the dog with the funniest face in the movies. Others are 'Bozo,' the 6-year-old Mongolian duck with a human mind; 'Dinah,' the 16-year-old educated mule; 'Professor Pape,' the monkey who scored such a hit in 'Follow the Fleet,' and his companion, 'Jimmy'; 'Baa' and 'Tommy,' performing goats; five chickens, two rabbits, four pigeons, three sheep and seven geese, all highly trained. In addition, Hal Roach has his stable of fine polo mounts and show horses. As for the Roachero Rancho itself, many of the farm scenes and other rural outdoor settings that you see in Roach comedies are photographed there. It comprises ten acres of rolling countryside and is studded with a variety of structures common to the average American farm. 'Tony' Campanero has a simple and effective system of training his barnyard actors - firmness and kindness. And the performance of his proteges and pets have caused many a human actor to look to his laurels when they appear before the camera."
On August 6th, The Queenslander of Brisbane reported the following: "Performing dogs in a circus are taught to follow a routine, but dogs acting in films have to be able to understand quickly what they are told. They do it so naturally, too. For the last 15 years, at least, I have watched Pete, the Pup, getting into scrapes with the members of Our Gang on the films, and he never appears to be acting. It puzzled me also, because he never grew older; he was always the same intelligent dog with the comic circle around one eye. During these years, other doggy friends of mine grew old and tired, but Pete seemed to have found the secret of perpetual youth. At last I have solved the mystery: a descendant takes his place. Pete's puppies have been trained to act exactly as their father and, to accentuate the likeness, a circle is painted around the eye of each puppy - not always the same eye, though, you will notice."
For the weeks ending on August 15th, 22nd and 29th, Campanaro was listed in the Roach payroll ledgers as an animal trainer.
On August 20th, Campanaro made a check for $7.50, working as an extra in "General Spanky."
On September 4th and 5th, Campanaro made $7.50 a day, working as an extra in "Way Out West."
In December, the Our Gang film "Reunion In Rhythm" was being shot. During that time, Patience, Richard, and Johnny Abbe visited the Roach studio. In 1937, they published their memories of visiting Hollywood in a book called Of All Places! Here's what they had to say about Pete: "Pete, the pup, was hanging around with his trainer, an Italian man. He is a calm dog and lets anyone pet him, but he does not act as though he would ask you for a pat. He is an actor, so hangs around with his trainer like something special, but at the same time he is not stuck up. He acts as though he is used to all this."

143. The Pinch Singer (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Jan. 4, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-35 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 11 to 21, 1935. ©Feb. 6, 1936. Working title: King's Gong.
142. Divot Diggers (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Feb. 8, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-36 - Our Gang series; Filmed Nov. 18 to 25, 1935. ©Feb. 6, 1936.
The Bohemian Girl (extra role: Gypsy vagabond): Feb. 14, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - prod. F-8 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed Oct. 9 to around Nov. 30, 1935, with retakes Dec. 31, 1935, to Jan. 6, 1936. ©Feb. 12, 1936.
Follow The Fleet (uncredited monkey trainer): Feb. 20, 1936 - RKO - 110 min. - Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers feature; ©Feb. 20, 1936. Professor Pepi appears in this film.
138. The Lucky Corner (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Mar. 14, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-31 - Our Gang series; Filmed May 13 to 20, 1935. ©Feb. 19, 1936.
On The Wrong Trek (bit part: hobo): Apr. 18, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. C-40 - Charley Chase series; Filmed mid to late Apr. 1936 ©June 11, 1936.
Neighborhood House (small role): May 9, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. C-39 - Charley Chase series; Previewed in April at 58 minutes, and then cut to 55 minutes before finally being released as a short. Filmed around Mar 9 to 25, 1936. ©July 8, 1936.
Poor Little Rich Girl (uncredited monkey trainer: Professor Pepi): prem. June 25, 1936 - 20th Century-Fox - 9 reels - Shirley Temple feature.; Released July 18, 1936. ©July 24, 1936. Title on publicity materials: The Poor Little Rich Girl.
146. Bored Of Education (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Aug. 29, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-1 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Aug. 20, 1936. ©Sep. 3, 1936. Filmed July 13 to 16, 1936. Oscar winner for Best One-Reel Short Subject.
Dodsworth (uncredited dog trainer: Jiggs): Sep. 23, 1936 - Goldwyn/UA - 11 reels - Walter Huston & Ruth Chatterton feature; ©Sep. 28, 1936.
Our Relations (extra: patron in Denker's Beer Garden): Oct. 30, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 6 reels - prod. F-11 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed around Mar. 12 to May 4, 1936. ©Sep. 29, 1936. Re-released in Jan. 1948. US cut version titled Sailors' Downfall.
150. General Spanky (extra): Dec. 11, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 8 reels - prod. F-12 - 'Spanky' McFarland feature; Filmed July 22 to Sep. 8, 1936, with retakes on Sep. 17 and Oct. 19 and 20, 1936. ©Dec. 4, 1936. Oscar nominee for Best Sound Recording.
149. Spooky Hooky (uncredited animal trainer: Jiggs and Laughing Gravy): ©Dec. 28, 1936 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-4 - Our Gang series; Also listed for Dec. 5, 1936. Filmed Nov. 11 to 17, 1936.

1937

On January 13th of this year, Pete was due to work in the Our Gang film "Glove Taps," but filming was postponed and he didn't wind up in the film. There was also an unspecified dog used on the 25th and 26th, but even this one, Pete or otherwise, does not appear in the film.
On January 23rd, Parade Of Youth published an article about Tony, which can be accessed by clicking here.
On May 12th, the Daily Times and Daily Journal-Press of St. Cloud, MN, reported the following: "'Dinah,' the mule that does some tall and uproariously-funny kicking with Laurel and Hardy, the targets in the Hal Roach-M-G-M feature comedy, 'Way Out West,' is a celebrity among the barnyard actors of Hollywood. For fifteen years, starting in the days of the silents, 'Dinah' has been acting in the movies. She's what is known as a 'Heenie,' a cross between a Shetland pony and a burro, and is seventeen years old. 'Dinah' was obtained by the Roach studios when only two years old and has been expertly trained. 'Dinah,' with all her kicking and cutting capers, is actually a gentle animal and quite a pet at the studios, particularly with the 'little rascals' of 'Our Gang,' in which comedies she has appeared many times. 'Dinah' makes her home at the Roachero Rancho, which is located only a mile or so from the Roach studios in Culver City. There is a large array of trained animals there, in charge of 'Tony' Campanaro, who has been handling animals for Hal Roach for over fifteen years. 'Way Out West' . . . is the first Western feature comedy Laurel and Hardy have appeared in as a team. 'Dinah' figures prominently in the original story and adds to the hilarious fun that the stellar comedians provide."
On October 19th, the Portland Press Herald published an article about Vittorio Mussolini's visit to the Roach studio, which took place in late September. Here's an excerpt: "On the studio premises, we saw Tony. On a leash he led Pete, the pup that is frequently seen in the 'Our Gang' comedies. He has a ring painted around his eye. Pete loves children and is a very friendly if sprightly dog. There was a kitten in the environment, and that disturbed Pete no little. Tony trains animals on a ranch he owns. Then he 'leases out' the animals for pictures. He understands animal training thoroughly. The day we saw him, he was quite proud. He had had his picture taken with Vittorio Mussolini and it was being delivered to him that day in a handsome enlargement that he was going to hang in his living room. He was the happiest man in Hollywood."

151. Reunion In Rhythm (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Jan. 9, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-5 - Our Gang series; Filmed Dec. 9 to 14, 1936. ©Jan. 14, 1937.
Way Out West (extra/animal trainer: Dinah): Apr. 16, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 6 reels - prod. F-14 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed Aug. 27 to early Nov. 1936. ©Apr. 9, 1937. This film was reissued in the early '50s as a two-reeler entitled The Whacky West. Oscar nominee for Best Musical Score.
155. Rushin' Ballet (extra): Apr. 24, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-9 - Our Gang series; Filmed Mar. 9 to 13, 1937. ©Apr. 22, 1937.
154. Three Smart Boys (uncredited animal trainer: Jiggs): May 13, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-8 - Our Gang series; Also listed as Mar. 13, 1937. Filmed Feb. 15 to 19, 1937. ©Mar. 31, 1937. Campanaro probably also trained the monkey.
156. Roamin' Holiday (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV, Jiggs and Laughing Gravy): June 12, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-10 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 22 to May 3, 1937. ©June 24, 1937.
160. The Pigskin Palooka (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Oct. 23, 1937 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-14 - Our Gang series; Filmed Sep. 18 to 25, 1937. ©Nov. 2, 1937.

1938

On March 29th of this year, INS reported the following: "Robert Young took it on the nose today, not once but thrice. Dishing it out was a ring-tailed monkey, one Professor Pepi, working in a scene in 'The Toy Wife' with Young, Luise Rainer and Melvyn Douglas. The monkey used a brass cymbal for his assaults. It was a mean weapon, even in the hand of a monkey, Bob will have you know. The scene called for Miss Rainer and Young to bring the monkey to amuse Douglas, supposed to be convalescing in bed. Tony Campanaro, the animal's owner, had trained him so he would bang the cymbals together after Luise handed them to him. Professor Pepi would clang them together two or three times and then let Young have it on the proboscis. Everyone was in a state of agitation, particularly Young, until Campanaro decided Miss Rainer was not handing Professor Pepi the cymbals in a manner in which he had been accustomed. The technique was changed, and Young's nose was spared further assault."
On June 3rd, the Carroll Daily Herald (IA) reported the following: "An unsung character actress who has been stealing scenes from Hal Roach-M-G-M players for fifteen years makes her latest appearance in 'Swiss Miss,' Laurel and Hardy musical production . . . She is Dinah, veteran comedy burro, trained by Tony Campanaro, caretaker of the Roach ranch for fifteen years. Dinah has appeared in more than fifty shorts and features throughout that period. A favorite pet of studio aides, the burro is completely camera-wise and the Roach company has refused several offers up to $500 for her purchase by other studios. In 'Swiss Miss,' Dinah pulls the sleigh that carries Laurel and Hardy, mouse-trap salesmen, through Switzerland. Because of her advanced years, special wheels were placed on the runners of the sleigh to lessen the burden of hauling the 322-pound Hardy and his partner."
In June, the Our Gang series moved to MGM, and it appears that Campanaro went along with them, at least temporarily. Pete's appearances in the series were getting to be few and far between. His only Roach appearance during 1938 was in "The Awful Tooth." However, he returned in the second Metro-produced episode, "Party Fever," which proved to be his last appearance in the series.
On July 3rd, James Watt of the New York Times shared the following in a syndicated article: "Pete, the pup with the encircled eye, one of whose grandsons perpetuates him in current Gang releases, was another member of that initial 1921." This is in reference to the debut of the Our Gang series, and is completely false.
From July 20th to 26th, the Our Gang short "Aladdin's Lantern" was shot. The monkey in this film is named "Elmer," which was the same character name given to George in "Bear Facts" earlier in the year, so perhaps Campanaro was involved. Pete the Pup IV had already made his final appearance in the series in the previous film, but there is a photo of him with the Our Gang kids in costume for "Aladdin's Lantern."
On August 5th, the United Press published an article about Tony, which can be accessed by clicking here.
On December 2nd, the Rochester Times-Union (NY) published an article on movie dogs, which included the following: "Then there were the rival 'bull's eye' bull dogs, who played Pete of the Our Gang comedies. Harry Lucenay, owner of the Pete who figured in the Gang comedies for five years prior to 1936, went to law against the Hal Roach Studios, Inc. in that year, seeking an injunction against another bull dog which Roach had decorated with the well known bull's eye insignia and was using in the comedies instead of the original Pete."

164. Bear Facts (uncredited animal trainer: George and Jiggs): Mar. 5, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-17 - Our Gang series; Filmed Jan. 26 to Feb. 4, 1938. ©Mar. 8, 1938. Production sheets reveal that Campanaro trained both George the monkey and Jiggs the dog for this film.
Swiss Miss (uncredited animal trainer: Dinah): May 20, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 7 reels - prod. F-20 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed Dec. 28, 1937 to Feb. 26, 1938, with added scenes Apr. 1, and retakes Apr. 21, 1938. ©May 3, 1938.
168. The Awful Tooth (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): May 28, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-21 - Our Gang series; Filmed Apr. 12 to 16, 1938. ©May 26, 1938.
The Toy Wife (uncredited monkey trainer: Professor Pepi): June 10, 1938 - MGM - 10 reels - Luise Rainer feature; ©June 6, 1938. Working title: Mlle. Froufrou. UK title: Frou Frou.
169. Hide And Shriek (uncredited dog trainer: Jiggs): June 18, 1938 - Roach/MGM - 1 reel - prod. K-22 - Our Gang series; Filmed May 11 to 14, 1938. ©June 16, 1938.
171. Party Fever (uncredited dog trainer: Pete the Pup IV): Aug. 27, 1938 - MGM - 1 reel - prod. 2568 - Our Gang series; Filmed July 5 to 9, 1938. ©Aug. 25, 1938.
There Goes My Heart (uncredited monkey trainer: Tony and Just Cat): Oct. 6, 1938 - Roach/UA - 9 reels - prod. F-21 - feature; ©Oct. 6, 1938. Featuring Virginia Bruce, Fredric March, Harry Langdon. Oscar nominee for Best Original Score.

1939

On February 5th of this year, Feg Murray included Pete the Pup in his Seein' Stars panel cartoon, stating that the ring was painted on. The dog illustrated is Pete the Pup IV.
On February 22nd, The Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW) reported the following: "'Script writers don't know animals,' wails Tony Campanero of the Hal Roach Ranch. Under Campanaro's guidance, Pete, the famous 'Our Gang' dog, Professor Papi(sic), the monkey, and dozens of furred and feathered troupers have made their movie debut. Campanaro registered his complaint after Tony, six-year-old cat who appears in 'There Goes My Heart' . . . fled to the rafters of the sound stage in the middle of an important scene. Tony, who is Patsy Kelly's pet in the picture, greets Patsy, Fredric March and Virginia Bruce at the door. Seeing Patsy carrying a bowl of goldfish, he is supposed to leap to her shoulder and attempt to catch a fish in his paws. The scene was played in a hallway, amid noise and confusion. Tony, deciding that being a rugged individualist was better than being a picture actor, brushed by the trio and made for the open spaces. 'There was too much noise and the space was too crowded,' explained Campanaro. 'No cat would do his tricks under those conditions.' But one did. To Campanaro's amazement, 'Just Cat,' who is Tony's stand-in, was brought out of his cage and went through the routine perfectly. Tony looked down from his perch with a green gleam in his eyes."
On May 12th, the Savannah Reporter and Andrew County Democrat (MO) reported the following: "'Organ grinding,' says Tony Companero(sic), 'that ain't so good. But movie business, that'sa different.' And he blows a kiss toward the film industry in general. Tony is the owner of George Napoleon. And George Napoleon is a monkey, about 12 years old. Time was when Tony was making his living walking the streets and grinding his organ. But then his simian partner-in-business died, and Tony had to find another monkey. 'Some friend of mine,' recalls Tony, 'in the same business, he had a monkey, too. But he leaves the monkey and organ business, and me and him make a deal for his monkey. I buy the monk and George Napoleon belongs to me.' Tony soon found that his new monkey, George Napoleon, was too smart for the street organ business. Soon, George was appearing in bits in pictures. Finally, Tony had to give up his organ business because George Napoleon was constantly in demand by the movie studios. 'I make more money now sitting down one day while George works than when I worked one month before grinding my own organ in the streets,' states Tony." Sidenote: This is another example of Campanero's movie career being collapsed into a shorter time frame than it was in reality, conflating a current monkey with whichever monkey was his first.
In November, the Laurel & Hardy feature "Saps At Sea" began filming, and Campanaro is unofficially credited with training the goat seen in the film.

1940

On July 22nd of this year, John Chapman reported the following in his syndicated column: "It's pretty hard to steal a picture from Flora Robson, let alone Errol Flynn, but a monkey darn near does it in 'The Sea Hawk,' He's so good, he is already working on another picture at the Hal Roach studio. It's just a case of the monk getting kicked upstairs by New York's Mayor LaGuardia. Remember when the Mayor banned organ grinders and their monkeys? Well, this ruined Tony Campanero, a Hamilton Ave., Brooklyn, street musician, leaving him with no job and a monkey to support. When a friend in San Diego invited him to come out for a visit, Tony came. Mike Curtiz issued a call for monkeys in 'The Sea Hawk' and, as the message spread from treetop to treetop, Tony heard about it and took his pet. With his slick big-city ways, the monk won hands down over all the native applicants, landing what is practically the only comedy role in the picture." Sidenote: Unless this and the following story are about a different monkey trainer named Tony Campanaro, then this is an extreme case of collapsing Campanaro's movie career into a tiny span of years, as though his first big break happened in 1940.
On August 23rd, The Evening Star of Washington, DC, reported the following: "Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who got into Hollywood's hair some months ago by suggesting the movie industry move to New York, may not know it, but he actually sent one actor to Hollywood as a result of another, and more secondary, of his campaigns. The actor in question was Enrico Carussa Schipagigli, who may sound like a tenor but who, actually, is a talented monkey. At the time he was inviting Hollywood to New York, M. le Mayor was forbidding the streets of Gotham to hand organ men and their monkeys. Tony Campanero was one of the hand organ men, Enrico his monkey. With New York closed territory, the pair decided Hollywood might be the place to go. Accordingly, they went. For months, nothing came of it. Hollywood was so full of monkies. In despair one day, the two were walking down Vine street, the main stem of the cinema capital. Out of a clear sky (the sky is always clear in Hollywood, except six months a year), Tony heard a voice asking: 'Can he act?' 'Greatest actor since Joseph Jefferson,' answered Tony, without looking around. 'Then have him at Warner's studio tomorrow at 9 o'clock,' said the voice. Tony and Enrico were there. So were a dozen other monkeys. Enrico turned out to be the best actor of the lot. How good he is will be evident in 'The Sea Hawk' which opens today at the Earle."

Saps At Sea (uncredited goat trainer): May 3, 1940 - Roach/UA - 5 reels - prod. F-29 - Laurel & Hardy feature; Filmed Nov. to early Dec. 1939. ©Apr. 26, 1940. This film was reissued in the early '50s as two separate short subjects, "Where To Now" and "Horn Hero."
The Sea Hawk (uncredited monkey trainer: Enrico): prem. Aug. 10, 1940 - Warner Bros. - 13 reels - Errol Flynn feature; Released Aug. 31, 1940. ©Sep. 3, 1940. Working title: Beggars Of The Sea.

1941

On March 7th of this year, Feg Murray once again featured Pete the Pup IV in his Seein' Stars panel cartoon. And again, it has to do with the ring around his eye being painted on.

1942

Campanaro's draft registration from this year reveals that he was living with his wife at 1911 Preuss Rd. in Los Angeles, and this is corroborated by the Los Angeles City Directory of the same year. Only his wife is not the same woman he was previously married to. Somewhere along the line, he married Irma I. Vellotta (who is also identified as both Maria Irena Vellotta and Irma Ida Velotta at FamilySearch.org). She was still in Denver during the 1920 census, but in Los Angeles during the 1930 census. Campanaro's second daughter was born to his first wife in 1927, so Campanaro probably remarried in the 1930s. The draft registration also reveals that he was still employed by the Roach studio in 1942.

Perils Of Nyoka (uncredited monkey trainer): June 27, 1942 - Republic - 2 reels - 15 chapter serial; ©June 27, 1942. Reissued as Nyoka And The Tigermen. Chapters:; 1. Desert Intrigue; 2. Death's Chariot; 3. Devil's Crucible; 4. Ascending Doom; 5. Fatal Second; 6. Human Sacrifice; 7. Monster's Clutch; 8. Tuareg Vengeance; 9. Burned Alive; 10. Treacherous Trail; 11. Unknown Peril; 12. Underground Tornado; 13. Thundering Death; 14. Blazing Barrier; 15. Satan's Fury

1946

On April 6th of this year, the Los Angeles Times reported the following from Norco: "Pete, the big white bulldog favorite of Our Gang Comedies for a number of years, was shot and killed here today. He was found a short distance from the J. M. Robertson residence at 550 E. Fourth St. where he was living his last years in comfortable retirement. A trail of blood indicated he died trying to get back to his home. Distinguished in Hal Roach productions by his perpetual 'black eye,' Pete was given to E. R. Lloyd, of 650 Temescal Road, when pensioned. Lloyd was a veteran of 14 years at the studios." The same day, Associated Press described it this way: "A veteran movie actor died today from a charge of buckshot fired at close range . . . Pete was pensioned by the Hal Roach studio after 14 years of service as an actor and went to live with E. R. Lloyd. Pete's killer is unknown." Documentation found at FamilySearch.org corroborates Edward Richard Lloyd living in Norco. The Roach payroll ledgers also list E. R. Lloyd as a driver, and later Dick Lloyd, also a driver and probably the same guy. His 1942 draft registration card gives his address as 630 Temescal, which is close enough, and lists his employer as Hal Roach Studios. Under "person who will always know your address," the name given is Capt. Arthur R. Lloyd, Signal Corp. Photograph Div., Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. So he was related to Roach cinematographer Art Lloyd. The 1950 census reveals that he was a farmer, which makes pretty good sense if a studio wanted to retire an old movie dog. The question is: Which Pete is this? Since the first three Petes were Lucenay dogs (though the second one isn't so certain), it stands to reason that this is either Pete the Pup IV or Pete the Pup V.

1953

On May 2nd of this year, Jimmie Fidler wrote about Tony in his sydicated column, an excerpt of which can be accessed by clicking here.

The Robe (uncredited monkey trainer: Professor Pepi): prem. Sep. 16, 1953 - 20th Century-Fox - 16 reels - feature; ©Sep. 16, 1953. Starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature and Michael Rennie.

1965

On March 14th of this year, the Los Angeles Times included the following in its obituaries: "CAMPANARO, Antonio, beloved husband of Irma I. Campanaro, loving father of Mrs. Angelarosa Iezza and Mrs. Assunta D'Egidlo, also survived by 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren." The next day, the Evening Vanguard of Venice, CA, put it this way: "Mr. Campanaro, who died at his home, 1911 Pruess Rd., West Los Angeles, Friday (the 12th), was with Roach Studios for more than 40 years, first working with 'Our Gang' and training the animals used in the pictures. He resided for many years at the Roach Ranch."

1978

Rascal Dazzle (archival): 1978 - King World/Picture Scores - 93 min. - documentary feature; ©1978. Seems to have debuted on TV, followed by a theatrical release in late 1979. Includes footage from "Hi'-Neighbor!" "For Pete's Sake!" "Washee Ironee," "Anniversary Trouble," "Sprucin' Up," "The Pinch Singer," "Divot Diggers," "Bored Of Education," "Reunion In Rhythm," "Roamin' Holiday" and "The Pigskin Palooka."

1982

Hollywood's Children (archival): Feb. 24, 1982 - Wombat/Janson - 60 min. - TV documentary; Includes footage from "Jubilo, Jr."

1984

Our Gang: Inside The Clubhouse (archival): May 8, 1984 - Lang/Camellia City Telecasters - 93 mins. - TV documentary; Includes footage from "Hook And Ladder," "Forgotten Babies," "For Pete's Sake!" and "Sprucin' Up"

1994

Hal Roach: Hollywood's King Of Laughter (archival): Apr. 7, 1994 - RHI/Disney Channel - 49 min. - TV documentary; Includes footage from "The Knockout."

1998

Hal Roach: The Lot Of Fun (archival): June 27, 1998 - Film Preservation Associates/Kino Lorber - 133 min. - video documentary; Released on "Slapstick Encylopedia Vol. 6."

2002

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story (appearance): Feb. 5, 2002 - Jones/TCM - 89 min. - TV documentary; Includes footage from "Hi'-Neighbor!"

2014

Hollywoods Spaßfabrik - Als die Bilder Lachen lernten (archival): May 29, 2014 - Exit Film-und Fernsehproduktion-ZDF/ARTE - 90 min. - TV documentary; Also released in English as Hal Roach - The Lot Of Fun: Where The Movies Learned To Laugh. Includes footage from "Sprucin' Up."

See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.

My thanks to the following people for assisting with this page:
Rob Stone (for providing production numbers and shooting dates)
Matthew Lydick (for adding "A Rag Doll Romance," "A Penny Reward," "A False Alarm," "Circus Days" and "A Ring Tail Romance," and for details about the "King Of Laughter" and "Added Attractions" documentaries and the 2014 German release)