Yale Vs. Harvard

technical details:

Production G-1.

Filmed June 13 to 24, 1927. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

The title sheet was prepared by H. M. Walker on July 2, 1927.

The cutting continuity was submitted July 28, 1927.

Copyrighted August 17, 1927, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP24290. Renewed July 11, 1955, with registration no. R152702. This copyright expired at the end of 2022, and the film is now in the public domain.

This film was shown Aug. 27, 1927, on the opening night of the Wayne Theatre in Wayne, Michigan.

Released September 24, 1927. It was the 64th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Yale Vs Harvard".' With the change in distribution to MGM, the lobby posters started to delete the '"Our Gang" Comedies' part, and say 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in....'

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film.

Edited by Richard Currier

This credit appears in the film.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit appears in the film.

Animation by Roy Seawright

This credit derives from Seawright's payroll status as the studio animator during this period. This film features animated words coming out of a bullhorn.

Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay

He was Pete's owner and trainer.

Teacher: Fern Carter

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated at the opening of the film.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

studio personnel

director-general - Leo McCarey

general manager - Warren Doane

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin

optical effects supervisor - Roy Seawright

still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves

transportation director - Bob Davis

possible uncredited involvement

assistant direction - Probably Charles Oelze.

assistant cameraman - Probably Clair Boshard.

cutting - Probably Lloyd Campbell.

writing - Presumably, Hal E. Roach and Robert F. McGowan headed the story department, with possible assistance from Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough and Charlie Hall.

property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom and Thomas Benton Roberts were probably involved in this capacity.

the kids:

Joe Cobb as "Joe"

Featured role. He's given plenty of attention in this film, and has the ideas behind defeating the other team. The captain of the opposing team intimidates him at first, but eventually calls him "Mister Joe."

Allen "Farina" Hoskins

Featured role. Referred to as "Farina" in the continuity, but not named in the titles. He has most of the funny business in the film, mostly involving the Italian boy.

Jay R. Smith

Supporting role. He's the kicker on the Our Gang team. He has one scene where he's repeatedly sneezing on Jackie, and later scores two of the Gang's touchdowns.

Jackie Condon as "Jackie"

Supporting role. He seems to be the leader of the team. His name appears on a message on a fence in which he wants to trade in his baby brother. He seems to mostly do ensemble work, aside from his sneezing scene with Jay R.

Harry Spear

Supporting role. He's not specifically mentioned in the cutting continuity, but he's shown in the photograph in the Maltin & Bann book, and clearly is a member of the team. He probably does exclusively ensemble acting in this film. It's possible that he's the boy identified as "Toughy" in the continuity, though this name didn't appear in the inter-titles.

Jannie Hoskins

Supporting role. The cutting continuity refers to her as "Mango," but she isn't named in the titles. Her main job is to knock members of the opposing team on their heads with a hammer.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"

Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's introduced in a title card, but aside from a bit of funny business at the beginning, the continuity doesn't reveal his presence elsewhere in the film.

Jean Darling

Small part. The Progressive Silent Film List implies that her first name was used in the film, but the cutting continuity doesn't mention her. However, it does mention a nurse who kisses Wheezer's hand after he hurts it, and Jean is shown in Maltin & Bann's book in the nurse outfit.

Godfrey "Duffy" Craig

Small part. A 1927 casting directory states that he appeared in this film, and a publicity photo corroborates this, showing him as one of the players, presumably for the opposing team.

Jack Hanlon

Small part. He's shown in publicity photos, and seems to be on the gang's team.

Paul Toien

Small part. He's shown in publicity photos, and seems to be on the gang's team.

Johnny Aber

Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's shown in at least one publicity photo, and seems to be on the gang's team.

Gabe Saenz

Small part. Publicity photos reveal him to be a member of the opposing team.

Buddy McNeal

Small part. Photos reveal that he's one of the football players in this film.

Buddy Moore

Small part. He's shown in publicity photos, and seems to be on the gang's team.

Stanton Heck, Jr.

Small part. A lobby card for this film shows a football player that looks quite a lot like him.

Robert Parrish

Small part. Parrish describes the scene where Mango is hammering boys on the head, one of whom is Parrish. This would mean that he was a member of the opposing team. He remembers it being Farina who does the hammering, but the continuity says it's Mango. He also remembers this being his first Our Gang film, but he worked on "Olympic Games" (no. 63) previously.

Robert Cruzon

Presumed small part. A 1927 casting directory states that he appeared in this film, and also went by the name Robert Donaldson.

Carl Busch

Presumed extra. A 1927 casting directory states that he appeared in this film. Being a younger kid at the time, I would presume that he's sitting in the stands in this film.

other kids

Supporting roles, bit parts and extras.

(1.) The remaining members of the Gas House Garlics team, presumably numbering nine, including an Italian garlic-eating boy named "Grange," a boy who bends a horseshoe, a 'hard-boiled' boy, and the team captain, who might be one of the three already mentioned.

(2.) The remaining members of the Our Gang team, presumably numbering five.

(3.) The referee.

(4.) The 'yell leader,' as the continuity calls him, leading the grandstand cheers. There might be another one for the opposing team. There is also another reference to a kid with a megaphone, who may or may not be the 'yell leader.'

(5.) The boy that serves as the announcer at the game.

(6.) The Our Gang team's coach.

(7.) The little boy and girl who read Jackie's notice.

(8.) The little boy who drowns cats and the little girls that surround him, each holding a cat.

(9.) Several kids in the grandstand.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1)

Small part. The cutting continuity doesn't actually name him, but it does mention a dog as part of the Our Gang team, and Pete is shown in more than one press photo taken for this film.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

other animals

Bit parts.

(1.) The cats being held by the girls that surround the cat-drowning boy.

(2.) The duck that Farina picks up and runs with, thinking it's the football. After Farina is tackled, the duck is shown without feathers, so there was probably a second duck used for this shot.

the adults:

Martha Sleeper

Presumed bit part. According to Maltin & Bann, who presumably viewed a promotional photo showing her. She's not mentioned in the cutting continuity, nor are any other adults.

the locations:

Hubbard St., Culver City

This was the location used for the football field, and was either part of, or adjacent to, the Roach studio. It's the same location used for the amusement park in "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42) and the football game in "Washee Ironee" (no. 131).

miscellaneous:

12 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Nearly a week after shooting had finished for production K-23, which was either "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65) or "The Smile Wins" (no. 66), the 'start' date for "Yale Vs. Harvard" arrived on June 13th. Filming continued until the 'finish' date of June 24th. No shooting took place on June 12th, which was a Sunday, but the unit did shoot on Sunday, June 19th, presumably to allow for an extra day off around the upcoming holiday on July 4th. Robert F. McGowan directed on each of the shooting dates. Just three days after shooting finished, the Our Gang unit began filming production K-24, which was either "Playin' Hookey" or "The Smile Wins."

The titles reveal the opposing team to be named the Gas House Garlics, though the kids in the grandstand hold up cards that spell out 'Third St.'

The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B682.

In December 1927, there was a vaudeville act called "Yale Vs. Harvard" which was performed by The Gang Kids. It isn't clear whether this was an authorized variation of the film or just an opportunistic 'borrowing' of the title. This act performed in Valparaiso, Indiana, on Dec. 31st.

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

© Robert Demoss.