The Old Wallop

film no. 68

availability:

A 9.5mm copy of this film was discovered at a library in Paris back in the 1970s. The preservation copy that's been reported to exist in Munich probably derives from the French copy. So far, the film has not been available to the general public, and most of the information below derives from the cutting continuity filed with the Library of Congress for copyright purposes.

technical details:

Production G-2.

Filmed August 8 to 20, 1927. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted October 22, 1927, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP25228. Renewed July 11, 1955, with registration no. R152704. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2022.

Released October 22, 1927. It was the 65th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "The Old Wallop".'

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach: This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film lists Roach as the presenter, and reads "A Robert McGowan Production."
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.
Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay: He was Pete's owner and trainer.
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
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer": Featured role. He takes after his prize-fighting father and punches everybody that gets near him. Later, the gang has to rescue him from a highrise building under construction.
Joe Cobb as "Joe": Featured role. He passes off his babysitting duties to Farina and is later featured strongly during the highrise sequence.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins: Featured role. He gives up on babysitting Wheezer, only to have to retrieve him from the building site. He's given a lot of the gag material during this sequence.
Jackie Condon as "Jackie": Featured role. He's paid to babysit Wheezer, and has to endure nose-punches until he recruits Joe to take over.
Harry Spear: Supporting role. He's given the name "Toughy" in part of the continuity, but not in the actual titles. He spends a large part of the film pulling Joe's pants down, and is also featured early in the film playing leapfrog with Jackie.
Jay R. Smith: Supporting role. He's given some individual attention during the highrise sequence.
Jean Darling: Supporting role. She's at the controls of the elevator at the construction site, making things very difficult for the boys.

the animals:

monkey 004: Supporting role. Presumably the same monkey normally seen. He jumps into Wheezer's carriage and becomes the next victim. Later he takes part in the highrise sequence.
Pete (no. 1): Supporting role. He mostly reacts to the highrise activities by covering his eyes, but is the one who ultimately rescues Farina and Jay.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

the adults:

Anita Garvin as Wheezer's mother: Small part. She appears briefly instructing Jackie to let the baby punch him on the nose.
Charles A. Bachman as one of the cops: Small part. He gets punched by Wheezer and then meets up with his captain.
Edgar Dearing as the police captain: Small part. We don't see him getting walloped, but we do see him coming around the corner of a brick building showing the effects of having been walloped.
other adults: Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) Wheezer's prize fighting father, who's seen at the opening of the film boxing with his toddler son.
(2.) The lady who says 'cootsy cootsy' before getting walloped.
(3.) An old man who gets walloped, and a younger man who spits out his teeth after getting walloped.
(4.) Perhaps ten construction workers.
(5.) Numerous pedestrains and drivers in the background.

miscellaneous:

12 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Just two days after shooting had finished for production K-24, which was either "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65) or "The Smile Wins" (no. 66), the 'start' date for "The Old Wallop" arrived on Aug. 8th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Aug. 20th. No shooting took place on Aug. 7th or 14th, which were both Sundays. Robert F. McGowan directed on each of the shooting dates. After this, a week passed before the Our Gang unit began filming "Heebee Jeebees" (no. 69).

©Mar. 25, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 4/25, 7/9.
2006 updates: 6/12.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 7/6.
2009 updates: 3/29, 5/20, 5/22, 5/23, 6/13.

Thanks to Robin Cook, Rob Stone, Joe Moore and Michelle Schacht for assistance on this page.