technical details:
Production G-9.
Filmed January 16 to February 8, 1928. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by H. M. Walker on February 21, 1928.
Cutting continuity submitted on February 25, 1928.
Copyrighted May 5, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP25252. Renewed August
11, 1955, with registration no. R154163. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2023.
Released May 5, 1928. It was the 75th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Fair And
Muddy".'
the crew:
- Produced by Robert F. McGowan for
Hal Roach
- The film credits Roach as a presenter, and designates it as "A Robert McGowan Production."
Maltin & Bann list Roach only for this credit.
- Supervised by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit appears in the film, specifically crediting him as supervising director.
- Directed by Charles Oelze
- This credit appears in the film. The payroll summaries were currently listing Oelze as an assistant
director, but without specifying which unit he worked for.
- 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 bees, with 'zings' representing their stings, as well electrical bolts coming out of the
cigarette lighter.
- Story by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit appears on the title page of the cutting continuity.
- Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay
- He was Pete's owner and trainer.
- Teacher: Fern Carter
- Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- As indicated in the opening title card.
- Passed by the National Board of Review
- As indicated in the film.
- All Rights Reserved Under International Convention of Buenos Aires
- 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 - Bud "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- assistant cameraman - Probably Clair Boshard.
- cutting - Possibly Lloyd Campbell.
- writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough, Charlie Hall and Hal Yates may have been
among the gag writers.
- property department - Charles Oelze, Don
Sandstrom and Thomas Benton Roberts were probably involved in this capacity.
- animal training - Tony Campanaro may have been
among the animal trainers.
the kids:
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Featured role. He stows away in a trunk with Pete. His big scene is the one where he's being dragged behind the car.
- Jay R. Smith
- Featured role. He plays several of the pranks.
- Joe Cobb
- Featured role. He also plays several pranks.
- Jackie Condon
- Featured role. He's also in on the pranks and is given a fair amount of footage.
- Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins
- Supporting role. He seems to be present the entire time, but isn't given a lot of specific attention.
- Mildred Kornman
- Supporting role. She seems to be paired up with Wheezer through most of the film.
- Harry Spear
- Supporting role. He's mostly an ensemble player, but gets a bit of attention using a peashooter.
- Jean Darling
- Supporting role. She's mostly along for the ride, but is the one that lets the water out of the radiator.
- Buddy McNeal
- Small part. He's the boy who starts the battle by putting mud in Joe's face.
- Bobby "Bonedust" Young
- Small part. He's one of the boys in the rival gang.
- Donnie Smith
- Small part. He shares the sandbox with Wheezer early in the film.
- Bobby Dean
- Small part. He's one of the orphans, and collides with Joe as the two both go after the same baseball.
- Johnny Aber
- Extra. He's one of the orphans at the beginning of the film. He's standing in the background as
Jackie ties the string around the baseball.
- other kids
- Small parts. There are five additional boys in the rival gang. There are also additional orphans,
numbering perhaps fifteen, who don't go along on the car trip. This includes an additional toddler, plus at least
five girls and ten boys.
the animals:
- Pete (no. 1) as "Pansy"
- Supporting role. Farina sneaks him along on the ride, and he's given several funny moments.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
- other animals
- Bit parts and extras.
- (1.) A squirrel seen by Joe.
- (2.) The little white dog that Mrs. Schultz kicks.
- (3.) Several chicks, including the one that Farina refers to as the 'new roostah.'
- (4.) Several additional animals that make up the 'Animals Orphanage.' There are twelve cages, but some
might include animals already mentioned.
- (5.) A horse seen in the distance during the mud fight.
- (6.) Publicity photos show members of the gang wearing sailor suits (like in this film) and posing with
white rabbits, presumably since Easter was only a couple of months away. It appears that the rabbits were not in the
film.
- bugwatch
- The bees or hornets in the nest that the gang mistakes for a football. Initially, we see actual bees, but
after Farina lands on the nest, they're animated.
the adults:
- Lillianne Leighton as "Mrs. Amanda Schultz"
- Featured role. She doesn't like kids, but needs to adopt one in order to gain an inheritance. She has
a change of heart in the end.
- Charles King as the chauffeur
- Featured role. He suffers the brunt of the gang's pranks and finally quits his job.
- Caroline "Spike" Rankin as "Alvira"
- Supporting role. She's the other old maid who goes along on the trip, and is the sister of Mrs.
Schultz. This is probably the 'unspecified role' Maltin & Bann were referring to when they listed Patsy
O'Byrne.
- Alfred Fisher as "Granpa Evans"
- Supporting role. He's seen quite a lot in the early part of the film interacting with the kids.
- Florence Lee as "Grandma Evans"
- Supporting role. She's seen in the earlier part of the film.
- Edgar Dearing as the motorcycle cop
- Small part. He writes out two tickets to Mrs. Schultz.
- Charley Lloyd
- Bit part. He's the first to check his tires after hearing a torpedo explode.
- woman 075
- Bit part. She gets hit in the butt with mud while walking across a wooden plank, and later appeared in
"The Pooch" (no. 115)
- Sam Lufkin
- Bit part. He laughs at woman 075, and ends up with mud in his mouth.
- other adults
- Supporting roles and bit parts.
- (1.) The 'boy' that delivers the telegram, actually a young man.
- (2.) The man and woman picnicking. He calls her "Honeydew" and she calls him "Mildew."
- (3.) The man with the plug hat, who gets mud in his hat.
- (4.) The woman powdering her face, who gets hit with mud.
- (5.) The old man who laughs and gets hit with mud as he tries to walk away.
- (6.) Several men who check their tires.
the locations:
- Venice Pier
- Promotional photos reveal that footage was shot at this amusement pier, or perhaps Lick Pier at Ocean
Park, since the kids are posing in front of the Giant Dipper roller coaster, which existed at both places. The cutting
continuity reveals that the film ends just as they're getting ready to go to the beach.
miscellaneous:
21 shooting dates went into the making of this film. A week after shooting finished for "Barnum & Ringling,
Inc." (no. 74), the 'start' date for "Fair And Muddy" arrived on Jan. 16th. Shooting
continued until the 'finish' date of Feb. 8th. No shooting took place on Jan. 15th, Jan. 22nd, Jan. 29th or Feb.
5th, which were all Sundays. Charles Oelze directed on each of the shooting dates. It should be noted that the 1928 studio
datebook mistakenly identifies this film as production C-9 on Feb. 4th. Two days after shooting finished, the Our Gang
unit began filming "Crazy House" (no. 76).
The orphanage the gang lives in is called Gramercy Orphanage.
The orphanage footage probably derives from the first week of shooting, since Alfred Fisher appears in the payroll
summaries only during this week.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B403.
availability:
Long considered lost, this film has recently been discovered and should someday be available on video through CW Films.
Much of the information listed above derives from the cutting continuity, which was submitted for copyright purposes to
the Library of Congress. Additional details were provided by Robin Cook of CW Films.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.