Growing Pains

film no. 77


technical details:

Production G-11.

Filmed February 27 to March 15, 1928. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Title sheet prepared by H. M. Walker on March 19, 1928.

Cutting continuity submitted March 20, 1928.

Copyrighted September 22, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP25669. Renewed December 7, 1955, with registration no. R160738. This copyright expired at the end of 2023, and the film is now in the public domain.

Released September 22, 1928. It was the 77th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Growing Pains".'


the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach
This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, and also says "A Robert McGowan Production."
Supervised by Robert F. McGowan
The film credits him as supervising director, but without the middle initial.
Directed by Anthony Mack
This credit appears in the film. Mack was actually Robert A. (for Anthony) McGowan, the nephew of Robert F. He's credited in the 1928 studio datebook as "McGowan, Jr."
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.
Story by Robert F. McGowan
This credit doesn't appear in the film, but is indicated in the cutting continuity.
Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay
He was Pete's owner and trainer.
Teacher: Fern Carter
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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 - Clarence "Stax" Graves
transportation director - Bob Davis
possible uncredited involvement
assistant direction - Probably Charles Oelze.
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.

the kids:

Mary Ann Jackson as "Mary Ann"
Lead role. She continually pesters the other kids and sicks the giant on them.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"
Featured role. His mother constantly gives him cod liver oil. The kids think he's been turned into a giant.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins
Supporting role. He's the victim of several of Mary Ann's practical jokes.
Joe Cobb
Supporting role. He's also a frequent victim and has plenty of screen time.
Jay R. Smith
Supporting role. He's given a fair amount of attention.
Harry Spear
Supporting role. He's given some individual attention and is the first to successfully get back at the giant when he starts throwing eggs.
Jackie Condon
Supporting role. His big scene is the one where he keeps using bigger hammers to hit the giant on the head with.
Jean Darling
Small part. She's not mentioned in the continuity, but appears in the publicity photos.
Jimmy Farren
Small part. He's not mentioned in the continuity, but appears in the publicity photos.
other kids
A publicity photo reveals an unknown little girl with the Our Gang kids.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1)
Supporting role. He's featured throughout the film. The continuity refers to him as "Pansy," but not in any of the inter-titles.
Leo
Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
bugwatch
A hornets nest is put down the back of the giant's pants, but it isn't clear whether we actually see the hornets themselves, or if they might be animated.

the adults:

John Aason as "John Aason," the vaudeville giant
Featured role. Maltin & Bann spell his last name Aassen. He's the circus giant who stands in for Wheezer and scares the kids.
other adults
Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) Mary Ann and Wheezer's mother, known as "Mrs. James Jackson."
(2.) The cab driver.
(3.) The man who carries Mary back to the gang while she's dressed as a baby.
(4.) The woman Mary hides behind before pushing Harry in the mud.

miscellaneous:

16 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Only three days after shooting finished for "Crazy House" (no. 76), the 'start' date arrived for "Growing Pains" on Feb. 27th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Mar. 15th. No shooting took place on Feb. 26th, Mar. 4th or Mar. 11th, which were all Sundays. Anthony Mack (listed as McGowan Jr. in the 1928 studio datebook) directed on each of the shooting dates. After this, roughly seven and a half weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began shooting "The Ol' Gray Hoss" (no. 78). The studio was closed for over five of those weeks.

The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B437.


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


© Robert Demoss.


My thanks to the following people for assisting with this page:
Rob Stone (for providing the production number and shooting dates)
Randy Skretvedt (for clearing up the confusion involving Bud and Stax Graves)
Joe Moore (for providing the copyright information)


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