Old Gray Hoss

film no. 78

availability:

Our Gang Volume #9 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This copy is a TV print from The Little Rascals series made by Interstate Television Corporation. The crew credits and inter-titles are original. The picture quality is fair. The print totals 21:19, with 21:02 of it original footage. Almost all of the original film is included. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

special note

There's a European video release of this film lasting 20:23. The titles are all remade, with the object of making them appear original. However, the font is not quite the same as on the original prints. The film title is given as "The Ol' Gray Hoss," which I'm presuming is inaccurate. Music is provided by the Beau Hunks with sound effects.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach

This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film probably credits Roach as the presenter, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."

Supervised by Robert F. McGowan

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

Directed by Robert F. McGowan and Anthony Mack

The film credits only Mack, who was actually Robert A. (for Anthony) McGowan, the nephew of Robert F. Rob Stone's list credits the uncle with directing the film.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film.

Edited by Richard Currier

This credit appears in the film. Currier also prepared the soundtrack while at the Victor headquarters in New York.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit appears in the film.

Story by Robert F. McGowan

This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Probably indicated in the opening title card.

Passed by the National Board of Review

Probably 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
• school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

• assistant direction - Possibly Charles Oelze.
• editing - Bert Jordan and William Terhune were among the cutters during this period.
• writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough and Charlie Hall may have been among the gag writers.
• property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom and Thomas Benton Roberts were probably involved in this capacity, and possibly Ted Driscoll, William A. Collins and Roy Seawright.
• animal training - Harry Lucenay and Tony Campanaro were probably among the animal trainers.
• animation - Probably the work of Roy Seawright.

the kids:

Allen "Farina" Hoskins

Featured role. He and Joe run Chief Cummings' taxi service, and he's given a lot of the gag material.

Joe Cobb

Featured role. He's essentially the leader of the gang and runs the horse-drawn cab with Farina.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins

Featured role. He's given a running gag where he wants to be given something to do.

Mary Ann Jackson

Supporting role. She cooks breakfast for the chief.

Harry Spear

Supporting role. He's given mostly ensemble work in this film, but is the one that pipes the exhaust into the rival's cab.

Jean Darling

Supporting role. She does mostly ensemble acting in this film.

Jimmy Perrin

Supporting role. He mostly stands around, but helps Harry to pipe the exhaust into the rival's cab.

the animals:

horse 014 as "Duke"

Featured role. He's the center of the story and is in danger of being sent to the glue factory. Presumably the same white horse seen previously.

Pete (no. 1)

Supporting role. He's given some gag material and goes after the rival at one point.

Leo

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

cat 060

Bit part. This is merely a guess, since this cat is hard to identify in this film, but it looks consistent with the cat from "Tired Business Men" (no. 60).

other animals

Bit parts. Several chicks are hatched by Wheezer.

the adults:

Robert Cummings as "Chief Cummings"

Featured role. He's the retired fire chief whose taxi route is being taken by a rival.

man 076 as the rival cab driver

Featured role. He's the mean cab driver that sabotages the chief's business, only to have the tables turned on him.

Charley Young as the creditor

Small part. He's seen a couple of times threatening to foreclose on the chief.

Charles Bachman as "Mulligan"

Small part. He's seen near the end of the film settling the chief's debt.

Mary Gordon as the first cab passenger

Bit part. She's the wife of the bearded cab passenger.

Ellinor Van Der Veer as the dowager

Bit part. She's seen getting splattered by the flying food.

Charles A. Millsfield

Bit part. He's the bearded man who's splattered with milk or paint.

man 034

Bit part. He's the black man who gets pelted by the flying food. Previously seen in "The Big Town" (no. 34), among others.

Charles King as one of the passengers

Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's the only man among the passengers who get the free ride.

other adults

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The bearded cab passenger who's alarmed by the speed of the vehicle.
(2.) The photographer who flies into the air.
(3.) The sidewalk merchant whose merchandise is hurled into the air.
(4.) Two more women and one more man getting pelted by food.
(5.) The couple whose faces are blackened. Maltin & Bann list Tenen Holtz as a bearded passenger, and it appears that they mean the husband.
(6.) The two male passengers who are electrocuted.
(7.) The three piano movers and the cop who helps them.
(8.) The man who falls into the water and the man who soon joins him.
(9.) The five women sharing the free ride with Charles King.
(10.) Several pedestrians.

the locations:

Home Made Bakery

The kid race past this location.

Eureka Glue Factory

There's a fence at this location with something painted in bold type with the last three letters reading INGS, and a date reading May 27.

Fisk

I think this is what it says on the gas station as the gang's races by.

Hal E. Roach Studios

The New York street was used extensively near the end of this film.

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