Noisy Noises

film no. 82

availability:

Our Gang Volume #9 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace: This copy is a home movie print from Blackhawk, but with the company name blacked out. It includes a textual introduction, and the inter-titles are original. The soundtrack is not original. The picture quality is fairly good. The print totals 19:29, with 18:38 of it original footage. It appears that almost all of the original film is included. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

technical details:

Production G-16.

Filmed October 29 to November 10, 1928.

Released February 9, 1929. It was the 82nd film in the series to be released.

Copyrighted March 5, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP200. Renewed September 13, 1956, with registration no. R176891. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2024.

Silent two-reeler with synchronized music track and sound effects.

Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Noisy Noises".'

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, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
Directed by Robert F. McGowan: This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
Photographed by Art Lloyd: This credit probably appears in the film.
Edited by Richard Currier: This credit probably appears in the film.
Titles by Reed Heustis: This credit probably 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.
Passed by the National Board of Review: Probably indicated in the film.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Joe Cobb as "Joe": Lead role. He's suffering from a toothache while having to care for his perpetually crying baby brother. Farina calls him "Round Boy."
Warren Mills as "Rupert": Featured role. He's the baby that won't stop crying.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer": Supporting role. He spends most of the film bug-hunting with a hammer, and waking the baby.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins: Supporting role. The nickname isn't used in this film. He leads a band of musicians, and helps Joe to quiet down the neighbors.
Harry Spear: Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, but does mostly ensemble acting.
George Dunning: Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, and is the boy that does cartwheels down the sidewalk.
Andy Shuford: Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, and isn't given much of anything specific to do.
Gordon Thorpe: Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, but does mostly ensemble acting
Mary Ann Jackson: Small part. She's seen outside with Jean, and the two join the boys on the way to the dentist.
Jean Darling: Small part. She's seen outside with Mary Ann, and the two join the boys on the way to the dentist.
Jay R. Smith: Bit part. He's seen coming out of the dentist's office, where he warns Joe.
boy 082: Bit part. He's the boy that gives Wheezer a penny for the dollar bill.
questionable listings: Maltin & Bann list Bret Black, but I don't think he appears in this print.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1): Supporting role. He's in the bug-hunting scenes with Wheezer, and then helps to pull Joe's tooth.
monkey 004: Small part. Presumably the same monkey seen previously. He joins Rupert on his wild ride.
cat 080: Bit part. Joe finds him in the icebox.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
other animals: Bit parts.
(1.) The rat that frightens the singer.
(2.) The cat chased by Pete.
bugwatch: Various bugs are hunted by Wheezer, some real and some fake.

the adults:

Michael Mark as the voice coach: Small part. He puts cotton in his ears to keep from hearing his student.
man 081 as the tuba player: Small part. His lips pucker up when he sees the boys sucking on lemons.
Jack O'Brien as the lemon vendor: Bit part. He gives the boys lemons to make the tuba player's lips pucker.
Lyle Tayo as Joe's mom: Bit part. She's shown briefly giving Joe a dollar to have his tooth pulled.
Fred Holmes as the bald man on the stairs: Bit part. Wheezer konks him on the head while bug-hunting.
Edith Fortier as the pedestrian: Bit part. The monkey jumps on her back.
other adults: Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The man with the bass fiddle, identified by Maltin & Bann as Tenen Holtz, but I'm not positive about this.
(2.) The woman singing.
(3.) The truck driver unloading lumber.
(4.) The man sleeping on the bench.
(5.) The man who drives into the hole.
(6.) The construction worker who comes out of the hole.
(7.) The motorcycle cop who swerves out of the way of the baby carriage.
(8.) Dozens of pedestrians, streetcar passengers and motorists seen in various shots.

the music:

This film was released with music, but I don't know if the disc has survived over the years. The available prints are without the original soundtrack, and so far, I have no information on which music was used. It's likely that stock music was licensed for this film, which may have consisted of many of the same titles used in "The Spanking Age" (no. 80) and "Wiggle Your Ears" (no. 84).

the locations:

streetcar station: This is where the tooth-pulling happens. It looks consistent with the station that was next to Media Park near the intersection of Culver Boulevard and Venice Boulevard.
Hal E. Roach Studios: The New York street set was used for the scene where the car drives into the hole.
Motor and Woodbine Avenues, Palms District, Los Angeles: The park bench reading "Palms Chamber of Commerce" is where the monkey joins Rupert. This is on the northwest corner of the intersection and the billboard on the southwest corner can be seen in the background, along with what appear to be newly-built homes.
Curt's Place: The baby carriage goes by this. The address of this service station was 3479 Motor Avenue.
Martha Washington Candies: Farina walks past this as the gang are escorting Joe to the dentist.
furniture store: Shown in the background near the streetcar station.
Bacon's Pharmacy and Safeway Stores, Inc.: This was at 3568-3570 Motor Avenue, and is seen as Rupert is taking his wild ride.

Copyright Apr. 8, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 4/25, 6/9, 7/9, 12/15.
2006 updates: 1/9, 4/3, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 1/19.

Thanks to Rob Stone and Joe Moore for assistance on this page.