technical details:
Production G-18.
Filmed December 4 to 12, 1928. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by H. M. Walker on December 27, 1928.
Cutting continuity submitted February 1, 1929.
Music recorded February 16, 1929.
Copyrighted March 5, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP186. Renewed September 13, 1956, with registration no. R176887. This
copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2024.
Released April 6, 1929. It was the 84th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler with synchronized music track, on disc only.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Wiggle Your Ears".'
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 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.
- Story by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit doesn't appear in the film.
- Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay
- He was Pete's owner and trainer.
- Music performed by the Motion Picture Orchestra
- According to the Victor ledgers, as described at the DAHR website. The musical director was Rosario Bourdon, assisted by Bruno Reibold.
- 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.
- studio personnel
- director-general - Leo McCarey
- general manager - Warren Doane
- assistant general manager - L. A. French
- secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
- assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien
- 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.
- cutting - Possibly Lloyd Campbell.
- writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough, Hal Yates 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.
- animal training - Tony Campanaro may have been among the animal trainers.
the kids:
- Mary Ann Jackson as "Mary"
- Lead role. She's rejected by Harry, only to end up with Joe.
- Harry Spear as "Harry"
- Featured role. He leaves Mary for Jean, but his ears get cramped.
- Jean Darling as "Jean"
- Featured role. She marries Harry and ends up henpecking him.
- Joe Cobb as "Joe" aka "Joseph"
- Supporting role. He spends the film trying to learn how to wiggle his ears.
- Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins
- Supporting role. He helps Joe and gives the raspberries repeatedly.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins
- Small part. He suggests to Mary that she become a vamp.
- Buddy Moore as the rector
- Bit part. He appears in the dream sequence performing the marriage ceremony.
the animals:
- Pete (no. 1) as "Petie"
- Supporting role. He appears off and on, most notably retrieving Harry for Mary Ann.
- cat 080
- Bit part. This is the cat that licks Harry's face.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
- other animals
- Bit part. The white rabbit that gives Joe his inspiration.
- bugwatch
- There are various flies buzzing around, including the one around the limburger and the one that lands on Mary's cheek.
the adults:
This is one of the few Our Gang films to feature no adults.
the music:
- "That Old Gang Of Mine" by Ray Henderson
- Written in 1923 with lyrics by Billy Rose and Mort Dixon. This version is an instrumental. This is played over the opening titles. It would be heard several more times through
the first talkie season.
- "L'Amour de l'Apache" by Jacques Offenbach
- Also known as "Apache Love." This is the waltz played while Harry kicks Mary's rear end, and while Mary fixes the wheel. A second version is played as Harry is
ordering Mary to buy him ice cream.
- "Mon Homme" by Maurice Yvain
- Also known as "My Man." English lyrics were added by Channing Pollack in 1920. Performed in the Ziegfeld Follies by Fanny Brice in 1921. An instrumental version is
played while Mary pushes Harry in the cart and cracks a nut for him. A second version is played as Mary cracks some more nuts. It's played again as Harry takes the ring from
Mary.
- "Dance Of The Jacks" by Poldini
- Also known as "Danse des Valets." This is played during the scene where Joe tries to wiggle his ears and Farina smells the limburger.
- piece 084a
- This is played as Harry rides down the hill. A second version is played as Harry and Jean ride down the hill.
- "La Coquette" by Erno Rapee and Dr. William Axt
- This is played while Jean and Harry flirt, and as Mary shows up with the ice cream. A shorter version of this piece is played as Harry shakes the ice cream out of his clothes
and Pete eats it.
- "Jealous" by Jack Little, Tommy Malie and Dick Finch
- This is played as Jean and Harry eat their ice cream, while Mary pushes them in the cart. The song was featured in Hugh J. Ward's Christmas Fairy Pantomime
Cinderella. It was a number three hit for Marion Harris in 1924.
- piece 084b
- This is the effect piece played as the ice cream falls into Harry's shirt.
- piece 084c
- This is played as Jean invites Harry to her house.
- "Sympathy" by Rudolf Friml
- Also known as "Sympathy Waltz." Debuted in the Broadway operetta "The Firefly" in 1912, with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Gus Kahn. Walter Van Brunt and
Helen Clark had a number one hit with this song in 1913. An instrumental version is played in this film as Mary laments and Pete sympathizes.
- "The Whistler And His Dog" by Arthur Pryor
- Published in 1905. In this film, a portion of this song is played as Pete retrieves Harry. This is a different section than the familiar part heard in "The Pinch
Singer" (no. 143).
- "Like A Real Man" by Victor Herbert
- This is played as Harry requests Mary to sew his pants. Part of it is replayed as Harry tells Mary he's gonna wiggle his ears for Jean from now on.
- "(A) Little Girl At Home" by Victor Herbert
- Debuted in the operetta "The Lady Of The Slipper" in 1912, with lyrics by James O'Dea. Harry MacDonough and Marguerite Dunlap had a number eight hit with this
song in 1913. An instrumental version is played in this film as Mary sews Harry's pants.
- "Don't Cry" by Ted Fio Rito
- This is played as Mary cries and eats Joe's donut.
- "Flirtation" by Sommer
- This is played as Mary talks with her mouth full. "Music Box" is played during the middle section.
- "Music Box" by Paul Lincke
- This is played during the middle part of "Flirtation," and sounds like it's all one tune.
- "Marionette" by Felix Arndt
- Published in 1914. This arrangement is by J. S. Zamecnik. This is played as Mary leaves and Joe vows to wiggle his ears. Another part of this piece is played as Joe
demonstrates his ear wiggling for Mary. The two parts don't sound like the same piece until one watches "Bear Shooters" (no. 98), in which the whole piece is
played.
- "Heartbroken And Lonely" by Con Conrad and Sam Coslow
- Published in 1928 with lyrics by Saul Bernie. An instrumental version is played in this film as Harry wiggles his ears and Mary erases the love message on the fence.
- "Flapperette" by Jesse Greer
- Published in 1926. This was a number six hit for Nat Shilkret in 1927. It's played as Farina suggests that Mary become a flapper, and as we see the advertisement for
Flapperette Face Cream. Meanwhile, Jean pets Harry's hair. It's replayed as Mary gets into her flapper outfit.
- "Me-ow" by Mel B. Kaufman
- Published in 1918 with lyrics by Harry D. Kerr. This is played as the cat licks Harry's face.
- "The Vamp" by Byron Gay
- Published in 1919. Also known as "Vamp A Little Lady." Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra had a number 3 hit with this song in 1919, with vocals by Billy Murray and
Harry Macdonough. This is played while Mary puts on her makeup, and continues as Harry and Jean get engaged, and as Mary vamps Harry. There's a wedding bell effect included in
this edit.
- "Here Comes The Bride" by Richard Wagner
- Music written in 1841 as the "Bridal Chorus" from "Lohengrin." Played while Harry and Jean get married.
- piece 084d
- This is the solemn organ music played while Harry and Jean exchange their vows.
- "Wedding March" by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
- From "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from 1842. A very short piece of this is played as Harry and Jean walk from the altar.
- piece 084e
- This is played as Mary laments. It's very much in the style of "Wishing" by Leroy Shield.
- "Animal Cartoonix" by Morris Aborn
- This is played as Joe hits upon the idea of using string to wiggle his ears.
- "Tin Ears" by Zefros and Wall
- The spelling of Zefros' name is unconfirmed. This is played as Harry discovers his ears are cramped.
- piece 084f
- This is the tune with the baby effects that's played as Jean orders Harry to take care of the baby.
- "Toddling" by Erno Rapee and Dr. William Axt
- This is played as Joe pushes Mary and wiggles his ears for her, and continues as Harry starts pushing Jean. It's played again as the two couples give each other looks and
Joe wiggles his ears.
- piece 084g
- This is the carhorn bit that's played as the two couples first meet.
- piece 084h
- This is the brass bit that plays as the film irises out.
miscellaneous:
8 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Six days after shooting finished for "The Holy Terror" (no. 83), the 'start' date arrived for
"Wiggle Your Ears" on Dec. 4th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Dec. 12th. Robert F. McGowan directed on each of the shooting dates. However, it
should be noted that Anthony Mack simultaneously directed footage for "Fast Freight" (no. 85) on Dec. 10th, 11th and 12th, and continued with this film after
"Wiggle Your Ears" finished. No shooting took place on Dec. 9th, which was a Sunday.
The first reel of this film ends at the point where Mary Ann talks with her mouth full.
The 16-inch disc masters containing the music and sound effects were Victor matrix MVE-50608 (for reel 1) and Victor matrix MVE-50609 (for reel 2).
The takes were all recorded at the Church Bldg. in Camden, NJ. The takes for reel 1 were numbered 1, 1A, 2, and 2A, while the takes for reel 2 were also numbered 1, 1A, 2, and 2A.
In neither case is a master take indicated. The orchestra was made up of 22 men. The Victor ledgers use the word "Inaudible" to indicate that the soundtrack contains no
dialogue or other closely synchronized sound.
The opening theme of "That Old Gang Of Mine" was dubbed onto the soundtracks of "Shivering Shakespeare" (no. 95), "The First Seven Years"
(no. 96), "When The Wind Blows" (no. 97) and "A Tough Winter" (no. 99) from the reel one disc for this film. There was also a version of
"Moan & Groan, Inc." (no. 94) that included this recording, but it isn't clear if it was ever released that way.
Among the props seen in this film is a poster advertising Flapperette Face Cream.
Around 1931, a four-minute trailer was made for Jean Darling's stage act, which culminated in the wedding scene from this film. Jean would then emerge from a breakaway
screen wearing a wedding dress like the one she wears in the film.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B677.
availability:
- The Little Rascals XVIII (VHS) from
Blackhawk Video
- This copy is a home movie print from Blackhawk, and includes a textual introduction. The inter-titles and the soundtrack are original. The picture quality is good. The
print totals 20:51, with 19:56 of it original footage. Almost all of the original film is included.
- Our Gang Volume #13 (VHS) from
Grapevine Video and also from
The Picture Palace
- This copy is also the Blackhawk print, but with the company name blacked out and a non-original soundtrack. The picture isn't quite as sharp as on the other copy. This
version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.