Love Business

film no. 104


technical details:

Production G-38.

Release no. C-335.

Filmed September 3 to 20, 1930. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted October 26, 1930, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP1681. Renewed January 13, 1958, with registration no. R206653. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2025.

Released February 14, 1931. It was the 104th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

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

Talking title: 'Hal Roach presents, for your entertainment and approval, His Rascals in their latest "Our Gang" Comedy, entitled "Love Business."

King World Productions episode no. 38, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.


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."
Direction 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.
Recording by Elmer Raguse
This credit appears in the film.
Dialogue by H. M. Walker
This credit appears in the film. Studio documentation credits him as a story editor.
Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay
He was Pete's owner and trainer.
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Indicated in the opening title card.
Passed by the National Board of Review
As indicated in the film.
A Victor Recording, Western Electric System
As indicated in the film.
studio personnel
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
school teacher - Fern Carter
possible uncredited involvement
assistant direction - Possibly Charles Oelze.
writing - Robert F. McGowan probably headed story development, while Robert A. McGowan, Carl Harbaugh, Jean Yarbrough, Charlie Hall and Harry Keaton may have been among the gag writers.
property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity.
titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

the kids:

Jackie Cooper as "Jackie" aka "Jack"
Featured role. Miss Crabtree comes to live at his house, which gives him an opportunity to propose.
Norman "Chubby" Chaney as "Chubby" aka "Norman" aka "Chubsy-Ubsy"
Featured role. He's Jackie's rival, and cuts in on his action.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"
Supporting role. He can't sleep because Jackie kisses him all night.
Mary Ann Jackson as "Mary"
Supporting role. She has a strong scene during the moth ball sequence.
Matthew "Stymie" Beard
Small part. The nickname wasn't used in this film. He makes several wisecracks in the schoolyard.
Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba
Small part. She inaccurately repeats everything Chubby says in front of the movie theater.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins
Small part. The nickname wasn't used in this film. He has some of the dialogue in the schoolyard scene.
Donald Haines
Small part. He's with the kids in the schoolyard scene, but only has two lines.
Bobby "Bonedust" Young
Small part. He's with the kids in the schoolyard scene, but doesn't have any dialogue.
Shirley Jean Rickert as "Shirley"
Bit part. She's given a very brief moment in which Miss Crabtree says hello to her.
other kids
There are about twelve more kids playing in front of the school.

the animals:

Pete the Pup III
Small part. He's shown off and on, and isn't given too much to do. Credited in publicity material as "Pete the pup."
Leo
Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

the talking titles:

Beverly and Betty Mae Crane as the talking titles
Small parts. They appear in additional to the opening title card, and in place of the crew credits.

the adults:

June Marlowe as "Miss Crabtree"
Featured role. She moves into Jackie's home as a boarder and receives two attempted proposals.
May Wallace as "Mrs. Cooper" aka "Miss May Wallace," the kids' mother
Supporting role. She cooks a nice meal, but doesn't notice that moth balls have fallen into the soup. Her name on the envelope of the love letter is "Miss May Wallace," but Miss Crabtree calls her "Mrs. Cooper."
Baldwin Cooke
The payroll ledger states that he worked on Sep. 3rd and 4th, and this is corroborated by a 1931 casting directory. Perhaps he played the theater manager, who the script describes as having some dialogue with Chubby. Regardless of the part he played, his scene was cut from the final print.
in still images
In the front of the movie theater, Chubby makes love to a cutout of Greta Garbo, while in the background is a gag photo of Charley Chase and Thelma Todd.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
(A12.) The twelfth version is played over the opening title and talking titles. It returns at the beginning of the schoolyard scene.
(B3.) The third version of the seldom-heard second part of this piece is played in part as Jackie laments about how lovesick he is.
"The One I Love Best" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "All The World (To Me)." Most of this piece is played as Jackie dreams about Miss Crabtree and his mother wakes him up. The middle part and uptempo last verse is played as Miss Crabtree arrives at the house. The fast part is repeated during Shirley's brief appearance. A very short part of the middle section is played as Miss Crabtree is on the phone. The fast part is repeated again as Miss Crabtree arrives at the table. The second verse is repeated as Jackie tries to propose to Miss Crabtree. The very last part is repeated as we see Wheezer in the catcher's mask and the end title appears. An alternate version of this piece is played as Mary Ann talks to Miss Crabtree and continues into the couch scene with Jackie.
"Candy Candy" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played as we're introduced to Wheezer and Mary Ann, and continues as Wheezer starts telling his mother about Jackie's nighttime habits. One verse is played as the kids' mother is preparing dinner.
"Ants (Hurry)" by Leroy Shield
Also known as "Antics" and "Sneaking," but not to be confused with the other two pieces with these titles. Most of this piece is played twice through as Wheezer and Mary Ann tease Jackie and he walks out. Most of it is played through twice again as the mother joins everybody at the dinner table.
"You Are The One I Love" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. The last part of this piece is played during Chubby's scene with Dorothy. A portion is played again as Chubby tries to propose to Miss Crabtree, where it's briefly interrupted by "Your Piktur."
"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played during the conversation about how Miss Crabtree smells.
"Riding Along" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The fast version of this piece is played as Wheezer embarasses Jackie in front of the other kids, with the end part repeated.
"By Rote" by Leroy Shield
Most of this piece is played as the kids' mother gives them instructions on minding their manners.
"Stand Up" by Leroy Shield
One chord from this piece is played as Miss Crabtree first reacts to the moth ball soup. It continues as the kids join her with reactions of their own.
"Ah! 'Tis Love" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The introduction to this piece is played as the kids first notice Miss Crabtree's reaction to the soup. It's played in full when Chubby arrives at the house.
"Apples, Apples" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The middle part of this effect piece is played during one of Mary Ann's facial reactions and is directly followed by "Ants."
"Your Piktur" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. A small part of this piece is played as Jackie looks through the curtain with the funny glasses.
"Crabtree" by Leroy Shield
Also known as "Girl & Stick." The first half of this piece is played as Wheezer is sent to bed.
"Yearning" by Leroy Shield
Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the mother confiscates the love letters from Chubby.

the locations:

Hal Roach Ranch
District School No. 6 was located here.
the house
Publicity photos reveal that the house, wherever it was, was no. 28 on its street.

miscellaneous:

12 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Four weeks after shooting finished for "Helping Grandma" (no. 103), the 'start' date arrived for "Love Business" on Sep. 3rd. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Sep. 15th. No shooting took place on Sep. 7th or 14th, which were both Sundays. Five days after the finish date, retakes were shot on Sep. 20th. After this, five and a half weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began filming "Little Daddy" (no. 105).

In the category of unseen characters, this film has the most famous of them all, "Miss McGillicuddy."

The funny glasses worn by Jackie Cooper at one point in this film appear to be the same pair worn by Charlie Oelze in "Shiver My Timbers" (no. 109).

The establishing shot of the school was unused footage from "School's Out" (no. 102), which was shot from June 17 to 25, 1930.

Publicity photos reveal deleted footage in which Farina and Stymie show up at the house in their Sunday best.

The script for this film includes dialogue in which Bonedust explains to Jack that women stop having birthdays after the age of 20, which means that Jack will eventually catch up.

The script also reveals dialogue between Chubby and the theater manager. It isn't clear whether or not this scene was ever filmed, but if it was, then perhaps this is the part played by Baldwin Cooke.

A publicity photo clearly reveals that one of the movie posters shown at the theater is for "This Mad World."


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)
Joe Moore (for providing the copyright information)
Piet Schreuders (for identifying "Stand Up," as well as providing other musical information)
Randy Skretvedt (for clearing up the confusion involving Bud and Stax Graves)
Paul Mular (for providing info on the Cabin Fever laserdiscs)
Josiah Jones (for correcting the number of Donald Haines' lines)


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