technical details:
Production G-10.
Release no. C-623.
Filmed July 19 to 27, and September 3, 1932. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by Richard Currier on September 20, 1932.
According to the Motion Picture Herald, this film was released on October 1, 1932, making it the 117th film in the series to be released. However, later issues switch the release
date with that of "Birthday Blues" (no. 118), giving "Free Wheeling" a November 12th release. Also, the cutting continuity date shown below is probably not
possible with an October 1st release. If the retake date is taken into account, then this film finished shooting a month later than "Birthday Blues," which might account for the
two films being switched on the release schedule. This confusing situation might also explain why Rob Stone listed "Birthday Blues" as production G-10 and "Free
Wheeling" as production G-11.
Cutting continuity submitted October 27, 1932.
Copyrighted November 7, 1932, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3396. Renewed February 17, 1960, with registration no. R252332. This copyright is
currently due to expire at the end of 2027.
All-talking two-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Free Wheeling".'
King World Productions episode no. 14, 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."
- 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.
- Dialogue by H. M. Walker
- This credit appears in the film.
- Recording Engineer: James Greene
- This credit appears in the film.
- Story by Hal E. Roach
- This credit doesn't appear in the film.
- Props by Dale Schrum
- He provided the car and drove it.
- Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Indicated in the opening title card.
- Passed by the National Board of Review
- As indicated in the film.
- Western Electric System
- As indicated in the film.
- studio personnel
- general manager - Henry Ginsberg
- assistant general manager - L. A. French
- secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
- assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien
- sound department - Elmer Raguse
- 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 - Probably Don Sandstrom.
- writing - Robert F. McGowan probably headed story development, while Carl Harbaugh, Frank Terry,
Charlie Hall, Robert A. McGowan and Gordon Douglas 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. Stymie Beard specifically credited Oelze with building the gang's taxi.
- titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.
- animal training - Tony Campanaro may have been among the animal trainers.
- animation - Probably the work of Roy Seawright.
the kids:
- Dickie Moore as "Dickie" aka "Dick"
- Lead role. His stiff neck is cured by Stymie during their adventure in the gang's taxi.
- Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"
- Featured role. He introduces himself as "Tony Wand" over the taxi's radio system (although I might have the last name wrong). He ensures that Dickie gets his
ride.
- George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"
- Supporting role. He and Jacquie chase after the taxi, but they board in time to catch the excitement.
- Jacquie Lyn as "Jacquie"
- Supporting role. She accompanies Spanky throughout the film.
- Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba
- Small part. Her name doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to her as "Dorothy." She boards the taxi early in the film and accompanies
Dickie's parents on their search for their son.
- Kendall "Breezy Brisbane" McComas
- Small part. The nickname doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to him as "Breezy." He drives the taxi.
- Douglas Greer
- Small part. He assists Brisbane in the taxi business.
- Bobby Mallon
- Bit part. He gets paddled by a board on the front of the taxi.
- other kids
- The only other kids shown in this film are in the background. One kid is standing in his driveway, while two others (who might be adults) are riding bikes.
- unlikely involvement
- Maltin & Bann list Johnny Collum, Jimmy Daniels and Bobby De War, none of whom, according to the payroll ledger, worked in this film. They did, however, all work in "A Lad
An' A Lamp" (no. 119) on the same day that the retakes for "Free Wheeling" were taken (Sep. 3rd), and may have turned up in a publicity photo or two with
the three adult actors who were present that day.
the animals:
- Joe the Monk
- Supporting role. The little kids steal his money and then bring him along for the ride. Maltin & Bann list Elmer the Monkey, but a publicity photo reveals that this is a different
monkey.
- mule 111
- Supporting role. Maltin & Bann list Dinah the Mule, but it isn't her. When the mule gets drunk, it runs off and leaves the taxi without motor power.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
- Pete the Pup IV
- He's not in the film, but at least one publicity photo reveals his presence during production.
- other animals
- Bit parts. There are at least ten ducks that get run over by the taxi.
the adults:
- Lillian Rich as Dickie's mother
- Supporting role. She refuses to believe that Dickie's neck brace should be removed.
- Creighton Hale as "Creighton," Dickie's father
- Supporting role. He agrees with the doctor and not his wife.
- Estelle Ettere as Dickie's nurse
- Small part. The 1977 edition lists her as Belle Hare. She wrestles with Dickie, much to the dismay of his mother.
- Johnnie Mae Beard as Stymie's mom
- Small part. She's Stymie's real-life mother, and sends him to Dickie's house. The cutting continuity refers to her as "Mammy." She worked on July 21st.
- Wilfred Lucas as the specialist
- Small part. He examines Dickie and concludes that the boy needs to get out and exercise. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Doctor." He worked on July 22nd.
- Cy Slocum, Ernie Alexander, Bob Minford, Harry Wilde, Ham Kinsey and Harry Bernard as the roadside workers
- Bit parts. The payroll ledgers show these six names, all making ten dollars, and all working only on July 25th. This matches nicely with the six men who get socked, one at a time, by the
boxing glove attached to the taxi. It appears that they get socked in the order listed above. Maltin & Bann list Dick Gilbert among them, but he's not in the ledger, and it may be
Minford that they were looking at. Judging by the clothing, it also looks like these six men are the same six seen running from the tires earlier in the film. And this isn't surprising,
since the ledger doesn't reveal enough additional names to account for them.
- Ivan Atcher and Al Mineaux as the little people working under the car
- Bit part. These two names appear in the ledger together, with each making $7.50 on July 25th, right below the six listed above. Atcher is definitely a little person, since he's
seen elsewhere in the series doubling for the kids. Mineaux might be the same person as Al Minew, who was a little person who had previously worked as a circus clown.
- Jack Hill as the police officer
- Bit part. He gets sent into the air by the passing taxi.
- Theresa Maize as the maid
- Bit part. Stymie speaks to her when he first arrives at Dickie's house. It appears that she's the same person as Theresa Harris, who is listed for this part in IMDb, and
looks like the same person. Both names are associated with "Morocco," as well as a musical number in "Thunderbolt," which could indicate that Maize, which is the name
listed in the payroll ledger, was a temporary stage name.
- other adults
- Bit parts. Two officers of the LAPD named Howard J. Garner and Sidney Hook worked in this film, perhaps doing security duties. Also involved somehow was Tim
O'Donnell, who had been a prop man on the series in recent years. Also, Gordon Douglas appears to have earned $5 for working in this film on July 27th.
- (1.) The truck driver.
- (2.) The man by the lamppost who gets socked, who Maltin & Bann list as Robert A. McGowan. I agree that it looks like him, though the ledger would indicate that he was
present as a crew member rather than as an actor.
- (3.) The balloon vendor.
the music:
- "Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
- (A1.) This is played over the opening titles and as we're introduced to Dickie and his nurse. Most of it is repeated as the parents arrive at the haystack and the end title
appears.
- "Intermezzo" by Leroy Shield
- This is played as Dickie's nurse fools him into taking castor oil.
- "Bride's Song" by Leroy Shield
- This is played as Dickie fools his nurse into taking castor oil.
- "In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Dickie wrestles with the nurse and we're introduced to his parents. This is the version that was reproduced on the first
Beau Hunks CD.
- "Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as we first see the taxi and Dorothy gets on board. The first half is repeated as Brisbane tells the little kids to dig up some dough.
- "Carolina Moon" by Benny Davis and Joe Burke
- Published in 1928. Gene Austin had a number one hit with this song in 1929. This is sung by Stymie over the taxi intercom.
- "Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." A short bit of this piece is played as the taxi bats Bobby Mallon out of the way. Another
portion is played as the mule gets drunk and Dickie hops on board. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.
- "Blue Blue" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Stymie talks to his mother. This is the slower version.
- "Prelude" by Leroy Shield
- The beginning of this piece is played as the doctor examines Dickie. A long portion from the middle is played as Stymie listens in on the doctor and Dickie's parents.
- "Dash And Dot" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted 1930. A small bit of this piece is played as Stymie talks to the maid. It's played in its entirety as the mule runs off.
- "Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield
- This is played without the introduction and partially repeated as the little kids take money from the monkey. A short bit is repeated after the taxi goes through the haystack.
- "Bells" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. A portion of this piece is played as Stymie attaches the taxi to the truck.
- "Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. A portion of this piece is played as the truck pulls the taxi up the hill.
- "Sliding" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Also known as "Swells." This is played twice as the taxi races down the hill.
the locations:
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- It appears that most of the early footage with the taxi was shot along this street. One of the first shots shows the taxi passing the northwest corner of Motor Avenue and Woodbine
Street, with the bench at the corner seen to best effect in "The Love Bug" (no. 37). The People's Water Company at 3392 Motor Avenue (on the northeast corner
of the same intersection) can be seen in the shot in which Bobby Mallon gets paddled. Also seen in this shot is the Masonic Temple at 3402 Motor. Dorothy waits for the taxi in
front of the house at 3451 Motor Avenue. Also seen in this shot is the house at 3447.
- Overland Avenue
- This is where the taxi drives into the haystack, as revealed by the street sign visible in the shot. The longshot directly before this is of the same location, and reveals it to be at
the bottom of a hill. The only sizable hill on this street would be just north of Rose Avenue, which was at the time called Featherstone Avenue.
- Irene Street
- Dickie's house was located on this street at the spot where Motor Avenue winds around the right side of it. The number appears to be 10403, which jibes well with the current
numbering system. I'm pretty sure that the portion of the film involving the mule running away was also shot on Irene Street. When the mule turns the corner, she's heading south on
Motor.
miscellaneous:
10 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Seven weeks had passed since shooting finished for "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116). The studio was closed during one of
those weeks. The 'start' date for "Free Wheeling" arrived on July 19th, and shooting continued until the 'finish' date of July 27th. Included in the shooting
schedule was a rare working Sunday on July 24th. Three days after the finish date, shooting began for "Birthday Blues" (no. 118) and continued for nearly a week. After
this, four weeks passed (including one week of studio closure) before shooting resumed. On Sep. 3rd, retakes were shot for "Free Wheeling," with the studio datebook entry
reading 'exterior in car.' On this same date, shooting began for "A Lad An' A Lamp" (no. 119).
According to The Hollywood Reporter of July 11, 1932, production on this film was delayed for three weeks because Paramount wasn't finished with Dickie yet in their production
of "Blonde Venus."
Nurse: "You little rascal, you!"
The truck is owned by Webb's Transfer Co.
Reel one ends as Spanky and Jacquie are on the grass with the monkey.
A story version of this film, entitled "Free-Wheeling," appeared in the book Our Gang Annual in 1933.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B428.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.