Birthday Blues

technical details:

Production G-11.

Release no. C-622.

Filmed July 30 to August 4, 1932. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Title sheet prepared by Richard Currier on September 12, 1932.

Cutting continuity submitted September 22, 1932.

Copyrighted October 24, 1932, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3355. Renewed February 17, 1960, with registration no. R252330. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2027.

According to the Motion Picture Herald, this film was released on November 12, 1932, making it the 118th film in the series to be released. However, later issues switch the release date with that of "Free Wheeling" (no. 117), giving "Birthday Blues" an October 1st release. When we take the cutting continuity date for "Free Wheeling" into account (October 27th), it appears that the two films were switched on the release schedule. MGM's release numbers reveal that they considered "Birthday Blues" to be the earlier film, and if that isn't convincing enough, a perusal of the newspaper archives reveals that it was in theaters by October 14th. This confusing situation might explain why Rob Stone lists this film as production G-10 and "Free Wheeling" as production G-11.

Re-released in Denmark on Sep. 4, 1967.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Birthday Blues".'

King World Productions episode no. 12, 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.

Recording Engineer: James Greene

This credit appears in the film.

Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro

He trained the current Pete.

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.

titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

animation - Probably the work of Roy Seawright.

the kids:

Dickie Moore as "Dickie" aka "Dick"

Lead role. He decides to raise money to buy his mother a birthday present.

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Featured role. He helps Dickie to bake the cake and serves it to the kids.

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He provides much of the comedy, both at home and while window shopping.

Bobbie "Cotton" Beard as "Cotton"

Small part. Stymie pulls him around with a rope. He's also present at the party. Studio publicity referred to him as "Baby Cotton."

Jacquie Lyn

Small part. She helps Spanky put extra prizes in the cake. Her names doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but the cutting continuity refers to her as "Jacquie." Studio publicity referred to her as "Baby Jacquie."

Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba as "Dorothy"

Small part. She decorates the dining room.

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 puts up the signs advertising the party and is seated at the table, but is barely noticeable. This was his final appearance in the series.

Donald Haines

Small part. He gets a mousetrap on his lip and starts the food fight.

Billy Ginsberg

Small part. He's the boy with the hair brush. He was the son of production manager Henry Ginsberg, and was later known as Bill David.

Bobby Mallon

Small part. He takes the mousetrap off of Donald's lip, and then squirts some sort of liquid out of his mouth.

Dickie Jackson

Small part. He eats soap and blows bubbles.

Edith Fellows

Small part. She pulls string out of her mouth.

Betty Jane Beard

Small part. A fake snake pops out of her piece of cake. She's sitting next to the fireplace. Identified by Maltin & Bann as her sister, Carlena.

Georgie Billings

Small part. Some sort of powder is coming out of his mouth.

Douglas Greer

Small part. He's the first to get squirted by Bobby Mallon.

Marcia Mae Jones

Small part. She gets a whistle. She sits away from the table on the left side of the room.

Suzanne Ransom

Small part. She sits next to Marcia Mae Jones and gets a dolly.

boy 111

Small part. He's the little blonde boy sitting to the left of Edith Fellows. He should be either Paul Godfrey, Roy Godfrey, or Bobby Haines, as listed below.

Wallace Carter

Small part. He's sitting between Mildred Kornman and the hairbrush boy.

Mildred Kornman

Small part. She's the girl on the left side of the table closest to the camera.

Ada May Bender

Small part. She's sitting on the right side of the room near the fireplace.

Douglas Haig

Small part. He's not sitting at the table, but rather to the right side of the room next to the fireplace, between Ada May Bender and Betty Jane Beard.

Jerry Madden

Small part. He's sitting about midway along the right side of the table to the left of Buddy McDonald.

Buddy McDonald

Small part. He's sitting on the right side of the table between Jerry Madden and boy 111.

Margaret "Peggy" Slocum

Small part. She isn't visible in the film, but a photograph reveals that she's sitting in a cushioned chair in the lower left corner of the room.

other kids

Small parts. An additional four boys are sitting on the right side of the table: Bobby Haines, Paul Godfrey, Roy Godfrey and Alex McDonald. I don't yet know which is which. One of these is boy 111, plus two brown-haired boys which were among the six blackface kids in "Spanky." Occasionally, but not always, Kendall McComas is sitting among them. Also getting paid to work this day was Jackie Williams, who probably served as a stand-in for Spanky. There's also what looks to be an additional half-hidden kid next to Mildred Kornman in one of the photos, but I think this is probably Dickie Moore.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV

Small part. He's seen taking sausages from Dickie until Spanky takes his place.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film (but was cut from the Cabin Fever print).

the adults:

Lillian Rich as "Lillian," the boys' mom

Supporting role. She's unhappy that her husband is ignoring her birthday.

Hooper Atchley as "John," the boys' dad

Supporting role. He's insensitive to his wife until Dickie makes him see the light.

Harry Bernard as the store proprietor

Bit part. He's shown briefly speaking to Dickie.

O'Reese Corporal as the junk man

Bit part. He's the black man who buys the junk from Dickie.

Gordon Douglas as the delivery boy

Bit part. He waits while Dickie's mother goes to get some money to pay for the dress.

Charles McMurphy as the cop

Cut from the final print.

other adults

Extras. Among the adults working in this film were Mildred McComas (mother of Kendall) and Lillian DeBorba (mother of Dorothy), who were both present on the day when the kids were sitting around the table discovering prizes in their cake. Perhaps they were there to keep the kids in line, or perhaps they did some acting and wound up on the cutting room floor.

(1.) Several people standing and walking outside the church in the final scene, which was shot on Aug. 4th. These were: Jack Fowler, Jack Deery, Charles Arliss, Grace Woods, Mary Emery, Ida Schumaker, Lyle Tayo, Blanche O'Brien, Evelyn Burns, Minnie Mahone, John Power, F. M. Watson, Lorraine Wiethoff, Barbara Gunness, Mary Schoewler, June McGuire, Sylvia Machotka, Dorothy Thompson, Louise Pritchit, Helen "Jerry" McGowan, Charlotte McGowan, Roberta McGowan, Flo Promis, Elsie Mackaye and Colin Kenny.

(2.) Working on Aug. 1st were Dick Gilbert and Ed Schaefer in unknown roles. This was the same day McMurphy worked, so perhaps they were also cops.

(2.) Also listed on Aug. 4th is Cecil T. Truschel, who was a Culver City police officer, and may have been present for security reasons.

(3.) A mysterious name is Bobby Mathews who worked only on July 30th. The only other two day workers on this day were Dorothy DeBorba and Kendall McComas, but they were paid on each of the shooting dates whether or not they worked.

(4.) Adding up the check totals, I find that I still need $25 more on Aug. 1st to match the total paid for extras that day, and that there are two choices. One is a group of five people, each making $5: Ham Kinsey, C. C. Hardy, Howard O'Neil, Wayne Murray and Ernie Alexander. If these guys worked in the Our Gang short, then they wound up on the cutting room floor. The other choice is D. H. Postal (making $15) and Ivan Atcher (making $10). Atcher often doubled for the kids, so perhaps this is the more likely choice. Whichever of these two groups didn't work in the Our Gang short, worked instead in the Taxi Boys short "Strange Innertube."

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A1.) Part of this piece is played over the opening titles. It's played in full as the cake is taken out of the oven and Stymie brings it to the table.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

Part of this piece is played as Spanky complains about mush and Dickie complains about sausages. It's played in full and partially repeated as Spanky pretends to be Pete. It's repeated again as the little kids are putting prizes in the batter.

"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." Part of this piece is played as Dickie feeds sausages to Pete. It's played in full as Stymie is sitting on the stove. It's played again as Stymie starts cutting the cake. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.

"Intermezzo" by Leroy Shield

Most of this piece is played as the dress arrives.

"Prelude" by Leroy Shield

The first half of this piece is played as Dickie comforts his mother. The rest of it is played as Dickie gets punished and his mother opens the present.

"In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. The first half of this piece is played as Dickie and Spanky spot the dress in the store window. Some of the ending part is played as Stymie comes up with the idea for the prize cake, and Brisbane finishes hanging the signs. 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 tries to borrow money.

"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. One verse of this piece is played as we see various kids following the recipe literally. Most of it is played as the kids find their prizes in the cake.

"Bells" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Dickie puts prizes in the batter and Brisbane calls Dickie and Stymie away from the kitchen. One verse is repeated as Dickie and Stymie put the cake in the oven.

"Here We Go" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1930. The very beginning of this piece is played as Stymie lights the stove.

"Sliding" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Also known as "Swells." Part of this piece is played as the cake is cooking. Part of it is played again during the food fight.

piece 118

This is the piece with the church bells that's played as Dickie's mother wears the dress to church.

piece 108

This is played over the end title.

the locations:

St. Brendan's Church, Los Angeles

This is at the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Third Street, and is seen at the end of the film.

Van Ness Avenue

The family walks down this street on their way to the church.

Hal E. Roach Studios

The scenes with Dickie and Stymie on the curb appear to be shot on the New York set on the Roach backlot.

miscellaneous:

6 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Three days after shooting finished for "Free Wheeling" (no. 117), the 'start' date for "Birthday Blues" arrived on July 30th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Aug. 4th. After this, four weeks passed (with the studio closed during three of them) before the Our Gang unit shot retakes for "Free Wheeling" and began shooting "A Lad An' A Lamp" (no. 119).

A story version of "Birthday Blues" appeared in the book Our Gang Annual in 1933.

The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B349.

See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.

© Robert Demoss.