A Lad An' A Lamp

technical details:

Production G-12.

Release no. C-624.

Filmed September 3 to 10, 1932. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted December 12, 1932, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3471. Renewed February 17, 1960, with registration no. R252335. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2027.

Released December 17, 1932. It was the 119th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "A Lad An' A Lamp".'

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. H. M. Walker is given dialogue credit in the Erko print.

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:

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Featured role. He spends most of the film leading the gang on a search for his brother Cotton, who seemingly has changed into a chimp.

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He's the one who seemingly changes Cotton into a chimp, and later has an extended sequence with the chimp at a lunch counter.

Dickie Moore as "Dick"

Supporting role. He's basically the leader of the gang and has plenty of dialogue.

Bobbie "Cotton" Beard as "Cotton"

Supporting role. He appears mostly in the early part of the film and at the end.

Donald Haines as "Toughie"

Supporting role. He's the bully that steals the gang's watermelon, only to be scared off by the genie.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"

Supporting role. He breaks a lamp early in the film, but otherwise does mostly ensemble acting. He returned to the series after an absence of six months. According to an undated press item, "Wheezer is used from picture to picture now as he is really a bit too large for the Gang."

Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba

Supporting role. She does very little of anything specific, but is present during most of the group scenes.

Dickie Jackson

Supporting role. He's present during the group scenes, but only has one line of dialogue.

Georgie Billings

Supporting role. He's the one that brings the apparently potent lamp to Dickie, but otherwise is just part of the group.

Johnny Collum

Small part. He says 'mm-hmm' in the opening scene, which is a step towards his character in the next film. He doesn't appear after the opening sequence, but publicity photos reveal that he was present during the Toughie scene.

Bobby De War

Small part. He's only shown in the opening scene, wearing a sailor hat. He also appears in publicity photos from the Toughie scene, but isn't in that part of the film.

Jimmy Daniels and Henry Hanna

Small parts. Two additional boys are present in the opening sequence, but not during the rest of the film. However, one of them appears in publicity photos from the Toughie scene. The payroll ledger reveals the names of the two boys, but I don't think Hanna is in the Toughie photos.

the animals:

Jiggs the Chimpanzee

Featured role. He serves food to Spanky at a lunch counter and then goes on a drunken rampage.

Pete the Pup IV

Small part. He's seen early in the film, but isn't given much to do.

Leo

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

the adults:

Philip Sleeman as the magician

Small part. He pretends to be a genie and scares Donald away.

Hayes Robertson as the cook

Small part. This is the black man that gets spooked by the chimp.

Lutra Winslow as the cook's girlfriend

Small part. She flirts with the cook until the chimp scares her off.

James C. Morton as a cop

Small part. He's the cop that's lost his gun. The chimp drops a glass lamp on his head.

Charley Lloyd as the fruit vendor

Small part. I'm guessing that he plays this part. He rolls the watermelon over to the gang.

Lillian Rich as the off-screen narrator

Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann. I agree that this sounds like her. Her voice is heard at the beginning of the episode.

Dick Gilbert as "Dick," the construction worker, and as a cop

Small part. He sets off the dynamite. Maltin & Bann list him as one of the cops as well, but I can't tell.

Harry Bernard as a cop

Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann, who also state that he played a store proprietor in a scene cut from the final print.

other adults

Small parts, bit parts and extras.

(1.) The strong man in the vaudeville act.

(2.) The magician's assistant.

(3.) The other construction worker.

(4.) The proprietor whose window is broken.

(5.) The remaining cops, numbering three. Maltin & Bann indicate that Jack Hill is one of them, but I can't tell.

(6.) About ten pedestrians, at least three of whom are women. Maltin & Bann list Efe Jackson among them, but I'm not familiar with this name.

(7.) About seventy audience members at the vaudeville theater in footage left over from the Charley Chase short "Bromo And Juliet" from 1926. Three of them are listed by Maltin & Bann as Harry Bowen, James Mason and Jack Hill, but unless they're clearly seen in a publicity photo, then I don't see how they could ever be identified.

(8.) A person in a yard shown in the background during the genie scene.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A1.) This is played over the opening titles and as we're first introduced to the kids. The second verse is repeated as Spanky and Cotton emerge with swollen bellies and the end title appears.

"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as Spanky wishes for Cotton to become a monkey and continues until Wheezer arrives. It's played again as the chimp brings pie to Spanky.

"In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as the construction workers blow off the dynamite. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.

"Riding Along" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The fast version of this piece is partially played as Stymie wishes for a watermelon and gets it.

"Yasmini" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. About half of this piece is played during the magician's act. This version differs from the version reproduced by the Beau Hunks. Another version is partially played as the magician pretends to be a genie.

"Dash And Dot" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1930. This is played and partially repeated as Toughey steals the kids' watermelon. The beginning is repeated as the chimp drinks from the bottle and throws it through a window.

"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." This is played as the chimp takes Cotton's place. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.

"Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1931. Most of this piece is played as Stymie shows the chimp to the gang, and as the chimp runs off.

"Blue Blue" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the black couple are visited by the chimp.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

This is played as Spanky arrives at the lunch counter where the chimp works. It's played again, without the introduction, as the chimp throws the hamburger on the grill and then the popcorn.

"Bells" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played during the popcorn scene.

"Hide And Go Seek" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. Part of this piece is played as the chimp first goes on his rampage.

"Dog Song" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. A fast version of this piece is partially played as Stymie asks the cop about Cotton. Another short bit of this version is played as Stymie pleads for Cotton's life.

"Sliding" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Aug. 13, 1931. Also known as "Swells." Most of this piece is played as the cops try to shoot the chimp.

the locations:

Hal E. Roach Studios

Interior shots were filmed on Sep. 3rd for footage set at the 'Dick Moor house.' The New York street set was used from the 8th through the 10th, and the film shows the brownstone facade also seen in Laurel & Hardy's "Pack Up Your Troubles." The streetlamp that the chimp climbs onto is right in front of this building.

Hal E. Roach Ranch

Footage was shot here on Sep. 4th. This was presumably where the opening sequence was filmed.

Culver City Theater

Footage was shot here on Sep. 6th and 7th, presumably for the vaudeville scene.

miscellaneous:

7 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Four weeks had passed since shooting finished for "Birthday Blues" (no. 118). The studio was closed during three of those weeks. The 'start' date for "A Lad An' A Lamp" arrived on Sep. 3rd, with activity divided between that film and retakes for "Free Wheeling" (no. 117). Shooting for "A Lad An' A Lamp" continued until Sep. 10th. No shooting took place on Sep. 5th, which was Labor Day, but shooting did take place on Sep. 4th, which was a rare working Sunday. After this, five weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began shooting "Fish Hooky" (no. 120). The studio was closed during two of those weeks.

The 1932 studio datebook gives quite a few details about each of the shooting dates, which read as follows:
Sat., Sep. 3 - G-12 starting - Stage I Interior Dick Moor House
Sun., Sep. 4 - G12 Shooting - McGowan directing - Weather Clear - Ranch
Mon., Sep. 5 - Studio Closed Holiday
Tue., Sep. 6 - G12 Shooting - McGowan directing - Weather Clear - Culver City Theatre
Wed., Sep. 7 - G-12 Shooting - McGowan directing - Weather Clear - Culver City Theatre
Thu., Sep. 8 - G12 Shooting - McGowan directing - weather clear - New York Street Scene (Studio)
Fri., Sep. 9 - G12 Shooting - McGowan directing - weather clear - New York Street Scene
Sat., Sep. 10 - G-12 Shooting - McGowan directing - weather clear - New York Street Scene - Production Finished

The Hollywood Citizen-News of Sep. 20, 1932, reported the following: "Our Gang kids have gone to school, too. Following the completion of 'A Lad an' a Lamp,' under the direction of Robert McGowan, the kids were informed of the opening of the fall school term by Mrs. Fern Carter, teacher, who has educated all the Hal Roach rascals for the past 10 years. Dickie Moore, Spanky, Stymie, Echo and others of the gang were officially enrolled Monday. The kids arrive at the studio school at 9 o'clock every morning and are put through the regular class work for children of their ages."

The footage of the audience during the magician's act is left over from the 1926 Charley Chase short "Bromo And Juliet."

This film was removed from King World's TV package in the early 70s.

The beginning of the film shows a copy of Alladin Or The Wonderful Lamp.

A story version of this film, entitled "A Lad And A Lamp," appeared in the book Our Gang Annual in 1933.

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

© Robert Demoss.