Mush And Milk

technical details:

Production G-16.

Release no. C-628.

Filmed January 27 to February 3, 1933. The amusement pier footage was filmed October 17 to 20, 1932, and some of it had already been used in "Fish Hooky" (no. 120). See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted April 17, 1933, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP3806. Renewed October 13, 1960, with registration no. R264102. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2028.

Released May 27, 1933. It was the 123rd film in the series to be released, and the last of the 1932/33 season.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Mush And Milk".'

King World Productions episode no. 39, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions. This version is listed as "Mush & Milk."

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 Hap Depew

This credit appears in the film.

Edited by Louis McManus

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

film editor and 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, James Parrott, 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.

the kids:

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Featured role. He's given plenty of dialogue throughout the film, as well as a harmonica solo.

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"

Featured role. He's also given plenty of dialogue, including his scene with James Finlayson, and his recitation of "Mary Had A Little Lamb."

Dickie Moore as "Dick"

Supporting role. He's featured in the early scenes milking the cow, but isn't given much to do in the second half of the film. This was his final appearance in the series.

Tommy Bond as "Tommy"

Supporting role. He's given a fair amount of dialogue, but his big scene is the one in which he sings "Just Friends."

Bill Farnum as "Billy"

Supporting role. He's present through most of the film, but isn't noticeable until he tap dances with Olga.

Olga Therkow as "Olga"

Supporting role. Her big scene is the tap-dancing number with Bill.

Edith Fellows

Supporting role. She works in the kitchen and makes a face at Cap's wife, but mostly does ensemble acting.

Dorothy "Echo" DeBorba as "Dorothy"

Supporting role. She's mostly part of the ensemble, but gets to answer one of the questions in the classroom. This was the last Our Gang film to show her onscreen, though she did work in "Wild Poses" (no. 125) a few months later.

Johnny Collum as "Uh-huh"

Supporting role. He's given a question to answer in the classroom, but is otherwise part of the ensemble.

Dickie Jackson

Small part. He's purely an ensemble player in this film. This was his final appearance in the series.

Marcia Mae Jones

Small part. She's given mostly ensemble work to do in this film.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins

Small part. Aside from one closeup at the beginning of the film, he's barely noticeable in this film, even though he's present through most of it. This was his final appearance in the series.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV as "Pete"

Small part. He's seen off and on, but isn't given much to do aside from tipping over the milk.

Joe the Monk

Bit part. This is presumably Joe. He's shown at the end of the film.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

other animals

Small parts and bit parts.

(1.) The cow named "Eczema."

(2.) The chicken that pecks at Spanky.

bugwatch

Ever noticed the fly crawling on Wheezer's ear?

the adults:

Gus Leonard as "Cap" aka "Old Cap"

Featured role. He's the benevolent teacher at the boarding school, and receives his back pension at the end.

Louise Emmons as Cap's wife

Supporting role. She's the horrible old woman that terrifies the kids.

James Finlayson as "Mr. Brown," the banker

Small part. He's featured in a phone conversation with Spanky.

Rolfe Sedan as the waiter

Small part. He tries to tell Cap that the food he ordered is mush.

other adults

Bit parts. The two remaining adults are the men that play the waiters, "Pierre" and "Gaston."

the music:

"Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A1.) A portion of this piece is played over the opening titles. It's played in full as the kids are served mush at the French restaurant and the end title appears.

"In My Canoe" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the boys wake up. This is the version reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.

"Hollywood Kate" by Leroy Shield

Most of this effect piece is played as Cap's wife tells the boys to get out of bed. Another portion is played as she yells at the girls in the kitchen.

"Intermezzo" by Leroy Shield

This is played as Cap visits the boys in their room.

"Beautiful Lady" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as the boys first try to milk the cow. The same portion is repeated twice in a row as the kids try to eat their hardened mush.

"Teeter-Totter" by Leroy Shield

About half of this piece is played as Spanky squirts milk into Pete's mouth. It's played in full during Spanky's conversation with Mr. Brown.

"Here We Go" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1930. This is played as the boys milk the cow with a vacuum cleaner. Half of it is repeated as Cap talks to the waiter.

"Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." This is played as Pete tips over the milk bucket and the boys have no luck getting any more out of the cow. About half of it is repeated as Uh-huh uses the word 'isthmus' in a sentence.

"Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted 1931. Half of this piece is played as Dickie makes some fake milk.

"Riding Along" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. The fast version of this piece is played as the kids pass the message around the table.

"Candy Candy" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Dec. 23, 1930. This is played twice in a row, with only one introduction, as Cap asks questions of his students.

"Hungarian Dance No. 5" by Johannes Brahms

Published in 1869. This is played by Stymie on his harmonica. Or at least we're supposed to think so.

"Just Friends" by John Klenner and Samuel M. Lewis

Published in 1931. This was a number 14 hit for Russ Columbo in 1932, and also a number 14 hit for Ben Selvin & His Orchestra the same year. In this film, Tommy Bond sings it.

"Bells" by Leroy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Most of this piece is played as Cap learns of his back pension.

musical references

Asked to name three rivers, Stymie names three songs with the word 'river' in their titles: "River, Stay 'Way From My Door" by Mort Dixon and Harry Woods, which was a no. 1 hit for Kate Smith (with Guy Lombardo) in 1932, "Ol' Man River" by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, which was a no. 1 hit for Paul Robeson in 1928, and "Weary River" by Grant Clarke and Louis Silvers, which was a no. 2 hit for Rudy Vallee in 1929.

the locations:

Venice Pier

A montage is shown with shots taken at this location while "Fish Hooky" (no. 120) was filmed.

miscellaneous:

7 shooting dates went into the making of this film. About a week and a half had passed since shooting finished for "The Kid From Borneo" (no. 122). Shooting for "Mush And Milk" started on Jan. 27th and continued until Feb. 3rd. No shooting took place on Jan. 29th, which was a Sunday. After this, about five and a half months would pass before the Our Gang unit began filming "Bedtime Worries" (no. 124).

The first half of the amusement pier montage shown in this film was included in the Charley Chase film "Arabian Tights," released June 3, 1933.

The kids live at Bleak Hill Boarding School in this film.

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

© Robert Demoss.