Production K-5.
Filmed December 9 to 14, 1936. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Negative shipped on December 31, 1936.
Title sheet prepared by Elmer Raguse on January 2, 1937.
Music cue sheet prepared on January 2, 1937.
Cutting continuity submitted January 2, 1937.
Released January 9, 1937. It was the 151st film in the series to be released. Early in the film season, Fred Quimby of MGM had set an original projected release date for this production of January 2, 1937.
Copyrighted January 14, 1937, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP6862. Renewed July 27, 1964, with registration no. R341918. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2032.
All-talking one-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Reunion In Rhythm".'
King World Productions episode no. 48a, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.
Five days of shooting went into the making of this film. Here's a breakdown of the activity:
Nov. 20 - A Raguse memo to Van Keuren from this date states that Gordon Douglas was requesting that local information
be obtained and clearance secured through MGM in New York for instrumental, vocal, and visual usage of "Just A
Gigolo," and "Until The Real Thing Comes Along." Local information in Los Angeles indicated that the
numbers were available at standard rates.
Nov. 24 - A Raguse memo to Van Keuren from this date states that Douglas was requesting clearance of "Auld Lang
Syne," "Little Bo-Peep Has Lost Her Sleep" and "Broadway Rhythm." Local information indicated
that the first two were public domain provided new arrangements were used, and that the third was an MGM-Robbins
number available at standard rates. This memo also mentions that "Billboard March," approved the previous day,
would be used in production K-4, "Spooky Hooky" (no. 149).
Nov. 25 - A Raguse memo to Van Keuren from this date states that Douglas was requesting local information and MGM New
York clearance for the Axst Remick song "Baby Face." Local information in Los Angeles indicated that the number
was available at standard rates. The memo also states that the musical setup thus far was "Until The Real Thing Comes
Along" (pay), "Baby Face," "Little Bo-Peep, Lost Her Sheep" (PD), "Just
A Gigolo" (pay) and "Auld Lang Syne" (PD).
Nov. 27 - A Raguse memo to Van Keuren fromt this date relays a wire from Mr. Decker stating that "Just A
Gigolo" should be substituted in light of a five hundred dollar use fee from the publisher. The wire also states that
"Until The Real Thing Comes Along" was not available for picture use.
Nov. 28 - A memo from this date relays a wire from Mr. Decker stating that "Old Gray Mare," "Auld Lang
Syne" and "Little Bo Peep" were all public domain, and that "Broadway Rhythm" could be licensed
for visual vocal use for a hundred dollars. "Old Gray Mare" was not intended for this film, but was being
cleared for production F-15, which was "Pick A Star." The memo also states that clearance was being secured
for the Robbins numbers "I'm Through With Love" and "Going Hollywood," which would replace
"Until The Real Thing Comes Along" and "Just A Gigolo."
Nov. 30 - A Raguse memo from this date relays a wire from Mr. Decker stating that "Baby Face" could be
licensed from Paine for visual vocal world rights for a two hundred dollar fee. A Joe Rivkin memo from this date to Van
Keuren, O'Brien, Huber and Cash, states that Bud Murray 'started' as of this date. This memo mistakenly
identifies the production as K-4.
Dec. 1 - A Raguse memo to Van Keuren from this date relays a wire from Mr. Decker stating that "Little Jack
Horner" and "Little BoPeep" were okay for visual recitation, and that "I'm Through With Love"
and "Going Hollywood" were also okay at the standard terms. The memo also relates that Douglas had stated that
it would cost six hundred dollars for using the musical numbers in this film, with the recording of the numbers being in
addition to this.
Dec. 4 - A recording session directed by Hatley took place on this date. Five songs were recorded: "Auld Lang
Syne," "Baby Face," "Broadway Rhythm," "Going Hollywood" and "I'm Through With
Love."
Dec. 5 - A Hatley memo to Miss Burch from this date states that arranger Ted Duncan furnished orchestral arrangements
for "Title Music," "Broadway Rhythm" and "Baby Face." Film costs for the previous week were
$293.98.
Dec. 7 - Gordon Douglas and Charles Oelze led eight children through rehearsals on this date.
Dec. 9 - This was the first day of shooting. Present were the five main kids, Rosina Lawrence, Georgia Jean
LaRue, Baby Patsy, the four graduates, 39 extras and two school teachers. Shooting took place on Stage 4. A script with
this date reveals that there was additional footage and dialogue for the graduates, including a bit of dialogue for
Stymie.
Dec. 10 - This was the second day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids, Rosina Lawrence, Georgia Jean
LaRue, Baby Patsy, the four graduates, 10 kids from the Bud Murray dance school, John Keith (no doubt Collum),
Barbara Bletcher, 7 boys (20 yrs. old), 7 girls (20 yrs. old), an 8 piece orchestra (20 yrs. old)
including the leader, 6 boys and 6 girls of school age, 3 girls and 3 boys of the 'collegiate' type, and Pete the
Pup. Shooting was to take place on the exterior school set on Stage 4, with playbacks of "Auld Lang Syne" and
"Cutie Face" (sic). The film at this point was identified as "Untitled (Our Gang)."
Another document reveals that 45 extras were used on this day, as well as two school teachers. No mention is made of
Pete.
Dec. 11 - This was the third day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids, Georgia Jean LaRue, Baby
Patsy, 10 kids from the Bud Murray school, 4 boys and 4 girls of school age, 8 boys and 8 girls of the
'collegiate' type, and Pete the Pup. Shooting was to take place on the exterior school set on Stage 4, using two
cameras, and was to include playbacks of "Broadway Rhythm," "Baby Face," "Going Hollywood"
and "I'm Through With Love." The film at this point was identified as "Untitled (Our
Gang)." Another document reveals that 34 extras were used on this day, as well as two school teachers. No mention
is made of Pete.
Dec. 12 - This was the fourth day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids, Georgia Jean LaRue, 8 girls
and 8 boys of the 'collegiate' type, 4 girls and 4 boys of school age, and Pete the Pup. Shooting was to take
place on the exterior school set on Stage 4, using two cameras, and involving the doll shop and the farm setting.
Playbacks were to be "Going Hollywood," "I'm Through With Love" and "Baby Face." The
film at this point was identified as "Untitled (Our Gang)." Another document reveals that 24 extras were
used on this day, but doesn't mention Pete. A Raguse memo from this date set the onscreen credits for this film. The
title "Reunion In Rhythm" was also official as of this date. Film costs for the previous week were $4477.27,
bringing the total to $4771.25 so far.
Dec. 13 - This was a Sunday. No shooting took place.
Dec. 14 - This was the final day of shooting, and was almost entirely a day of retakes. Present were the five
main kids, Georgia Jean LaRue, and 8 extra kids. Shooting took place on Stage 4.
Dec. 15 - The production sheet for this date states that the production closed the previous day. Douglas, Oelze, Goode
and Lloyd are all listed on the sheet, perhaps indicating that they were involved in some sort of post-production on
this date. A Rivkin memo to Van Keuren, O'Brien, Huber and Cash, from this date states that Rosina Lawrence
'started' as of December 9th, and 'closed' as of December 10th. Another Rivkin memo to the same four
people states that the five regular kids were 'closed' as of December 14th.
Dec. 19 - Film costs for the previous week were $1081.33, bringing the total to $5852.58 so far.
Dec. 31 - The domestic negative and domestic negative soundtrack were delivered to the MGM lab on this date. The
domestic positive Movietone print was also shipped on this date.
This film was originally going to be "Our Gang Follies Of 1937," and presumably a two-reeler.
Buckwheat repeatedly recites "Little Jack Horner," which was first published in 1725. However, it had already circulated for many years prior to this. Studio memos indicate that another choice for recitation was "Little Bo Peep," which dates from at least the Victorian era.
The reunion in the film is for the Adams Street Grammar School.
Activity on the set of this film is described in the 1937 book Of All Places.
The negative cost on this film, as of March 6, 1937, was $23,973.37. This amount was certified on March 30, 1937.
This film was 966 feet in length.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B578.
©July 28, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 8/27, 8/30, 11/7, 12/19.
2006 updates: 1/3, 1/16, 2/11, 4/3, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 7/16, 10/22, 11/4.
2008 updates: 2/26, 5/26, 7/12, 8/10, 8/11.
Thanks to Rob Stone, Joe Moore and Paul Mular for assistance on this page.