Production K-10.
Release no. C-590.
Filmed April 22 to May 3, 1937. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by Elmer Raguse on May 17, 1937.
Negative shipped on May 24, 1937.
Music cue sheet prepared May 25, 1937.
Cutting continuity submitted May 25, 1937.
Released June 12, 1937. It was the 156th film in the series to be released. Early in the film season, Fred Quimby of MGM set a projected release date for this production of May 22, 1937.
Copyrighted June 24, 1937, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP7254. Renewed July 27, 1964, with registration no. R341919. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2032.
All-talking one-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Roamin' Holiday".'
King World Productions episode no. 45a, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.
10 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Here's a breakdown of the activity, deriving from the call sheets, talent sheets, location work sheets, daily film
reports, and various memos:
Apr. 22 - This was the first day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids, twin babies, another baby, and Pete the Pup. Among the props ordered were a couple of
baby buggies. Shooting was to take place in front of 'Miss Bennett's dressing room.' This is a reference to Constance Bennett, who was currently starring in the feature
film "Topper." (It should be noted that production F-17, which was "Topper," is mentioned as being 'in production' on the talent sheets for most
of the shooting dates of this Our Gang short.) The talent sheet for this date reveals the presence of four extras, three of whom would have been the babies. The film at this
point was known as "Untitled 'Our Gang'." A surviving script carries this date and reveals that Alfalfa's description of his cowlick as 'my
personality' was thought up on the set. A Joe Collum memo to Van Keuren, O'Brien, Huber and Cash, indicated that the five main kids all 'started' on this date.
Apr. 23 - This was the second day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids, twin babies, another baby, and Pete the Pup. All were to report in the morning, except
the babies, who were scheduled for 3pm. Shooting was to take place in from of 'Miss Bennett's dressing room.' Among the props ordered were a couple of baby buggies. The
talent sheet reveals the presence of six extras. The film at this point was known as "Untitled 'Our Gang'."
Apr. 24 - This was the third day of shooting. The talent sheet reveals the presence of two extras. Film costs for the previous week were $1700.22, bringing the total
cost to $1742.95 so far.
Apr. 25 - This was a Sunday. No shooting took place.
Apr. 26 - This was the fourth day of shooting. Scheduled were the five main kids and Pete the Pup. Shooting was to take place in front of 'Miss Bennett's dressing
room.' The talent sheet reveals that presence of one extra. At this point, the film was known as "Roamin' Holiday."
Apr. 27 - This was the fifth day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Otis Harlan, May Wallace, Pete the Pup, Laughing Gravy and Jiggs. Shooting was to take
place on set or at the general store at the Roach Ranch. The talent sheet reveals the presence of one extra. The location work sheet states that shooting took place on the exterior
and interior of the general store at the Roach Ranch. Present were the director, assistant director, cameraman, assistant cameraman, 2 prop men, 4 grips, 1 script clerk, 4 sound
men, 9 electricians, 1 wardrobe matron, 1 makeup artist, 3 whistlemen, 1 stillman, the four main boys, Harlan, Wallace, 3 dogs, 2 cows, pigs, a truck for electricity, 1 prop truck
and a sound truck.
Apr. 28 - This was the sixth day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Harlan, Wallace, and the three dogs. Shooting was to take place on set or at the general
store at the Roach Ranch. The location work sheet gives the same details as on the previous day.
Apr. 29 - This was the seventh day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Harlan, Wallace, and the three dogs. Shooting was to take place on set or at the
general store at the Roach Ranch. The talent sheet reveals the presence of 2 bit players (Harlan and Wallace) and 1 extra. The location work sheet gives the same details as
on the previous day.
Apr. 30 - This was the eighth day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Harlan, Wallace, and the three dogs. Shooting was to take place on set or at the general
store at the Roach Ranch. The talent sheet reveals the presence of 2 bit players (Harlan and Wallace) and 1 extra. The location work sheet gives the same details as on the
previous day.
May 1 - This was the ninth day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Harlan, Wallace, one dog, two cows, and some pigs. Shooting was to take place on set or at
the general store at the Roach Ranch. The location work sheet gives the same details as on the previous day, except that only one dog was present. Film costs for the previous week
were $3456.96, bringing the total cost to $5199.91 so far.
May 2 - This was a Sunday. No shooting took place.
May 3 - This was the final day of shooting. Scheduled for 7am were various animals, including a dog, two cows, and some pigs. Scheduled for a 10am call were the four main
boys, Harlan and Wallace. Shooting was to take place on set or at the general store at the Roach Ranch. The location work sheet gives the same details as on the previous day, except
that the adult actors were not present. This document corroborates the 7am animal footage.
May 4 - A Collum memo from this date to Van Keuren, O'Brien, Huber and Cash, indicates that the five main kids were 'closed' the previous day.
May 17 - A recording session took place on this date to record the background soundtrack music. Douglas, rather than Hatley, was listed on the daily film report as the director.
All of the titles were recorded on this date except "Good Old Days."
May 8 - Film costs for the previous week were $1002.17, bringing the total cost to $6202.08 so far.
May 15 - Film costs for the previous week were $539.14, bringing the total cost to $6741.22 so far.
May 22 - Film costs for the previous week were $592.26, bringing the total cost to $7333.48 so far.
May 24 - A Raguse memo from this date indicates that the domestic negative and domestic negative soundtrack were shipped to the MGM lab, and that the domestic positive Movietone
print was shipped to W. D. Kelly in New York.
July 8 - A Raguse memo from this date indicates that the Canadian negative and Canadian negative soundtrack were delivered.
The negative cost on this film as of July 3, 1937, was $27,247.72.
On May 11th, Henry Sutherland reported the following in his syndicated column: "Constance Bennett, who used to be a temperamental terror, entertains Spanky McFarland and his gang at marbles in her dressing room daily."
Jenksville is the town the boys visit.
This film was 976 feet in length.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B580.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.
© Robert Demoss.