One Terrible Day

technical details:

Production A-4.

Filmed May 22 to June 10, 1922. See 'miscellaneous' section below for more details.

Previewed during the summer of 1922. Moving Picture World reviewed this film on Aug. 19, 1922.

Released September 10, 1922. It was the 1st film in the series to be released.

Copyrighted October 9, 1922, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU18286. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.

Silent two-reeler.

Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "One Terrible Day".' This is the way it appears on the lobby poster. The film itself may have read '"Our Gang" Comedy' or '"Our Gang" Series.'

Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1043, "The Outing," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17348.

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Probably credited in the film as a presenter.

Supervised by Charles Parrott

Better known as Charley Chase. This credit is probably included in the film. Parrott was director-general of all of the studio's output during this period.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan and Tom McNamara

This credit probably appears in the film, but without McGowan's middle initial.

Titles by H. M. Walker and Tom McNamara

This credit probably appears in the film, but it might not include McNamara's name.

Story by Hal E. Roach and Tom McNamara

This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.

Released by Pathé Exchange, Inc.

Passed by the National Board of Review

Probably indicated in the film.

studio personnel

general manager - Warren Doane

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

purchasing superintendent - John L. Murphy

still photographer - Gene Kornman and Chester "Bud" Graves

possible uncredited involvement

photography - The earliest credits given were for Len Powers, who was working for Roach during this period.

editing - Credit usually went to Thomas J. Crizer during this period.

titles - Tom McNamara probably illustrated the title cards.

writing - Robert F. McGowan, Tom McNamara, Thomas J. Crizer and Leo McCarey may have contributed gags.

property department - Charles Oelze and Dick Gilbert were probably involved in this capacity by this time.

the kids:

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Booker T. Bacon"

Featured role. He gets plenty to do in the film, and was still pretty much the star of the series, though the other kids were catching up.

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey Daniels"

Featured role. Mickey is given significant screen time in this short, and had already established himself as one of the prime players. His name is revealed on an invitation seen in the 9.5mm print.

Jackie Condon

Supporting role. Jackie gets plenty of business in this film, and was still one of the featured kids. The 9.5mm copy calls him "Jackie," but it isn't an original inter-title.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Supporting role. He gets more to do in this film than in his earlier appearances. He plays Ernie's little sister.

Dick Cartwright

Supporting role. He's the tall boy in the Harold Lloyd glasses, and is Jackie Condon's older brother in this film. He gets plenty of screentime, but doesn't seem to have returned to this series.

Peggy Cartwright

Supporting role. She apparently lives on the farm, but only makes a couple of brief appearances in this print. Ernie addresses her as "Sis." The 9.5mm print calls her "Molly May," but the inter-titles are not original.

Jack Davis

Supporting role. Jack mainly does ensemble acting in this film, but he's there the whole time.

Winston and Weston Doty

Supporting roles. These twins do everything in unison. Otherwise, they mostly do ensemble work.

the animals:

dog 003

Supporting role. This is Jackie's dog and he stands in for Bill the Bulldog as the main dog in this film.

pony 001

Supporting role. This is the pony that pushes Jackie into the fountain, and later retrieves the boys' clothes for them. She's given the name "Lady Diamond" in the 9.5mm footage.

Dinah the Mule

Small part. She's ridden by Peggy in this film.

other animals

Featured role, small parts and bit parts.

(1.) The society matron's monkey, which is seen pretty much throughout the film. The payroll ledger reveals that Sam Iezza was the trainer. In 1955, he and his monkey Josephine entertained guests at the newly-opened Disneyland. I don't know what the name of this earlier monkey was.

(2.) A cow seen during the bullfighting scene, and probably the same one from "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3).

(3.) A cow dragging the tall boy around by its tail. Previously seen in "Fire Fighters" (no. 2).

(4.) A slightly smaller cow seen with the second cow listed.

(5.) A white cat owned by Gilmore.

(6.) Three goats, one of which is larger than the other two. Another is a smaller brown goat. The third is a 'kid,' which may be the same one from "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3).

(7.) Two horses appear briefly taking notice of the kids arriving at the house. They also watch Jackie and Farina at the fountain.

(8.) A turkey chases the twins around.

(9.) Several chickens and geese.

the adults:

William Gillespie as "James," the chauffeur

Supporting role. He gets plenty of screentime during the journey to the house.

Charles Stevenson as the butler

Supporting role. He appears mostly during the journey. I'm not sure if he's really supposed to be a butler in this short, since there's another one at the house.

Molly Thompson as "Mrs. Pennington Van Rensselaer"

Supporting role. She appears quite a bit throughout the film. Maltin & Bann spell her last name "Van Renssalaer," but a calling card shown in the 9.5mm print reveals the spelling favored here.

Vera White as "Alvira"

Supporting role. I'm assuming that Guiol plays the secretary, since Maltin & Bann describe the secretary as one of the people on the car journey. In any event, she appears sporadically throughout the film. Maltin & Bann list Clara Guiol.

Roy Brooks as the butler

Small part. This is the butler at the house. He's listed by Maltin & Bann as Lincoln Stedman. Stedman is listed as the secretary, but this conflicts with the text, which indicates that the secretary takes the car journey.

Helen Gilmore as "Caroline Culpepper"

Small part. She appears early in the film with Thompson, and is a society reporter for a publication called The Tattler. Maltin & Bann list her character name as "Carlene Culpepper."

Chet Brandenburg as the cook

Bit part. He's seen briefly running an eatery. The monkey lands on a hot skillet there. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Ed Brandenberg.

Wallace Howe as the traffic cop

Bit part. He's seen briefly holding up his hand to stop the car.

other adults

Bit parts.

(1.) The young woman accompanying Peggy at the farm.

(2.) The man who paints Gillespie's face by mistake.

(3.) The caucasian maid who rubs beauty cream on Thompson's neck. She's later seen carrying the monkey.

(4.) The black maid who gets the beauty cream all over her face.

(5.) A motorist on the foreground side of the streetcar tracks at the end of the film, and the passengers on the passing streetcar.

(6.) At least two pedestrians and a motorist on the street behind Howe.

the locations:

Berkeley Square

The neighborhood used in this film is the same later seen in "Tire Trouble" (no. 22), "Big Business" (no. 23), "Mary, Queen Of Tots" (no. 41) and "Crazy House" (no. 76). The kids meet up with the adults at the front steps of Hal Roach's residence at 22 Berkeley Square. Seen to the left of the house is 20 Berkeley Square, with 18 Berkeley Square beyond it. The reverse angle also reveals 19 Berkeley Square across the street. When the monkey sprays water out of the hose, he's on Roach's lawn, but we see 24 Berkeley Square in the background. As the carload of people drive out of the neighborhood, they exit through the western gate onto South Gramercy Place. This research was made possible by the terrific work done at www.berkeleysquarelosangeles.com.

the hill

Ernie takes a ride in a rolling tire and takes a spill on a steep hill. This hill is also shown in "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31)

miscellaneous:

17 days of shooting went into the making of this film. Filming was considered 'started' on May 22nd, and 'finished' on June 10th. No filming took place on May 28th or on June 11th, which were Sundays. Tues, May 30th was Decoration Day, and no work took place that day, either. Also, the studio took off Mon, May 29th, to make it a three day weekend, and then worked on Sun., June 4, to compensate for this. It should be noted that no shooting for this film took place in early July as stated by Maltin & Bann. It's also interesting to note that shooting began the Monday after the Saturday 'finish' for "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3) and that story construction for "A Quiet Street" (no. 5) began the Monday after the Saturday 'finish' for "One Terrible Day."

The June 10th issue of Motion Picture News reports the following: "Mickey Daniel(sic) has been added to the cast of 'Lady Bountiful,' the story being filmed by Bob McGowan with the Roach children." This was no doubt a working title for "One Terrible Day."

The August 5th issue of Motion Picture News reports the following: "For several months past it has been an open secret in the world of pictures that Hal Roach was making elaborate preparations to invade the comedy field through Pathe distribution with an attactive new idea based on the natural combination of children and their petted animal comrades in action.
"Much has been printed about the 'zoo' that has come into being on the Hal Roach lot at Culver City, Cal., and given over to the care of an expert animal trainer. In the meantime several of the 'zoo's' inhabitants - a highly accomplished pony, a wonderfully intelligent mule, a prize bulldog, goats, geese and hens - have made successful debuts in connection with the regular output of Hal Roach comedies.
"Pathe now definitely announces for monthly release, beginning in September, a Hal Roach series of thirteen 2-reel comedies to be distributed under the general title of 'Our Gang,' the first of which - with a world of kiddie and animal significances - is called, 'One Terrible Day.' "'Our Gang' is(sic) the estimation of Pathe, more than lives up to the conception of Mr. Roach as outlined by the producer to President Paul Brunet and other Pathe officials upon the occasion of his visit to New York last winter. The films thus far delivered to the distributors are said to reveal a freshness and originality that captivate, while producing the deep-seated quality of laughter which the spontaneous pranks of unspoiled boyhood provoke with greater certainty than almost anything else in the realm of the comic."

The August 26th issue of Motion Picture News carried a multi-page ad for Pathé which said this about the Our Gang series: "In the meantime Hal Roach has added to his producing equipment a 'zoo' of highly trained domestic animals which, together with a group of talented and unterrified kiddies constitute a new producing unit engaged in making the two-reeler series for Pathe distribution under the general title of 'Our Gang' Comedies. There are thirteen in the series, to be released one every four weeks beginning September 10 with 'One Terrible Day.' The films thus far delivered are said to reveal a freshness and originality that captivates, while producing the deep-seated quality of laughter which the spontaneous pranks of unspoiled boyhood provoke with greater certainty than almost anything else in the realm of the comic. 'Sunshine Sammy,' Jackie Condon and Peggy Cartwright are the principal children appearing in the 'Our Gang' Comdeies. The featured animals include 'Bill,' the talented bulldog, 'Cork,' the pony of unlimited intelligence, and 'Dinah,' the most sagacious mule in captivity."

On September 10th, The Sunday Observer of Charlotte, NC, reported the following: "Pathe makes the long anticipated announcement that Hal Roach's new idea in 2-reel comedies, bearing the trade mark of 'Our Gang,' has been successfully worked out and is ready for its first public demonstration. 'One Terrible Day,' at Broadway, the first of this series of guaranteed rib-ticklers involving children and their animal friends in strained relations with the adult community, is scheduled for release on September 15-16. Upon this occasion the much printed-about Hal Roach 'Zoo,' is relied upon to fully justify itself - Dinah the Mule, Cork the Poney, Bull the bulldog and a flock of educated geese being ably supported by Sunshine Sammy, 'Roosevelt Pershing Smith' (as little Jackie Condon insists on being called) and such other trouble-makers as Mickey Daniels, Jack Davis, Peggy Cartwright, Winston Doty, Weston Doty and Dick Cartwright.
"Sunshine Sammy rejoices in the name of Booker T. Bacon. He has a little pickaninny sister named 'Farina' - probably the smallest in movie captivity, but a highly important member of 'Our Gang,' nevertheless. Roosevelt Pershing Smith, little more than a baby, with towsled yellow hair and quite a successful yearning to be 'tough,' cannot be separated from a dog fully six times his own size. Now the 'Gang' being 'One and Indivisible,' the scenes which ensue when rich Mrs. Pennington van Rensselaer invites Mickey Daniels and other children of the unwashed public to a party at her magnificent home, 'The Oaks,' may be described briefly as incongruous. For Mrs. Pennington van Rensselaer, her intellectual secretary, and her retinue of high-nosed flunkeys, it is indeed 'One Terrible Day'."

The September 23rd issue of Motion Picture News reported the following: "Pathe's statement that it never started a new series of comedies with a better initial release than 'One Terrible Day,' first of Hal Roach's new 'Our Gang' series of two-reelers, is reflected in reports from Branch Managers following their first screening of that picture.
"Pathe's announcement of a series of "Our Gang" Comedies for release once every four weeks, supplemented by the acknowledged quality of 'One Terrible Day,' is said to have stimulated heavy advance bookings of the entire series."

The September 30rd ssue of Motion Picture News reported the following: "The tendency of reviewers to award prominence to superior short subjects is again noted by Pathe in connection with 'One Terrible Day,' the first of the Hal Roach two-reel children and animal 'Our Gang' comedies.
"The New York Post reviewer wrote: 'The last thing on the Rivoli program this week is the funniest comedy shown for some time - "One Terrible Day," bringing just a handful of youngsters assisted by some clever horses, a monkey and barnyard animals, but is worth seeing.'
"'There is an extremely funny comedy film tacked to the bill at the Rivoli,' says the New York World, 'called "One Terrible Day," dealing with philanthropic women and slum children. It had them laughing out loud yesterday, which is a real accomplishment.'"

The 1922 datebook also gives details about the weather on each day of shooting. On most days, the weather was described as 'bright.' The exceptions to this were on May 24th, 25th and 31st, when it was described as 'medium' June 2nd, 3rd and 5th, when it was described as 'medium bright,' and June 1st, when it was described as 'cloudy.'

In the category of unseen characters, "Mrs. Rex de Puyster" appears in a newspaper article shown in the film. Mrs. Van Rensselaer doesn't want to be upstaged by this rival, which leads her to having the outing in the country with the poor children.

This film was the first of six in the first 'series' of Our Gang films.

40 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.

The name of the country estate in this film is "The Oaks."

Mickey's invitation (as shown in the 9.5mm print) reveals that the date of the outing is Sat., Aug. 26th.

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

© Robert Demoss.