Boys To Board

film no. 10


technical details:

Production A-10.

Filmed October 2 to November 2, 1922. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for more details.

Copyrighted March 30, 1923, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU18824. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.

Released April 8, 1923. It was the 11th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Probably opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Boys To Board".' The heading may instead have read '"Our Gang" Comedy' or '"Our Gang" Series.'

Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1031, "Boarding School," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17336.


the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach
Probably credited in the film as a presenter.
Directed by Tom McNamara
This credit probably appears in the film.
Assistant Director: Clarence Morehouse
This credit derives from Morehouse's payroll status as the Our Gang assistant director during this period.
Photographed by Len Powers
This credit is based on Powers' payroll status as the Our Gang cameraman during this period. Harry W. Gerstad was also involved with the series during this period.
Titles by H. M. Walker and Tom McNamara
This credit probably appears in the film, but may omit McNamara's name.
Props by Charles Oelze and Dick Gilbert
This credit derives from their payroll status as Our Gang prop men during this period.
Story by Hal E. Roach and Tom McNamara
This credit probably doesn't appear in the film. McNamara was listed in the payroll summaries as an Our Gang writer during this period.
Teacher: Fern Carter
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
supervision - Charles Parrott (better known as Charley Chase) was still director-general at the studio when this film was made, but had stepped down by the time of its release.
editing - Credit usually went to Thomas J. Crizer during this period.
titles - Tom McNamara probably illustrated the title cards.
writing - Robert F. McGowan, Thomas J. Crizer and Leo McCarey may have contributed gags.

the kids:

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison
Featured role. Maltin & Bann indicate that the usual nickname was used, but these prints don't reveal anything. He appears pretty much throughout the film, delivering Joe to the boarding school, then having to wash dishes to pay for the damage his dog has done. He then helps the boys escape that night.
Joe Cobb
Featured role. He's the new boy at the boarding school, and appears in most of the scenes.
Jackie Condon
Featured role. He provides some comic relief in the classroom, being the victim of a pea-shooter, and ultimately getting the dunce cap.
Mickey Daniels
Featured role. He mostly causes mischief in the classroom and gets into a fight with Jack Davis.
Jack Davis
Supporting role. Most of what he does is ensemble work, but he's clearly a main player in this film.
Andy Samuel
Supporting role. This is one of the few films he was strongly featured in prior to Jack Davis's departure from the series. He later said that he was often used for the more risky stuff, since he was 13 at the time. It may be him doubling for the other boys as they climb down the rope they've made out of sheets.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins
Supporting role. There's no indication whether or not his nickname was used in this film. He gets relatively little screen time, at least in these prints, but is the one that leads the gang into the bootlegger's hideout.

the animals:

Bill
Small part. This is Ernie and Farina's dog, who causes some damage after chasing the cat around.
mule 007 as "The Sheik"
Small part. The mule that pulls Ernie's wagon is "Featherfoot" from "The Big Show" (no. 7). Maltin & Bann list Dinah, but she doesn't appear in these prints.
other animals
Bit parts.
(1.) Joe's cat, which he bring along in a travel bag. Possibly the cat from "Our Gang" (no. 1).
(2.) An owl seen in a single shot at the bootlegger's hideout.

the adults:

Richard Daniels as "'Pop' Malone"
Featured role. He's the benevolent patriarch of the orphanage and decides to escape with the kids. He's seen pretty much throughout the film.
Helen Gilmore as "'Mother' Malone"
Featured role. She's the nasty old woman who eventually caves in when her husband returns home with renewed confidence.
Vera White as the household helper
Supporting role. She appears sporadically and is terrified of Gilmore. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Clara Guiol
Charles Stevenson as "'Moonshine' Mose"
Small part. He's the bootlegger and appears towards the end of the film.
Wallace Howe as the sheriff
Small part. He appears towards the end to arrest Stevenson.

the music (sort of):

"America (My Country 'Tis Of Thee)" by Samuel F. Smith
The music first appeared in Thesaurus Musicus in 1744. Smith added the lyrics in 1832. The inter-titles reveal that this is the song sung by the schoolboys at the beginning of the film. Interestingly enough, even though the TV print removes the inter-titles, the soundtrack still plays this tune.

miscellaneous:

28 days of shooting went into the making of this film. Shooting began on Oct. 2nd and continued until Nov. 2nd. No shooting for "Boys To Board" took place on Oct. 8th, 15th, 22nd, or 29th, which were all Sundays. However, production for "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11) involving director Bob McGowan and cameraman Harry Gerstad took place on Sun., Oct. 29th, as well as the dates from Oct. 24th to 27th, which overlapped with "Boys To Board." The two films also overlapped on Nov. 2nd. It's interesting to note that shooting for "Boys To Board" began the Monday following the last Saturday of retakes for "The Cobbler" (no. 8), and that the main filming for "A Pleasant Journey" began on the overlap day of Nov. 2nd.

Pop Malone is supposed to be teaching out of a book called Brief Course In Geography, but keeps a copy of Wild West Weekly within its pages. Mickey seems to be reading something called The Mother Jungle Book.

Mickey, Jack, Andy, and Jackie refer to themselves as Us Desperite 4.

The 1922 studio datebook reveals what the weather was like on the various shooting dates. The majority of dates are described as 'bright.' However, the weather is described as 'bright - nights cold' on Oct. 5th, 'medium - morning foggy' on the 19th and 20th, 'bright - Santa Ana wind' on the 22nd, 'dull - haze & smoke in air - warm & pleasant' on the 25th, 'bright - somewhat hazy' on the 26th, 'medium - rained AM' on the 27th, 'bright & cold' on the 30th, and 'medium' on Nov. 2nd. No information is given for Oct. 16th.

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

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


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


© Robert Demoss.


My thanks to the following people for assisting with this page:
Rob Stone (for providing the production number and shooting dates)
Joe Moore (for providing the copyright information)
Mark Brumfield


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