A Pleasant Journey

film no. 11

availability:

Our Gang Volume #3 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This is a home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios, Inc., in Chicago. The picture quality is fairly poor. The inter-titles are mostly intact, but most of the second reel is missing. The print totals 13:33, with 13:27 of it original footage. Roughly two-thirds of the original film is included. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

Our Gang - Volume #1 (1922-1923) (DVD-R) from Grapevine Video

Released early March 2006. This is the same print as seen on the Grapevine VHS.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 8 (VHS) from Video Classics

This print is identical to the one from Grapevine.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 3 (VHS) from HenryButch

This print is identical to the one from Grapevine.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Probably credited in the film as a presenter.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.

Titles by H. M. Walker and Tom McNamara

This credit probably appears in the film, but may omit McNamara's name.

Story by Hal E. Roach

This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.

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 - Bud "Stax" Graves and Gene Kornman

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 - Tom McNamara was listed in the payroll summaries as an Our Gang writer during this period. Robert F. McGowan, Thomas J. Crizer and Leo McCarey may have contributed gags.

the kids:

featured players

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Ernie"

Featured role. He appears pretty much throughout the film, being featured pretty strongly in the early shoeshine sequence. He still seems to be the spokesman for the gang.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Featured role. He appears in the opening scenes with Ernie and throughout the second reel. It should be noted that a double is clearly used in the scene where he's painting the long line of policeman's shoes. It's conceivable that Dorothy Morrison was used for these shots.

Jackie Condon

Supporting role. He appears throughout the extended train sequence, switching clothes with Mary and cutting off part of Gillespie's beard.

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"

Supporting role. He appears mostly during the extended train sequence, but is also involved in a freckle-counting contest early in the film.

Jack Davis

Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting in this film, but is present throughout the train sequence.

Mary Kornman

Supporting role. She appears only during the train sequence, since she's not one of the gang and is traveling with her mother. She switches clothes with Jackie Condon.

Joe Cobb

Apparent small part. He's Mary's brother in this film, and is seen occasionally.

boy 011a as "Speck"

Small part. He appears in an early scene in a freckle-counting contest with Mickey.

the runaways

Elmo Billings

Small part. He's the runaway who does the talking.

Gabe Saienz

Bit part. He's one of the runaways.

boy 009b

Bit part. He's one of the runaways. Previously seen in "The Champeen!" (no. 9), he would also appear in "Back Stage" (no. 13).

boy 011b

Bit part. He's the smallest of the runaways. Later seen in "Lodge Night" (no. 15).

the kids at the welfare office

girl 011

Bit part. She pulls the baby's arm in the welfare office.

Doris Oelze

Bit part. She's the baby in the welfare office who gets her arm pulled by girl 011. She reappeared as "Imogene" in "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12).

other kids

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The small boy who tries on Gillespie's hat in the welfare office. He just possibly may be the small boy at ringside in "The Champeen!" (no. 9).
(2.) The drooling baby in the welfare office.
(3.) Possibly two additional babies at the welfare office, seen only in longshot.

the boys outside the welfare office

George "Freckles" Warde

Bit part. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Monty O'Grady, but I'm quite certain this is incorrect. He appears to be the first boy to throw an apple at Gillespie. Not to be confused with George "Sonny Boy" Warde.

other boys

Bit parts. There are other five boys hanging around Gillespie's car, including the second boy to throw an apple, and the fat boy that sits in the car. The fat boy looks like he might be Tommy Hicks.

questionable listings

Winston Doty is listed by Maltin & Bann (but not his identical twin Weston). I can't spot him in this print.

the animals:

dog 001 as "T-bone"

Supporting role. He appears frequently throughout the film.

other animals

Bit part. The only remaining animal is the little dog held by the woman on the train.

the adults:

featured players

William Gillespie as "Tilford Gillespie," the bachelor

Featured role. He appears pretty throughout the train sequence, and has the hapless task of transporting the kids.

Wallace Howe as the welfare physician and as the passenger with gout

Supporting role. He gets to appear fairly frequently, since he's given two roles in this film.

Mark Jones as the inebriated novelty salesman

Supporting role. He appears during the train sequence and is identified by Maltin & Bann as Roy Brooks. However, if they're talking about the Roy Brooks from the Harold Lloyd films, then I don't see the connection.

Joseph Morrison as the porter

Small part. He appears during the train sequence.

Charles Stevenson as one of the conductors and also as one of the police officers

Small part. He barely appears in the early part of the film, but is given more screen time during the train sequence.

Charley Young as one of the conductors

Small part. He appears during the train sequence.

Charles A. Bachman as the police sergeant

Small part. Maltin & Bann list him as 'one of the officers,' but he's actually the sergeant in this early scene.

Roy Brooks as the chief of police

Small part. Maltin & Bann list Lincoln Stedman, but this is the guy that looks like Roy Brooks to me. They also credit him as the chief of police, and the telegram he's holding has been sent to the chief of police. He catches the runaways and sends them home.

other adults

Supporting role. Of particular note is "Arabella," the welfare lady, seen only in the first part of the film.

adults at the welfare office

Louise Cabo as one of the mothers

Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She plays the mother of Doris Oelze, and is astonished while Gillespie is holding the baby.

Sam Lufkin as the cab driver

Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann. He's probably the driver who carries Arabella into the welfare office, since the one who drops the runaways off at the train station isn't really seen.

other adults

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The mother of girl 011a and the drooling baby.
(2.) The nurse at the welfare office.
(3.) The receptionist at the welfare office.
(4.) Two remaining mothers in the welfare office.

adults on the train

Fanny Kelly as Mary and Joe's mother

Small part. She's seen during the train sequence. She mistakenly spanks Jackie, and then pummels Gillespie for spanking Mary.

George B. French

Small part. He's the husband of the woman with the little dog, and shows off some lively sideburns during the sneezing sequence.

Richard Daniels

Small part. He's in the back speaking to the man with the beard.

Clara Guiol

Small part. She's the woman with the little dog who slaps Jackie's hand and bites Howe's finger.

other adults

Bit parts. Jules Mendel plays a passenger on the train, but I haven't identified him.
(1.) The man who trims his beard as Jackie watches. I'm not sure if this is the same bearded man sitting next to Richard Daniels.
(2.) The kissing couple.
(3.) The woman sitting in the back on the left side.
(4.) The worker who pulls T-bone into the baggage car.

adults seen during the shoeshine sequence

Robert F. McGowan

Bit part. He comes up to Farina to speak to him, and then has to hop out of the way to avoid getting his shoes painted.

other adults

Bit parts. Three men and a woman are shown during the shoeshining sequence, plus three pairs of men's legs in another shot. There are also eleven police officers being inspected in addition to Charles Stevenson, who is among them.

the locations:

U.S. Macaroni Co.

This is shown in the background of the shoeshine sequence. Looks like it could be Main Street in Culver City. This company was located at 629 North Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles, but it's possible that there was more than one.

Santa Fe Railroad Co.

This appears to be the location where Tilford meets the gang.

filling station

This is shown as Ernie pulls Farina along in a wagon.

billboard

The billboard shown in the background during the shoeshine sequence seems to says Art Schaffner & Sons.

Higrade

This is painted on two windows of a corner building. The gang is talking to the runaways at this location.

loan office

On the brick wall behind Ernie, it says 'UPEASYTERMS.'

freckle-counting location

Among the giant letters on the wall behind the boys are 'STEAS.'

miscellaneous:

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