Giants Vs. Yanks

film no. 12

availability:

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 5 (VHS) from Video Classics and

Our Gang Comedies V (VHS) from The Picture Palace

This is a TV print entitled "Giants Vs Yanks" from the series Those Lovable Scallawags With Their Gangs. Many of the inter-titles are intact, but part of the film is missing. Video Classics also added different music. The print totals 16:55, with 16:26 of it original footage. Roughly three quarters of the original film is included.

Our Gang Comedy Festival II (VHS/DVD) from GoodTimes Home Video

VHS first released 1989. This is also the TV print, but is shorter than the Video Classics copy, since the title card listing the cast doesn't appear. The initials 'GT' are superimposed in the right-hand corner throughout the print, and the VHS is in LP mode. The original footage totals 13:48. This VHS was included as part of the Our Gang Collector Series 5 Pack released Feb. 2002, while the DVD was included as part of a 5 DVD set of the same name released Mar. 2004.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 9 (VHS) from HenryButch

This is a very bad copy of the TV print. The soundtrack is slowed down, so it isn't clear just what the source was for this version.

Jackie Remembers Our Gang - Memories from Little Rascals Family Theater (VHS/DVD)
from Jackie Taylor

A clip appears on this tape lasting 2:35. It comes from the TV print, and includes the opening title card, some name-identification superimposed over the picture, and some ending credits.

The Our Gang Story (VHS/DVD) from GoodTimes Home Video

VHS released 1994. DVD released May 21, 2002. Also included as part of Our Gang Collector Series 4 Pack (4 DVD set), released Mar. 21, 2001, Our Gang Collector Series 5 Pack (5 VHS/DVD set), released Feb. 2002 (VHS) and Mar. 2004 (DVD), and The Best Of Our Gang Volume 1 (DVD) released June 1, 2004. A clip lasting 0:04 is included, showing the two baseball teams before the game. Another clip lasting 0:39 is included, interspersing shots of Mickey drying the laundry with shots of the ballgame. Both of these clips have narration added.

Classic Comedy Teams (VHS) from GoodTimes Home Video

Released 1986. A clip lasting 0:43 is included, taken from various parts of the film. Another clip lasting 0:01 is included, showing Ernie Morrison.

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

This credit probably appears in the film.

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 started, 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. R. H. Fahe first appears in the payroll summaries as an Our Gang gag man the week ending Nov. 25th. He may have contributed gags to this film, or perhaps began work on the next one.

the kids:

featured players

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"

Featured role. Or more specifically, "'Ironman' Mickey." He's featured pretty much throughout the film, including the early laundry scene. In the quarantine sequence, he dresses as a woman and Ernie addresses him as "Queen 'Lizabuth."

Jack Davis

Featured role. Identified in the titles as "'Bugle-nose' Davis," but this is clearly his 'baseball' name used for team purposes. He appears throughout the film, including the woodchopping scene near the beginning. In the quarantine sequence, he wears a hunter's outfit. Maltin & Bann list him as Jackie Davis.

Joe Cobb as "Squeaky"

Featured role. He appears through most of the film, with a highlight being the scene in which he puts on a girdle and dresses as a woman.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Featured role. Or more specifically, "Little Farina." He also appears through most of the film. He umpires the game, and then gets painted white by Jackie.

Jackie Condon as "'Squealer'"

Featured role. Jackie appears as Jack's younger brother, and is seen throughout the film trying to blow his cap off his head by putting his finger in his mouth. Later, he paints Farina white, and Imogene black.

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Ernie"

Featured role. Ernie also appears through most of the film. In the quarantine sequence, he puts on a top hat and tails and proposes to Mickey. Maltin & Bann indicate that the "Sunshine Sammy" moniker is used, but this print doesn't reveal that.

Doris Oelze as "Imogene"

Supporting role. She's the baby sister of Jack and Jackie, and is featured fairly often in this film. She's the reason the kids end up in the house. Jackie paints her black.

the other team

Andy Samuel as "Cooty Martin"

Supporting role. Andy is the pitcher of the opposing team, and is the only member we get a good look at. He appears only during the baseball footage.

other boys

Bit parts. Four more boys are on the opposing team. Presumably, Frank Coghlan, Jr. (known to moviegoers as Junior Coghlan) is among them, since he's listed by Maltin & Bann, and also stated in his autobiography that he was in the film. Specifically, he remembered playing center field, backing into a fence, falling down, and getting hit on the head with the baseball. The smallest of these boys points out to the parents where their missing children are, and he appears to be around the appropriate age for Coghlan at the time.

the animals:

dog 001

Small part. This is Ernie's dog. He appears sporadically throughout the film.

Dinah the Mule

Bit part. She pulls Ernie and Farina's wagon.

other animals

Bit parts.
(1.) Six puppies owned by Mr. and Mrs. Reddy.
(2.) The goat that Mickey hooks up to the contraption spinning the laundry.
(3.) Four goats eating the laundry.
(4.) Three white geese chasing Farina around early in the film.
(5.) A cow that joins the goats in eating the laundry.
(6.) Several chickens and ducks, as well as turkeys running from an axe-wielding Farina. Joe catches one of these.
(7.) The cat walking in the background as Jackie finally loses his hat.

bugwatch

Lotsa flies crawling all over Hungry Hogan's breakfast.

the adults:

William Gillespie as "Mr. Husband"

Supporting role. He appears frequently during the quarantine scenes. Listed by Maltin & Bann as "Mr. Reddy."

Beth Darlington as "Mrs. Reddy" aka "Mrs. Wife"

Supporting role. She appears pretty much whenever Gillespie does. Maltin & Bann indicate that Clara Guiol played this part, but she played the maid. Looks to me like Darlington.

Dick Gilbert as "'Hungry' Hogan"

Small part. He appears in an early scene with Jack and Jackie.

Fanny Kelly as Mickey's mother

Small part. She appears in the early scene with Mickey, then again at the end of the film. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Fanny Kelly, but it doesn't look like her to me.

Wallace Howe as the physician

Small part. He puts the house under quarantine, and then reappears at the end to announce that it was a mistake.

Joseph Morrison as Ernie's dad

Small part. He appears early in the film and in the last scene.

Clara Guiol as the maid

Bit part. She appears very briefly. It's her illness that causes the quarantine. Maltin & Bann mistakenly credit her with playing Mrs. Reddy.

Florence Hoskins as the black maid

Bit part. She tells the Reddys about the other maid's illness.

Roy Brooks as the plainclothes officer

Bit part. He keeps the parents away from the house.

other adults

Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) Jack and Jackie's mother, who appears briefly at the start of the film and again at the end.
(2.) The man that tells the boys to get off the lot.
(3.) The third mother that shows up at the end. We never get a good look at her.
(4.) The woman in the portrait on the kitchen wall.

the locations:

the back porch

Looks similar to the one in "Ask Grandma" (no. 38), but I think it might be different.

the house

The house where Joe catches the turkey is also the one the black cat passes in front of in "Fire Fighters" (no. 2).

miscellaneous:

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