technical details:
Production A-12.
Story written November 17 and 18, 1922.
Filmed November 20 to December 19, 1922, and February 15, 1923. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for
details.
Copyrighted April 27, 1923, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU18912. Since the copyright was not renewed,
this film is now in the public domain.
Released on May 13, 1923. It was the 12th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Giants Vs.
Yanks".' The heading may have instead read '"Our Gang" Comedy' or '"Our Gang"
Series.'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1050, "The Little League," copyrighted
Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17355.
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.
- 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 and
Harry W. Gerstad
- This credit is based on Powers' payroll status as the Our Gang cameraman during November and
December, and Gerstad's comparable status during February. Gerstad had worked on the series prior to this film, so he
may have also been involved on some of the earlier shooting dates.
- Titles by H. M. Walker
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- 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
- 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.
- Gabe Saenz
- Extra. It appears that he's one of the players standing near home plate during part of 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.
- questionable listings
- For awhile, Wikipedia listed Frank Bruners as one of the "Yanks" in this film.
the animals:
- Bill the Bulldog
- 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. Looks to me like Darlington.
- Dick Gilbert as "'Hungry' Hogan"
- Small part. He appears in an early scene with Jack and Jackie.
- Molly Thompson 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.
- 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.
- Vera White as the maid
- Bit part. She appears very briefly. It's her illness that causes the quarantine.
- 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:
- Master Mfg. Co.
- This was located at 3316 Motor Avenue, though the company may not have arrived by the time this film was
made (they're listed in the 1927 city directory). The backyard of this property serves as Mickey's
backyard, and the brick building next to it is the Palms Garage at 3304 Motor. After this, it doubles as
Ernie's yard, with glimpses of the Palms Lumber Company at 10321 National Boulevard, which can also be seen
near the end of the film as Mickey's mother discovers her ruined laundry.
- the alley
- The alley behind the Master property, which runs parallel to Motor and Vinton Avenues, is shown
extensively as Joe tracks down the turkey. In one shot, the Palms Lumber Company can be made out in the background. In
another shot, the Palms Depot can be seen. He catches up to the turkey at the garage of the house on the corner
Vinton and National, except that the garage is on the alley. Later, when Ernie picks up Mickey and Jack, his wagon is
parked on Woodbine Street at the southern end of this stretch of alley (it actually continues south of Woodbine),
and we can see the house at the northwest corner of Vinton and Woodbine.
- 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:
23 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Work began on Nov. 17th, the day after shooting wrapped for
"A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11). No specifics are given, but for the 18th, the 1922 datebook reads
'story, etc.' and for the 20th, it reads both 'getting started' and 'work starting,' indicating
that the 17th had been a preparatory day. Shooting continued until Dec. 14th, after which shooting began (the next
day) on "Back Stage" (no. 13). No shooting took place on Nov. 19th, Nov. 26th, Dec. 3rd, or Dec.
10th, which were all Sundays, or on Nov. 30th, which was Thanksgiving Day. On Dec. 19th, footage was shot for both
"Giants Vs. Yanks" and "Back Stage." After this, filming was completed on "Back Stage," as
well as most of "Dogs Of War!" (no. 14) and the final retakes for "The Big Show" (no.
7). Filming than commenced on "Lodge Night" (no. 15) in mid February 1923. On Feb. 15th, filming was
divided between "Lodge Night" and "Giants Vs. Yanks," which finally wrapped on that date.
The datebooks also give information regarding what the weather was like on each of the shooting dates. During the main
shooting of November and December, it was often described as 'bright.' However, it was described as 'foggy
until noon then bright' on Nov. 20th, 'cold & cloudy' on the 28th, 'cloudy & cold' on the
29th, 'dark & cold - slight showers' on the 30th, 'dark & cold' on Dec. 1st, 'rainy'
on the 2nd, 'medium' on the 3rd, 'medium bright' on the 4th and 5th, 'very spotted' on the 8th,
and 'rainy medium dull' on the 11th. It was 'raining' on the 6th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th. No
description was given for Nov. 26th. For the later dates, it was described as 'bright' on Dec. 19th, and
'clear' on Feb. 15th.
This film was the sixth of six in the second 'series' of Our Gang films.
There were 40 copies of this film printed for its initial release.
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.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.