Back Stage

film no. 13

availability:

The Our Gang Collection - Volume 3 (DVD) from Reelclassicdvd.com

Released July 2007. Like the versions listed below, this is a home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios with original inter-titles. However, in this case, the picture quality is noticeably better, and two of the inter-titles which are only briefly on the screen in the other versions are freeze-framed in this one. The footage totals 26:11, with 26:01 of it original. This appears to be a nearly complete print.

Rascals Silents Vol. 1 (VHS) from A-1 Video

This is the home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios. The picture quality can be described as fair. The print totals 19:50, with 19:47 of it original footage. The shorter running time is primarily the result of faster projection.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 2 (VHS) from HenryButch

This seems to be copied from the A-1 version.

Our Gang Volume #1 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This is essentially the same as the A-1 version, but it adds an Exclusive Movie Studios end title. The footage totals 19:47, with 19:41 of it original. This version has appeared numerous times on bootlegs.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 6 (VHS) from Video Classics and

Our Gang Comedies VI (VHS) from The Picture Palace

These versions are essentially the same as Grapevine's.

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 F.

Photographed by Len Powers

This credit is based on Powers' payroll status as the Our Gang cameraman up until the week ending Jan. 13th. It's also possible that Harry W. Gerstad worked on the film, since he had been involved with the series by this time.

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.

Released by Pathé Exchange, Inc.

This was, incidentally, the 13th and last film delivered as per the original contract. A second contract arranged for films to be distributed through the current season and to the end of the following season.

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
• transportation director - Bob Davis
• school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

• supervision - Charles Parrott (better known as Charley Chase) may still have been 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, but Richard Currier and Bert Jordan were also in the editorial department.
• 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 was probably involved in this capacity, and possibly Roy Seawright.
• animal training - Tony Campanaro was probably among the animal trainers. C. I. Norris and Cal Norris began to provide monkeys for the Dippy Doo Dads series at about this time, and may have provided the monkey seen in this film.

the kids:

featured players

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Featured role. He's featured more than any of the other kids, and has his most notable outing so far, particularly when he's disrupting the show. He's a 'he' in this film.

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"

Featured role. He's the tour guide on the gang's bus, and gets involved in helping the vaudevillian.

Jackie Condon as "Jackie"

Supporting role. He's the bus conductor in the early scenes, and helps the vaudevillian with his show in the later scenes.

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Ernie"

Supporting role. He's the bus engineer in the earlier scenes, and takes part in the show later on.

Jack Davis as "Jack"

Supporting role. He's seen early in the film collecting bugs, which he unwittingly lets loose in the theater.

Joe Cobb as "Joe"

Supporting role. He's shown assisting Jack with his bug collecting, and then becomes a nuisance to the adults in the theater.

Andy Samuel

Supporting role. He's shown during the stage show, and is one of the main kids during this portion.

other kids

Ivadell Carter as "Pansy"

Small part. She's seen briefly flirting with Mickey as she boards the bus. Not listed by Maltin & Bann, who invariably list her first name as Wadell when they do. I still haven't gotten a positive facial ID on her, but deductive reasoning makes me almost certain that this is her.

boy 009b

Bit part. The second boy to board the bus, he was previously seen in "The Champeen!" (no. 9) and "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).

girl 011

Extra. She's seen riding on the upper deck of the bus and may also be in the audience during the stage show sequence. She looks like the girl from "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).

Peggy Ahern

Extra. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She's the brunette girl with bangs shown in the audience with Lassie Lou Ahern.

Lassie Lou Ahern

Extra. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She's the chubby brunette girl next to Peggy.

boy 009a

Extra. He's to the right and in front among the boys that Mickey waves to in the balcony.

boy 003

Extra. He appears on the upper deck of the bus.

other kids

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The first boy to board the bus. He just might be boy 001.
(2.) At least fifteen or twenty additional kids in the audience during the stage show. Mickey addresses some of the boys in the balcony from the stage, referring to one of them as "Hap." Three additional boys are shown on the upper deck of the bus.

the animals:

monkey 004

Featured role. Presumably the same monkey from "One Terrible Day" (no. 4), he appears throughout the stage sequence.

dog 001

Supporting role. He appears off and on throughout the film with Jack and Joe.

donkey 013

Small part. He serves as locomotion for the bus. Maltin & Bann misidentified him as Dinah the Mule.

Dinah the Mule

Bit part. She appears during the stage sequence.

pony 001

Bit part. This is the larger of the two ponies, previously seen in "Our Gang" (no. 1), "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3) and "One Terrible Day" (no. 4).

pony 002

Bit part. The smaller of the two ponies, this seems to be the one from "Fire Fighters" (no. 2), or maybe "The Big Show" (no. 7).

other animals

Bit parts and extras.
(1.) A goat seen at the beginning of the film, and probably the same one seen during the stage sequence.
(2.) Three rabbits appear during the magician's act.
(3.) Four geese are shown during the stage sequence.
(4.) At least one chicken in the background of the bus sequence.
(5.) A dog appearing in the background at the beginning of the film and later during the stage sequence. Similar to dog 002, but with different coloring.

bugwatch

Several bugs are shown both in the early and later parts of the film.

the adults:

William Gillespie as the head of the touring show

Featured role. He's virtually the star of the film, particularly during the second half.

Wallace Howe as the manager of the theater

Supporting role. He's seen frequently during the stage sequence, threatening to arrest the vaudevillian if the show doesn't go on.

Richard Daniels

Small part. He tries to slap the fake spider.

Roy Brooks as the traffic cop

Bit part. Maltin & Bann don't list him, but it sure looks like him.

Beth Darlington

Bit part. Looks like her to me as part of the vaudeville troupe, but she's not listed by Maltin & Bann.

woman 013

Bit part. The woman with the frizzy hair to the right of the woman with the spider over her head. She later appeared in "Lodge Night" (no. 15) and "Stage Fright" (no. 17).

James W. Cobb

Bit part. He's disturbed by Farina while sitting in a box seat.

Dick Gilbert as an outside worker

Extra. He's much easier to pick out than Young.

Charley Young as an outside worker

Extra. According to Maltin & Bann, but I don't see how they were able to identify him.

Robert F. McGowan

Extra. He's seen briefly getting out of the way of the bus.

other adults

Small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) The cross-eyed custodian of the theater.
(2.) The woman Joe irritates with the fake spider. Looks similar to the woman with the little dog in "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).
(3.) The three men in the show troupe besides Gillespie.
(4.) Jack's dad, who appears briefly.
(5.) Scores of people in the theater audience, many of whom are seen in closeup. According to Maltin & Bann, Jack Hill is among them, but I've yet to spot him. Perhaps he's the guy in the balcony that coaxes the dog to run to the stage.

the locations:

Hercules Motor Oil

This is where the gang goes for a fill-up.

miscellaneous:

The Lucky Corner Homepage