High Society

film no. 30


technical details:

Production A-30.

Filmed March 24 to April 5, 1924. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted May 29, 1924, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU20261. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.

Released August 24, 1924. It was the 29th film in the series to be released.

A 20-second clip from this film was used in the Boy Friends comedy "Too Many Women." (Or it might possibly be from "Jubilo, Jr." since the footage isn't seen in any available prints of either Our Gang film.)

Silent two-reeler.

Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "High Society".'

Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1051, "Mickey's New Home," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17356. Footage also went into episode no. 1080, "Play Ball!!" copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP18381, and recopyrighted May 16, 1961, with registration number LP19565.


the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach
Credited in the film as a presenter.
Directed by Robert F. McGowan
This credit appears in the film but without his middle initial.
Photographed by Frank Young
This credit appears in the film, but not in the book.
Edited by T. J. Crizer
This credit appears in the film, but not in the book. The 'T' stands for Thomas.
Titles by H. M. Walker
This credit appears in the film.
Props by Charles Oelze
This credit derives from Oelze's payroll status as Our Gang prop man during this period.
Story by Hal E. Roach and Frank Capra
This credit doesn't appear in the film. Even Maltin & Bann leave out Capra's name, but he submitted the story treatment.
Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro
He was Pal's trainer.
Teacher: Fern Carter
Released by Pathé Exchange, Inc.
Passed by the National Board of Review
As 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
laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
publicity director - Garrett Graham
purchasing agent - Clyde Hopkins
still photographer - Chester "Bud" Graves and Clarence "Stax" Graves
transportation director - Bob Davis
possible uncredited involvement
writing - Robert F. McGowan, Thomas J. Crizer and James Parrott may have been among the gag writers.

the kids:

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey Kelly"
Lead role. He's the star of the film, appearing in virtually every scene.
Jackie Condon as "Percy" aka "Percival"
Featured role. In a departure from his usual character, he plays a bratty rich kid, and gets quite a lot of footage.
Mary Kornman as "Mary"
Featured role. She and Mickey have a mutual affection going on in this film.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins
Featured role. The nickname doesn't appear in these prints. His big scene is with the parrot and the pastries.
Joe Cobb as "Joe"
Supporting role. His big scene is the one where he's stealing fruit.
Andy Samuel
Supporting role. He does mostly ensemble acting in this film.
George "Sonny Boy" Warde
Supporting role. Maltin & Bann list him as Sonny Loy Warde (he was later known as Sonny Loy). He does mostly ensemble acting.

the animals:

Pal
Supporting role. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He appears frequently throughout the film.
parrot 008
Small part. Presumably the same parrot from "The Cobbler" (no. 8), he's one of the many animals in the series to get drunk.
other animals
Bit parts.
(1.) A cat covered in feathers.
(2.) Six horses pulling two fire wagons.
(3.) About three fish in a bowl.

the adults:

Pat Kelly as "Uncle Pat" aka "Patrick Shamrock Kelly"
Featured role. He's second only to Mickey in significance for this film.
Fred F. Guenste as the butler
Featured role. He's shown frequently, particularly when he's giving Mickey a bath, and suffers during the gang's visit to the house.
Evelyn Burns as "Aunt Kate" aka "Kate Kelly"
Supporting role. Known as "Aunt Mary" in the TV print. She's given a sizable part in this film.
man 030 as the cop
Supporting role. This would be the cop that puts a scare into the kids, but he's actually a nice guy.
other adults
Small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) The fruit vendor. The gang steals his fruit, but he's still there to bid farewell to Mickey.
(2.) The man who comes to deliver Mickey to his new home, presumably a child welfare agent.
(3.) The maid, seen briefly putting up with Jackie.
(4.) Several cops, firemen, and ambulance workers. There are also plainclothes policemen. Maltin & Bann list Charles Bachman, Jack Gavin and Sam Lufkin among them, but I can't spot them in these prints.

the locations:

Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
Mickey lives in the back of the building at 3316 Motor, which eventually housed the Master Mfg. Co.. As he's running down the street towards the cop, he passes the Palms Chamber Of Commerce on the east side of the 3300 block. This building would soon be home to the Mitholithic Mfg. Co. after the chamber moved to the next block. The northeast corner of Motor and Woodbine is where the cop is standing, and Mickey knocks him down. The brick building is the People's Water Company at 3392 Motor. Later, Mickey meets Mary as he walks out of the grocery store at 3384 Motor. A sign on the door reads 'Mark Twain.' As the two of them ride on Mickey's scooter, they crash in front of the vacant lot on the northwest corner of Motor and Woodbine. Visible in the background are the house at 3359 Motor and the Palms Hardware Co. at 3351 Motor. When the boys are stealing from the fruit vendor, they set up their contraption in front of the realty company on the west side of the 3300 block seen in earlier films like "Fire Fighters" (no. 2). The fruit stand is under the brick arch of Arden Grocery. The Palms Press, seen as recently as "Seein' Things" (no. 25) next to the realty company, was torn down by this time.
Los Angeles Police Department
This Hollywood branch of the LAPD shared the right half of the same building at 1629 Cahuenga Avenue that housed the fire deparment. In the film, after Guenste pulls the alarm, this is the first building we see. The left side of the building, at 1625 Cahuenga, housed Hose Company No. 2 and Engine Company No. 27.
Los Angeles Fire Department
This was both Old Truck Co. 26 and Old Engine Co. 26, and was located at 2475 West Washington Blvd. between South Van Ness Ave. and Arlington Ave. It's the second station we see in the film and is next to a building that says "Hardware Paints & Oils," which would have been at the northeast corner of West Washington and Arlington.
Engine House No. 18, Los Angeles
This is located on South Hobart Blvd just south of where it meets Adams Boulevard. This is the third emergency response in the film. Also visible is the building on the southeast corner of these two streets.

miscellaneous:

12 shooting dates went into the making of this film. A week and a half after the final retakes for "It's A Bear" (no. 27), the 'start' date for "High Society" arrived on Mar. 24th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Apr. 5th. No shooting took place on Mar. 30th, which was a Sunday. The 1924 datebook indicates that some Our Gang 'tests' were shot on Tuesday, Apr. 8th, with no production number given. Other than this, two weeks passed before the unit began shooting "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31).

The 1924 studio datebook reveals what the weather was like on the various shooting dates. On most days, it was described as 'clear,' with 'rain' on Mar. 26th, and the weather described as 'cloudy' on Apr. 3rd, and 'raining' on Apr. 4th. No description was given for Sunday the 3rd.

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

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

The letter authorizing Aunt Kate to take custody of Mickey is dated June 17.

The papers for Mickey's adoption are signed by a judge named L. A. French. He was actually the purchasing agent for the studio and later became production manager.


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)
Randy Skretvedt (for clearing up the confusion involving Bud and Stax Graves)
Joe Moore (for providing the copyright information)


The Lucky Corner Homepage