technical details:
Production A-40.
Filmed February 16 to 27, 1925. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted May 18, 1925, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU21471. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.
Premiered June 10, 1925, in New York City.
Released June 28, 1925. It was the 40th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Official Officers".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1008, "Little Officers," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17313. 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
- 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: Lloyd French
- This credit derives from French's payroll status as the Our Gang assistant director during this period.
- Photographed by Art Lloyd
- This credit derives from Lloyd's payroll status as the Our Gang cameraman during this period.
- 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.
- Props by Charles Oelze
- This credit derives from Oelze's payroll status as Our Gang prop man during this period.
- 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 - Bud "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- supervision - F. Richard Jones became director-general of the studio after this film was shot, but before it was released.
- editing - Richard Currier was the supervising editor.
- writing - Robert F. McGowan, Frank Terry and
James Parrott may have been among the gag writers.
the kids:
- the gang
- Mickey Daniels
- Featured role. As usual, he's the leader of the gang and does most of the talking.
- Joe Cobb as "Officer Joe"
- Featured role. He gets quite a bit of footage mooching bananas off of Tony.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Officer Farina"
- Featured role. He gets to patrol the "Powder Puff" district, and is also instrumental in catching McManus at the end of the film.
- Mary Kornman
- Supporting role. She plays baseball with the boys at the beginning of the film, and then convinces them that Mac is a good guy.
- Johnny Downs
- Supporting role. He's seen throughout the film, but does mostly ensemble work, except for his spooning scene with Peggy.
- Jackie Condon
- Supporting role. He does mostly ensemble acting in this film. He's the motorcycle cop that catches speeders.
- Todd Roark
- Supporting role. This is the black boy, who mostly stands around, but later gets to drive the patrol wagon. He had, about three weeks earlier, been one of three winners in the Los
Angeles Evening Express Baby Contest, the prize for which was one week of work in the Our Gang comedies for 100 dollars. He's listed in the payroll summary for the week ending Feb.
21st as Tod Roark.
- the Man-eating Tiger-cubs of Wildcat Alley
- Elmo Billings
- Small part. At least I think it's him getting hit with a tomato thrown by Mickey.
- Gabe Saenz
- Small part. No closeups, but there's no doubt that it's him.
- other rival gang members
- Small parts. Also among this group are the boy getting pelted by Johnny, and the tallest boy, but he's too hard to identify.
- other featured kids
- Jackie "Husky" Hanes
- Supporting role. No nickname is given in the film, but studio publicity identified him as "Husky Hanes." He does a lot of crying, until Mac finally does enough entertaining to
get him to stop.
- Jannie Hoskins
- Supporting role. Farina arrests her, but can't get her to stay behind bars.
- Peggy Ahern
- Small part. Maltin & Bann list her as Peggy Ahearn. She gets arrested for spooning.
- boy 035
- Bit part. Or maybe it's not him, but it looks like "Mort" from "Dog Days" (no. 36) as the baby in this film.
- other kids
- Bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The boy who gets arrested for speeding.
- (2.) The four boys standing with their backs to the camera as the gang is standing next to their patrol wagon talking with Officer Mac. It might be that these four appear
elsewhere in the film.
the animals:
- Pal
- Supporting role. He and the other dog have some good footage chasing down the bad guy.
- dog 036
- Supporting role. This appears to be Jackie's dog from "Dog Days" (no. 36). He and Pal are strongly featured at the end of the film.
- donkey 040
- Supporting role. Presumably the donkey later seen in "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42) pulling the patrol wagon.
the adults:
- Jack Gavin as "Hard-Broiled McManus"
- Featured role. Maltin & Bann list him as "Hard-Boiled McManus." Since the inter-titles in this print are not original, they might be right about it. He's
basically the starring adult in the film, and the bad guy.
- Will Frank as "Mac"
- Featured role. He replaces McManus and immediately endears himself to the kids. Referred to by Maltin & Bann as "Officer Mac."
- Charley Lloyd as "Tony," the fruit vendor, aka "Antonio Campanaro"
- Supporting role. He's given a fair amount of footage running the fruit stand. Both McManus and Joe take advantage of him. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Charley Young.
- Dick Gilbert as the later traffic cop
- Bit part. He's seen briefly letting the gang's wagon through.
- George Rowe as the cross-eyed motorist
- Bit part. He's seen briefly getting mad at the gang for blocking traffic.
- James Finlayson as another angry motorist
- Bit part. He's also angry at the blocked traffic.
- man 040 as the shop owner
- Bit part. The gang breaks his window.
- Chet Brandenburg as the construction worker
- Bit part. He's on the roof and pulls a rope that raises Joe off the ground.
- other adults
- Supporting role, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) "Inspector Malone," who replaces McManus with Mac.
- (2.) The mother of the baby that Joe takes the carriage from.
- (3.) The blind beggar that gets harassed by McManus.
- (4.) The old man next to the blind beggar.
- (5.) The motorist who almost runs over Farina.
- (6.) The woman motorist who gets angry at the blocked traffic.
- (7.) Tony's wife.
- (8.) At least seven or eight black men in the "Powder Puff" neighborhood.
- (9.) Two women coming out of the shop with the broken window.
- (10.) Scores of other adults shown in the background of several scenes.
the locations:
- Adams Hotel
- The alley next to this hotel is Wildcat Alley in the film.
- Hal Roach Studios backlot
- Most of the outdoor scenes were shot on the New York exterior set.
- New York
- This is just a guess, but I wonder if the very first shot, showing the bustling city, is left over from the New York footage for "The Big Town" (no. 34).
- Kleen Knickrehm House Mover
- The fence that McManus jumps over says this. This business was located at 3319 South Central Avenue, but the fence may have simply been an advertisement.
miscellaneous:
11 shooting dates went into the making of this film. About a week and a half after shooting had finished for "Shootin' Injuns" (no. 39), the 'start' date
arrived for "Official Officers" on Feb. 16th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Feb. 27th. No shooting took place on Feb. 15th and 22nd, which were both
Sundays. Judging by the payroll summary, Todd Roark's scenes were filmed during the first week of shooting. Two weeks later, shooting began on "Mary, Queen Of Tots" (no.
41).
The character played by Charley Young is named after Tony Campanaro, the man who provided most of the animals in the Roach shorts.
An excerpt from this film was used for the opening titles of the TV series "Comedy Capers," produced by National Telepix, the same folks who brought us "Mischief
Makers."
38 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.