Baby Clothes

film no. 49


technical details:

Production K-7.

Filmed December 7 to 20, 1925, and January 11, 1926. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted March 15, 1926, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU22478. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.

Released April 25, 1926. It was the 49th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Baby Clothes".'

Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1020, "The Rich Uncle," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17325.


the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach
Probably credited in the film as a presenter.
Supervised by F. Richard Jones
Probably credited in the film as supervising director.
Directed by Robert F. McGowan
This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
Assistant Directors: Robert A. McGowan and Charles Oelze
McGowan was later credited as Anthony Mack. The payroll summaries were listing McGowan as the assistant director for the Our Gang unit during this period, but were still listing Oelze as a prop man. Rob Stone's list gives sole credit to Oelze.
Photographed by Art Lloyd and Harry W. Gerstad
Maltin & Bann give sole credit to Lloyd, which is probably the way it appeared in the film. However the weekly payroll summaries reveal that Gerstad worked as a cameraman with the Our Gang unit during the entire week ending Dec. 19th, and for part of the following week, which means he was probably the photographer from Dec. 14th until the end of shooting.
Edited by Richard Currier
This credit probably appears in the film.
Cutter: Lloyd Campbell
This credit derives from Campbell's payroll status as the Our Gang cutter during this period.
Titles by H. M. Walker
This credit probably appears in the film.
Props by Don Sandstrom
This is according to Rob Stone's list. The payroll summaries also list Oelze as a prop man during this period.
Animation by E. H. Young
This credit derives from Young's payroll status as the studio animator during this period. The animation in this film involves the commotion produced by the fight Joe gets into at the end of the film.
Story by Hal E. Roach
This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.
Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro
He was Pal's trainer.
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
laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves
transportation director - Bob Davis
possible uncredited involvement
writing - Robert F. McGowan, Robert A. McGowan, Carl Harbaugh, Hal Yates and James Parrott may have been among the gag writers.

the kids:

Joe Cobb as "Joe"
Featured role. He's virtually the star of the film. His mother puts him in baby clothes to keep him fighting.
Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"
Featured role. He dresses as a girl named "Myrtle" to help with the charade at the hotel.
Allen "Farina" Hoskins
Supporting role. The nickname doesn't appear in this print. He finally dresses as a baby at the end to join in the action.
Jackie Condon
Supporting role. He and Farina manage to get themselves into the hotel, and then Jackie takes Joe's place as the Weedle baby.
Johnny Downs
Supporting role. He's the timid rich boy at the hotel who is smitten with Mickey, er, Myrtle.
Mary Kornman
Supporting role. She seems to be Johnny's sister. Mickey flirts with her, but Mary finds this strange coming from a girl.
Gabe Saenz
Bit part. He's the one who gives Joe the black eye at the end of the film.
Bobby "Bonedust" Young
Bit part. Maltin & Bann indicate that the "Bonedust" moniker was used, but this doesn't appear to be so. He's fighting with Joe at the beginning of the film.
Mildred Kornman
Presumed extra. The payroll ledger makes it pretty clear that "Baby Kornman" appeared in this film, along with her mother. She's probably among the dozens of people in the lobby scenes.
other kids
Bit parts. The gang steals clothes from two babies, only one of whom is clearly seen.

the animals:

Pal
Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's with the gang at the beginning of the film, then arrives at the hotel with Jackie and Farina.
dog 034
Bit part. He's shown at the beginning of the film.
bugwatch
Bit parts. There are various flies shown during the flyswatting sequence.

the adults:

Gustav Schaffrath as the midget
Featured role. Along with Joe, he's virtually the star of the film, playing practical jokes on people by dressing as a baby. The payroll ledger gives various spellings of his name. The one I'm using here was researched for Lord Heath's website. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Harry Earles.
William A. Orlamond as "Uncle John"
Featured role. This is the rich uncle that's expecting to see some children.
William Gillespie as "Wm. Weedle"
Supporting role. He and his wife need to produce a couple of kids to keep getting money out of their rich uncle.
Charlotte Mineau as "Mrs. Weedle"
Supporting role. This is the wife.
Helen Gilmore as Joe's mom
Small part. She's shown at the beginning of the film punishing Joe by dressing him as a baby.
Fay Holderness as the midget's guardian
Small part. She appears every so often to retrieve the midget.
Charlie Hall as one of the bellboys
Small part. He's the one that arranges for Mickey and Joe to take part in the scam.
Charles A. Millsfield as the man with the beard
Bit part. He tries to kiss Joe, but Joe won't have any of it.
Rolfe Sedan as the man telling the joke
Bit part. Shown briefly with Lee Phelps.
Lee Phelps as the man listening to the joke
Bit part. Shown briefly with Rolfe Sedan. The midget gives himself away by getting the joke.
Martha Sleeper as the "pip"
Bit part. She gets affectionate with the "baby," but soon finds out he's a midget.
Olin Francis as the doorman
Bit part. He won't let Farina and Jackie in, and then has to answer to Pal.
Stanley "Tiny" Sandford as the hotel detective
Bit part. He's shown a couple of times in the short, but isn't given too much to do, at least not in this print.
other adults
Bit parts and extras.
(1.) The cab driver who gets hit on the head with a hammer.
(2.) The bellboy who delivers the telegram to Weedle and goes without a tip. Maltin & Bann credit Ed Brandenburg, but I'm not so sure.
(3.) There are at least two additional bellboys, as well as a handful of other hotel employees.
(4.) There are also scores of hotel guests.

the locations:

Culver Hotel, Culver City
This is shown at the end of the film when Joe chases down the bully. Shown is the Washington Boulevard side of the building. The Adams Hotel is across the street in one of the shots. A reverse angle shot reveals the newly-built Hull Building in the distance at the corner of Washington and Watseka.
Hal E. Roach Studios, Culver City
According to Maltin & Bann, the usual hotel lobby set was used for this film. As with most shorts made during this time of year, most of the footage is indoors, and no doubt shot at the studio.
Palms
According to Rob Stone's list, the retakes shot on January 11th were done in Palms. The footage of Joe being dressed as a baby was probably shot there.

miscellaneous:

14 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Two and a half weeks after shooting finished for "Monkey Business" (no. 48), the 'start' date arrived for "Baby Clothes" on Dec. 7th. Shooting continued until Dec. 20th, when it was considered 'finished.' No shooting took place on Dec. 6th and 13th, which were both Sundays, but the last day of shooting, the 20th, was a rare working Sunday, no doubt to compensate for the upcoming Christmas holiday weekend. After three full weeks of inactivity, retakes were shot on Jan. 11th. The very next day, shooting began for "Uncle Tom's Uncle" (no. 50).

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


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, shooting dates, location info, and some of the crew credits)
Randy Skretvedt (for clearing up the confusion involving Bud and Stax Graves)
Joe Moore (for providing the copyright information)
Matthew Lydick (for the correct spelling of Gabe Saenz's last name)


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