technical details:
Production K-10.
Filmed April 7 to 28, 1926. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted July 26, 1926, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU22968. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.
Premiered July 4, 1926, in New York City.
Released early-to-mid July 1926. It was the 52nd film in the series to be released. The official release date, as published in trade journals like Motion Picture
News, was August 8, 1926. The earliest confirmed screening I've found is from July 8th in Urbana, IL.
Silent two-reeler.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Shivering Spooks".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1023, "The Haunted House," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17328.
the crew:
- Produced by Hal Roach
- 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
- According to Rob Stone's list. This credit might not have appeared in the film.
- 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
- According to Rob Stone's list. Oelze was also listed as a prop man in the payroll summaries 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 cries of the frightened kids.
- 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
- 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
- still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- writing - Robert F. McGowan, Robert A. McGowan, Hal Yates, Carl Harbaugh and
James Parrott may have been among the gag writers.
- animal training - Tony Campanaro may have been among the animal trainers.
the kids:
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Featured role. He gets more footage than any other kid, particularly during his long sequence with the ghost.
- Joe Cobb
- Featured role. He first has to deal with Scooter pulling his pants down, then Farina.
- Elmer "Scooter" Lowry as "Skooter"
- Supporting role. He first appears with Farina as the two are caught in the middle of a gunfight. Later, he hangs off of Joe and pulls his pants down repeatedly.
- Mary Kornman
- Supporting role. She reads a ghost story for Farina and Scooter, but is otherwise part of the ensemble.
- Johnny Downs
- Supporting role. He seems to be the default leader now that Mickey Daniels has departed, but is mostly part of the ensemble.
- Jackie Condon
- Supporting role. He gets a brief moment to himself being chased by the ghosts, but mostly does ensemble acting.
- Jay R. Smith
- Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting.
- Bobby "Bonedust" Young
- Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting.
the animals:
- Buster
- Supporting role. This dog appears frequently throughout the film.
the adults:
- George B. French as "Professor Fleece"
- Featured role. He's virtually the star of the film, and puts on a fake seance.
- Stanley "Tiny" Sandford as the detective
- Supporting role. He's shown in the gunfight with Fleece, then appears at the end to make the arrest.
- Harry Bowen as one of the assistants
- Supporting role. I think he's the one that handles the controls. He seems to be second-in-command.
- Ham Kinsey as one of the assistants
- Small part. He's the assistant that makes spooky sounds through the tube.
- Jack O'Brien as the grocer
- Small part. His store serves as a front for the crooked seance.
- Hugh Fox as one of the assistants
- Small part. He's the third assistant, and isn't given much of anything specific to do.
- Milton Fahrney as one of the "suckers"
- Bit part. He's the man who wants success.
- Clara Guiol as one of the "suckers"
- Bit part. She talks about how the professor brought back her second husband, and offered to bring back the third.
- Grace Woods as one of the "suckers"
- Bit part. She's next to Guiol, who has a hold of her arm at one point.
- other adults
- Small parts, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) About 24 'suckers' at the seance. Maltin & Bann list Dorothy Walbert, but the payroll ledger doesn't bear this out.
- (2.) A man standing by his car in the background as Farina and Scooter run from the cops.
the locations:
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- As Farina and Scooter are caught in the crossfire, they're running along the 3300 block of Motor Avenue. Views of the east side of the street reveal the Palms Depot
in the background on National Boulevard, as well as the large house at the corner of National and Vinton. Shots pointing north up the middle of Motor reveal the buildings on the
left side of the street, as well as the house on the northwest corner of Motor and Irene. There is also a shot pointing south at the intersection with Woodbine, with a good view
of the vacant lot on the southwest corner. The cop chases the two boys away at the northeast corner of Motor and Woodbine. The buildings shown in this shot are the People's
Water Company at 3392 Motor and the Masonic Hall at 3402 Motor. The kids' ball game is played in the large lot on the east side of Motor north of Featherstone.
Shown in the background of these shots is the house at the northwest corner of Motor and Irene, which was later Dickie Moore's house in "Free Wheeling" (no.
117). Rob Stone's list mentions "Mota Av." as a location on April 19th, which is almost certainly Motor Ave. Some footage was also shot at the studio that
day.
- Media Park
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot here on April 14th.
- Hal Roach Studios
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot on a studio stage on April 19th.
miscellaneous:
15 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Two weeks after shooting finished for "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51), the Our Gang unit began shooting
"Shivering Spooks" on Apr. 7th. Shooting continued until Apr. 22nd, when it was considered 'finished.' No shooting took place on Apr. 11th or 18th, which were
both Sundays. It should also be noted that the production was mistakenly labeled E-10 on Apr. 13th, instead of K-10. After nearly a week, retakes were shot on Apr. 28th.
After this, three and a half weeks passed before the unit began shooting "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53).
Mary reads to Farina and Scooter from a book called Ghost Stories by R. M. Young, specifically a story called "Graveyard Ghosts.".
The gang's hideout is called Capt. Kid's Tresure Cave.
The Elwood Call Leader of Elwood, IN, had this to say on Aug. 19, 1926: "'Shivering Spooks,' the new 'Our Gang' comedy which comes Friday to the
Baby Grand theatre, is the fifty-second 'Our Gang' production to be directed by Robert McGowan. Hal Roach, producer of the famous juvenile fun-films, deems him one
of the greatest directors in motion pictures. This is not because of the success of any one or a half dozen of the 'Gang' comedies, but because he has made fifty-two
of them in four years with the same children, the same idea behind the filming and the same atmosphere - yet each time presenting something new in plot ideas, something human
and wholly true to life. 'Shivering Spooks' the 'Gang's' latest, is said to be a laughing treat from start to finish."
38 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.