technical details:
Production K-12.
Filmed August 5 to September 4, 1926. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Released November 21, 1926. It was the 54th film in the series to be released.
Copyrighted December 13, 1926, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU23419. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.
This film was reissued and played in theaters through 1930.
Silent two-reeler.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "War Feathers".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1007, "Ride 'Em Cowboy," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17312.
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 and Robert A. McGowan
- Maltin & Bann list only Robert F. McGowan, and the film credits probably reflect this, but without his middle initial, which stands for Francis. Robert A. (for Anthony)
McGowan was his nephew, and it's the 1926 studio datebook that reveals him as the director of this film (as Robert McGowan, Jr.), with his uncle directing the added scenes. The
nephew was later credited as Anthony Mack. According to the payroll summaries, the nephew was still officially an assistant director during this period.
- Assistant Director: Charles Oelze
- According to Rob Stone's list.
- Photographed by Art Lloyd
- According to Rob Stone's list. This credit might not appear in the film.
- Edited by Richard Currier
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- Cutter: Edmund Hannan
- This credit derives from Hannan's payroll status as the Our Gang cutter starting the week ending Aug. 28th.
- Titles by H. M. Walker
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- Props by Don Sandstrom and Timothy O'Donnell
- Sandstrom is listed by Rob Stone. Both names are listed as prop men for the unit in the payroll summaries from this period.
- Animation by S. E. Overton
- This credit derives from Overton's payroll status as the studio animator during this period. The animation in this film involves Farina's bulging eyes.
- Story by Hal E. Roach
- This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.
- Watchman: E. B. Pence
- This credit derives from his listing in the studio payroll summary for the week ending Aug. 20th.
- 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
- school teacher - Fern Carter was probably away from the studio while this film was being made, though the payroll
summaries reveal that she was receiving her salary during this period.
- possible uncredited involvement
- writing - Robert F. McGowan, Robert A. McGowan, Carl Harbaugh, Frank Butler 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's basically the star of the short. He steals an Indian kid's clothing and ends up on a reservation. After escaping, he joins the other kids at the outlaw's
ranch.
- Joe Cobb
- Featured role. Introduced in the titles as "Leaping Lollypop." Johnny calls him "Chief." He's featured throughout the film, shooting arrows and trying to keep
Scooter from sneezing.
- Johnny Downs
- Featured role. He seems to be the leader of the gang, and does some Bronco busting at the ranch.
- Jannie Hoskins as "Mango"
- Supporting role. She's seen off and on, and has the closing gag, in which she swallows the half dollar.
- Bobby "Bonedust" Young
- Supporting role. Maltin & Bann seem to indicate that the nickname was used in this film, but it doesn't appear in either of these prints. He's given a gag in which his pants
fall down.
- Elmer "Scooter" Lowry
- Supporting role. It's his sneeze that alerts the outlaws to the kids in the wagon.
- Jackie Condon
- Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting in this film.
- Peggy Ahern
- Supporting role. Listed as Peggy Ahearn by Maltin & Bann. She's mainly part of the ensemble.
- Jay R. Smith
- Supporting role. He basically does ensemble acting in this film.
- Mildred Kornman
- Small part. She's seen off and on, mainly being carried by other kids.
- other kids
- Supporting role. The only remaining kid is the Indian boy. Farina switches clothes with him.
the animals:
- parrot 008 as "Marmaduke"
- Small part. Presumably the same parrot as previously seen.
- Dinah the Mule
- Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She kicks the outlaws right into the well. Somebody has painted some large spots on her.
- donkey 013
- Extra. Possibly the same donkey from "Back Stage" (no. 13), but perhaps not.
- donkey 041
- Extra. Looks like the donkey from "Mary, Queen Of Tots" (no. 41). Accompanies the other donkey while wandering around the town square.
- other animals
- Small parts, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The bear that appears during the Indian sequence.
- (2.) A cow made up to look like a buffalo. Not previously seen.
- (3.) Various horses ridden by the lawmen, the outlaws, and the Indians. There is a white horse ridden by one of the Indians, which might be horse 014. There's also a dark
horse with a white spot on its snout ridden by one of the deputies that could be the horse from "Fast Company" (no. 16).
the adults:
- Garry O'Dell as "'Bicarbonated' Billy"
- Supporting role. He breaks out of jail and later lets the kids play at his ranch.
- Chet Brandenburg as one of the outlaws
- Supporting role. He's the one with the long scar across his face.
- George B. French as one of the outlaws
- Supporting role. He's the one with the big moustache. He drives the wagon.
- Hayes Robertson as the porter
- Small part. He's the black man that gets the arrow in his butt.
- Oscar Morgan as Farina's father
- Small part. He's a preacher and doesn't let his little boy play with the roughneck kids of the Gang.
- Sam Lufkin as the sheriff
- Small part. He arrests the head outlaw, then goes to fetch him out of the well.
- Harry Bowen as the Indian
- Small part. He mistakenly takes Farina back to his village.
- Fred Holmes as the squaw
- Small part. He (or she) accompanies Bowen, and uses a flyswatter to keep Farina quiet.
- Chris Lynton and Charles Meakin as the novelty salesmen
- Bit parts. They discover that the kids have gone through their Indian novelties. Lynton is the white-haired gentleman, and listed by Maltin & Bann as Allen Cavan.
- Ham Kinsey as the conductor
- Bit part. He's the one that announces that the train has arrived in Red Dog.
- Clarence Morehouse as one of the men of the town
- Bit part. He explains to the kids who the outlaw is that's being put in the jail.
- Sammy Brooks as one of the men of Red Dog
- Extra. He's the short guy in town.
- other adults
- Small parts, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) One father and three mothers of the kids.
- (2.) About five additional Indians at the reservation.
- (3.) Two lawmen in addition to the sheriff, and three or four more that get in on the gunfight.
- (4.) Six or seven additional passengers on the train.
- (5.) Several additional men in Red Dog.
the locations:
- Chatsworth
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot at this location August 4th. However, the 1926 studio datebook reveals that the Our Gang unit traveled to Chatsworth on this date, and
presumably shot footage there over the next few days.
- Inglewood
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot at this location August 9th.
- Santa Fe Railroad
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot at this location August 9th.
- Arnaz Ranch
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot at this location August 10th through 12th.
- Newhall
- According to Rob Stone's list, footage was shot at this location August 13th through 21st. However, according to the 1926 studio datebook, the 21st was a non-working Sunday.
It's possible that the unit was returning from this location on that date.
miscellaneous:
20 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Over seven weeks had passed since shooting finished for "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53). The studio was closed
during four of these weeks. However, during this period, the overseas footage for "Seeing The World" (no. 55) was shot. Two days later, on Aug. 4th, the Our Gang unit
traveled to Chatsworth for location shooting, which began on the 'start' date of Aug. 5th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Aug. 25th. During this time, footage
was shot in Inglewood and at the Santa Fe Railroad Station on Aug. 9th, at the Arnaz Ranch from the 10th to the 12th, and in Newhall from the 13th to the 21st. No shooting took place on Aug.
8th, 15th and 22nd, which were all Sundays, nor on Aug. 6th and 21st. All of the shooting so far was directed by Robert A. McGowan. A week after the finish date, added scenes were shot from
Sep. 1st through 4th, which were directed by Robert F. McGowan. Nearly a week later, shooting began for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56).
The case full of Indian novelties says Far West Mfg. Co. Indian Novelties on the front. There are also a couple of swastikas on there.
On Sunday, August 15th, in between shooting dates, Joe, Farina, Scooter, Johnny, Jackie, Mildred and Jay all attended the Los Angeles debut of "A Day Off," a vaudeville act
starring Mickey Daniels and Mary Kornman, both of whom had recently departed the series.
38 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.
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