Ten Years Old

technical details:

Production K-16.

Filmed November 24 to December 14, 1926. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.

Copyrighted February 14, 1927, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU23667. Renewed January 10, 1955, with registration no. R142091. This copyright expired at the end of 2022, and the film is now in the public domain.

Released March 13, 1927. It was the 58th film in the series to be released.

Silent two-reeler.

Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Ten Years Old".'

Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1017, "A Double Birthday," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17322. Footage also went into episode no. 1072, "An Average Day," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17774.

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter.

Supervised by F. Richard Jones

Credited in the film as supervising director. He resigned on March 9th, four days before this film was released.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan and Anthony Mack

Maltin & Bann list only Mack, and the film reflects this. The 1926 studio datebook indicates that McGowan directed except on December 2 to 4, when Mack, referred to as McGowan, Jr., directed. The F in McGowan's name stands for Francis. Mack was his nephew, whose real name was Robert A. (for Anthony) McGowan. According to the payroll summaries, Mack was still an assistant director during this period.

Assistant Director: Charles Oelze

According to Rob Stone's list as well as the payroll summaries.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit appears in the film. Rob Stone's list indicates that an extra cameraman was used on December 7th and 8th.

Assistant Cameraman: W. V. Draper

This credit derives from Draper's payroll status as the Our Gang assistant cameraman during this period.

Edited by Richard Currier

This credit 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 appears in the film.

Props by Don Sandstrom and Timothy O'Donnell

According to Rob Stone's list.

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 Pal's rolling eyes.

Story by Hal E. Roach

This credit 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

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, Jean Yarbrough and Frank Butler may have been among the gag writers.

the kids:

Joe Cobb as "Joe"

Lead role. He's the star of the film, baking a cake and preparing for a party that doesn't happen, so he goes to Jackie's party.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Featured role. He shows up at Joe's to let him know where all the kids are. He provides most of the comic moments in the film.

Jackie Condon as "Jackie"

Featured role. He's the rich kid that invites the gang to his party. He starts off with Little Lord Fauntleroy curls, but his father lets him get a haircut for his birthday.

Jannie Hoskins

Supporting role. She accompanies Farina pretty much throughout the film.

Mildred Kornman as "Mildred"

Supporting role. She's featured at Joe's house during the cake baking scene, and throws various objects into the batter.

Bobby "Bonedust" Young as "Bone Dust"

Supporting role. He gets butted by the goat, and is with the gang pretty much throughout the film.

Jay R. Smith as "Jay-R"

Supporting role. He gets a rubber tube stuck in his mouth, then notices that his piece of cake is inflating.

Elmer "Scooter" Lowry

Supporting role. At the party, he pulls nails out of his mouth.

Jimsy Boudwin

Supporting role. He's the boy that eats the soap.

Jack Hanlon

Supporting role. He's the freckle-faced boy who squirts liquid from his mouth.

Johnny Aber

Supporting role. He gets squirted in the face.

Yvonne Pelletier

Supporting role. She's Jackie's stepsister.

Andy Shuford

Supporting role. He's seen as one of the main gang members in this film.

Doris Oelze

Extra. She's among the rich kids. In the shot where they all curtsy, she's two kids to the left of Jean Darling. She also gets a closeup with Carl Busch.

Carl Busch

Extra. A 1927 casting directory credits his involvement in this film, but the payroll ledger alternately lists somebody named Carl Kenworthy. However, the photo in the casting directory is not only a facial match, but he's even wearing the same clothes as in the film. In the shot where they all curtsy, he's three kids to the left of Jean Darling. He also gets a closeup with Doris Oelze where he points at the poor kids of the gang.

Jean Darling

Extra. She's one of the rich kids, and is best seen standing towards the right in the shot where they all curtsy.

Peggy Eames

Extra. In the shot of the kids curtsying, she's at the far right, next to Jean.

Beverly Parrish

Extra. In the shot of the kids crutsying, she's just to the right of Yvonne Pelletier.

Dick Good

Extra. In the shot of the kids curtsying, he's in the upper right.

Billy Lord

Extra. In the first group shot of the rich kids getting a look at the Gang, he's just to the left of Jackie's older sister, with his face partially hidden from view. We get a closer look at him in the closeup of Carl Busch and Doris Oelze.

other kids

Bit parts. There are nine additional rich kids shown in the shot where they all curtsy. Conveniently enough, the payroll ledger lists nine more kids on the four shooting dates that included the rich kids. One additional person named Owen O'Brien is listed among them, but he only worked on Dec. 8th, the first of those four days, and probably is not in the curtsying shot. The remaining kids are Mary Dow, Marvel Rawson, Helen Parrish, Dorothy Carroll, Lucile Cobb, Jack Ross, Merwin Jones, Freddie Foster and Robert Draper. It appears that the number of boys versus girls doesn't work out, but I think one of the boys was given Fauntleroy-style curls like Jackie Condon had in this film. He can be seen just to the left of Carl Busch as Carl points to the poor kids. Another boy, seen right behind Carl in this shot, sure looks like Bobby Mallon, but he's not listed in the ledger for this film. Maltin & Bann list Bret Black, who is also not in the ledger.

the animals:

Pal as "Pal"

Supporting role. He's Joe's dog, and is present during the cake baking scene. He also goes along to Jackie's house.

Buster

Small part. This is Farina's dog.

skunk 014

Bit part. Presumably the same skunk as usual, but maybe not. This is Farina's gift for Jackie.

other animals

Small parts and bit parts.

(1.) The goat used in the bullfighting sequence. Possibly the same goat seen in "Uncle Tom's Uncle" (no. 50).

(2.) The frog Jackie gets for his birthday.

(3.) The two ducklings Jackie gets for his birthday.

the adults:

George B. French as Jackie's dad

Small part. He's seen early in the film, and allows Jackie to invite the gang to his birthday.

Lyle Tayo as Joe's mom

Small part. Joe pins the tail on her. She appears at the beginning of the film.

Fay Holderness as Jackie's governess

Small part. She appears briefly a couple of times. Maltin & Bann list her as May Beatty, and as playing Jackie's maid, but there's already another maid in the film who's dressed a lot more like a maid.

Evelyn Burns as Jackie's stepmother

Small part. She haughtily sides with her own daughter and against Jackie.

Fred F. Guenste as the butler

Bit part. He appears briefly during Jackie's party, with the same role he always has in this series.

Eugenie Grey as the maid

Bit part. She's seen briefly. I've made this ID by process of elimination from the payroll ledger, so it's subject to correction.

other adults

Bit parts.

(1.) The man who comes to take Joe's radio.

(3.) The barber who cuts Jackie's hair.

in still images

The newspaper that's been fashioned into a party hat for Joe has a photo of Louise Brooks on it.

the locations:

Palms district, Los Angeles

Farina and Mango escape the goat by running south from Woodbine down the alley parallel to and between Motor and Vinton. The camera points both north and south at different times during this scene.

Culver City

Rob Stone's list indicates that footage was shot in Culver City on December 7th, 8th, and 14th, as well as back at the studio.

house

The large house seen in the background during the bullfighting scene can also be seen in "One Wild Ride" (no. 45).

miscellaneous:

18 shooting dates went into the making of this film. A little over a week after shooting finished for "Seeing The World" (no. 55), the 'start' date arrived for "Ten Years Old" on Nov. 24th. Shooting continued until Dec. 14th, when it was considered 'finished.' No shooting took place on Nov. 28th, Dec. 5th, or Dec. 12th, which were all Sundays. Robert F. McGowan directed on most of the shooting dates, but his nephew, listed as 'McGowan Jr.' but actually named Robert A. McGowan, directed on Dec. 2nd, 3rd and 4th. A week after shooting finished, the Our Gang unit began to film "Love My Dog" (no. 59).

A couple of publicity photos for this film reveal an unused scene involving a boxing match between Jackie (still with his hair long) and Yvonne Pelletier. The other adults of the house are all looking on.

36 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.