Tired Business Men
film no. 60
availability:
- Our Gang Volume #6 (VHS) from
Grapevine Video and also
The Picture Palace
- This copy has the original opening title and inter-titles, but no crew credits. The picture quality
is fair, and the total footage is 19:28. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies #2 (VHS) from
Nostalgia Family Video
- This copy is essentially the same as Grapevine's, but the picture quality is slightly inferior. The
total footage is 19:38.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 8 (VHS)
from HenryButch
- This copy is identical to Grapevine's.
technical details:
Production K-18.
Filmed January 18 to February 3, 1927. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted April 11, 1927, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU23848. Renewed January 10, 1955, with
registration no. R142096. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2022.
Released May 15, 1927. This is according to Maltin & Bann. In Richard Lewis Ward's book A History Of The Hal
Roach Studios, the date is given as May 21st. It was the 60th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Tired Business
Men".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1039, "Sweet Revenge," copyrighted Sep. 1,
1960, with registration number LP17344, and recopyrighted May 15, 1961, with registration number LP19564.
the crew:
- Produced by Hal Roach
- Credited in the film as a presenter.
- Supervised by F. Richard Jones
- He wasn't credited anymore, but he still held the position of director-general when this film was
made. He had resigned by the time the film was released.
- Directed by Anthony Mack and Charles
Oelze
- This credit probably appears in the film. Mack's real name was Robert A. (for Anthony)
McGowan. Maltin & Bann credit Oelze with the 'special effects wizardry.'
- 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. The inter-titles in this film have reverted to the black
motif of earlier films.
- 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
- As indicated in the film.
- studio personnel
- possible uncredited involvement
- editing - Richard Currier was the supervising
editor during this period.
- 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 essentially the star of the film, the new kid who gets initiated into the gang's
club.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Supporting role. He gets most of the comedic business in this film.
- Jackie Condon as "Jackie"
- Supporting role. He's the "Grand Exhausted Ruler," and basically makes the decisions for
the club.
- Jay R. Smith
- Supporting role. He seems to be second-in-command at the club.
- Bobby "Bonedust" Young
- Supporting role. Maltin & Bann indicate that the nickname was used, but it doesn't appear in this
print. His big moment is when he gets his finger stuck in a bowling ball.
- Jannie "Mango" Hoskins
- Supporting role. Her big moment is when she gets the whistle and climbs onto the roof.
- Elmer "Scooter" Lowry as "Scooter"
- Supporting role. He's given a new derby look in this film. Joe puts eggs in the derby and smashes it
onto Scooter's head. His character name is scrawled onto the wall of the barn in one of the shots.
- Jean Darling as "Bossy"
- Supporting role. She appears off and on, but isn't given too much to do.
- Bobby Mallon
- Supporting role. He gets a moment in which his ears are wiggling. Is it my imagination, or does a double
stand in for him during the scene outside Joe's window?
- Johnny Aber
- Supporting role. He bowls with Bonedust.
- Andy Shuford
- Supporting role. He retrieves the bowling balls at the end of the lane.
- Peggy Eames
- Small part. She's mostly in the background during the scenes inside the barn.
- other kids
- Supporting roles and bit parts.
(1.) The boy with the Dutch haircut.
(2.) The boy that keeps score at the bowling alley, but doesn't appear after that.
- undetermined kids
- Maltin & Bann list Billy Butts for this film, but he doesn't appear in this
print.
the animals:
- cat 060 as "Tunney"
- Supporting role. This is Joe's cat, and the one that the gang attaches the note to.
- Pal
- Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He sets up the pins at the bowling alley.
- other animals
- Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) Joe's dog, mostly seen at the start of the film fighting with Tunney.
(2.) The goat that plays "Lingering Roses." Possibly the goat seen previously in
"Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12).
(3.) A duckling that appears out of an egg doubling as a pool ball.
(4.) Two chickens on the "fowl line" at the bowling alley.
the adults:
- Charles A. Bachman as "Officer O'Farrell," Joe's dad
- Supporting role. He's seen moving into a new house at the beginning of the film, and apprehending the
robber at the end.
- Silas D. Wilcox as one of the other officers
- Supporting role. He's the cop who speaks to Joe's dad. Seems to be in charge.
- other adults
- Supporting role, bit parts and extras.
(1.) "Blow-'em-up Baker," the bank robber, who hides out in the gang's
club. Maltin & Bann identify his character name as "Blow-'em-up Barnes." They may have been
thinking of the 1921 film "Burn 'em Up Barnes."
(2.) Two other cops that answer the whistle Joe is blowing, plus four more in the group that storms the
clubhouse.
(3.) The mailman.
(4.) Two moving men.
(5.) A pedestrian shown in the background as the moving vehicles are going down the road.
the locations:
- Clarington Market
- As Joe's family arrives in the neighborhood, they ride past this corner market, which was presumably
on Clarington Avenue in Palms.
- alley
- The alley down which the cops chase the criminal was later used in "The Glorious Fourth"
(no. 64).
miscellaneous:
15 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Two weeks after filming had finished for "Love My Dog"
(no. 59), the 'start' date arrived for "Tired Business Men" on Jan. 18th. Shooting continued
until the 'finish' date of Feb. 3rd. No shooting took place on Jan. 23rd or 30th, which were both Sundays. Robert
A. McGowan (credited as McGowan Jr. in the 1927 datebook entries) directed on each of the shooting dates except
Jan. 19, when his uncle, Robert F. McGowan, directed. After this, two weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began to shoot
"Baby Brother" (no. 61).
There were 40 copies of this film printed for its initial release.
©Mar. 3, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 4/10, 4/25, 12/15.
2006 updates: 1/9, 4/3, 5/16, 6/11, 6/12, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22, 12/8.
2008 updates: 2/21, 3/31, 4/25, 7/6.
2009 updates: 5/9, 6/13, 6/22, 6/26, 7/23.
Thanks to Rob Stone and Joe Moore for assistance on this page.