2009 Updates

September 13, 2009
update for Warner Home Video and all episodes of the MGM era: Warners has made available a limited edition DVD-R collection containing all 52 Metro-produced episodes.
update for "Football Romeo" (no. 174): I overlooked Alfalfa's pet parrot in this film. My thanks to Daniel Fleischman for pointing it out.
update for "Radio Bugs" (no. 219): I've added some specifics regarding the shooting dates for this film, deriving the information from dates shown on publicity photos.
August 6, 2009
update for three silent episodes: The elderly woman I've been listing as 'woman 037' is Florence Lee. This name was indicated in the payroll ledgers, and a quick look at Chaplin's "City Lights" verified it. This affects "The Love Bug" (no. 37), "Ask Grandma" (no. 38) and "Fair And Muddy" (no. 75).
update for "Saturday's Lesson" (no. 88): The tune played as Farina's mother wakes him up is "Don't Wake Me Up (Let Me Dream)." My thanks to Matt for identifying this one.
July 27, 2009
update for "Mighty Lak A Goat" (no. 210): I've added some specification for one of the shooting dates for this film.
update for "Farm Hands" (no. 216): I've added a bunch of script information for this film, plus the continuity date and certificate number.
update for "Three Smart Guys" (no. 218): I've added plenty of script information for this film, too, plus the continuity date and certificate number.
July 26, 2009
update for "Tire Trouble" (no. 22): The card presented by the rich kid in this film identifies his character name as "Harold Webster."
update for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31) and various video pages: I hadn't noted this before, but the copyright notice for this film also appears in the reelclassicdvd.com version, as well as the one from Passport Video. I've also indicated the fact that there is actually footage that didn't make it into any of the available versions.
update for "Circus Fever" (no. 35) and "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53): There's a drawing of a horse's head shown in both of these films. My thanks to 'mrsoandso' for pointing this out.
update for "The Big Town" (no. 34) and "Circus Fever" (no. 35): While looking at "Circus Fever," I realized that 'girl 034' is not actually a girl at all, but rather, David Durand. Conveniently enough, his name was listed in the payroll ledgers during the makings of both of these films.
update for "Official Officers" (no. 40) and "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65): Excerpts from both of these films were used for the opening titles of the TV series "Comedy Capers," produced by National Telepix.
update for "Yale Vs. Harvard" (no. 67) and "Boxing Gloves" (no. 91): In his book, The Hollywood Kid, Coy Watson, Jr., reveals that Godfrey Craig's nickname was "Duffy."
update for Roach, Lloyd, Jordan, Parrott and Seawright filmographies: Somehow, I indicated in these filmographies that Harry Langdon was also a featured player in "Block-Heads," which is clearly not the case. My thanks to 'mrsoandso' for pointing this out.
July 23, 2009
update for Campanaro filmography and several film pages: I've updated Tony Campanaro's filmography in light of information I've accumulated from the payroll summaries last year, and the payroll ledgers this year, as well as The Hollywood Kid by Coy Watson, Jr. Firstly, it's fairly clear that his Our Gang involvement began when Pal the dog joined their ranks in early 1924. I've removed his name from the 'possible uncredited involvement' sections for all previous films. I've also put his name on the main list of crew members for all films in which Pal appears, as well as all films in which Pete the Pup IV appears. It should be noted, though, that his name seems to disappear from the payroll summaries in early 1926, even though Pal continued until early 1927. I haven't gotten to this point in the payroll ledgers yet, so perhaps this mystery will be resolved when I do. For now, I'm including Campanaro in the crew listings for this murky period, and including all of Pal's appearances in Campanaro's filmography.
July 19, 2009
update for several Pathés: The boy I've been listing as 'boy 003,' and whose first name of "Gabe" is revealed on the wall of the gang's gym in "Every Man For Himself" (no. 32), was named Gabriel Saienz, as per the studio payroll ledgers. This also affects the pages for "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3), "A Quiet Street" (no. 5), "The Champeen!" (no. 9), "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11), "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12), "Back Stage" (no. 13), "Dogs Of War!" (no. 14), "Lodge Night" (no. 15), "Stage Fright" (no. 17), "July Days" (no. 18), "Derby Day" (no. 21), "Commencement Day" (no. 26), "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28), "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31), "Ask Grandma" (no. 38), "Official Officers" (no. 40), "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42), "Baby Clothes" (no. 49) and "Uncle Tom's Uncle" (no. 50). While the ledgers don't specifically assign extras to individual film projects, his name nevertheless shows up during the makings of each of these films. He's also listed at other times in which he may have been an unseen crowd extra in an Our Gang film, or worked with some other unit at the studio. He is, however, given specific credit for "A Quiet Street."
update for "The Glorious Fourth" (no. 64): The actress playing Joe's mother in this film is indeed June Gittleson, as previously speculated. My thanks to Brian Kirkpatrick for verifying this.
update for "Cat, Dog & Co." (no. 87): The title of 'piece 087a' is "What Does The Pussy Cat Mean When She Says Meow." My thanks to Robin Cook for this info.
July 18, 2009
update for "The Ol' Gray Hoss" (no. 78): I just got back from another round of research in L.A., so stay tuned for a fresh batch of new information on this site. For today, I'll start off with the most fundamental piece of information gained on this journey. As I've suspected for quite some time now, the title of the 78th Our Gang film was not "Old Gray Hoss," as shown in most published resources, but rather "The Ol' Gray Hoss," as verified by the cutting continuity.
June 30, 2009
update for "Big Business" (no. 23): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "The Mysterious Mystery!" (no. 33): I've added the southwest corner of Motor and Woodbine to the locations used in this film.
June 29, 2009
update for "Noisy Noises" (no. 82): I've updated the location info for this film.
June 28, 2009
update for "Old Gray Hoss" (no. 78): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51): I've added a bridge to the location section that was also used in "Old Gray Hoss."
update for "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116) and "Free Wheeling" (no. 117): I've corrected the information regarding the Masonic Hall and Shoe Repairing shop included on these pages. The reason the Shoe Repairing shop is seen isolated away from the Masonic Hall in "Hook And Ladder" is that it had been relocated directly across the street. This no doubt happened when the Masonic Hall was remodeled (or perhaps entirely rebuilt), sometime between "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71) and "Old Gray Hoss" (no. 78). Incidentally, the 1931 Culver City/Palms city directory refers to the building as the Masonic Temple, so that's the name I'll use for later films in which it appears.
June 27, 2009
update for "Crazy House" (no. 76): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Election Day" (no. 81): I've updated the location info for this film.
June 26, 2009
update for "The Glorious Fourth" (no. 64): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Back Stage" (no. 13): I still don't know the exact location, but Ivadell Carter is picked up in front of the same vacant lot seen in "Olympic Games" (no. 63).
update for "Tired Business Men" (no. 60): I've added a note about the alley used in this film, which also appeared in "The Glorious Fourth."
June 25, 2009
update for "Ask Grandma" (no. 38): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28) and "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53): I've added the address of the Fire Department seen in these two films.
June 24, 2009
update for "Calling All Kids" (no. 215): I've added some new script information for this film, as well as the script number, certificate number and continuity date.
June 23, 2009
update for "The Love Bug" (no. 37): I've identified the location of the Co-Operative Sheet Metal Company.
update for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56): I've added the address of the Classy Cleaners, as seen in this film. My thanks to Joe Blatterman for this info.
June 22, 2009
update for "July Days" (no. 18): I've added a couple of more location details for this film.
update for "Baby Clothes" (no. 49): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53): I've added a Home Made Bakery reference in the location section for this film.
update for "Tired Business Men" (no. 60): I've added the intersection of Motor and Tabor to the location section for this film.
June 21, 2009
update for "Uncle Tom's Uncle" (no. 50): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51): I've added a whole bunch of location info for this film.
update for "Ten Years Old" (no. 58): I've identified the alley in which Farina and Mango run from the goat.
update for "Love My Dog" (no. 59): I've elaborated on the dog pound location used in this film.
June 20, 2009
update for "Shivering Spooks" (no. 52): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56): I've identified the location where Johnny wraps the sheet around himself.
update for "The Pooch" (no. 115): I've identified the location where the woman loses her money.
June 19, 2009
update for "Dog Days" (no. 36): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for several silents: I've specified Mentone Avenue as the location of the farm-like property often seen in the silent Our Gang shorts. Usually, Motor Avenue is shown in the background of these shots. This affects "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28), "One Wild Ride" (no. 45), "Monkey Business" (no. 48), "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65), "Dog Heaven" (no. 70) and "Spook-Spoofing" (no. 71).
update for "The Mysterious Mystery!" (no. 33) and "Love My Dog" (no. 59): The house that I previously mentioned as appearing in both of these films turns out to be on Mentone Avenue. The backyard is often seen in Our Gang films with Motor Avenue often appearing in the background.
update for "The Pooch" (no. 115): I've added Woodbine Street to the list of locations for this film.
June 18, 2009
update for links page: I've removed two dead links from this page: the 4alfalfa.com and 'Jackie Remembers' sites. My thanks to Mack Heustess for pointing this out.
update for "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28): I've added the Master Mfg. Co. to the list of locations for this film.
June 17, 2009
update for "July Days" (no. 18): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for four Pathés: Now that I've identified the Palms Press building in "July Days," I've updated the relevant information for "Our Gang" (no. 1), "Fire Fighters" (no. 2), "Seein' Things" (no. 25) and "High Society" (no. 30).
June 16, 2009
update for "The Mysterious Mystery!" (no. 33): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "Love My Dog" (no. 59): I've added a reference to a house shown in both this film and "The Mysterious Mystery!"
June 15, 2009
update for "One Terrible Day" (no. 4) and "Mary, Queen Of Tots" (no. 41): I've noted the use of the same wealthy neighborhood in both of these films.
update for "High Society" (no. 30): I've added new location info for this film.
update for "The Fourth Alarm!" (no. 53): I've added some new location info for this film.
update for "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116) and "Free Wheeling" (no. 117): In earlier episodes, it's common to see a very small building nestled up against the Masonic Hall on Motor Avenue. This was a shoe repairing shop run by J. A. Pryor. In "Hook And Ladder," the Masonic Hall has been demolished and the shoe shop is standing by itself. In "Free Wheeling," a new building has replaced the Masonic Hall, and it appears that the shoe shop is gone.
update for several silent episodes: I've added the Shoe Repairing shop to the locations for "The Love Bug" (no. 37), "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44), "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56), "Chicken Feed" (no. 62), "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65) and "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71).
June 14, 2009
update for filmographies: I've added a page listing the filmographies that I've made so far, which can be accessed on the main page of the website, or by clicking here. My thanks to Elliot Unkefer for this suggestion.
update for "Love My Dog" (no. 59): I've added quite a lot of new location info for this film.
update for "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71): I've added the corner of Woodbine and Vinton to the locations used in this film.
update for "Benjamin Franklin, Jr." (no. 212): I've added quite a lot of script information for this film, as well as the continuity date, the script number and certificate number.
update for "Family Troubles" (no. 213): I've added plenty of script information for this film as well.
update for "Election Daze" (no. 214): I've also added script information for this film, plus the script number, continuity date and certificate number.
June 13, 2009
update for "Tired Business Men" (no. 60): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for four silent episodes: I still don't know the actual location, but the field used in "Olympic Games" (no. 63) is the same place where Jackie and Harry play leapfrog in "The Old Wallop" (no. 68), and also shows up briefly in "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28) and "Baby Brother" (no. 61).
update for "The Pooch" (no. 115): I've added a Motor Avenue location for this film.
June 12, 2009
update for "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42) and "Washee Ironee" (no. 131): The location of the amusement park in the former film is the same as the location of the football field in the latter film.
June 11, 2009
update for "Monkey Business" (no. 48): It's pretty clear that the street where the chimp turns on the fire hydrant is Irene Street, which ends at Motor Avenue in the shot of the utility worker sliding down the street. I've also identified the location where Charlie Hall is selling balloons, and made a few other changes in the locations section.
update for "Pups Is Pups" (no. 100): I've adjusted the information regarding the brick wall repeatedly shown in this film.
update for "Free Wheeling" (no. 117): The street sign that appears to say Motor Pl. probably doesn't. For starters, this location is clearly not Motor Place, since it doesn't match the description for that short street. I'm pretty sure what appears to be the 'PL' on the sign is actually two rows of information, with the top row saying 'AVE' and the bottom row giving the block numbers. Therefore, in coordination with the information I've added for "Monkey Business," I'm identifying the T-intersection as being the spot where Irene Street meets Motor Avenue.
June 10, 2009
update to yesterday's update: I was a little confused, but now I'm okay. Bob Satterfield had emailed Richard Bann with my question about the access road to the ranch. In his reply, he was directly quoting Mr. Bann's reply, and this didn't initially sink in with me. So my thanks go not only to Mr. Satterfield, but to Mr. Bann as well.
June 9, 2009
update for several Roach films: To be more specific, the eucalyptus-lined road shown in several episodes was the access road leading into the Roach Ranch, and is roughly where David Avenue is nowadays. This affects the pages for "It's A Bear" (no. 27), "Teacher's Pet" (no. 101), "School's Out" (no. 102), "Helping Grandma" (no. 103), "Fly My Kite" (no. 107), "The Pooch" (no. 115), "Fish Hooky" (no. 120), "Roamin' Holiday" (no. 156), and perhaps others which will be updated as I get to them. My thanks to Bob Satterfield for providing information on this subject.
update for "It's A Bear" (no. 27): I've verified the use of the Roach Ranch in this film.
update for "Monkey Business" (no. 48): After looking again, I've removed the reference to the eucalyptus-lined road in this film, which is clearly not the access road to the ranch.
update for "Little Daddy" (no. 105): I've added the ranch to the location info for this film.
update for "Dogs Is Dogs" (no. 110) and "The Pooch" (no. 115): Billy Gilbert's house in the former film is also Estelle Ettere's house in the latter film.
update for "Readin' And Writin'" (no. 111): I've updated the location info for this film.
update for "The Pooch" (no. 115): It appears that the access road leading to the ranch was used in this film, which would mean that the adjacent dog pound was a mock-up.
update for "Fish Hooky" (no. 120): I've fleshed out the location info for this film. My thanks to Mark Forer for getting me started on the Venice Pier research. Also, Jeffrey Stanton's website was invaluable.
update for "Honky-Donkey" (no. 129): I've added a location detail for this film regarding the lawn in front of the administration building at the Roach studio.
update for "Roamin' Holiday" (no. 156): I've added some new details regarding the use of the Roach Ranch in this film. My thanks to Elliot Unkefer for prompting me to take a look at this one.
update for Chase filmography: I've given an explanation for the IMDb credit to Chase for writing the song "You Gotta Give Credit To Love." My thanks to Elliot Unkefer for this information.
June 8, 2009
update for "Love Business" (no. 104) and "Shiver My Timbers" (no. 109): It appears that the same pair of funny glasses are worn by Jackie Cooper in the former film and Charlie Oelze in the latter film.
update for "Bargain Day" (no. 106): I've added a bit of location info for this film.
update for various Roach episodes: Somehow, when I started this site back in '05, I misread the Roach Ranch's proximity to Robertson Boulevard to the extent that I had listed Robertson Boulevard as the location of the eucalyptus-lined road that frequently turns up in the Our Gang shorts. Nowadays, this looks completely illogical since "Fly My Kite" (no. 107), clearly shows the actual Robertson Boulevard, as well as the eucalyptus-lined road. As stated in Maltin & Bann's book, the road was actually part of the ranch property. I've corrected this error for "Teacher's Pet" (no. 101), "School's Out" (no. 102), "Helping Grandma" (no. 103), as well as the aforementioned "Fly My Kite," and also updated the info for three silent episodes in which the same road might have been used: "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3), "It's A Bear" (no. 27) and "Monkey Business" (no. 48). I've also mentioned the appearance of the schoolhouse in "Helping Grandma." And lastly, I've mentioned the use of leftover "School's Out" footage in "Love Business" (no. 104). My thanks to Bob Satterfield for verifying the location of the eucalyptus-lined road, which Leon Smith had misidentified in his book.
June 7, 2009
update for "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3): I've added Overland Avenue to the list of locations used for this film.
update for "Cradle Robbers" (no. 28): I've added quite a lot of new location info for this film.
update for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31): I've identified the location of the Sam Seelig store shown in this film.
update for "Chicken Feed" (no. 62): I've added some new location info for this film.
update for "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71): I've identified a church located at the corner of Woodbine and Mentone, and partially seen in this film.
June 6, 2009
update for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31): I've added an Irving Place location to the list for this film.
update for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56): The same Irving Place location is added for this film, as well as the intersection of Motor and Featherstone, and The Palms School.
June 5, 2009
update for "Stage Fright" (no. 17): I've added new location info for this film.
update for "Jubilo, Jr." (no. 29): I've added a bit of new location info for this film.
update for "Boys Will Be Joys" (no. 42): I've added some new location info for this film, including the Adams Hotel and Santa Monica Pier.
June 4, 2009
update for "Derby Day" (no. 21): I've added some location info for this film, as well as another 'Dugan' reference. Whatever this name means, it turns up in at least three of the silent episodes.
June 3, 2009
update for "One Wild Ride" (no. 45): I've added Overland Avenue to the list of locations for this film.
update for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56): I've added quite a lot of new location info for this film.
update for "Baby Brother" (no. 61): I've expanded the locations section for this film a bit.
update for "Spooky Hooky" (no. 149): I've added Donald Proffitt, Jackie Lindquist, and Laughing Gravy, to the cast listing for this film.
June 2, 2009
update for "Fire Fighters" (no. 2): I've added a likely location for 'Robers Cave' in this film.
update for "One Wild Ride" (no. 45) and "Ten Years Old" (no. 58): There's a large house that appears in both of these shorts.
update for "Telling Whoppers" (no. 56): I've added F. F. Guenste to the cast listing for this film.
update for "Heebee Jeebees" (no. 69) and "Dog Heaven" (no. 70): Looking through some photos I took last year along Motor Avenue, I realized that Clarabelle's house in "Dog Heaven" is actually at 3563 Motor, and is still standing.
update for "Bouncing Babies" (no. 93): I've added a bit more detail to the locations, specifically mentioning the house at 3563 Motor Avenue.
update for "The Smile Wins" (no. 66) and "Honky-Donkey" (no. 129): Looking through Leon Smith's locations book, I notice that Turner's Style Shop, as seen in "The Smile Wins," was at the northwest corner of Bagley Avenue and Venice Boulevard. This is the same building seen in "Honky-Donkey," but which by that time was called Ayres Apparel Shop (correcting my previous error of Joe's Apparel Shop).
June 1, 2009
update for "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3): I've elaborated a bit on the use of the Bank of Culver City in this film.
update for "Seein' Things" (no. 25): I've added a new detail to the location info, specifically about Dorothy's earlier vanishing act.
update for "The Love Bug" (no. 37): I've verified and elaborated on the use of the Culver Hotel in this film.
update for "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44): I'm now certain that Buster is the little white dog in this film. I've also elaborated quite a bit on the locations seen in this film, particularly dealing with the Culver Hotel and the Motor & Tabor location.
update for "Monkey Business" (no. 48): I've added a detail about the banner hanging over the street as the police wagon passes MGM Studios. I've also noted the use of the house from "Your Own Back Yard."
update for "Noisy Noises" (no. 82): I had been a bit doubtful about the streetcar station used in this film, since it doesn't look at all like the Ivy Substation that currently occupies the same spot. However, the Images Of America book on Culver City includes a photo of the same location that actually matches the film, so I've added this to the list.
update for "The Pigskin Palooka" (no. 160): An autographed photo identifies Hugh Chapman in this film. I'm also thinking that the referee is probably Joe Geil, but I'm not sure. I've also spotted Dix Davis among the football players.
update for "Baby Blues" (no. 197): I've been a little uneasy about Maltin & Bann's listing of Betty Scott as the older sister in this film. Now I know why. After browsing through a few casting directories, it occurs to me that Ruth Tobey looks exactly like the girl in the film.
update for "Election Daze" (no. 214): I've added Giovanna Gubitosi to the cast listing for this film.
May 23, 2009
update for "Fast Company" (no. 16): I've ruled out both the Culver Hotel and City Hall as possible locations for the hotel entrance in this film.
update for "Tire Trouble" (no. 22): I've added some new location info for this film.
update for "Seein' Things" (no. 25): I've added a lot of new location info for this film. I've also added a Dugans Alley reference to this film, in connection to "No Noise" (no. 20), and mentioned an Abraham Lincoln portrait in Farina's home.
update for "It's A Bear" (no. 27): I've added some new location info for this film.
update for "One Wild Ride" (no. 45): I've added some new Motor Avenue info for this film.
update for "Monkey Business" (no. 48): I've added quite a bit of new location info for this film.
update for "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65): I've added a bit more detail to the Motor Avenue locations for this film.
update for "The Old Wallop" (no. 68): After looking at "Monkey Business," I realize that the hardware store shown in this film was officially called the Palms Hardware Co.
May 22, 2009
update for "Our Gang" (no. 1): I've added just a little more info about the Master Mfg. property used in this film.
update for "Fire Fighters" (no. 2): The alley running parallel to and in between Vinton and Motor is seen in this film, as are a couple of houses very near to this location.
update for "A Quiet Street" (no. 5): I can now see what the street name is on the curb at the new kid's house. It's Featherstone. I still haven't figured out the exact location, though. I've also added the Master Mfg. property and the adjacent alley to the locations for this film.
update for "Saturday Morning" (no. 6): I've added the Master Mfg. property to the locations used in this film.
update for "The Big Show" (no. 7): I've added the house at the corner of National and Vinton to the locations for this film.
update for "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12): It turns out that the Master Mfg. property was used for Ernie's yard in addition to Mickey's, and that the Palms Lumber Company can be seen in some of these shots. The alley behind this property, which stretched from National Boulevard down to Woodbine Street (and beyond), is shown extensively as Joe tracks down the turkey. When Ernie picks up Mickey and Jack, he's on Woodbine at the entrance to this same alley, looking north.
update for "Fast Company" (no. 16): I've added plenty of new location info for this film.
update for "Sunday Calm" (no. 19): I've added a bit of extra detail about the location where Ernie and Farina hitch a ride to the wagon.
update for "No Noise" (no. 20): I've added Palms Lumber to the locations for this film.
update for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31): I've added The Palms School to the list of locations seen as the train careens down Motor Avenue. I've also noted the presence of the house at the corner of National and Vinton in one of the Palms Garage shots.
update for "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65): Somehow, I overlooked the director who gives Pete a tryout. I still don't know who the actor is, but I've listed him among the 'other adults.'
update for "The Old Wallop" (no. 68): I've added Edgar Dearing as the police captain in this film.
May 21, 2009
update for "Better Movies" (no. 43): I've added some new details for this film, mainly character names deriving from the narrated Mischief Makers episode.
update for "Dog Heaven" (no. 70): While leafing through a 1927 city directory, I located S. A. Franklin Hardware on Venice Boulevard, but failed to notice that there was another one on Motor Avenue, which is definitely the one seen in this film.
update for "Fair And Muddy" (no. 75): I've added new info for this film, including a few more cast members.
May 20, 2009
update for "The Old Wallop" (no. 68): I've added location information for this film, including a specific address for Wheezer's house.
May 19, 2009
update for "Sunday Calm" (no. 19): I've added character names, plus a few additional animals to this cast listing. I've also discovered a couple of the locations used, and have given more details about the Sunday comics shown early in the film.
update for Passport Video and 3 films: I've added a DVD called "100 Years Of Comedy," which includes clips from "Bear Shooters" (no. 98), "General Spanky" (no. 150) and "Waldo's Last Stand" (no. 194).
May 18, 2009
update for four early Pathés: There is now no doubt about the exact location of the 'backyard' shown in "Our Gang" (no. 1), "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12) and "No Noise" (no. 20). I've also identified the location of the peaked roof shown in "Our Gang" and "Fire Fighters" (no. 2).
update for "The Big Show" (no. 7): I've added location info for this film. The kids' fairground was in the same location as the railroad in "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31). I've also given the entire name of Edythe Sterling, one of the names on the signs at the adult fair. I had previously been unable to make out the first two letters of her name.
update for six early Pathés: A slight correction. I was puzzled by the fact that the Palms Chamber of Commerce looks completely different in "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31) than it does in the earlier films. The simple explanation behind this is that it changed locations. In this latter film, it's on the 3400 block of Motor Avenue, probably at 3438, as stated in the 1927 city directory. On closer inspection, I realized that the earlier location was the same place later occupied by the Micholithic company on the 3300 block. This also affects "The Champeen!" (no. 9), "Circus Fever" (no. 35), "The Love Bug" (no. 37) and "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44). I've also added this location to the page for "A Quiet Street" (no. 5).
update for "Rainy Days" (no. 72): The copyright renewal was of the second copyright of 1929 rather than the original 1928 copyright.
update for "Edison, Marconi & Co." (no. 73): I've found some alternate copyright renewal information for this short which jibes better with the rest of the films from this era.
update for "The Pooch" (no. 115): I've corrected the copyright renewal number for this film.
update for three MGM episodes: I've added Dave Snell to the credits for "Men In Fright" (no. 173), "Tiny Troubles" (no. 177) and "Going To Press" (no. 205), as per the copyright registrations.
update for "Ye Olde Minstrels" (no. 198): I've added some information about the meaning of 'Ye.'
update for most of the MGM episodes: And lastly, I've added the copyright information for the last 42 episodes, starting with "Joy Scouts" (no. 181).
May 17, 2009
update for "Our Gang" (no. 1): I've clarified some of the location info for this film.
update for "Fire Fighters" (no. 2): I've verified the use of the Palms Garage as a location in this film, as well as the businesses across the street from it. I also mentioned the house that was later used for "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12). I had listed it on the page for the latter film, but had forgotten to list it on the "Fire Fighters" page.
update for "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3): There's no question at this point that the People's Water Company and Masonic Hall are both (very briefly) shown in this film. I'm also fairly convinced that William Gillespie plays the cop in this film and not Charles Stevenson.
update for "A Quiet Street" (no. 5): The synopsis submitted for copyright of this film reveals the nickname of "Banty," which is first given to the new boy, and then to Jack Davis.
update for "The Champeen!" (no. 9): I've found a brief moment in which the Palms Lumber Company is shown in this film. I've also mentioned the use of the businesses on the west side of the 3300 block of Motor Avenue, and verified the address of the Palms Chamber of Commerce.
update for "Giants Vs. Yanks" (no. 12): I've added a bit of location info for this film.
update for "No Noise" (no. 20): I've added character names for the various kids in this film, which are revealed on scraps of paper indicating their ownership of items that are ultimately swallowed by Farina. I've also verified Andy Samuel's participation in this film, and have included information on "Lewis De Vore." I've also revealed the location of the backyard where the football practice takes place.
update for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31): I've added quite a bit of location information for this film, since it turns out that the kids' railroad was located on the block of Motor Avenue just north of the Palms Garage.
update for "Every Man For Himself" (no. 32): I've added new details about the locations used in this short.
update for "Circus Fever" (no. 35): I've added some new details about the Motor Avenue locations seen in this film.
update for "The Love Bug" (no. 37): I've added Helen Gilmore to the cast listing for this film. I've also spotted a street sign for Arlington Avenue in the scene showing the Co-Operative Sheet Metal location. I've also added a bit of new information about the Motor Avenue locations.
update for "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44): I've added some details about the Micholithic location for this film.
update for "Heebee Jeebees" (no. 69): I've noted the use of Clarabelle's house from "Dog Heaven" in this short.
update for "Dog Heaven" (no. 70): I've added some new location info for this film.
update for "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71): I've added to and corrected the location info for this film.
update for "Bouncing Babies" (no. 93): I've elaborated a bit on the Motor & Tabor location in this film.
update for "The First Seven Years" (no. 96): Definitely not the same park bench as seen in "The Love Bug" (no. 37)
update for "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116): I've added some new details for the locations used in this film.
update for "Free Wheeling" (no. 117): I've added the location of Dickie Moore's house in this film, and elaborated a bit on the Overland Avenue location.
May 9, 2009
update for several early Pathés: I've concluded that 'boy 002a' is Richard Billings, and that 'boy 002b' is his brother, Elmo Billings. This is partly based on Maltin & Bann's listing of Richard in the cast for "Lodge Night" (no. 15), as well as the presence of his full name on the blackboard in that film, and Elmo's first name on the wall of the clubhouse. It's also based on a strong resemblance between the boys in the films and the casting directory photos of the two brothers. In particular, the photo in Maltin & Bann's book for "Fire Fighters" (no. 2) provides an uncanny resemblance with Richard's casting directory photo. It should be noted, too, that there is a list of names at the Margaret Herrick library of kids not listed by Maltin & Bann, and this list includes Elmo Billings. Other films affected by this change are "The Big Show" (no. 7), "The Champeen!" (no. 9), "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11), "Dogs Of War!" (no. 14) and "Official Officers" (no. 40).
update for "Every Man For Himself" (no. 32): I've made some changes to the page for this film, particularly in light of the presence of the boys' names on the wall of the gym. This verifies, for instance, the presence of Monty O'Grady. It also seems to reveal the name of 'boy 003,' though I'm not able to make out what it says.
update for "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44): I've also made some additions to this page, including the addition of Pal.
update for "Playin' Hookey" (no. 65): I've also made additions to this page, including the addition of Charles Millsfield, Charlie Oelze, and the Motor and Woodbine location.
update for "Fair And Muddy" (no. 75): The 'Pet Orphanage' in this film is actually made up of twelve cages and not sixteen, as previously thought. Thanks to Robin Cook for mentioning this.
update for "Tired Business Men" (no. 60): I've noticed that the name 'Scooter' is written on the barn wall in this film, which is sufficient for including it as his character name.
update for "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116): The address of the fire station in this film is actually 10416 National Blvd., and not 10420, as stated by Leon Smith in his book on movie locations. It's possible that the street number has changed since the film was originally made, but the film itself reveals the address.
update for handful of early Roach talkies: Since the cutting continuity for "Fish Hooky" (no. 120) refers to John Collum as 'Johnny,' I'm going to assume that this was his childhood nickname and credit him accordingly. However, the production material for "Our Gang Follies Of 1938" (no. 162) refers to him as John Collum. Because of this, the adjustment from 'John' to 'Johnny' will only apply to his earlier 'Uh Huh' appearances, the assumption being that he felt sufficiently old enough to be called 'John' during the later period in which he worked as an extra.
March 29, 2009
update for "Fire Fighters" (no. 2): I've verified Betsy Ann Hisle as the little blonde girl in this film.
update for "Sunday Calm" (no. 19): Somehow, I had mistakenly thought that Maltin & Bann listed the last name of 'Tuttle' for one of the families in this film. I must have mixed it up with "The Cobbler," as they were quite correct that the last name is 'Tucker.' My thanks to Robin Cook for noticing this.
update for "The Old Wallop" (no. 68): It appears that Jackie is not actually Wheezer's older brother in this film. My thanks to Michelle Schacht for pointing this out.
update for "Tiny Troubles" (no. 177): A publicity photo for this film carries the date of Jan. 9th, which reveals the shooting date for the last scene in the film.
update for "Radio Bugs" (no. 219): Two more dated photos have appeared on eBay, revealing a bit more detail regarding shooting dates.
update for "Our Gang Follies Of 1936" (no. 141): Interesting bit of trivia. There's an old trunk backstage in this film that says Hal Roach's Rascals "Our Gang" on it. My thanks to Steven R. Wright for noticing this.
update for Roach, Chase and McCarey filmographies: The Charley Chase film "Hard Boiled" is actually titled "Hard-Boiled," with a hyphen.
March 9, 2009
update for "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11): I've made a few adjustments to the cast listing for this short, most notably verifying Clara Guiol's involvement.
update for "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51) and Alpha Video page and new video page: I've acquired the Laurel & Hardy DVD "Early Silent Classics Volume 2." I had previously assumed that the print of this film is the same as on the "Laurel Or Hardy" DVD set, and I have now verified it. I've also acquired a VHS from Videobrary, Inc., which contains this same version.
update for "The Buccaneers" (no. 24), "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51) and Passport Video: Passport released a pirate-themed DVD set back in 2006 which included "The Buccaneers." I've also specified the release date for their "Laurel Or Hardy" set, which included "Thundering Fleas."
update for three Roach talkies and new video page: A company called Flashback Entertainment has released a DVD called "The Little Rascals Festival" which contains "Bear Shooters" (no. 98), "School's Out" (no. 102), and "Our Gang Follies Of 1938" (no. 162).
March 8, 2009
update for "Cat, Dog & Co." (no. 87) and "Saturday's Lesson" (no. 88): I've added a few song titles for these two films. "Piece 087i" is "Dreamy Melody," "piece 088g" is "I Faw Down And Go Boom," "piece 088h" is actually two different tunes, the second of which is "Lazy," and "piece 088k" is "A Shady Tree." My thanks to Matt for passing along this info.
update for "July Days" (no. 18) and "Mary, Queen Of Tots" (no. 41): The scene in the latter film involving the sword fight was most likely left over from the former film. A publicity photo reveals that the two armored knights are Mickey Daniels and Jack Davis. My thanks to Randy Jones for bringing this to light.
update for four MGM episodes and Warners video page: A DVD containing four of the MGM episodes was produced by Warner Home Video, but seems to have never gotten beyond the manufacturing of promotional copies. Included on the disc are "Alfalfa's Aunt" (no. 176), "Alfalfa's Double" (no. 187), "Cousin Wilbur" (no. 180) and "Auto Antics" (no. 183). My thanks to Eric Feick for bringing this to light.
update for "Spook-Spoofing" (no. 71): I didn't notice this previously while checking out the new Genius set, but "Spook Spoofing" is actually "Spook-Spoofing" with a hyphen. My thanks to Steven R. Wright for noticing this.
update for "Teacher's Pet" (no. 101): The spot where Miss Crabtree drops off Jackie Cooper is the corner of La Cienega Blvd. and Venice Blvd. The structure shown is the Pacific Electric streetcar overpass. My thanks to Los Angeles native Mark Forer for remembering this local landmark.
update for "Your Own Back Yard" (no. 44): The lyricist for "Stay In Your Own Back Yard" is actually Karl Kennett, and not Karl Kenneth, as mispelled on the latter version of the sheet music. My thanks to Michelle Schacht for pointing out this fact.
update for "The Cobbler" (no. 8): The character name "Farina" is used in the inter-titles, and it's revealed that he's a 'she.'
update for "One Terrible Day" (no. 4): The character name "Farina" is also used in this short.
update for "Buried Treasure" (no. 47): Florence Hoskins appears towards the end of this short, playing Farina's mother. Dorothy Vernon also plays one of the parents.
update for "Love Business" (no. 104): A publicity photo reveals that one of the posters at the theater is for "This Mad World."
update for "Radio Bugs" (no. 219): I've been able to pinpoint the shooting date for the 'radio comedians' scene.
update for "Dogs Of War!" (no. 14) and three filmographies: The Camera information for the week beginning Jan. 8, 1923, also applies to the week starting Jan. 15, 1923. This is revealed by a posting at silentcomedians.com by Joe Moore. This affects the filmographies for Tom McNamara, Len Powers and Clarence Morehouse.
update for "Ten Years Old" (no. 58): Add the barber who cuts Jackie's hair to the list of unidentified players in this film.
update for Roach, Chase, and McCarey filmographies: The Charley Chase comedy "Too Many Mamas" is actually "Too Many Mammas." I noticed this the other night at a Roach film program in Niles.
January 18, 2009
update for A-1 Video and several silent shorts: A-1 Video has two recent Rascals Silents releases. Vol. 4 includes "Our Gang" (no. 1), "The Glorious Fourth" (no. 64), "Baby Brother" (no. 61), "Official Officers" (no. 40), plus home movie fragments from "The Cobbler" (no. 8), "Commencement Day" (no. 26) and "The Buccaneers" (no. 24). Vol. 5 includes "The Spanking Age" (no. 80), "Ten Years Old" (no. 58), "Fast Freight" (no. 85), "Barnum & Ringling, Inc." (no. 74) with the original soundtrack, and "Rainy Days" (no. 72). I've also been able to verify crew credits for "Ten Years Old," as well as add a few minor details to the cast listing.
update for Giebler filmography: I've added a note about a poem written by Giebler which appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. My thanks to Andrew Reichel (Giebler's great-grandson) for providing this info. The poem, incidentally, can be read in full at the silentcomedians.com site.
update for "Spanky" (no. 113): I've added a note about the specific scene taken from Spanky's screen test, according to Leonard Maltin in his Cabin Fever introduction for the film.
January 11, 2009
update for several MGM episodes: A feature film entitled "Underground Agent" includes 'girl 189' in its cast. IMDb credits Joan Blake with playing the relevant part, and this is the anglized name of Giovanna Gubitosi, who Maltin & Bann list as Jovanni Gubitosi. Unfortunately, the film doesn't credit her onscreen, but I think it's almost certain that 'girl 189' is Giovanna Gubitosi, and will credit her as such until information to the contrary comes along. My thanks to bigshotjones over at thelittlerascals.net for providing a clip of the feature film for viewing. This update affects "The Big Premiere" (no. 189), "The New Pupil" (no. 191), "Ye Olde Minstrels" (no. 198), "Come Back, Miss Pipps" (no. 199), "1-2-3-Go!" (no. 200), "Robot Wrecks" (no. 201), "Surprised Parties" (no. 207) and "Calling All Kids" (no. 215). At this point, I still haven't spotted Jovanni in "Time Out For Lessons" (no. 186), the only short for which Maltin & Bann list her. Regarding the discrepancy between Giovanna and Jovanni: I noticed in the Robert Blake article at Wikipedia that his sister was listed as Giovanna, rather than Jovanni (as Maltin & Bann listed her). This led me to researching the two names, both of which have the same meaning. However, Jovanni is a boys' name, and is the equivalent of Giovanni, or John. Giovanna is a girls' name, and is the equivalent of Joan. All of my cast entries for this child actress identify her as Giovanna Gubitosi, but also indicate that she was later known as Joan Blake.

For updates from 2008, click here.

For updates from 2007, click here.

For updates from 2006, click here.

For updates from 2005, click here.