technical details:
Production G-12.
Filmed May 7 to 26, and August 16, 1928. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Music and sound effects recorded Aug. 9, 1928 (for reel 1) and Aug. 10, 1928 (for reel 2).
Copyrighted October 20, 1928, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP25747. Renewed
December 7, 1955, with registration no. R160737. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2023.
Released October 20, 1928. It was the 78th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler, with synchronized music and sound effects, on disc only.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "The Ol' Gray
Hoss".'
the crew:
- Produced by Robert F. McGowan for
Hal Roach
- This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film probably credits Roach as the presenter, with a
separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
- Supervised by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
- Directed by Robert F. McGowan and Anthony
Mack
- The film credits only Mack, who was actually Robert A. (for Anthony) McGowan, the nephew of
Robert F. The 1928 studio datebook credits the uncle with directing the film.
- Photographed by Art Lloyd
- This credit appears in the film.
- Edited by Richard Currier
- This credit appears in the film. Currier also prepared the soundtrack while at the Victor headquarters in New York.
- Titles by H. M. Walker
- This credit appears in the film.
- Animation by Roy Seawright
- This credit derives from Seawright's payroll status as the studio animator during this period. The
animation in this film includes popcorn, an electric shock and sound effects in word form.
- Story by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.
- Animal Trainer: Harry Lucenay
- He was Pete's owner and trainer.
- Music performed by the Motion Picture Orchestra
- According to the Victor ledgers, as described at the DAHR website. The musical director was David Mendoza,
assisted by Don Albert, with choral director Bradley Barker.
- Teacher: Fern Carter
- Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Probably indicated in the opening title card.
- Passed by the National Board of Review
- Probably indicated in the film.
- studio personnel
- director-general - Leo McCarey
- general manager - Warren Doane
- assistant general manager - L. A. French
- secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
- construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen
- laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
- optical effects supervisor - Roy Seawright
- still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- assistant direction - Probably Charles Oelze.
- cutting - Possibly Lloyd Campbell.
- writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough and Charlie Hall may have been among the gag writers.
- property department - Charles Oelze, Don
Sandstrom and Thomas Benton Roberts were probably involved in this capacity.
- animal training - Tony Campanaro may have been
among the animal trainers.
the kids:
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins
- Featured role. He and Joe run Chief Cummings' taxi service, and he's given a lot of the gag material.
- Joe Cobb
- Featured role. He's essentially the leader of the gang and runs the horse-drawn cab with Farina.
- Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins
- Featured role. He's given a running gag where he wants to be given something to do.
- Mary Ann Jackson
- Supporting role. She cooks breakfast for the chief.
- Harry Spear
- Supporting role. He's given mostly ensemble work in this film, but is the one that pipes the exhaust into the rival's cab.
- Jean Darling
- Supporting role. She does mostly ensemble acting in this film.
- Jimmy Farren
- Supporting role. He mostly stands around, but helps Harry to pipe the exhaust into the rival's cab.
the animals:
- horse 014 as "Duke"
- Featured role. He's the center of the story and is in danger of being sent to the glue factory.
Presumably the same white horse seen previously.
- Pete (no. 1)
- Supporting role. He's given some gag material and goes after the rival at one point.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
- cat 060
- Bit part. This is merely a guess, since this cat is hard to identify in this film, but it looks
consistent with the cat from "Tired Business Men" (no. 60).
- other animals
- Bit parts. Several chicks are hatched by Wheezer.
the adults:
- Robert Cummings as "Chief Cummings"
- Featured role. He's the retired fire chief whose taxi route is being taken by a rival.
- man 076 as the rival cab driver
- Featured role. He's the mean cab driver that sabotages the chief's business, only to have the
tables turned on him.
- Charley Lloyd as the creditor
- Small part. He's seen a couple of times threatening to foreclose on the chief. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Charley Young.
- Charles Bachman as "Mulligan"
- Small part. He's seen near the end of the film settling the chief's debt.
- Mary Gordon as the first cab passenger
- Bit part. She's the wife of the bearded cab passenger.
- Ellinor Van Der Veer as the dowager
- Bit part. She's seen getting splattered by the flying food.
- Charles A. Millsfield
- Bit part. He's the bearded man who's splattered with milk or paint.
- Hayes Robertson
- Bit part. He's the black man who gets pelted by the flying food. Previously seen in "The Big
Town" (no. 34), among others.
- Charles King as one of the passengers
- Bit part. He's the only man among the passengers who get the free ride.
- other adults
- Bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The bearded cab passenger who's alarmed by the speed of the vehicle.
- (2.) The photographer who flies into the air.
- (3.) The sidewalk merchant whose merchandise is hurled into the air.
- (4.) Two more women and one more man getting pelted by food.
- (5.) The couple whose faces are blackened. Maltin & Bann list Tenen Holtz as a bearded passenger, and
it appears that they mean the husband.
- (6.) The two male passengers who are electrocuted.
- (7.) The three piano movers and the cop who helps them.
- (8.) The man who falls into the water and the man who soon joins him.
- (9.) The five women sharing the free ride with Charles King.
- (10.) Several pedestrians.
the locations:
- National Boulevard, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The two cabs pick up their passengers at the Palms Depot. The cab passengers are seen on the side
of the building facing the tracks, while the cabs are parked on the side facing the street. The Eureka Glue Factory is
actually a mock-up located at the back fence of the yard next to the Palms Garage.
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- During the wild ride, the horse-drawn taxi travels north along the 3400 block of Motor, with views of
the Palms Chamber of Commerce at 3438 Motor, and the Home Made Bakery at 3466 Motor. The rival cab driver
drops off his customers in front of the new version of the Masonic Hall at 3402 Motor. Seen in some of these shots
is the opposite side of the street, and the house at 3435 Motor. As the kids escape with the horse, they ride south along
the 3200 block of Motor, with the gas station at 10367 National shown in the background, as well as the Palms Garage at
3304 Motor.
- Hal E. Roach Studios
- The New York exterior set was used extensively near the end of this film.
- bridge
- Wheezer jumps off the same bridge seen in "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51).
miscellaneous:
19 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Roughly seven and a half weeks after shooting finished for
"Growing Pains" (no. 77), the 'start' for "The Ol' Gray Hoss" arrived on May 7th.
The studio had been closed for over five of those weeks. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of May 26th.
No shooting took place on May 6th, 13th, or 20th, which were all Sundays. After this, about a week and a half passed
before shooting began for "School Begins" (no. 79). Through the summer, shooting started and finished
for this film as well as "The Spanking Age" (no. 80) and "Election Day" (no. 81).
Almost two weeks after the initial finish date for this last film, retakes for "The Ol' Gray Hoss" were shot
on Aug. 16th. About a week after this, retakes began for "Election Day." Robert F. McGowan directed on each of
the shooting dates for "The Ol' Gray Hoss."
The 16-inch disc masters containing the music and sound effects were Victor matrix MVE-46734 (for reel 1) and
Victor matrix MVE-46753 (for reel 2). The takes were all recorded at the Church Bldg. in Camden, NJ. The takes for
reel 1 were numbered 1A, 2, and 2A, with take 2 becoming the master. The takes for reel 2 were numbered 1, 1A, 2, and 2A, with take
2A becoming the master. The orchestra was made up of 28 men (27 for reel 1), while the chorus (which more likely provided
sound effects rather than singing) was made up of 3 women, 1 man, 3 boys and 2 girls. The Victor ledgers use the word
"Inaudible" to indicate that the soundtrack contains no dialogue or other closely synchronized sound.
Most secondary sources identify this film as "Old Gray Hoss," including Maltin & Bann's book. The
cutting continuity for the film, as well as the Victor ledgers, reveal that the title is actually "The Ol' Gray Hoss,"
which is corroborated by a lobby card.
availability:
- Our Gang Volume #9 (VHS) from
Grapevine Video and also from
The Picture Palace
- This copy is a TV print entitled "Old Gray Hoss" from The Little Rascals series made by
Interstate Television Corporation. The crew credits and inter-titles are original. The picture quality is fair. The
print totals 21:19, with 21:02 of it original footage. Almost all of the original film is included. This version
has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
- special note
- There's a European video release of this film lasting 20:23. The titles are all remade, with the
object of making them appear original. However, the font is not quite the same as on the original prints. Music is
provided by the Beau Hunks with sound effects.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.