The Ol' Gray Hoss

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.

© Robert Demoss.