Election Day

film no. 81

availability:

Our Gang Volume #9 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This copy is a home movie print from Blackhawk, but with tbe company name blacked out. There are no crew credits, and the inter-titles are remade, but seem to retain the original wording. It appears that a handful of them are missing from this print. The picture quality is fairly good. The print totals 18:50, with about 17:20 of it original footage. Ignoring inter-titles, it appears that 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 19:39. 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, and there are one or two mistakes. Music is provided by the Beau Hunks with sound effects.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

The film probably only gives him credit as a presenter.

Supervised by Robert F. McGowan

This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan and Anthony Mack

Mack is probably the only one credited in the film, as reflected in Maltin & Bann's book. However, Rob Stone's list reveals that Robert F. McGowan was the initial director, with Mack (credited on the list as McGowan, Jr.), taking over on July 23rd. Mack was actually Robert A. (for Anthony) McGowan, the nephew of Robert F.

Photographed by Art Lloyd

This credit probably appears in the film.

Edited by Richard Currier

This credit probably appears in the film.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit probably appears in the film.

Story by Anthony Mack

Real name: Robert A. McGowan. This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.

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
• assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien
• construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen
• laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
• optical effects supervisor - Roy Seawright
• still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves
• transportation director - Bob Davis
• school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

• assistant direction - Possibly Charles Oelze.
• editing - Bert Jordan and William Terhune were among the cutters during this period.
• writing - Robert F. 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, and possibly Ted Driscoll, William A. Collins and Roy Seawright.
• animal training - Harry Lucenay and Tony Campanaro were probably among the animal trainers.

the kids:

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Lead role. He's supposed to deliver some laundry, but the other boys won't let him out of his yard.

girl 080 as "Pleurisy"

Lead role. She accompanies Farina throughout the film, providing comic moments throughout.

Joe Cobb as "Joe Cobb"

Supporting role. He's running against Jay R., and threatens to hit Farina if he leaves his yard.

Jay R. Smith as "Jay R."

Supporting role. He's running against Joe and makes the same threat to Farina.

Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"

Supporting role. He assists Joe by standing guard with a hammer.

Jackie Condon

Supporting role. He assists Jay. This was his last appearance in the series.

Harry Spear

Supporting role. He assists Joe, but isn't given much of anything specific to do.

Mary Ann Jackson

Supporting role. She assists Joe, but mostly just alerts him to Farina's escape attempts.

Phyllis Hurst

Undetermined part. A 1927 casting directory credits her with appearing in this film, but she's not shown in the available footage.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1)

Supporting role. He's present in the scenes with Mary Ann, but doesn't do anything too specific.

monkey 004

Small part. Presumably the monkey seen previously. He climbs on the buildings and drops things onto the gangsters' heads.

dog 034

Bit part. He takes the sausages from Pleurisy.

Leo

Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.

other animals

Small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) The cow that looks through the telescope.
(2.) The goat that drinks the liquor.
(3.) The white rat that goes up Farina's pantleg.
(4.) A black and white cat, possibly seen previously in "Baby Brother" (no. 61).
(5.) Various other barnyard animals, including turkeys, geese, chickens, additional cows, a pig, a little dog and a horse pulling a cart.

bugwatch

The ants sat on by Harry, Mary Ann and Wheezer.

the adults:

Louise Beavers as Farina's mom

Supporting role. She orders Farina to take the laundry, and then spanks her two kids at the end of the film.

Gene Morgan as one of the cops

Small part. Farina hands the ballots over to him.

man 081

Bit part. He's the guy that gets his hat shot off. Perhaps Maltin & Bann meant him when they listed Ham Kinsey.

other adults

Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) Farina's father, who drinks alcohol while working in the fields. Maltin & Bann credit this part to Clarence Muse, but I don't think it's him.
(2.) Several gangsters, two of whom are listed by Maltin & Bann as Baldwin Cooke and Jack Hill, but I haven't verified these two yet. Another is Dick Gilbert, but I don't see him anywhere in the film.
(3.) At least two additional cops.
(4.) Various pedestrians, including Ham Kinsey as the 'man about town' and Retta Palmer as the 'lady in town,' but I haven't verified these two yet. Ed Brandenberg is listed by Maltin & Bann as the man who slips on the banana, but I'm still trying to work out the difference between him and Chet Brandenberg. There's also the shoeshine worker and the customer who gets hit in the head, and also the guy carrying the sausages.

the locations:

Hal Roach Studios

The New York set was used for the last part of the film.

miscellaneous:

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