technical details:
Production G-16.
Filmed October 29 to November 10, 1928. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Music and sound effects recorded January 14, 1929.
Music cue sheet dated January 16, 1929.
Released February 9, 1929. It was the 82nd film in the series to be released.
Copyrighted March 5, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP200. Renewed
September 13, 1956, with registration no. R176891. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2024.
Silent two-reeler with synchronized music track and sound effects.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Noisy
Noises".'
the crew:
- Produced by Robert F. McGowan for
Hal Roach
- This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit
reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
- Directed by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
- Photographed by Art Lloyd
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- Edited by Richard Currier
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- Titles by Reed Heustis
- This credit probably appears in the film.
- 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 Josef Pasternak.
- Teacher: Fern Carter
- Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Probably indicated in the opening title.
- 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
- possible uncredited involvement
- assistant direction - Probably Charles Oelze.
- cutting - Possibly Lloyd Campbell.
- writing - Robert A. McGowan, Jean Yarbrough, Hal Yates 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:
- Joe Cobb as "Joe"
- Lead role. He's suffering from a toothache while having to care for his perpetually crying baby
brother. Farina calls him "Round Boy."
- Warren Mills as "Rupert"
- Featured role. He's the baby that won't stop crying.
- Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins as "Wheezer"
- Supporting role. He spends most of the film bug-hunting with a hammer, and waking the baby.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins
- Supporting role. The nickname isn't used in this film. He leads a band of musicians, and helps Joe to
quiet down the neighbors.
- Harry Spear
- Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, but does mostly ensemble acting.
- George Dunning
- Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, and is the boy that does cartwheels down the sidewalk.
- Andy Shuford
- Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, and isn't given much of anything specific to do.
- Gordon Thorpe
- Supporting role. He's one of the musicians, but does mostly ensemble acting
- Mary Ann Jackson
- Small part. She's seen outside with Jean, and the two join the boys on the way to the dentist.
- Jean Darling
- Small part. She's seen outside with Mary Ann, and the two join the boys on the way to the dentist.
- Jay R. Smith
- Bit part. He's seen coming out of the dentist's office, where he warns Joe.
- Buddy Moore
- Bit part. He's the boy that gives Wheezer a penny for the dollar bill.
- questionable listings
- Maltin & Bann list Bret Black, but I don't think he appears in this print.
the animals:
- Pete (no. 1)
- Supporting role. He's in the bug-hunting scenes with Wheezer, and then helps to pull Joe's tooth.
- monkey 004
- Small part. Presumably the same monkey seen previously. He joins Rupert on his wild ride.
- cat 080
- Bit part. Joe finds him in the icebox.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
- other animals
- Bit parts.
- (1.) The rat that frightens the singer.
- (2.) The cat chased by Pete.
- bugwatch
- Various bugs are hunted by Wheezer, some real and some fake.
the adults:
- Michael Mark as the voice coach
- Small part. He puts cotton in his ears to keep from hearing his student.
- man 081 as the tuba player
- Small part. His lips pucker up when he sees the boys sucking on lemons.
- Jack O'Brien as the lemon vendor
- Bit part. He gives the boys lemons to make the tuba player's lips pucker.
- Lyle Tayo as Joe's mom
- Bit part. She's shown briefly giving Joe a dollar to have his tooth pulled.
- Fred Holmes as the bald man on the stairs
- Bit part. Wheezer konks him on the head while bug-hunting.
- Edith Fortier as the pedestrian
- Bit part. The monkey jumps on her back.
- other adults
- Bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The man with the bass fiddle, identified by Maltin & Bann as Tenen Holtz, but I'm not positive about this.
- (2.) The woman singing.
- (3.) The truck driver unloading lumber.
- (4.) The man sleeping on the bench.
- (5.) The man who drives into the hole.
- (6.) The construction worker who comes out of the hole.
- (7.) The motorcycle cop who swerves out of the way of the baby carriage.
- (8.) Dozens of pedestrians, streetcar passengers and motorists seen in various shots.
the music:
This film was released with music, but I don't know if the disc has survived over the years. The available prints
are without the original soundtrack, but I do have information from the cue sheet regarding which music was used.
Unfortunately, I haven't had much luck researching the titles, and connecting the titles to the scenes in the film is
also somewhat difficult.
- "My Baby's Driving Me Wild" by Larry Spier and Sam Coslow
- This tune opens the film and is played as Rupert cries. It returns after "Barcarolle," probably
leading into Wheezer's bughunting sequence. It's played a third time, probably after the cradle collapses.
- "Rock A Bye Baby"
- Originally called "Hushabye Baby," the words to this song may have originated in 1600s colonial
America. The term 'rock-a-bye' was added by 1805, and the melody was probably added in the 1880s. The cue
sheet credits somebody named Luz with this piece. In the film, it initially is played the first time Joe rocks the cradle. It
returns when he rocks the cradle again, resulting in the cradle collapsing.
- "Barcarolle" by Anton Rubinstein
- Rubinstein actually wrote six Barcarolles, so this is a rather vague identification. This piece is
probably played as Joe takes his medicine.
- "Never Mind Bo Peep" by Victor Herbert
- Published in 1903 as part of "Babes In Toyland," with lyrics by Glen MacDonough. This piece is
played right after the second appearance of "My Baby's Driving Me Wild." Both songs seem to be connected
with Rupert's incessant crying, with the first instance of this tune probably coinciding with Rupert's first
reaction to Wheezer's hammering. It turns up a second time, right after "Me-Ow," probably as Rupert
reacts to the bass player. Then, after "Mysterious Tension," it's played a third time, probably right before
Joe rocks the cradle again. The cue sheet also states that the tune is played a fourth time, after "Adieu,"
though there doesn't seem to be any crying in this part of the film.
- "Spring Thoughts" by B. K. Salzer
- This was actually a novelette by Salzer, who gets credit in the cue sheet. Sheet music for orchestra was
published in 1912 by M. Witmark. This piece was probably played as Wheezer hides from Joe. It's played again, after
"Une Parole D'Amour," probably as Wheezer is hammering the bug on the sidewalk.
- "Me-ow" by Mel B. Kaufman
- Published in 1918 with lyrics by Harry D. Kerr. This is played as we see the cat in the icebox.
- "Mysterious Tension" by William Axt
- This is probably played during the scene with the bass player, but may continue through the scene where
Joe finally catches Wheezer and throws him out.
- "Hail Hail The Gang's All Here (What The Deuce Do We Care)" by Theodore Morse and
Arthur Sullivan
- Published in 1917 with lyrics by D. A. Esrom. Morse adapted the tune from a melody contained within the
portion of Act II of The Pirates Of Penzance normally referred to as "With Cat-Like Tread." This 1879
comic opera was written by Sullivan, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. A smaller bit of this Sullivan melody had been used
in the 1915 song "Alabama Jubilee," which is where the line "hail, hail, the gang's all here"
comes from. In this film, it undoubtedly is played we first see the gang playing their instruments. Sullivan is given sole
credit on the cue sheet.
- "Bon Vivant" by J. S. Zamecnik
- Published in 1917. This is played probably around the time the boys are playing their instruments to
cheer up Rupert.
- "Sarcasm" by Leo Kempinski
- This piece might coincide with Joe and Farina's 'fight.'
- "Lamentoso" by Ricardo Drigo
- This might be what accompanies the tuba player.
- "Mystic Romance" by Stephen Srawley
- This might be what accompanies the opera singer.
- "Allegro Agitato #8" by J. E. Andino
- Published in 1919. This piece might accompany the scene where the opera singer reacts to the mouse.
- "Adieu" by J. S. Zamecnik
- This piece is probably played as Joe leaves for the dentist's office, baby and all.
- "Une Parole D'Amour" by Domenico Savino
- Published in 1919. This is played perhaps as the gang meets up with Jay outside the dentist's office.
- "Incidental Symphonies #10" by Leo Kempinski
- This is played perhaps during the attempt to extract Joe's tooth.
- "Fair Debutante" by Reynard
- Reynard might by Jules Reynard, which was a pseudonym for J. S. Zamecnik. This piece is played twice, on
either side of "Comedy Excitement," and probably accompanies a portion of the runaway carriage sequence.
- "Comedy Excitement" by J. S. Zamecnik
- This piece is probably played during the runaway carriage sequence.
- "Allegro Scherzando" by Frey
- This piece is probably played during the runaway carriage sequence.
- "That Old Gang Of Mine" by Ray Henderson
- Written in 1923 with lyrics by Billy Rose and Mort Dixon, who are the only names listed on the cue sheet.
This is played over the ending titles.
the locations:
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- Jean and Mary Ann are hanging out in front of the Masonic Hall at 3402 Motor when Wheezer comes
out to join them. The building had either been given a drastic facelift or had been completely rebuilt since it was last
seen in "Spook Spoofing" (no. 71). Much of the runaway baby carriage footage was shot along Motor. When
the monkey joins the ride, he's initially at the park bench on the northwest corner of Motor and Woodbine. Seen behind
him is the lot on the southwest corner, which has just acquired the Shoe Repairing shop that had previously been
located on the east side of the street (where it had been nestled against the previous Masonic Hall). It was now
at 3411 Motor. As the stroller moves along, we can see that there is still quite a lot of vacant lot between the shop and
the first house at 3435, which is seen as the carriage speeds by. The monkey jumps onto the back of a black woman
who's standing right next to this house. At the opposite end of this block is Curt's Place, a gas station
at 3479 Motor which is clearly visible in this film. Later, the carriage speeds by Bacon's Pharmacy and Safeway
Stores at 3568-3570 Motor.
- Culver City-Palms Depot, Palms district, Los Angeles
- This is where the tooth-pulling happens. The kids are sitting on the edge of the waiting area for the
streetcar, which stops in the background. This was located at the spot where Venice Boulevard hits the north side of
Culver Boulevard. Also shown in the background of these shots is a furniture store. The station is actually located just
outside the limits of Culver City.
- Main Street, Culver City
- As the kids follow Joe to the dentist's office, they're seen rounding the corner from Putnam
(now Culver Blvd.) onto the east side of Main. The Adams Hotel can be seen in the background. As they walk
north up Main, a sign for Martha Washington Candies is seen on one of the windows.
- Hal E. Roach Studios
- The New York street set was used for the scene where the car drives into the hole.
- Overland Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- At one point, the carriage is seen racing north on Overland and turning right onto National Boulevard.
miscellaneous:
12 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Over nine weeks had passed since the final day of shooting for
"Election Day" (no. 81). In the meantime, the Our Gang kids traveled across the country by rail and
toured vaudeville in the east for the Publix Circuit. The 'start' date for "Noisy Noises" (no.
82) finally arrived on Oct. 29th. Shooting continued until the 'finish' date of Nov. 10th. No shooting took
place on Oct. 28th or Nov. 4th, which were both Sundays. Robert F. McGowan directed on each of the shooting dates. After
this, one week passed before the Our Gang unit began filming "The Holy Terror" (no. 83).
The 16-inch disc masters containing the music and sound effects were Victor matrix MVE-49059 (for reel 1) and
Victor matrix MVE-49060 (for reel 2). The takes were all recorded at Liederkranz Hall in New York, NY. The takes for
reel 1 were numbered 1, 2, and 3A, while the takes for reel 2 were numbered 1, 2, 2A, and 3A. In neither case is the master take
indicated. The orchestra was made up of 27 men. The Victor ledgers indicate that Helen Yorke worked as a singer in the afternoon
session, but it isn't known if the Our Gang session was during that time of day. They also use the word "Audible"
to indicate that the soundtrack contains dialogue and/or closely synchronized sound. The ledgers also note "members of the
orchestra talking."
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 the company name blacked out. It includes a
textual introduction, and the inter-titles are original. The soundtrack is not original. The picture quality is fairly
good. The print totals 19:29, with 18:38 of it original footage. It appears that almost all of the original film
is included. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.