Noisy Noises

film no. 82

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.

technical details:

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.

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.

boy 082

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:

"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 American. The term 'rock-a-bye' was added by 1805, and the melody was probably added in the 1880s. The cue sheet credits somebody 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.

miscellaneous:

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