The First Round-Up

technical details:

Production G-21.

Release no. C-825.

Filmed probably around the early spring of 1934.

Title sheet prepared by William Terhune on April 11, 1934.

Dialogue cutting continuity submitted April 18, 1934.

Copyrighted May 1, 1934, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP4680. Renewed August 29, 1961, with registration no. R281002. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2029.

Released May 5, 1934. It was the 128th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler.

Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "The First Round-Up".'

King World Productions episode no. 42b, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions. This version is listed without the hyphen.

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter.

Directed by Gus Meins

This credit appears in the film.

Photography: Francis Corby

This credit appears in the film.

Film Editor: Ray Snyder

This credit appears in the film.

Recording Engineer: Harry Baker

This credit appears in the film.

Animation by Roy Seawright

Maltin & Bann specifically credit him with animating the shadow on the wall.

Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro

He trained the current Pete.

Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Indicated in the opening title card.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As indicated in the film.

Western Electric System

As indicated in the film.

NRA

The National Recovery Administration emblem is shown in both the opening and end titles.

studio personnel

general manager - Henry Ginsberg

assistant general manager - L. A. French

secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach

assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien

film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse

construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen

laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin

process department - Roy Seawright

still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves

transportation director - Bob Davis

school teacher - Fern Carter

possible uncredited involvement

assistant direction - Probably Gordon Douglas.

writing - Hal Yates, Carl Harbaugh, Frank Terry, Billy Gilbert, James Parrott, Charlie Hall, Robert McKenzie, Frank Tashlin and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.

property department - Charles Oelze, Don Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity.

titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.

the kids:

George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spank"

Featured role. He's able to outsmart the older boys, but is repeatedly the victim of Scotty's mistakes. The cutting continuity refers to him as "Spanky."

Scotty Beckett as "Scotty"

Featured role. He accompanies Spanky throughout the film, as the two provide almost all of the humor.

Wally Albright as "Wally"

Featured role. He's the leader of the gang and the main decision-maker.

Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"

Featured role. He's essentially second-in-command, and has the additional problem of his little sister tagging along.

Willie Mae Walton as "Buckwheat"

Supporting role. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Willie Mae Taylor. She stows away in Stymie's pack and eats all of his food.

Tommy Bond

Supporting role. His name doesn't turn up in the dialogue, but is indicated in the cutting continuity. He's given a fair amount of dialogue, but is mostly an ensemble player.

Cullen Johnson

Supporting role. He's the brown-haired boy, and has a few lines of dialogue along the way, but is mostly just one of the group.

Philbrook Lyons

Supporting role. He has a little bit of dialogue, but is mostly just part of the ensemble.

Billy Lee Wolfstone

Supporting role. Aside from the backpack gag at the beginning of the film, he isn't given much of anything specific to do. Maltin & Bann misidentified him as Marvin "Bubbles" Trin in the 1977 edition of their book, and failed to remove that name from the 1992 edition, which also lists Billy Wolfstone. The person who prepared the cutting continuity referred to this character as "Marvin."

Jackie Lynn Taylor

Small part. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Jacqueline Taylor. She's Wally's sister, and nags him about remembering to take everything. The cutting continuity refers to her simply as 'girl.'

Billie Thomas

Bit part. He's seen emptying the gang's canteens early in the film.

the animals:

Pete the Pup IV as "Pete"

Supporting role. He accompanies the little kids, and brings fleas to the campsite with him.

Leo

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

other animals

Bit parts.

(1.) The toad on Wally's pillow.

(2.) The skunk that Pete encounters.

(3.) The tortoise that carries away Spanky and Scotty's lantern.

the adults:

Billy Bletcher as "Billy," Wally's father

Small part. He's not worried at all about his boy going camping, and expects him back that night.

Zoila Conan as Wally's mother

Small part. She has misgivings about Wally going camping.

the music:

"Good Old Days" by LeRoy Shield

Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.

(A14.) This is played during the opening titles. A portion of it is played again over the end titles.

"Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!" by George F. Root

Originally a civil war song, this was featured in the musical "Naughty Marietta" and was a number one hit for Byron Harlan & Frank Stanley in 1910. It was later given new lyrics and retitled "Jesus Loves The Little Children." The instrumental version heard in this film is played as the boys hike up the hill.

miscellaneous:

During the making of this film, the kids posed for publicity photos in which they campaigned for independent candidate Mabel B. Roach for Culver City Council. She was the wife of studio secretary/treasurer C. H. Roach, and the two of them were Hal Roach's parents, often referred to as Dad Roach and Mother Roach.

The working title for this film was "Night Howls."

The reels change during the jelly sequence.

The opening shot shows a page from the Los Angeles Tribune of Monday, February 23, 1934. This is almost certainly a mockup, since the 23rd was actually a Friday.

A story version of this film appeared in the book Our Gang in 1934.

The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B416.

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 2 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume One (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever

Released July 6, 1994. Also released as part of 12 VHS boxed set. This is a complete original print with excellent picture quality. The total footage lasts 18:30. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

The Little Rascals Volume 2: Collector's Edition (VHS) from Hallmark Home Entertainment

Released Aug. 15, 2000. Also included as part of The Little Rascals Volumes 1-5: Collector's Edition (5 VHS set) and The Little Rascals Volumes 1-10: Collector's Edition (10 VHS set), both released Aug. 15, 2000.

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (DVD) from Cabin Fever

Same contents as the Cabin Fever VHS releases. Also released as part of The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited (6 DVD set).

The Little Rascals Volumes 1-2 (DVD) from Hallmark Home Entertainment

Released Aug. 15, 2000. Same contents as the Cabin Fever DVD.

The Little Rascals - The Complete Collection (8 DVD set) from Genius Products

Released late Oct. 2008. This is identical to the Cabin Fever version.

The Little Rascals Comedy Classics Vol. 2 (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video

Released Apr. 1991. This is a home movie print from Blackhawk. The opening titles are remade, but the crew credits and end title are original. The picture quality is very good. The original footage totals 18:11, but the original soundtrack lasts an additional 0:11.

The Little Rascals Book XIII (VHS) from Blackhawk Video

This is the Blackhawk print.

The Best Of The Little Rascals (LD) from Republic Pictures Home Video

Released 1989. This is the Blackhawk print.

The Little Rascals: Night 'N' Gales/First Round-Up (VHS) from Republic Pictures Home Video

Released May 1991. This is the Blackhawk print.

Jackie Remembers Our Gang - The Silent Era (VHS/DVD) from Jackie Taylor

A clip lasting 1:03 is included, showing the opening scene in Wally's yard, with narration added.

© Robert Demoss.