Production K-16.
Release no. C-734.
Filmed January 10 to 25, 1938. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by Elmer Raguse on February 5, 1938.
Cutting continuity submitted February 5, 1938.
Music cue sheet prepared February 14, 1938.
Released February 12, 1938. It was the 163rd film in the series to be released. Early in the film season, Fred Quimby of MGM set a projected release date for this production of December 4, 1937.
Copyrighted February 16, 1938, by Loew's Incorporated. Registration no. LP7846. Renewed June 16, 1965, with registration no. R362812. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2033.
All-talking one-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Canned Fishing".'
King World Productions episode no. 54b, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.
Seven shooting dates went into the making of this film. It should be noted that the date of January 11th attributed to
the photo in Maltin & Bann's book does not correspond to the documentation, which would date the photo on
January 10th or 13th. Here's a breakdown of the activity, deriving from the call sheets, daily film reports, location
work sheets, and various memos:
Dec. 30 to 31 - A surviving script carries this date, and contains details that were changed before the film was shot.
The most obvious difference would be the inclusion of Porky in the latter part of the film, which became impossible during
the actual shooting when he became ill. In the shot where Buckwheat (who's repeatedly referred to as
"Buck") says "Not a bit of trouble!", Porky follows up with "No. Not much!" In
the film, Buckwheat ended up with both lines. Also, after Spanky's mother gets off the phone, Alfalfa's mother
arrives at the house pretending to be worried about her son. The two mothers go shopping together, and Alf's mom
leaves behind his twin baby brothers "Elmer" and "Delmer," so Spanky and Alfalfa have three kids to
look after.
Jan. 8 - Film costs for the previous week were $1604.81.
Jan. 10 - This was the first day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Gary Jasgur, and Wilma Cox.
Shooting was to take place in the backyard and on the porch of 9436 Farragut Drive. The call sheet also has the
instruction "cover set bedroom - stage 4," which I think means that this set was ready in case of inclement
weather at the location. Props ordered included books, fishing poles, a doorbell and pushbutton, and an incinerator. The
title at this point was listed as "Untitled (Our Gang)." The daily film report reveals that the porch
scene with Buckwheat, Porky and Spanky's mother was shot on this day, as well as the backyard scene in which she
leaves Junior behind with the boys. No shooting took place at the studio. The location work sheet indicates that 51 people
descended upon this house, including the director, assistant director, cameraman, 2nd cameraman, assistant cameraman, 2
prop men, 4 grips, 1 script clerk, 4 sound technicians, 7 electricians, 1 wardrobe matron, 1 hairdresser, 3 whistlemen, 1
stillman, 6 drivers, the four boys, Gary Jasgur, an accompanying adult for each kid, a third person accompanying Spanky, a
third person accompanying Alfalfa, Wilma Cox, a teacher, and two officers. Six automobiles were needed to transport these
people. A surviving script carries this date, though it indicates that it was written on Jan. 5th. Porky was still
included in the latter part of the story in this script. A Tarver memo from this date to Van Keuren, Huber and Collum,
stated that the four main boys, Gary Jasgur and Wilma Cox, all started on this date. A Collum memo to O'Brien, Van
Keuren, Huber and Cash, requests that the four main boys be 'started' as of this date.
Jan. 11 - This was the second day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Gary, and Wilma Cox. Shooting
had originally been intended for the bedroom set on Stage 4, and the call sheet for this day continued with this plan,
but it also added the interior back porch set on Stage 4, which appears to refer to the set with the washing machine. The
film at this point was referred to as "Untitled (Our Gang)." The daily film report reveals that
Buckwheat, Porky and Gary were not present, and lists the interior bedroom and interior hallway sets on Stage 4. Most of
the footage achieved on this date involved the opening bedroom sequence. The footage with the washing machine was left for
another day.
Jan. 12 - This was the third day of shooting. Scheduled were the four main boys, Gary and Wilma. Shooting was
to take place on the bedroom and bath sets on Stage 4. The film at this point was referred to as "Untitled (Our
Gang)." The daily film report reveals that Porky was sick on this day and did not work. It also mentions that
Darla didn't work, but this seems a bit unneccesary to point out. Footage was shot on the bedroom, hallway and
bathroom sets, all on Stage 4. Most of the footage shot on this day took place in the bedroom and involved Wilma Cox
pretending to believe the boys.
Jan. 13 - This was the fourth day of shooting. Scheduled were Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Gary and Wilma.
Originally, shooting on this date was to take place on the interior bath and back porch sets on Stage 4. By the time the
call sheet was prepared, shooting was planned for the Farragut backyard and porch. An additional instruction reads
"cover set - bath & back porch - stage 4." There's also an instruction to use a speed camera.
The film at this point was referred to as "Untitled (Our Gang)." The daily film report corroborates this
information, stating that Porky was still sick and that Darla did not work, and that the backyard and alley were used.
Most of the footage achieved on this date involved Buckwheat's return to the house and refusal to watch Junior, and
the final footage of the boys running off to school.
Jan. 14 - This was the fifth day of shooting. Scheduled were Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Gary and Wilma.
Shooting was to take place on the interior bath and back porch sets on Stage 4, and the hall set on Stage 4. The film at
this point was referred to as "Untitled (Our Gang)." Very little of the planned footage was achieved,
however, since Spanky and Alfalfa both joined Porky on the sick list. And, once again, the daily film report lets us know
that Darla didn't work. Basically, four shots were achieved, mostly involving Gary Jasgur, but also including the one
in which Wilma Cox shuts off the washing machine. The sets used were the interior bathroom on Stage 4, and the interior
kitchen (which seems to be another name for the interior back porch set).
Jan. 15 - A Raguse memo from this date copying in Bren, Van Keuren, Douglas, Tarver, O'Brien and Burch, states
that "Canned Fishing" was being registered that day as the maintitle. Film costs for the previous week were
$3432.15, bringing the total to $5036.96 so far.
Jan. 22 - Film costs for the previous week were $587.79, bringing the total to $5624.75 so far.
Jan. 24 - This was the sixth day of shooting. Scheduled were Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Gary and Wilma.
Shooting was to take place on the bathroom and back porch sets on Stage 4, the object being to finally finish the film
after a ten-day delay. The daily film report states that Darla and Porky did not work, and that footage was shot on
the interior kitchen (back porch) and bathroom sets. Among the footage achieved was the scene in which the boys
demonstrate the washing machine to Junior, and much of the steam cabinet footage. Nevertheless, they were unable to get
the film finished.
Jan. 25 - This was the final day of shooting. Scheduled were Spanky, Alfalfa, Gary, and possibly Wilma.
Shooting was to take place on the bathroom set on Stage 4. The daily film report reveals that Wilma Cox did indeed work on
this date, with footage shot both on the interior bathroom and interior hallway sets on Stage 4. Porky, Darla and
Buckwheat did not work. This was supposed to be a half day of shooting, with the call sheet even referring to it as Day
6 1/2. It wasn't until 3:50 pm that work began on the next production, "Bear Facts" (no.
164), with Buckwheat and Porky in attendance. A Tarver memo from this date to Van Keuren, Huber and Collum, states
that Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Gary, and Wilma Cox, all finished on this production at 3:50 pm, and that the four
main boys started working on "Bear Facts" at that time. A Collum memo to O'Brien, Van Keuren, Huber and
Cash, requests that Spanky, Alfalfa and Buckwheat, be 'closed' as of this date.
Jan. 28 - Sound tracks were recorded on this date, with Ziegler and Murphy in attendance. Sound effects included
firecrackers, a doorbell and a buzzer.
Jan. 29 - Film costs for the previous week were $1248.81, bringing the total to $6873.56 so far.
Feb. 19 - Film costs for the previous week were $400.97, bringing the total to $7274.53 so far.
The negative cost on this film as of Feb. 5, 1938, was $27,638.92. This memo refers to the film as "Can Fishing."
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B370.
A document prepared at the beginning of the film season gave projected dates for all of the one-reelers to be released. Editing on this film was to begin on Nov. 5th, with the negative cut on Nov. 17th and shipped to MGM on Nov. 20th, and the film released on Dec. 4th.
© Robert Demoss.