The Champeen!

film no. 9

availability:

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 5 (VHS) from Video Classics and

Our Gang Comedies V (VHS) from The Picture Palace

This is a home movie print. The opening title card is original, but the crew credits don't appear after it. The ending title card is from Laff-Movie, Inc. in New York, which identifies the series as "The Original Our Gang." The picture quality in this and the prints listed below is less than ideal. The print totals 22:22, with 22:16 of it original footage. It appears that almost the entire original film is included.

Rascals Silents Vol. 1 (VHS) from A-1 Video

This print is another variation, with a rooster shown on the end title, but not the Pathé one. The print totals 18:50, with 18:46 of it original footage. The shorter running time, as compared to the Video Classics version, would be the result of being run at a faster speed.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 2 (VHS) from HenryButch

This print is identical to the one from A-1 Video.

Our Gang Silent Comedies (Volume 1) (VHS) from Nostalgia Family Video

This print adds an opening title card for Thunderbird Films, followed by the original title card like the others. It also has the ending title for Laff-Movie, Inc. The print totals 19:01, with 18:45 of it original footage.

Our Gang Volume #14 (VHS) from Grapevine Video and also from The Picture Palace

This is a 1973 print from Thunderbird Films, which is superimposed over the first inter-title. The sound effects are synched with the action in this print. The print totals 18:44, with 18:40 of it original footage. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

Our Gang - Volume #1 (1922-1923) (DVD-R) from Grapevine Video

Released early Mar. 2006. This is essentially the same as the other available prints.

Our Gang Classics (VHS) from Jef Films

Released 1997. This version is comparable to the one from Grapevine, except for a Jef Films copyright shown at the bottom of the screen.

The Our Gang Story (VHS/DVD) from GoodTimes Home Video

VHS released 1994. DVD released May 21, 2002. Also included as part of Our Gang Collector Series 4 Pack (4 DVD set), released Mar. 21, 2001, Our Gang Collector Series 5 Pack (5 VHS/DVD set), released Feb. 2002 (VHS) and Mar. 2004 (DVD), and The Best Of Our Gang Volume 1 (DVD) released June 1, 2004. Four clips from this film are shown. The first is a clip lasting 0:20, showing the opening title and Ernie stealing an apple. The second lasts 0:08, and shows Ernie breaking up the fight between Mickey and Jack. This is followed by a clip lasting 0:10 taken from the boxing sequence. The final clip lasts 0:11, and shows Jackie in the car. All of these clips have narration added.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

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

Photographed by Len Powers

According to Maltin & Bann. This credit might appear in the film. Powers was listed in the payroll summaries as the Our Gang cameraman during this period.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit probably appears in the film.

Story by Hal E. Roach

This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.

Released by Pathé Exchange, Inc.

Passed by the National Board of Review

Probably indicated in the film.

studio personnel

• general manager - Warren Doane
• assistant general manager - L. A. French
• secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
• construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen
• purchasing superintendent - John L. Murphy
• still photographer - Gene Kornman
• transportation director - Bob Davis
• school teacher - Fern Carter started with the studio in Sep. 1922.

possible uncredited involvement

• supervision - Charles Parrott (better known as Charley Chase) was still director-general at the studio when this film was made, but had stepped down by the time of its release.
• editing - Credit usually went to Thomas J. Crizer during this period, but Richard Currier and Bert Jordan were also in the editorial department.
• titles - Tom McNamara probably illustrated the title cards.
• writing - Robert F. McGowan, Tom McNamara, Thomas J. Crizer and Leo McCarey may have contributed gags.
• property department - Charles Oelze was probably involved in this capacity, and possibly Roy Seawright.
• animal training - Tony Campanaro was probably among the animal trainers.

the kids:

featured players

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Sammy"

Lead role. Ernie is crucial to the plot and appears throughout most of the film. Maltin & Bann list his nickname as "Sunshine Sammy," but only the second part is revealed in these prints.

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"

Featured role. Mickey is also crucial to the plot, and appears in most of the scenes.

Jack Davis as "Tuffy" aka "Jackie"

Featured role. He appears in all of Mickey's scenes, as well as one in which he picks on Jackie Condon. Maltin & Bann list him as Jackie "Tuffy" Davis.

Mary Kornman as "Mary"

Supporting role. She appears as Jackie Condon's big sister, and is shown frequently throughout the film, defending her little brother and being the center of the boys' dispute.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins

Supporting role. His nickname isn't used in the available prints. He appears frequently throughout the film, first as a fighter in Ernie's earlier failed attempt at promoting, and then as security guard at the second fight.

Jackie Condon as "Jackie"

Supporting role. He's shown mainly in the first half of the film, where he's intregal to the plot, being the reason Mary scolds Jack and is disappointed in Mickey for not defending her little brother.

Dorothy Morrison

Small part. She's shown early in the film boxing with Farina, and then sitting next to him during the 'real' fight.

other kids

boy 009a

Small part. He's the boy that flirts with Mary and gets beaten up.

George "Freckles" Warde

Small part. He plays Mickey's trainer.

boy 002a

Small part. Jack's trainer looks like he could be "Muggsy" from "The Big Show" (no. 7).

boy 003

Small part. He's seen in the opening sequence with Ernie, and is later seen collecting tickets for the fight. He made several appearances during the first few years, mostly notably in "A Quiet Street" (no. 5) and "Commencement Day" (no. 26).

Andy Samuel

Small part. He's Mickey's second trainer and is not shown until the fight starts.

Joe Cobb

Bit part. He appears only in a cutaway shot during the fight scene.

boy 009b

Bit part. He's seen in the audience laughing. He would later appear in "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11) and "Back Stage" (no. 13).

Walter Wilkinson

Bit part. He's turned away at the door, and is later seen looking through a hole in the roof. He went on to be featured pretty strongly in "Fast Company" (no. 16).

boy 002b

Extra. He's in the scene where Farina and Dorothy are fighting. Later, he's at the far left when Ernie steps out of the door to talk to the boys waiting outside.

boy 007b

Extra. He's in the crowd of boys waiting outside, up front. I'm pretty sure he had appeared in "The Big Show" (no. 7)

boy 007c

Extra. He's in the back of the crowd of boys waiting outside. I'm pretty sure he had appeared in "The Big Show" (no. 7).

other kids

Small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) Jack's second trainer, not shown until the fight starts.
(2.) The two girls accompanying Mary to the fight. The one on the left looks similar to the arm-pulling girl in "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).
(3.) The boy watching Farina and Dorothy fight.
(4.) The boy in the audience that gets punched by Mickey. I think he might have been in "The Big Show" (no. 7).
(5.) Probably about 15 to 20 additional boys in the fight scene, some of whom look familiar from "The Big Show" (no. 7). A few even get closeups.

questionable listings

Both Johnny Downs and Billy Lord are listed by Maltin & Bann, but I don't see them anywhere in these prints.

the animals:

dog 001

Supporting role. He's Jackie Condon's dog in this film, and fights Jack's dog.

dog 007

Supporting role. This is Jack Davis's dog. Seems to be the 'Afriken Poler Bear' from "The Big Show" (no. 7).

Dinah the Mule

Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She appears very briefly during the big fight.

the adults:

Charles Stevenson as the police officer

Supporting role. He catches Ernie stealing apples, and then reappears at the end of the film.

Wallace Howe as the smoker

Bit part. He appears briefly during the chase scene between Ernie and Stevenson.

Sammy Brooks as the green grocer

Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's the very short man who gets the dart thrown into his rear end.

other adults

Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) "Knockout Johnson," who advises Ernie on how to make money. This may very well be a parody of the boxer Jack Johnson, who was appearing in films around this time.
(2.) The fight promoter.
(3.) The sidewalk diner attendant seen during the soda pop scene.
(4.) The two men that help Jackie down from the car in the opening scene. We don't get a good look at their faces.
(5.) Four prisoners and three prison guards seen in Ernie's fantasy scene.

the locations:

Palms Chamber of Commerce

This is shown in the scene where the two dogs are fighting, and also where Stevenson catches up with Ernie. In 1927, the chamber of commerce was located at 3438 Motor Avenue. Is this the building shown in the distance during the dog fight in "A Quiet Street"? Across the street (in the film anyway) is a building which houses both a drug store and a post office.

Motor and Woodbine Avenues, Palms district, Los Angeles

The northeast corner is shown during the soda pop sequence, just as it would be several years later in "Boxing Gloves" (no. 91). The brick building is the People's Water Company of Palms, located at 3392 Motor Avenue. It's also shown in the background as Ernie is hiding in the ash can, which is on southeast corner.

the green grocer's stand

The brick arch is in "Fire Fighters" (no. 2), in which its to the right of a loans and mortgage business. The street number on the building is 7556.

miscellaneous:

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