Lodge Night

film no. 15

availability:

The Little Rascals Book XXIV (VHS) from Blackhawk Video

Blackhawk provides its own opening and closing titles with textual introduction, but the original titles are included within those, resulting in a seemingly complete, original print. The picture quality is very good. There is absolutely no soundtrack on this copy. The print totals 29:28, with 28:17 of it original footage. The length is partially due to slow projection speed.

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

This is the same Blackhawk print, except that the Blackhawk name has been blacked out and there is an additional title card from the Motion Picture Projection Service. The picture quality isn't as good as the Blackhawk copy. The print totals 22:09, with 21:05 of it original footage. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Volume 9 (VHS) from Video Classics

This is a home movie print made by Exclusive Movie Studios, Inc., in Chicago. The inter-titles are intact, but the picture quality is fairly poor. The end title says Pathécomedy, but it's not the same as the original print, almost like it was taken from a later film. The original footage totals 22:57.

Our Gang Comedies V (VHS) from The Picture Palace

This VHS is based on the Video Classics volume five, except that it adds "Lodge Night."

Our Gang's Greatest Hits (VHS) from Video Dimensions

This is the Exclusive Movie Studios print. The footage totals 19:19, with 19:15 of it original.

Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 6 (VHS) from HenryButch

This is the Video Dimensions version, with fairly poor picture quality.

technical details:

the crew:

Produced by Hal Roach

Credited in the film as a presenter.

Directed by Robert F. McGowan

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

Photographed by Harry W. Gerstad

This credit appears in the film, but is not indicated by Maltin & Bann.

Edited by T. J. Crizer

This credit appears in the film, but is not indicated by Maltin & Bann. The 'T' stands for Thomas.

Titles by H. M. Walker

This credit appears in the film.

Story by Hal E. Roach

This credit doesn't appear in the film.

Released by Pathé Exchange, Inc.

Passed by the National Board of Review

As 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

possible uncredited involvement

• editing - In addition to Crizer, Richard Currier and Bert Jordan were also in the editorial department during this period.
• titles - Tom McNamara probably illustrated the title cards.
• writing - Robert F. McGowan, Tom McNamara, Thomas J. Crizer and Leo McCarey may have been among the gag writers.
• 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

Joe Cobb as "Joe"

Featured role. He's the new kid in school and is initiated into the club.

Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as "Ernie"

Featured role. He's featured mostly during the seminar sequence, but also figures into the initiation and the chase pretty strongly.

Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"

Featured role. He's featured most strongly at home, trying to get out of music practice. He's the organizer of the club, but for some reason, isn't the leader. In the scene where he's practicing piano, he miraculously gets a split-second haircut.

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"

Featured role. He provides comic punctuation in virtually every scene in which Ernie appears.

Jack Davis as "Jack"

Supporting role. Jack is the leader of the club and appears pretty much throughout the film.

Jackie Condon as "Jackie"

Supporting role. He appears pretty much throughout the film, particularly at home with Mickey.

Mary Kornman as "Mary"

Supporting role. She's featured in the opening schoolroom scenes flirting with Joe.

other kids

boy 002b

Small part. He's seen both at the school and as the doorkeeper at the club.

George "Freckles" Warde

Small part. He's the boy that holds his bangs up to look at the blackboard. He's also a member of the club.

boy 009b

Small part. He's seen in the classroom scene. Previously seen in "The Champeen!" (no. 9) and "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).

boy 003

Small part. He's seen in the classroom scene and as a member of the club. Previously appeared in "Young Sherlocks" (no. 3), "A Quiet Street" (no. 5) and "The Champeen!" (no. 9).

boy 002a

Small part. Perhaps the same boy who towers above the others at the initiation.

Andy Samuel

Small part. I can't spot him in the classroom, but he's definitely at the meeting.

Julia Brown

Bit part. This is the girl sitting behind Mickey in class. She flirts with him in "July Days" (no. 18).

Ivadell Carter

Bit part. She's sitting two seats behind Mary. Maltin & Bann don't list her, and invariably list her first name as Wadell, but deductive reasoning makes me pretty certain this is her.

girl 015

Bit part. She's the smaller girl with the Dutch boy haircut. Also seen in "Sunday Calm" (no. 19).

boy 011b

Bit part. He's one of the boys in the class. Previously one of the runaways in "A Pleasant Journey" (no. 11).

other boys

Bit parts. The sixteen boys in the class presumably make up the Cluck Cluck Klams, though there may be some degree of difference. Richard Billings is among them, according to Maltin & Bann, and I'm pretty sure he's the tallest among the club members - the one who removes Joe's blindfold. It's interesting to note that the clubhouse has drawings of the different boys on the wall. Mostly, they're of the usual kids (Mickey, Farina, Ernie, Jackie). Curiously, there's one with the name Jack on it, even though Jack Davis is seated elsewhere, as the Xsalted Ruler. This doesn't necessarily mean there's another Jack in the room, since there's also one for Joe, and he's the one being initiated. There's also one for "Sam," who must not be "Sunshine Sammy," since Ernie already has one. There's also an "Elmo," which is interesting since Richard Billings had a younger brother named Elmo. The classroom, too, lists names on the blackboard, including John Condon, John Davis, Michael Daniels, Andrew Samuels, Richard Billings, and somebody with the last name being perhaps Jenkins.

other girls

Bit parts. There are four additional girls in the class, most notably the one reading in front of the classroom at the beginning of the film. One of these girls is presumably Mary Murphy as listed by Maltin & Bann. Her name is listed on the blackboard.

questionable listings

Winston Doty is listed by Maltin & Bann, but not his identical twin Weston. I'm guessing this is an error.

the animals:

dog 001 as "Joe"

Supporting role. The dog is a member of the Klams. He's identified by the drawing over his head.

other animals

Bit parts. The three kittens that are rigged up to play Mickey's piano.

bugwatch

Mickey has a trained fly that does acrobatic stunts.

the adults:

Joseph Morrison as "Prof. T. Jefferson Culpepper"

Supporting role. He's featured very strongly in this short.

Charles Stevenson as one of the car thieves

Small part. He's shown towards the end of the film.

Roy Brooks as one of the car thieves

Small part. Listed as Lincoln Stedman by Maltin & Bann, but it looks like Brooks to me.

woman 013 as the teacher

Small part. She appears in the classroom scene.

woman 001 as Mickey and Jackie's mother

Small part. She appears early in the film.

Richard Daniels as Mickey and Jackie's father

Small part. He appears early in the film.

other adults

Small parts and bit parts.
(1.) The motorcycle cop, who appears at the end of the film.
(2.) At least fifteen black men attending Culpepper's seminar.

the locations:

Palms Lumber Company

This location, at 10321 National Boulevard, is shown as the boys take off with the Professor's car.

miscellaneous:

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