technical details:
Production A-31.
Filmed April 21 to May 1, 1924. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted August 2, 1924 by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU20463. Since the copyright was not renewed,
this film is now in the public domain.
Released September 21, 1924. It was the 30th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "The Sun
Down Limited".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1009, "All Aboard," copyrighted Sep. 1,
1960, with registration number LP17314.
the crew:
- Produced by Hal Roach
- Probably credited in the film as a presenter.
- Directed by Robert F. McGowan
- The film probably includes this credit, but without his middle initial.
- Titles by H. M. Walker
- The film probably includes this credit.
- Props by Charles Oelze
- This credit derives from Oelze's payroll status as Our Gang prop man during this period.
- Story by Hal E. Roach
- This credit probably doesn't appear in the film.
- Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro
- He was Pal's trainer.
- Teacher: Fern Carter
- 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
- laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
- publicity director - Garrett Graham
- purchasing agent - Clyde Hopkins
- still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- photography - Credits from this period were in a transition between
Frank Young and
Art Lloyd.
- editing - Credit usually went to Thomas J. Crizer
during this period.
- writing - Robert F. McGowan,
Thomas J. Crizer and
James Parrott may have contributed gags.
the kids:
- Mickey Daniels as "Mickey"
- Featured role. He's the leader of the gang and drives both the grownup train and the kiddie version.
- Joe Cobb as "Joe"
- Featured role. He's at Mickey's side throughout the short, on both trains.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Featured role. He gets most of the comedy relief, particularly in the scene where's he's run over
by the train. He's the porter on the kiddie version.
- Gabe Saenz as "Toughy"
- Supporting role. He's Mickey's nemesis, having built his own inferior kiddie railroad, and then
sabotaging the gang's version.
- Mary Kornman as "Mary"
- Supporting role. She leaves Toughey behind to ride on Mickey's train.
- boy 031 as "Powder-Puff"
- Supporting role. He's the older black boy in this film. He tries to join the gang, but they play hard-to-get.
- Dorothy Hughes
- Supporting role. She's Mary's friend, and flirts with Joe.
- Jackie Condon as "Jackie"
- Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting in this short.
- Andy Samuel
- Supporting role. He mostly does ensemble acting in this short.
- George "Sonny Boy" Warde
- Supporting role. Listed as Sonny Loy Warde by Maltin & Bann (he was later known as Sonny
Loy). He mostly does ensemble acting in this short.
- Clarke Robinson
- Small part. He's Toughy's sidekick.
- Lassie Lou Ahern
- Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She's perhaps the smallest of the passengers on the gang's train.
- Peggy Ahern
- Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. She accompanies Lassie Lou.
- other kids
- Bit parts and extras. There are quite a few additional kids in this film, but I don't recognize them
from other films. The kids are not only passengers on Mickey's train, but also work at the junior train station.
the animals:
- Bill
- Supporting role. He serves as locomotion for the gang's railroad. Returning after a short absence, he left the series after this film.
- Pal
- Small part. He belongs to Toughy, pulling his train. Maltin & Bann don't list him.
- dog 003
- Bit part. He pulls the cart that the kids ride to the station.
- other animals
- Bit parts. The only remaining animals are the two cats that provide motivation for the train's dog power. They look like they could be the same cat.
the adults:
- man 030 as one of the cops
- Bit part. Previously seen in "High Society" (no. 30).
- other adults
- Small parts and bit parts.
- (1.) The engineer who warns Mickey to stay off the train.
- (2.) The other man in the engine, accompanying Joe.
- (3.) The security guard, who chases the gang out of the railroad yard.
- (4.) A man in regular clothes at the railroad yard, possibly a foreman.
- (5.) Three additional cops chasing down the gang's runaway train.
the locations:
- Santa Fe Railroad Yard
- The earlier footage is presumably shot in and around this location, including the roundhouse.
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The kids' railroad is located east of Motor Avenue on the block just north of Palms Garage at
3304 Motor. The north side of the garage is shown repeatedly, and it also is given one of the best gags in the film. The
train enters the back of the building, on National Boulevard, which was the entrance for the Scholtz Blacksmith
Shop, and exits the front of the building on Motor Avenue. In one of these shots of the garage, we can see the large
house at the corner of National and Vinton in the background. The businesses across the street from the garage are also
shown in the background repeatedly, with the Palms Feed & Fuel being quite noticable on the corner. This
building, and the one to the right of it on Featherstone Street (now part of National) were later replaced by
buildings seen in "Hook And Ladder" (no. 116), including the fire station. We also see the homes and
vacant lots across the street from the kids' railroad. North of this area, we see where Motor veers to the right
around Dickie Moore's house from "Free Wheeling" (no. 117) on Irene Street. As the train is on the
loose, it spends a lot of its time on Motor Avenue. We see the grocery store at 3384 Motor, with the vacant lot to the
right of it, which would soon be occupied by a building. We also see the Mitholithic building prior to when this
company arrived. We also briefly see the People's Water Company at 3392 Motor, the Masonic Hall at 3402
Motor, and the Palms Chamber of Commerce at 3438 Motor. We also see the intersection of Motor Avenue and Stilson
Street (which is now Palms Boulevard), and get a glimpse of a corner of The Palms School at 3520 Motor,
just south of this intersection.
- Washington Boulevard and Main Street, Culver City
- The runaway train goes right by the Sam Seelig Co. Culver City Public Market, with Slater's
Drug Store just to the right. This location was on Washington Boulevard right at the spot where Main Street meets it
in a T-intersection. The camera is situated on Main and pointing south. Slater's was in the same building as
the First National Bank of Culver City at the corner of Washington and Van Beuren.
- Culver Boulevard, Culver City
- The train rides along a wide boulevard, and at one point, it's clear that we're looking south at
the spot where Irving Place meets Culver Boulevard. Irving itself is blocked by cars, but the nearby buildings identify
it. The rest of the wide boulevard looks similar, so this is probably also Culver Blvd.
- the hill
- The hill where the train crashes at the end of the film is also seen in "One Terrible Day"
(no. 4)
miscellaneous:
10 shooting dates went into the making of this film. Two weeks after filming finished for "High Society"
(no. 30), the 'start' date for "The Sun Down Limited" arrived on Apr. 21st. Shooting continued
until May 1st. The next day, May 2nd, the studio datebook states 'company held up account accident to Mr.
McGowan.' This same wording was repeated the next day. On Monday the 5th, the datebook reads 'alternating held up
acct McGowan's accident.' Then for the rest of the week, the Our Gang unit continued to alternate (meaning no
filming took place), even though the production number A-31 was still being entered. After this, another three
weeks went by without any progress and the unit finally began shooting "Every Man For Himself" (no. 32).
Apparently, the unit never returned to "The Sun Down Limited" and the existing footage was sufficient to put
together a cohesive short.
The 1924 studio datebook reveals what the weather was like on the various shooting dates. It was usually
'clear,' but it was described as 'foggy' on Apr. 22nd and May 3rd, and 'foggy AM' on May 2nd. It
was described as 'cloudy' on Apr. 23rd. No description was given for Sundays.
This film was the sixth of six in the fifth 'series' of Our Gang films.
40 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.
availability:
- The Little Rascals - Hook And Ladder/Hi
Neighbor/Sundown Ltd. (VHS/DVD) from GoodTimes Home Video
- Released Mar. 1 or 21, 2001. Presumably released initially on VHS. Included as part of
The Little Rascals 4-Pack DVD, released May
29, 2001, and probably also Our Gang Collection (10 VHS set/8 DVD
set), released May 7, 2002. This copy is a home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios, Inc., in Chicago, entitled
"Sundown Ltd." The inter-titles are original, but not the opening and ending titles. This print, as well as
all other available versions, is missing a couple of inter-titles as well as a minimal amount of footage. The ending
title appears to be taken from one of the later talkies. The picture quality is very good. The print totals 25:43,
with 25:32 of it original footage.
- Our Gang Comedies (3 LD set) from
MGM/UA Home Video
- Released 1994. This is also a home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios, but with a freeze-frame
of the opening title. The original footage totals about 25:50 and the picture quality is very good.
- The General (1927) and Sundown Ltd.
(1924) (DVD) from
Reelclassicdvd.com
- This is the home movie print from Exclusive Movie Studios. This version includes the copyright notice.
The image is a bit cropped throughout the print. The print totals 25:21, with 25:29 of it original.
- The Our Gang Collection - Volume 2
(DVD) from Reelclassicdvd.com
- Released Mar. 2007.
- The Little Rascals - Funniest Episodes
(5 VHS set) from GoodTimes Home Video
- Released June 25, 2002.
- The Best Of Our Gang Volume 2 (DVD)
from GoodTimes Home Video
- Released June 1, 2004. Also included as part of
The Best Of Our Gang Volumes 1 & 2 (2 DVD
set).
- The Little Rascals Collection (5 DVD
set) from Passport Video
- Released July 13, 2004. This is also the home movie print, and includes the copyright notice. The title
of the DVD set is superimposed in the lower right hand corner of the screen. The print totals 25:56, with 25:46 of
it original footage. There's also a clip lasting 0:02, showing Mickey, which is included in the main menu of these
DVDs.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies (Volume 1)
(VHS) from Nostalgia Family Video
- This copy is also the home movie print, and includes the copyright title card. The picture quality is
fairly good. The print totals 19:20, with 19:11 of it original footage.
- Our Gang Volume #2 (VHS) from
Grapevine Video and also from
The Picture Palace
- This copy is also the home movie print, and is virtually the same as the one from Nostalgia Family Video.
The print totals 19:16, with 19:07 of it original footage. This version has appeared numerous times on
bootlegs.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies Volume 9 (VHS) from
Video Classics
- This copy is also the home movie print, but includes the original end title. The print totals 23:11,
with 23:07 of it original footage.
- The Original Little Rascals Comedies (2 Movie
Collection) (VHS) from Video Resource Distributors
- Also packaged into a 2 VHS set entitled
The Original Little Rascals Comedies (4 Movie
Collection). The tape is in EP mode, but the quality is still pretty good. The print is identical to the one
from Nostalgia Family Video.
- The Little Rascals & Our Gang Collection Vol.
1 (DVD) from Janus Entertainment, Inc.
- Also compiled with Vol. 2 into a 2 DVD set entitled
The Little Rascals Our Gang Collector's
Edition.
- The Original Comedy Classics
- Released 1999. Includes other stars beside Our Gang.
- Our Gang Volume 2 (DVD) from
TV Classics
- Released Sep. 5, 2003.
- TV Time Comedy 100 TV Episodes (10 DVD set)
from TV Time
- This collection also features films with other stars.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 5 from
HenryButch
- This copy derives from the MGM/UA laserdisc.
- Three Stooges, Little Rascals & East Side Kids
Collection (5 DVD set) from
Diamond Ent. Corp.
- Released Aug. 30, 2005.
- Classic Troublemakers (3 DVD set) from
St. Clair Entertainment
- Released Oct. 25, 2005.
- 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. A clip lasting 1:10 is included, showing footage from the runaway train sequence, with
narration added.
- SlapHappy: Vol. 9 (DVD) from
Fishigan Films
- Released 2003. Originally produced in 2001. Includes a clip from this film. This volume is also included
as part of The SlapHappy Collection (11 DVD
set).
- SlapHappy: The Movie (DVD) from
Fishigan Films
- Released 2004. Includes a clip from this film. This volume is also included as part of
The SlapHappy Collection (11 DVD set).
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.