technical details:
Production K-17.
Filmed December 21, 1926 to January 4, 1927. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted April 11, 1927, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU23845. Renewed January 10, 1955, with
registration no. R142093. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2022.
Released April 17, 1927. This is according to Maltin & Bann. In Richard Lewis Ward's book A History Of The
Hal Roach Studios, the date is given as April 10th. It was the 59th film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Love My
Dog".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1037, "Dog Catchers," copyrighted Sep. 1,
1960, with registration number LP17342. Footage also went into episode no. 1072, "An Average Day," copyrighted
Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17774.
the crew:
- Produced by Hal Roach
- Credited in the film as a presenter.
- Supervised by F. Richard Jones
- He wasn't credited anymore, but he still held the position of director-general when this film was
made. He had resigned by the time the film was released.
- Directed by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit probably appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
- Assistant Directors: Robert A. McGowan and Charles
Oelze
- McGowan was occasionally receiving onscreen directorial credit as Anthony Mack during this period, but
not for this film. Rob Stone's list credits both as assistant directors, which is reflected in the payroll summaries
during this period.
- Photographed by Art Lloyd,
Len Powers and William A. Collins
- According to Rob Stone's list. Powers and Collins were the initial photographers, until Lloyd took
over on December 27th. Collins is listed by last name only in Rob Stone's list, but there was somebody in the property
department named William A. Collins who may have doubled as a cinematographer.
- Assistant Cameraman: W. V. Draper
- This credit derives from Draper's payroll status as the Our Gang assistant cameraman during this
period.
- Cutter: Lloyd Campbell
- This credit derives from Campbell's payroll status as the Our Gang cutter during this period.
- Titles by H. M. Walker
- This credit probably appears in the film. The inter-titles have a burlap look.
- Animation by S. E. Overton
- This credit derives from Overton's payroll status as the studio animator during this period. The
words of the ventriloquist are animated in this film.
- Props by Don Sandstrom, Sherbourne Shields and
Timothy O'Donnell
- According to Rob Stone's list, Shields (listed as Shourds) assisted Sandstrom initially, and
then O'Donnell replaced him on the 27th of December. Sandstrom and O'Donnell are listed in the payroll summaries
for 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
- 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
- laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
- still photographer - Bud "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- editing - Richard Currier was the supervising
editor during this period.
- writing - Robert F. McGowan, Robert A.
McGowan, Hal Yates, Carl Harbaugh, Jean Yarbrough and Frank Butler may have been among the
gag writers.
the kids:
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Lead role. He's the star of the film, adopting a stray dog and then doing everything he can to save him from the dog catcher.
- Joe Cobb
- Supporting role. He's the one who suggests that Farina enter his dog at the gang's dog show.
- Jackie Condon
- Supporting role. He seems to be in charge at the dog show, and is given somewhat of a leadership role in this short.
- Jay R. Smith
- Supporting role. He notices that the dog catchers are outside.
- Elmer "Scooter" Lowry
- Supporting role. He dresses his dog as a Swiss goat.
- Bobby "Bonedust" Young
- Supporting role. Nickname according to Maltin & Bann. He can't get past the dog catchers with his dog stuffed down his pants.
- Mildred Kornman
- Small part. She's shown separately from the rest of the kids, wandering onto a ledge and being rescued by Farina's dog.
- Clarke Robinson
- Small part. He's the boy the gang pays to punch them in their noses.
- Bobby Mallon
- Small part. He notices the posting about the hypothermia epidemic and warns the gang.
- Doris Oelze
- Extra. In the shot where the tall girl is petting the dog, Doris is standing next to her. She's also seen from behind petting a dachshund.
- Andy Shuford
- Extra. He's mostly seen in the background during the dog show.
- other kids
- Bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The girl that owns the puppy being examined by Jackie. She looks like a boy, but is later seen wearing a dress.
- (2.) A slightly taller girl doubling for Mildred as Oleander pulls her off the ledge.
- (2.) As many as five more girls at the dog show, and at least a couple of additional boys not already mentioned.
the animals:
- dog 057 as "Oleander"
- Featured role. This is the dog Farina adopts. He gets to do quite a lot of stuff, including freeing the
dogs from the dogcatcher's wagon (twice) and rescuing Mildred from the ledge.
- dog 034
- Small part. This is Jackie's dog. He disguises him as a cow.
- Buster
- Small part. This is Scooter's dog, and is disguised as a Swiss goat.
- Pal as "Buck"
- Small part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. He's Jay's dog, and is disguised as a bear.
- dog 003
- Bit part. Shown at the beginning of the film nursing several puppies.
- dog 043
- Bit part. Presumably the same dachshund that appeared previously.
- Dinah the Mule
- Bit part. Not listed by Maltin & Bann. Shown pulling the wagon that the kids use to race to the pound.
- dog 059
- Bit part. This is the Pekingese dog that's passed off as a "Champeen How'ling Dog."
- other animals
- Small parts, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) The little white dog belonging to Bonedust. Looks similar to the dog in "A Pleasant Journey"
(no. 11), but I don't think it's the same.
- (2.) The "Airplane Dog," part airdale and part plane.
- (3.) The "Bird-Dog."
- (4.) The puppy being examined by Jackie.
- (5.) The black kitten that Mildred follows onto the ledge.
- (6.) Six dogs freed from the back of the dogcatcher's truck.
- (7.) About 12 puppies nursing on dog 003.
- (8.) A dog shown in a cage in the background of the pound scene.
- (9.) A large goose wandering around the gang's dog show, which may or may not be the same as previously seen.
the adults:
- Charles McMurphy as one of the dog catchers
- Supporting role. He's the main dog catcher, the one that Farina battles with.
- Jack O'Brien as one of the dog catchers
- Supporting role. He's the one that gets chased off by the "mad dog."
- Dick Gilbert as the attendant at the gas chamber
- Small part. He's seen at the end of the film.
- Stanley "Tiny" Sandford as "P. Fulton," attorney at law
- Bit part. He's shown arriving at his office and getting attacked by Oleander.
- Charley Lloyd as the office worker
- Bit part. He's shown briefly leaving the office. Listed by Maltin & Bann as Charley Young.
- other adults
- Small parts, bit parts and extras.
- (1.) At least two more dog catchers.
- (2.) The ventriloquist, who makes Farina think his dog is talking.
- (3.) The janitor.
- (4.) The woman accompanying Charley Young.
- (5.) The man in the office behind the window that reads "Dr. A. Meyers, Dentist."
- (6.) Various pedestrians on the sidewalk below the ledge.
the locations:
- Woodbine Street, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The dogcatcher's wagon is parked on the south side of Woodbine between Motor and Vinton, just east of
the alley. When Bobby Mallon reads the notice, he's directly across the street from this spot. As Scooter walks his
dog, he's walking next to the People's Water Co. at 3392 Motor. However, he's walking along the
Woodbine side of the building. The dogcatcher is at the east end of the building. The area between the building and the
alley is where Joe and Farina hide as their dog frees the other dogs from the dogcatcher's wagon. The dogs then run up
the alley to the north. As Jackie is walking his dog, he's walking west on Woodbine near the intersection with Vinton
Avenue. However, the rear shot of Jackie looks like a different location, perhaps Vinton looking north towards National
Boulevard. When Farina and Joe sit on the box with the dog inside, they're along the south wall of the Masonic
Hall at 3402 Motor, with the edge of the building revealing Woodbine in the background. After the dogcatchers take
their dog, the boys fight with them at the southeast corner of Motor and Woodbine in front of the Masonic Hall.
- Motor Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The nose-punching scene takes place in front of the house at 3451 Motor, with 3447 Motor also visible
next to it. This location was also used in "Free Wheeling" (no. 117). Seen across the street in these
scenes are the Palms Chamber of Commerce at 3438 Motor, Park & Dedrick Real Estate at 3454 Motor, and
the Masonic Hall, which can be made out through the trees. The spot where the dog catchers catch up with Bonedust is the
Mitholithic Mfg. Co. on the east side of the 3300 block. When the boys hop onto their wagon to race off to the
pound, they start in front of the Palms Hardware Co. at 3351 Motor. Also visible in these shots is the Arthur
Boetsch Barber Shop at 3347 Motor. When they knock on the gate of the pound, they're actually at the yard just
south of the Palms Garage at 3304 Motor. Previously, there had been a white fence at this location, but now there
were two billboards. The gate shown in this film has been temporarily placed between the billboards, with the same
'City Dog Pound' sign over it previously used in "Thundering Fleas" (no. 51), where it had been
placed over the back fence of this same property. A partition has been set up just inside the gate to hide the fact that
this is a different location than in the other dog pound shots.
- National Boulevard
- As the kids ride off to the pound, they go past the large house at the corner of National and Vinton. It
also appears that they're riding along National right after this.
- Mentone Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- Farina and Joe hide the dog under the back porch of a house on Mentone. In other Our Gang films, this
house is normally seen in the background as activity takes place in the backyard.
- law offices
- These are shown at the outside of the building as the dogcatchers walk away with Oleander.
- Coronado
- I've seen one source speculate that some part of this film was shot in Coronado near San Diego.
miscellaneous:
11 shooting dates went into the making of this film. A week after shooting finished for "Ten Years Old"
(no. 58), the 'start' date arrived for "Love My Dog" on Dec. 21st. Shooting continued until Jan.
4th, when it was considered 'finished.' No shooting took place on Dec. 26th or Jan. 2nd, which were both Sundays,
nor on Dec. 25th or Jan. 1st, which were both holidays. Robert F. McGowan directed on each of the shooting dates. After
this, two weeks passed before the Our Gang unit began to shoot "Tired Business Men" (no. 60).
In the category of unseen characters are "J. J. Judd," the City Veterinary, and "C. A.
West," a lawyer whose name is on another one of the windows that Mildred crawls past.
There were 40 copies of this film printed for its initial release.
availability:
- Our Gang Volume #6 (VHS) from
Grapevine Video and also
The Picture Palace
- This copy has the original opening and copyright titles, but no crew credits. The inter-titles are
original, and the picture quality is good. The print totals 20:29, with 20:26 of it original footage. It appears
that almost all of the original film is included. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
- The Our Gang Collection - Volume 1
(DVD) from Reelclassicdvd.com
- Released Feb. 2007. This print is essentially the same as the one released by Grapevine. The footage
totals 21:18.
- Our Gang Silent Comedies Vol. 8 (VHS)
from HenryButch
- This copy is the same as Grapevine's.
- Rascals Silents Vol. 2
(VHS) from A-1 Video
- A clip from this film lasting 3:53 appears as part of the hybrid Mischief Makers episode
entitled "An Average Day.".
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.