technical details:
Production G-17.
Release no. C-821.
Filmed July 20 to 31, 1933, and Aug. 12, 1933. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Title sheet prepared by William Terhune on August 24, 1933.
According to Maltin & Bann, this film was released on September 9, 1933, making it the 124th film in the series to
be released, and the first of the 1933/34 season. However, the date for the cutting continuity doesn't jibe well with
this. It's more likely that it was released closer to the copyright date.
Cutting continuity submitted September 14, 1933.
Copyrighted September 26, 1933, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP14188. Renewed
October 13, 1960, with registration no. R264114. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2028.
All-talking two-reeler.
Opening title: 'Hal Roach presents Our Gang in "Bedtime Worries".'
King World Productions episode no. 21, available in both colorized and original black-and-white versions.
the crew:
- Produced by Robert F. McGowan for
Hal Roach
- This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit
reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
- Directed by Robert F. McGowan
- This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
- Photography: Hap Depew
- This credit appears in the film.
- Film Editor: William Terhune
- This credit appears in the film.
- Animal trainer: Tony Campanaro
- He trained the current Pete.
- Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Indicated in the opening title card.
- Passed by the National Board of Review
- As indicated in the film.
- Western Electric System
- As indicated in the film.
- studio personnel
- general manager - Henry Ginsberg
- assistant general manager - L. A. French
- secretary-treasurer - C. H. Roach
- assistant secretary - Mat O'Brien
- film editor and sound department - Elmer Raguse
- construction supervisor - C. E. Christensen
- laboratory superintendent - Charles Levin
- process department - Roy Seawright
- still photographer - Clarence "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- school teacher - Fern Carter
- possible uncredited involvement
- assistant direction - Possibly Don Sandstrom.
- writing - Robert F. McGowan probably headed story
development, while Carl Harbaugh, Frank Terry, Billy Gilbert,
James Parrott, Charlie Hall, Robert
McKenzie, Robert A. McGowan and Gordon Douglas may have been among the gag writers.
- property department - Charles Oelze, Don
Sandstrom, Thomas Benton Roberts and Bob Saunders were probably involved in this capacity.
- sound engineering - Credits were in a transition between James Greene and Harry Baker during this period.
- titles - Louis McManus probably designed the main titles.
the kids:
- George "Spanky" McFarland as "Spanky"
- Lead role. It's his first night in his own room, and a burglar comes to visit. At one point, his dad
calls him "Sonny," which was his name around the studio.
- Matthew "Stymie" Beard as "Stymie"
- Supporting role. He's the leader of the gang, and is shown briefly near the beginning of the film,
and then for a longer time at the end.
- Jerry Tucker
- Small part. He's the only other gang member with dialogue.
- Tommy Bond
- Small part. He's present with the other older kids, but does only ensemble acting.
- Georgie Billings
- Small part. He's with the older kids in all of their scenes, but doesn't do anything specific.
The person who prepared the cutting continuity thought this was Wheezer.
- other kids
- Bit part. The only other kid in the film is the one heard on the radio, which very well might be an adult.
the animals:
- Pete the Pup IV as "Pete"
- Supporting role. The gang tries to get Spanky to take him, and later bring him to the house, where they
sick him on the burglar.
- Leo
- Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film.
the adults:
- Emerson Treacy as "Emerson Treacy," Spanky's dad
- Lead role. He's given onscreen credit in this film. He suffers through Spanky's wisecracks and
his wife's dimwittedness.
- Gay Seabrook as Spanky's mom
- Lead role. She's given onscreen credit in this film. She's reluctant to let Spanky sleep in his
own room. Maltin & Bann indicate that the name Gay was used, but it wasn't.
- Harry Bernard as the burglar
- Supporting role. He pretends to be Santy Claus while he robs the house.
- Lee Phelps as the cop
- Bit part. He arrests the burglar.
- Frank Terry as one of the radio voices
- Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann. Presumably, he's the voice in the advertisement dealing
with bad breath.
- Billy Bletcher as one of the radio voices
- Bit part. According to Maltin & Bann, and they're probably right if they mean the father in the
radio program.
- David Sharpe doubling for Gay Seabrook
- Bit part. He's shown as Spanky's mom when she gets her robe caught on the bedpost. He probably
also does stunts during the fight scene.
- other adults
- Bit part. I'm guessing that the sound of the whining dog is probably a human.
the music:
- "Good Old Days" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931.
- (A1.) The second verse of this version is played over the opening titles and as Spanky listens to the radio.
- (A4.) This version is played over the end title.
- "Little Dancing Girl" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. Also known as "Dancing Girl" and "Dancing Girls." This is
played twice in a row from the time Spanky's mom tunes it in on the radio until his dad gets home. This is the version
reproduced on the first Beau Hunks CD.
- "You Are The One I Love" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played as Emerson announces his promotion.
- "Give Us A Hand" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Aug. 4, 1931. This is played as Spanky's mom tries to explain to him what a shipping clerk is.
- "Bells" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted Jan. 10, 1931. This is played and half-repeated as Spanky talks to his dad in the
bathroom and dinner starts.
- "Look At Him Now" by Leroy Shield
- Copyrighted 1931. The first half of this piece is played as Emerson gives up on trying to carve the chicken.
miscellaneous:
At least 8 shooting dates went into the making of this film. About five and a half months had passed since shooting finished for "Mush And Milk"
(no. 123). Shooting for "Bedtime Worries" started on July 20th and continued until July 31st, with a day of retakes on Aug. 12th. No shooting took
place on July 23rd or 30th, which were both Sundays. I've derived these shooting dates based on the days on which day players were given checks. None of them
were paid on July 25th, 26th or 27th, which either means no shooting took place on those dates, or that footage with Spanky and his parents (without day
players) took place on those dates. After the Aug. 12th retakes, less than a week passed before the Our Gang unit began filming "Wild Poses" (no.
125).
The letter announcing Treacy's promotion is signed by J. W. Burns, who was the manager of the studio's transportation department.
In the category of unseen characters, Emerson's boss at work is named "Harger" (if I'm hearing it right).
A story version of this film appeared in the book Our Gang in 1934.
The script submitted to MGM was given the catalog number B339.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.