technical details:
Production A-32.
Filmed June 2 to 12, 1924. See the 'miscellaneous' section below for details.
Copyrighted October 2, 1924, by Pathé Exchange, Inc. Registration no. LU20625. Since the copyright was not renewed, this film is now in the public domain.
Released October 19, 1924. It was the 31st film in the series to be released.
Silent two-reeler.
Probable opening title: '"Our Gang" Comedies - Hal Roach presents His Rascals in "Every Man For Himself".'
Released into TV syndication as Mischief Makers episode no. 1032, "Shoeshine Shop," copyrighted Sep. 1, 1960, with registration number LP17337.
the crew:
- Produced by Hal Roach
- Probably 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 Art Lloyd
- Not listed by Maltin & Bann. This credit appears in Joseph McBride's Frank Capra - The Catastrophe Of Success. Lloyd is 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.
- Props by Charles Oelze and Don Sandstrom
- This credit derives from their payroll status as Our Gang prop men during this period.
- Story by Hal E. Roach
- This credit probably doesn't appear in the film. Frank Capra had left the studio by this time, but the situation involving the twins was one of his leftover ideas.
A. H. Giebler was listed as an Our Gang gag man in the studio payroll summaries during this period.
- 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 - Chester "Bud" Graves and Clarence "Stax" Graves
- transportation director - Bob Davis
- possible uncredited involvement
- 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" aka "Micky"
- Lead role. As usual, he's the 'President, Secretary, Treasurer and Board of Directors for the corporation,' and is the first to encounter the twins.
- Mary Kornman as "Mary"
- Supporting role. She's the 'cashear' at the athletic club. It's her flirting with Sissy that starts the ball rolling.
- Joe Cobb as "Joe Cobb"
- Supporting role. He boxes with Jackie early in the film, but otherwise does mostly ensemble acting in this one.
- Jackie Condon as "Jackie Condon"
- Supporting role. Aside from boxing with Joe, he isn't given much of anything specific to do.
- Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina"
- Supporting role. The nickname doesn't appear in these prints. He referees the boxing match, but otherwise is mostly part of the group.
- Andy Samuel as "Andy Samuel"
- Supporting role. Aside from some attention given to him inside the athletic club, he's basically part of the ensemble.
- Charles and Ray DeBriac as "Scrappy" and "Sissy"
- Supporting roles. They confuse Mickey, who is not aware that there are two of them. One is tough and the other is a pushover, but it isn't known which twin plays which.
- George "Sonny Boy" Warde as "Sing Joy"
- Supporting role. He's involved in the shoeshine part of the business. His character name is written on the wall of the gym.
- Flemon Miller as "Powder-puff"
- Supporting role. He runs the 'atomatick motor' at the shoeshine stand. His official title is 'Chief Engineer and Superintendent of Motive Power.'
- Gabe Saenz as "Toughy" aka "Gabe Saenz"
- Small part. He's seen showering at the athletic club, and gets kicked out of the club. His name is crossed out on the list of names on the wall.
- David Campbell
- Small part. He's the blonde boy seen early in the film, first working out on the stirrups, then helping Mickey to get the mouse out of his pants.
- Monty O'Grady as "Monty O'Grady"
- Small part. He boxes with the dummy, then tries the 'lung testar,' before helping Mickey to get the mouse out of his pants. His name is written on the wall of the gym.
the animals:
- Pal
- Small part. He plays around with the stirrups and is mainly seen in the early part of the film.
- horse 014
- Bit part. This is the white horse with the rings around his eyes.
- other animals
- Bit parts.
- (1.) The white dog with the rings around his eyes.
- (2.) Three mice living inside the gang's safe.
the adults:
- Earl Mohan as "Jimbo Johnson"
- Small part. This is the boxer. Maltin & Bann list Mohan as the boxer's friend, but the boxer himself looks like him to me.
- George B. French as the drunken shoeshine customer
- Small part. He falls asleep at the shoeshine stand and then leaves without his shoes.
- Jack Ackroyd as the fake blind man
- Small part. In spite of passing himself off as a blind man, he has the rings around his eyes.
- William Gillespie as a pedestrian
- Bit part. He's the first person to look through the viewfinder, resulting in rings painted around his eyes.
- Helen Gilmore as a pedestrian
- Bit part. She's the second person to get rings painted around her eyes.
- Frank Butler as a pedestrian
- Bit part. He's leaning against the building and laughing at everybody, not realizing that he also has rings around his eyes.
- Martha Sleeper as one of the women with rings around her eyes
- Bit part. She's seen coming face to face with the laughing guy, then giving money to the fake blind man.
- Evelyn Burns as the mother of the twins
- Bit part. She's seen briefly interacting with the twins.
- Dick Gilbert as one of the shoeshine customers
- Bit part. He's the second customer among those with painted shoes.
- Rolfe Sedan as one of the shoeshine customers
- Extra. He's sitting at the shoeshine stand with Gilbert.
- other adults
- Small parts and bit parts.
- (1.) The cop who gets sprayed in the face and later has rings around his eyes.
- (2.) The woman who is so absorbed with her reading that she doesn't notice she's been given the wrong shoes.
- (3.) The friend of the boxer's. He hands the card to the cop.
- (4.) The man whose hat is cleaned by Mickey.
- (5.) The landlord, who hits the gang up for rent.
- (6.) The young man with rings around his eyes, who asks the gang what they're laughing at.
- (7.) Several additional adults walking around with rings around their eyes.
- (8.) Several additional men with painted shoes.
- in still images
- Various fighters are shown in photos on the wall of the gang's athletic club.
the music (sort of):
- "The Last Rose Of Summer" by Thomas Moore and Sir John Stevenson
- Originally a poem written by Moore in 1805, a melody was added by Stevenson. The song was included in the Friedrich von Flotow opera "Martha" in 1847, and Elizabeth Wheeler
had a number nine hit with it in 1909. In this film, Mickey makes reference to it in the titles.
the locations:
- Palms Garage, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The kids chase the timid twin around this building at 3304 Motor Avenue. The back of the same building is used in other shots, where the name Featherstone can be made out on the curb.
This was the street that crossed with Motor, while the back of the building faced National Boulevard. At some point in the past, this portion of Featherstone Street became part of a
re-routed National.
- Palms Lumber Company, Palms district, Los Angeles
- This was located at 10321 National Boulevard, and is where the boys are standing when they notice the sissy taunting them. This really was across the street from the back of Palms
Garage, just as we're led to believe in the film.
- Motor Avenue, Woodbine Street and Mentone Avenue, Palms district, Los Angeles
- The cop is shown standing on the northeast corner of this intersection. The brick building is the People's Water Company at 3392 Motor Avenue. The gang's business is
located along the south side of Woodbine just west of this intersection. In a couple of the shots along the fence, the Masonic Hall of Palms can be seen at the southeast corner of the
intersection at 3402 Motor Avenue. This is also the location used for the footage of the blind man, who is right at the corner of the building. A little later, Scrappy pummels Mickey in
front of the Berean Chapel Foresquare Church at the northwest corner of Woodbine and Mentone.
miscellaneous:
10 shooting dates went into the making of this film. A full month had gone by since shooting for "The Sun Down Limited" (no. 31) had come to a halt as a result of an
injury to director McGowan. On June 2nd, filming began on "Every Man For Himself," and continued until the 'finish' on June 12th. No shooting took place on June 1st and
8th, which were both Sundays. The day after shooting finished, filming began anew on the unfinished "Fast Company" (no. 16).
The gang's health club is called the '4th Ave Champeen Athalatick Club.'
The 1924 studio datebook reveals what the weather was like on the various shooting dates. On most dates, it was described as 'medium.' However, on the 7th and the 10th, it was
described as 'medium bright', on the 11th, it was described as 'bright to medium,' and on the 12th, it was described as 'bright.' No description was given for the
1st.
The members of the club are listed on the wall of their clubhouse. 'Micky' is listed at the top as 'prezadent.' On the next line is Joe Cobb and Jackie Condon. Below
that is listed Farina, Sing Joy, and Andy Samuel. The bottom line lists Monty O'Grady and Gabe Saienz, whose name is crossed out after he walks out on the club. Below these names is a
list of 'ornary members,' which includes John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, John Jeffries, 'Bennie Lenard,' 'and others.'
This film was the first of six in the sixth 'series' of Our Gang films.
40 still images were printed into numerous press photos to promote this film.
See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.