AboutRobert Demoss Expertise I can answer most questions about the Our Gang Comedies, including questions concerning cast members, crew members, release dates, memorabilia, availability of titles, and even some of the locations used. I`m continuously accumulating information, so obviously there is still much that I don`t know, but people just might find it tough to stump me.
Experience I run a website called theluckycorner.com, which provides all the details that I know about the 221 Our Gang films. I own every sound film in the series on VHS (133 total) and 72 of the silents (out of 88 total, with 7 being considered "lost" films).
Question QUESTION: I am trying to collect those "Our Gang" shorts that contain shots of the Roach studio lot, i.e. "Dogs of War." I m keenly interested in the way the studio looked. Aerial photos are intriguing, but inadequate! I have gathered a listing. "No Noise (#20), "Playin' Hookey" (#65). Are other possibilities "The Big Show," (#7), "Better Movies" (#43) and "The Big Premiere" (#189)??(Do they show the studio, or are they just films about the kids making their own movies?)
FInally, where can I find the ones listed that DO show what I'm looking for? I am willing to buy VHS or DVD, not actual film. I'm co-founder of Long Island's Laurel & Hardy tent, "The Second Hundred Years," and I was a corerspondent and friend of Stan Laurel from '60-'64.
ANSWER: Hi - The only Our Gang short that uses the studio as extensively as "Dogs Of War" would be "Playin' Hookey," since that one is also set at a movie studio. "Dogs Of War," "No Noise" and "Cradle Robbers" all show the front of the administration building. I'm still in the process of familiarizing myself with the rest of the studio, but the New York street set was used numerous times over the years - probably in a third or so of all the silent Our Gangs and many of the talkies. I think the easiest way to answer this question is to direct you to my website, theluckycorner.com, which has everything I know (so far) about the locations in each film. Some of the information is speculative, but the administration building and New York set are pretty easy to identify. There's an email link there if you'd like any clarification on anything. In the case of "The Big Show" and "Better Movies," they don't actually visit the studio, and "The Big Premiere" was made at MGM - but they don't visit the studio in that one, either. - Bob
PS - Isn't "The Second Hundred Years" the one with the great pie fight? Must have been great to be able to talk with Stan.
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QUESTION: I forgot to reiterate my question -- do you know where I can find "Playin' Hookey" as a VHS or DVD? If it's in a compilation of a few shorts, that would be good. I cant splurge for a set of all the shorts, tho.
As for it being great to talk to Stan laurel, it was -- absolutely. He was so funny and so gracious and quick to give valuable unsolicited advice. He was a very generous and sincere man, and just loved writing to, talking to, and listening to his fans. I think he had a little bit of a temper, prompted mostly out of peoples' stupidity, but I heard that it passed very quickly and that he was usually very forgiving. The only exception was Larry Harmon, who he was very disappointed in for making his great-looking L&H cartoon series so unfunny, and for being such an idiot whenever he spoke to him. He found him obnoxious for always talking to him in a Stan Laurel voice rather than just normally. (I don't think this wasn't generally known until later years. It was only whispered about until Harmon died last month.)
Answer The only VHS I've come across with "Playin' Hookey" was from Video Classics, which was also marketed through The Picture Palace. I'm not sure if the latter would still have copies, since the former is no longer making videos. These were all homemade tapes, though, and were made by Bill Sprague. Do you know him? I should add that "Playin' Hookey" doesn't look very good as far as picture quality goes. Also, it's mainly indoor footage with few if any shots of the outdoor portions of the studio.
If you contact me through my website, we can probably work out a way for you to get a copy - that is, unless you know Bill. My understanding is that he still trades but doesn't sell. Or at the very least, I can make vidcaps of the various shots in the film and email those to you.
