Derby Day

Production Notes[]

Length: Two Reel
Producer: Hal Roach
Director: Robert F. McGowan
Photography:
Editor:
Titles: H. M. Walker
Writer: Hal Roach
Released: November 18, 1923
Studio: Pathe Exchange

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Charles A. Bachman - Police Officer
Gabriel Saienz - "Dugan's Betting Stand" operator
Julia Brown - Spectator
Lassie Lou Ahern - Spectator
Peggy Ahern - Spectator
Richard Daniels Sr. - Trainer
Wallace Howe - Gate Attendant
William Gillespie- Mary's Father
William Lord (unconfirmed)

The Short[]

Plot: The gang is selling lemonade and hot dogs across the street from the big racetrack, where Sammy and Farina's father is a jockey, but since Mary's father owns a horse, she can let the rest of the gang in for free. The kids have so much fun at the track that they decide to mastermind their own races with anything they can find to ride, which turns out to be such noble steeds as a mule, a cow, a horse, two dogs, and a goat. Nothing is overlooked in their kiddie race from the brass band to the betting window (odds up to 1000 to 1). Mary's father even offers a five dollar purse to the winner. The only thing they miss is the willingness of their pets to be ridden, and the race turns into a marathon run with Farina leading the way on his tricycle and winning! Unfortunately, the police come to break up the play, and everyone now has something to be running from instead of toward.
Quotes:

"Jack - Some neighbors say he'll be hanged when he grows up - Others hope it will be sooner -" - Title Card
"Ain't got no money - Ah ain't had time to go to the bank this mawnin'." - Sammy
"Talk Inglish - Ah don't understand chop sooey!" - Sammy to Sing Joy
"Jus' pick 'em up an' lay 'em down!" - Sammy to the racehorses
"Tha's all the jockey's names - an' battin' averages." - Jack
"Sing Joy -- Popular with the gang -- They can all lick him --" - Title card

Notes/Trivia:

This was the last short for Jack Davis.
This is one of the most top rated shorts in the series.
As art becomes reality, Mary Kornman grew up to marry a man with horses.
A tote board refers to "Sammy" instead of "Ernie," which appears on a title card. The board reads that Sammy is riding the mule, Jack the horse, Joe the cow, Farina the "bicikel," (tricycle), Jackie and "Micky" dogs, with Jackie's dog named "Barney" and Micky's named "Bill," and Sing Joy (in Chinese characters) riding the goat.
During the adult race, part of the footage shows the horses racing clockwise around the track, so some footage may have been reversed. Most of that race is in the usual counterclockwise direction.
This short is entitled Little Jockeys on Mischief Makers.
During the shooting of this short, Joe Cobb fell off of his cow and hit his head so hard that he was out of production for a week.
Goof - In 1926, this short was mistakenly labelled as "Big Business." In 1927, the title changed back correctly to "Derby Day" without making confusion with Big Business, which was released in February 10, 1924.

Sequence[]

Previous Short: No Noise
Next Short: Tire Trouble