Filmed at the start of 1928, Stan's and Ollie's characters had now come into their own, and story ideas began flowing. Early in January, one of the gag men had seen some musicians performing in a park bandstand and mentioned it to Stan, and soon they were filming what was called 'The Music Blasters'; this title was changed just before its release. It was filmed almost in sequence in 10 days with the shin kicking and pants tearing sequence taking 2 days. Due to an existing still, it's known that one gag was filmed and then dropped. This featured an elderly lady about to give some money to the Boys who are street musicians but pulls a face at hearing their 'music' and turns away. The gag where Stan loosens the top of the salt and pepper shakers was reused in The Hoose-Gow (1929) a year later. Ham Kinsey, who was billed as a musician, was also Stan's stand in.
When the landlady tells Oliver and Stan to leave, Oliver says "Very well, Sister McPherson, we go." Aimee Semple McPherson was a Canadian Pentecostal evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She pioneered the use of modern media in religious services, using radio to draw listeners into her weekly sermons at Angelus Temple, an early megachurch.
This short's working title was "The Music Blasters", and its U.K. release was under that title. Sometimes it's employed the title "Pants Off".
Hal Roach Studios production number S-9.
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