The upcoming Paramount Pictures production was announced in the 26 January 1927 Variety by its working title, Sheiks and Shebas, to be directed by Monte Brice and starring Charles “Buddy” Rogers. Weeks later, the 5 March 1929 [Los Angeles, CA] Evening Post-Record and the 9 March 1929 Variety reported the official title as Rolled Stockings. Principal photography was scheduled to begin on 21 March 1929. The 10 March 1929 Evening Post-Record noted that actress Louise Brooks had been reassigned to the picture from the proposed Raymond Griffith vehicle, Dying for Love. Items in the 26 March 1927 New York Daily News and the 6 Apr 1927 Variety included Josephine Dunn among the cast and announced that Richard Rosson had replaced Monte Brice. Comedian El Brendel was expected to join the production after completing his role in Wings (1927, see entry).
       According to articles in the 8 Apr 1927 [Oakland, CA] Tribune and the [San Francisco, CA] Examiner, location scenes were filmed at the University of California at Berkeley and in San Francisco. The company was headquartered at the Hotel Oakland and planned to complete its work within the next two or three days. In addition to the cast and crew were publicist E. D. Lashin and Barney Hutchinson, who was managing the unit. While on location, writer Grover Jones directed the filming of a boat race between Berkeley and the University of Washington, as stated in the 13 April 1927 Los Angeles Times and the 23 April 1927 Exhibitors Herald. Rosson had returned to Hollywood upon learning of his mother’s death. The 17 April 1927 [Pittsburgh, PA] Post-Gazette credited Harry Fischbeck as “chief cameraman.”
       An article in the 18 June 1927 [Modesto, CA] News-Herald noted that the film was intended to feature the current group of Paramount “Junior Stars,” developed over the previous year by the studio’s training program. The 22 May 1917 Los Angeles Times recounted an incident during production in which the principal cast members and actress Sally Blane were challenged by three musicians on set to a ukulele contest. All were supplied with instruments, although only lead actor James Hall knew how to play. Additional cast members included Henry Menjou (5 May 1927 San Francisco Examiner) and Shirley Dormas (16 June 1927 [Johnson City, TN] Staff-News).
       Another incident, described in the 5 June 1927 Los Angeles Times, took place at the Glendale, CA, station of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Approximately 200 background actors, cast as college students, were to disembark from a train. While Rosson was discussing the shot with his cameraman, the train was moved nearly a mile away on a sidetrack to allow the passage of another train. The director was reportedly furious over the delay. As noted in the 5 June 1927 [Lincoln] Nebraska State Journal, Rosson held a “roll call” during the filming of dance sequences, in which each actress’s rolled stockings were inspected to assure straight seams and the absence of wrinkles.
       An article in the 30 May 1927 Los Angeles Times revealed that the picture had been given two previews earlier that month. Audience reaction was said to be so enthusiastic that associate producer B. P. Schulberg ordered additional scenes. The cast had since returned to Berkeley to film more boat-racing sequences.
       Rolled Stockings was released on 18 June 1927, preceded by openings on 7 June 1927 at the Orpheum Theatre in Clarion, PA; on 10 June 1927 at the State Theatre in Uniontown, PA; and on 16 June 1927 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Los Angeles. A writer for the 9 July 1927 Exhibitors Herald complained that the majority of stockings presented on screen were not consistent with the title. The 20 July 1927 Variety noted that advertising for the film’s New York City opening at the Paramount Theatre listed only Louise Brooks as the nominal star, rather than the previously publicized “Paramount Junior Stars.” It was also mentioned that Brooks had joined the studio before the training program was established. The 1 October 1927 Film Spectator stated that the picture increased the popularity of both James Hall and Louise Brooks, the latter of whom was offered a new contract. Hall’s contract was not yet up for renewal.
       The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of October 2019.